“⁠—He had a great deal to say against money, the soul of the State, as he expressed himself, and against property-holding, which he considers thievery; in short, against the capitalistic system, which he called, if I remember rightly, fuel for the fires of hell, or something like that. He sang the praises of the Middle Ages for forbidding the taking of interest. And all the time the man himself must have, if I may say so⁠—you get such a surprise when you first enter his room and see all that silk⁠—”

“Ah, yes,” smiled Settembrini, “the taste is very characteristic of him.”

“⁠—the beautiful old furniture,” Hans Castorp went on, “the pietà out of the fourteenth century, the Venetian lustre, the little page in livery⁠—and such a lot of chocolate layer cake, too⁠—he must personally be pretty well off, I should think⁠—”

“Herr Naphta,” Settembrini answered, “is, personally, as little of a capitalist as I am.”