We follow the cousins
to tea-time and then to supper. Hans who is tired and drowsy cannot stand the
half glass of beer he drinks and gets a bit drunk. Unprepared he has a second
encounter with Settembrini.
1.
Building
Seeing Clavdia, Hans
Castorp is for the second time reminded of something or someone else.
Meeting Settembrini :
-
he insults him by calling him an organ grinder
-
HC finds himself wiser
-
HC confirms his young age : 24
-
HC makes a fool of himself babbling nonsense
in front of the pedagogue
Settembrini gets angry
and admonishes Hans “ pull yourself together !” then he says :
“Since
your stay here appears not to be good for you… how would it be , if you were to
pack your things tonight and ( leave )
Settembrini already
foresees that Hans is going to waste his time at the Sanatorium. As a humanist,
supporter of work, he urges Hans back to the real world and go do his duty as
the young promising engineer he is.
Unfortunately at that
moment HC catches a glimpse of Chauchat’s narrow eyes and broad cheekbones and
is again remembered of someone. He
refuses Settembrini’s supposition for the sake of reason and courage, but
we have all reasons to believe it is for Clawdia that he stays.
Settembrini recounts
the story of the girl Kneiffer ( as a warning ? ) who lost all sense of reason
and decided to stay on the mountain although she was not ill anymore.
2.
Death
Joachim recounts the
story of the student who hanged himself. Hans
considers returning back home !
3. Eros
Check
Krokowski and his ladies
The Russian
neighbours of Hans Castorp have a second go at it ! Scandalous ! Outrageous !
Hans
realizes with sympathy that Joachim is in love with Marusja
4. Notes
Silent
sister. A thermometer without grading
Settembrini
is named Satana
Hans
understand that if you are not ill, you are not important. It is a honour to be
healthy, a dishonour to be unhealthy
A second
dream is a nice summary of this second day and effectively closes the third
chapter.
Behrens
marches like Tous – les –deux, this personification of death Hans saw in the
early morning
Behrens
offers Hans a few years of stay at the Sanatorium
He wipes his
eyes like the adolescent boy at the table
Hans meets
beautiful Clawdia in his old schoolyard. He borrows a short ( phallic ) red pencil
in a silver holder. She has a pleasant husky voice and asks the pen back when
he is finished. Hans remembers who it is Clawdia makes him think of, but does
not name her / him.
He is
fleeing in panic because Krokowski is chasing him
He pushes
Settembrini away with his shoulder ( because he stands in the way ? )
A beast of
prey run through with a spear.
And finally,
Hans kissing the inside of the hand of Clawdia. He dreams this twice.
Everything
is set for a first battle for Hans soul. It is, as you have probably understood,
Settembrini’s reason versus Clawdia’s erotic attraction. Settembrin has already
suggested Hans to leave. Clawdia doesn’t have to do anything, her animal
attraction might be enough to keep Hans at the Sanatorium.
To be
continued …
