Carmen .⁠—What’s the matter? Has anything got under your skin?”

“No,” Joachim answered. “But you look so hot, I’m afraid your curve has gone up again.”

It had. The greeting he had exchanged with Clavdia Chauchat had overcome the mortifying depression; it was at bottom the consciousness of this which had lain at the root of Hans Castorp’s gratification. Yes, yes, Joachim was right, Mercurius was mounting again: when Hans Castorp consulted him, on their return from their walk, he had climbed up to 100.4°.