第2章
he was preparing to enter the firm of Tunder and Wilms, as volunteer apprentice,
unsalaried engineering-in-training
第3章 黑體字處楊比鵬好點
“ Cousins? ” the Hofrat asked, motioning with his hand from one to the other of the two young men and looking at them with his bloodshot eyes. “ Is he going to follow the drums like you? ” he addressed Joachim, jerking his head at Hans Castorp. “God forbid, eh? I could tell as soon as I saw you ” — he spoke now directly to the young man — “that you were a layman; there’s something civilian and comfortable about you, not like our sabre- rattling corporal here! You’d be a better patient than he is, I’ll wager. I can tell by looking at people, you know, whether they’ll make good patients or not; it takes talent, everything takes talent — and this myrmidon here hasn’t a spark. Maybe he shows up on the parade-ground, for aught I know; but he’s no good at being ill. Will you believe it, he’s always wanting to clear out! Badgers me all the time, simply can’t wait to get down there and be skinned alive. There’s doggedness for you! Won’t give us even a measly half-a-year! And yet it’s quite pretty up here; I leave it to you if it isn’t, Ziemssen, what? . . . Well, your cousin will appreciate us, even if you don’t. He’ll get some fun out of it. There’s no shortage in the lady market here, either; we have the most charming females. At least, some of them are very pictur- esque on the outside. But you ought to have better colour your- self, you know, if you want to please the sex. 4 The golden tree of life is green,’ as the poet says — but it’s a poor colour for the BANTER 47 complexion, all the same. Totally anaemic, of course,” he broke off, and without more ado put up his index and middle fingers and drew down Hans Castorp’s eyelid. “ Precisely! Totally anaemic, as I was saying. You know it wasn’t such a bad idea of yours to let your native Hamburg shift for itself awhile. Great insti- tution, Hamburg — simply revels in humidity — sends us a tidy contingent every year. But if I may take the occasion to give you the benefit of my poor opinion — sine pectmia , you under- stand, quite sine pecuma — \ would suggest that you do just as your cousin does, while you are up here. Y >u couldn’t turn a better trick than to behave for the time as though you had a slight tuberculosis pidmonwn , and put on a little flesh. It’s curi- ous about the metabolism of protein with us up here. Although the process of combustion is heightened, yet the body at the same time puts on flesh. — Well, Ziemssen, slept pretty well, what? . . . Splendid! Then get on with the out-of-doors exercise — but not more than half an hour, you hear^ 5 And afterwards stick the quick- silver cigar in your face, eh? And be good and write it down, Ziemssen! That’s a conscientious lad! Saturday I’ll look at the curve. Your cousin better measure too. Measuring can’t hurt any- body. Morning, gentlemen. Have a good time — morning — morn- ing — ” Krokowski joined him as he sailed off down the hall, swinging his arms palms backward, directing to right and left the question about sleeping well, which was answered on all sides in the affirmative.
The Myrmidons (or Myrmidones Μυρμιδόνες) were an ancient nation of Greek mythology. In Homer's Iliad, the Myrmidons are the soldiers commanded by Achilles. Their eponymous ancestor was Myrmidon, a king of Phthiotis who was a son of ...
all the same
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