Chapter 24 conversation at the dinner table

Young Hans Castorp, embarrassed at his meal in the brightly lit restaurant, since his head had been trembling like his grandfather since this involuntary walk, was sitting at the table, This symptom recurred regularly, and it could not be stopped and it was difficult to hide.Apart from the dignified propping of his chin (which, however, could not last for long), he devised various means of concealing this weakness, such as swinging his head as far as possible, turning his head now and then to the left while speaking, or When sending the spoon to the mouth, use the left arm to lean against the table to maintain balance.In repose he rested his elbows on the table, and supported his head with his hands, though in his own opinion the position was a bit brutish, and only in a careless company of patients it was nothing. .But he had no energy, and he was in a bad mood when he ate.Originally, he always used the meal time to relieve his worries and boredom and take this opportunity to entertain himself.

The truth of the matter was--and Hans Castorp knew it all too well--that the disgraceful shaking of the head which he was trying to overcome was not caused by his body alone, nor could it be attributed to it. The air and the efforts to adapt to the water and soil, but reflect a certain kind of excitement in his heart, which is directly related to relieving worries and boredom. Mrs. Chauchat was always late at table.Hans Castorp was always restless before she came, because he had to wait to hear the slamming of the glass door, which was bound to be made when she entered.He knew that he would jump up when he heard the sound, and his face would suddenly darken, which had become a routine.In such situations before, he would shake his head angrily, angrily watch the careless and late woman sit at the "high-class Russian table", and sometimes he even burst out a few words between his teeth He uttered annoyed voices of protest.But now he is not like this, just hangs his head on the dish bowl, bites his lip, or deliberately turns his head to the other side, because his anger seems to have dissipated, and it seems that he doesn't want to blame her casually; not only that, He also faintly felt that others blamed her, and that he was also at fault and had to bear part of the responsibility.In short, he was ashamed.It would not be accurate to say that he was ashamed of Madame Chauchat, but that he himself was ashamed in front of the others--in fact, he had no need to think so, because in the dining-room Mrs. Stolp took his shame to heart.Perhaps the only exception was Miss Engelhardt, the governess sitting on Hans' right.

The poor fellow had already noticed that, because of Hans Castorp's nervousness about the closing door, the young man at the same table seemed to have a certain passion for the Russian woman.Besides, his air was nothing compared with the actual situation.Besides, he pretended to be indifferent-because Hans lacked acting talent and training in this area, his ability to pretend was very poor-but it did not mean that he was not interested in that woman, but that his emotions had reached a higher stage. develop.Miss Engelhardt wanted nothing from herself, but she praised Frau Chauchat so much that one thing stood out: Hans Castorp finally saw her clearly, if not all at once. It is matching from it.He even felt a little disgusted by this, but he was still willing to let her manipulate and fool him.

"Boom-boom!" said the spinster, "that's her. You don't have to look up to know who's coming. Of course, here she is, walking like a kitten gliding to a milk-bowl." What a pose! I'd love to switch places with her so you can see her as much as I do. I know you don't want to keep glancing at her—God knows, if she sees it, She'd get carried away... Now that she's saying hello to her tablemate, you should look at her, it's so exciting to see her! There's a dimple on her cheek when she talks and laughs like this , but dimples are not often there, just because she is happy. Heck, she is really a flowery girl, but she is spoiled and spoiled, so she is so casual. Anyone will fall in love with such a person, whether you like it or not. Although Their recklessness annoys you, but annoyance only makes you like them more. It's nice to be annoyed and then compelled to love..."

In this way the governess whispered beside Hans, and the spinster's hairy face flushed, indicating that her temperature had risen abnormally, and she spoke beautifully about poor Hans Castor. Pu Xin.He is not very assertive, and needs to prove from a third party that Mrs. Chauchat is a charming lady.In addition, the young man wanted his feelings to be fueled by the outside world, because his reason and conscience were at a dead end. But the old maid's talk was of no use in practice, for Miss Engelhardt knew Mrs. Chauchat as well as anyone else in the sanatorium at best.She didn't know anything about her, and she couldn't even boast that the two of them had known each other.Her only claim to seniority with Hans Castorp was that Frau Chauchat had once lived in Königsberg--Konigsberg is not far from the Russian border--and knew a little bit of Russian. .Hans Castorp was eager to see the details of Frau Chauchat's private life from these details.

"I see she has no ring," said he, "no wedding ring. What's the matter? Didn't you tell me she was a married woman?" The female teacher looked embarrassed.This question froze her, trying to think of something to say. In the presence of Hans Castorp she felt a great responsibility to Frau Chauchat. "Don't take that too seriously," she said at last. "Certainly she was married, there is no doubt about it. People call her Mrs., not just because, like some foreign girls, when they are a little older, they are called out of respect; in fact, everyone knows Well, she did have a husband somewhere in Russia. It's known everywhere here. Her surname was a Russian, not a French, when she was unmarried, and what was her name '--Arnoff' Or '--Ukov', I knew it at first, but then I forgot. If you want to know, I will ask later, there must be many people here who know this name. As for the ring? No, she Without a ring, I can see that clearly. God, maybe a ring doesn't suit her, maybe her hands look too wide with it, maybe she thinks a wedding ring is too tacky, a bare ring like this... ...all she lacks is a 'basket of keys' - which she does use with great pomp - and I understand that, Russian women are somewhat unrestrained and showy. Besides, wedding rings and the like are simply bland and unremarkable. I have to say, it just symbolizes that women are the appendages of men. It makes a woman feel out of the world, and makes a pure little flower sacred. If Mrs. Chauchat's ideas are the same as I'm the same, I'm not surprised at all... What a young and charming girl! When she reaches out to every man, maybe she has neither reason nor interest, and must be noticed, her life The big thing has already been decided..."

God, how hard this female teacher is!Hans Castorp stared at her with astonishment, but she returned him with surprise and bewilderment.Then the two were silent for a while, trying to regain their spirits.Hans Castorp ate, suppressing the shaking of his head as best he could, and finally said: "Where's her husband? Doesn't he care about her at all? He doesn't come up to see her once? What on earth is he doing?" "Officer, a government official in a remote province of Russia. You know, it's called Dagestan, far to the east of the Caucasus. He was sent there on orders. I can tell you the truth, I haven't seen anyone." He has been here before on the mountain. It has been three months since she went up the mountain this time."

"Then she's here for the first time?" "Yes, this is the third time. During this period, she has also been to other nursing homes. On the contrary, she sometimes visits him, not often, once a year, and the time is not long. It is said that they live apart, sometimes She went to see him." "Hey, she's sick..." "She's sick, of course, but not very badly. She's not so sick that she has to live in a sanitarium all day and be separated from her husband. It seems there must be something else, and everyone here thinks there must be something else. Maybe she doesn't. I like Dagestan in the Caucasus, it's so far away and desolate, it's not surprising after all. But there must be something wrong with the husband, which doesn't suit her very well. He has a French last name, But it was a Russian official, a rough man, you can trust me on that. I saw such an official once, with iron-gray sideburns and a rosy face.  … ...you know they are corrupt officials...they like to drink vodka, schnapps...for the sake of decency, they also eat a little bit of food, say pickled mushrooms or a piece of sturgeon, after eating they drink wine, And drink too much. That's what they call 'snacks'..."

"You put all the blame on the man," said Hans Castorp, "but we don't know if she is responsible for their not living together. We should be fair. From her behavior and I don't think she's an angel by the slamming of the door. Don't be offended, I don't trust her at all, but you're partial to her. You're sitting here and saying good things about her..." Sometimes he speaks in this tone.With a cunning that was alien to his nature, he managed to show that Miss Engelhardt's ardent flattery to Mrs. Chauchat did not reflect what she knew of the real situation, but was merely independent and fascinating. gag facts, and he, the free Hans Castorp, could joke with the spinster coolly and humorously with such material.He was sure that the spinster who pulled the strings would understand and enjoy his brazen gestures, so there was no risk.

"Good morning!" he said. "Did you sleep well at night? I suppose you dreamed about your pretty Minka? . . . Why, when you mention her, do you blush? You're completely smitten with her, and it's best not to deny it." Bar!" The face of the female teacher was really red.She looked down at the cup, and murmured a few words from the left corner of her mouth: "Nonsense, Monsieur Castorp! You're embarrassing me by attacking me with insinuations, that's not right. Everyone can see that we're referring to her, and you've said something that I'm obliged to say." The thing about blushing..."

The tricks played by the pair at the dinner table were wonderful.Both of them knew that they were telling outright lies, and that Hans Castorp was only joking about the governess in order to talk about Frau Chauchat.But he found a certain morbid, excessive pleasure in flirting with spinsters, and spinsters were more than happy to take it.Firstly, because she can pimp them, secondly, because she can cause the young man to fall under Madame Chauchat's pomegranate dress, and lastly, because even though she was teased by him, even her cheeks were flushed, but her heart was sour. There is also a sweet taste in the bitterness.Regarding this point, both of them knew it in their hearts, and they also knew that the other knew it well, but all this was so intricate and not decent enough.Hans, though generally averse to intricacies and indecency, and this occasion was no exception, continued to fish in troubled waters, while consoling himself that he was only a visitor on the hill, and would be leaving soon anyway.He commented on this "lazy" lady in an expert tone, saying that she must be younger and more beautiful from the front than she is from the side, her eyes are too far apart, and her demeanor is infinitely fascinating. Her arms are both beautiful and "delicate".He tried to conceal the shaking of his head as he said these words, but he was aware not only that the governess had seen that he was vainly restraining himself, but that the woman herself was shaking her head too, with the utmost disgust.He called Mrs. Chauchat "beautiful Minka" simply as a ploy and improvisation so that he could go on to ask: "I call her 'Minka,' but what is her name? I mean her name. If you are so attached to her, you must know her name." The female teacher thought for a while. "Wait a minute, I know," she said. "I already knew that. Is her name Tatyana? No, no, and not Natasya either. Tatyana and Natasya are common names for Russian women. Natasya Shoshya? No." , I haven't heard the name. Oh, I remember. Her name is Avdorja, or something like that. Because it's definitely not Kazinka or Ninotchka. Maybe I don't remember. If You want to know very much, and I can easily find out." The next day, she did know her name.At lunch, when the glass door slammed shut, she said, Frau Chauchat's name was Clarfgia. Hans Castorp did not understand it immediately.Before comprehending it, she read the name several times and spelled it several times.Then he said it a few more times, and at the same time he glanced at Madame Chauchat with his red eyes to see if the name suited her. "Clavutia," he said, "well, maybe that's her name, and it's quite appropriate." He was delighted to know the details so well, but he didn't want to hide it; Just use "Craftia" instead. "I saw just now that your Cravgia kneaded the bread like a little ball. It's very indecent." "It depends on who is kneading," replied the governess, "Clavlgia does nothing." Yes, dining in a restaurant with seven tables had a great fascination for Hans Castorp.Every time he finished eating, he felt sorry, but he was relieved to think that he could sit here again two or three hours later.When he sat down again, it was as if he had never got up.What did he do in the meantime? Nothing.Go for a walk by the stream or the "English Quarter", or just sit in a chair for a while.It was not really a rest, nor a heavy burden.When work and care were before his eyes, something else appeared, which was not so easily lost in the mind.But not so in the well-ordered life of the Heights Sanitarium.When Hans Castorp rose from his meal in the communal dining-room, he was secretly delighted--if the word secretly delighted could properly express Hans's anticipation and suffering at the prospect of eating again. The eagerness to meet the sick Mrs. Clafgia Chauchat again.This kind of meeting is not easy, too pleasant, too simple, too ordinary.The reader might think that these are the only adjectives—that is, cheerful and commonplace—that fit Hans Castorp's personality and mood.But we must bear in mind that, as Hans was a young man of reason and conscience, the sight of Frau Chauchat or the approach of her aroused more than mere "pleasure"; If anyone said those words to him, he would shrug his shoulders dismissively.Yes, he is dismissive of certain ways of showing.Although this is a detail, it is worth mentioning.At this time, he was running around, his cheeks were red and hot, and he couldn't help humming softly; because his heart was itching, he wanted to sing out loud.He was humming a ditty he had heard somewhere at some meeting or charity concert, a soprano song, sentimental and empty.It floats up in Hans' memory now, and the words begin thus: As soon as you open your mouth, I lost my head. He still wants to continue singing: What comes out of your lips, Every sentence falls on my heart! At this time he suddenly shrugged his shoulders and said "ridiculous!" Immediately, he felt that this little tune was bland and disgusting, so he stopped singing it.With a certain regret and dignity he stopped singing.Such an affectionate ditty that only some cheerful young man "dedicates" "this heart" (as people are used to say) to some healthy gosling in the Lowlands legally, with peace of mind, and with boundless hope. Only then can it be sung, and thus indulge in a beaming emotion that is reasonable and full of hope.For him and his relationship with Madame Chauchat—the word "relation" was invented by Hans, for which we are not responsible—this tune is not at all appropriate.Lying on the couch, his mind was in a mess, he just said "stupid" aesthetically, then wrinkled his nose and kept silent, even though he knew it would be inappropriate to sing this song again. But there was one thing that made him happy, and that was lying down and listening to the beating of his own heart.During the main bed rest period, the Sanatorium of the Mountain Villa was always silent, and in this silence, not only was his heart beating fast, but it was also clearly audible.His heart was beating fast, as it had almost always been since he had been up the mountain.But lately Hans Castorp was not as disturbed by the beating of his heart as he had been in the first few days.Now he could no longer think of its beatings as involuntary and inexplicable, irrelevant to his state of mind.There was a relationship between the beating of the heart and his state of mind, and it wasn't hard to figure out why.Emotions are excited for no reason, and certain parts of the body will inevitably move excitedly.Hans Castorp was thinking only of Frau Chauchat, and he was really thinking of her so that the beating of his heart was a natural feeling for him.