Hans is going back to normal life within the boundaries of the Sanatorium.
Hans and Joachim have
an appointment for an X Ray session. Hans who thinks he is now “part of the
family of the Moribundi” and deserves respect, is now confronted with a
hierarchy of illness. The sicker you are, the more respect you deserve. “…
people who were slightly ill, did not count for much…”.
People at his table
have not missed him with two exceptions: Settembrini and maybe Clawdia
1. Eros
Hans “infatuation” for
Clawdia has grown in the three weeks he was alone in bed. He has day-dreamed
about her a lot and Settembrini has interrupted one of these “dreams” which
made H blush. H has completely fallen for her.
“… we sympathize with
the qualms of conscience that accompanied the terrifying bliss of these visions
and images…” Masturbatory imagery and sexual fantasies?
Hans is ready for more “…overt
actions and blind adventures…” but Joachim’s coolness towards Marusja sets an
example of discipline and restraint. Without that Hans would already have “borrowed
a (phallic) pencil”
Hans gets more info
about Clawdia from “cupido” Frau Engelhart. There is competition: A gentleman
caller, a sick man from Mannheim
Behrens is the most
dangerous competitor for Hans knows that the doctor is his superior in age,
character and position.
Clawdia is also sitting
in the waiting room for the X-Rays, close to Hans. Clawdia speaks to Joachim,
not to Hans. There are opportunities for small talk which Hans does not use. Hans
fantasizes that she speaks to Joachim and not to him because between her and J
there is no “savage, profound, terrible secret” . How cute !
Hans keeps on fantasizing
over her: the slender outline of the whole leg, her very agreeable size,
relatively long legs ( gasp ), not at all broad in the hips, small breasts of a
young girl pressed together from both sides… ( gasp again )
2. Death
In the X- Ray room:
Hans asks permission from
Joachim to look at what he is not supposed to look at.
Hans chokes up when he
sees J honour-loving beating hearth
“Yes Yes I see it”,
Hans is remembering an old aunt who had sights of people as skeletons as a
premonition of their death.
Hans is deeply moved
When Hans sees an X ray
of his own hand he “sees his own grave” and for the first time of his life
understands that he too will die. Hans takes conscience of his own mortality
3. Note
Cicerone = guide
Dioscury boys, Castor
and Pollux , twins
