Most of the students who came for the summer session at the Ladislaus estate were passionate about the history of life on our planet and fascinated by the many strange artifacts found in strata far and wide. Inevitably, however, a handful of these stood out for their eagerness and ability—Esme, Tomas, Miroslav, and Ondřej. These four regularly met after dinner to review what they had learned that day and to share their curiosity about things that hadn’t yet been covered in class. They met in Max’s library and often Max was there, too, studying and listening, soaking it in. Here and there, he made a wry and meaningful comment. Principally, he was happy that they didn’t consider him to be a stifling presence or a piece of furniture.
Emperor Max