The Magic Mountain: Part 7, Chapter 10: The Great Petulance Summary & Analysis

As the years go on, a “ghost” starts to “walk the Berghof,” one Hans believes to be a mutation of the aforementioned, demonic “Great Stupor.” Both demons have always existed within the Berghof, but now the new demon begins to spread, infecting all the Berghof’s residents. Hans is horrified when he realizes that, as soon as “he let[s] himself go the least little bit,” he, too, is infected. The narrator describes the observable symptoms of this infection as a testy, restless, angry atmosphere all throughout the sanatorium. People get into fights over the smallest things, and some even turn physical.

The infection that has spread throughout the sanatorium has affected Settembrini, too, dulling his characteristically sharp intellect and leaving him unable to come up with any of his usual cutting responses. Naphta, too, is under the weather, though his illness is more physical than Settembrini’s. He spends most days in bed, though he celebrates his body’s weakened state, an attitude that fuels his and Settembrini’s usual arguments.

One February afternoon, Hans, Ferge, Wehsal, Settembrini, and Naphta meet up and take a sleigh ride to Monstein. It’s a beautiful, snowy day, and they see the beautiful Zügenstrasse appear before them as they near their final destination. In Monstein, they stop at an inn, or “Kurhaus,” before continuing on their way. Immediately, the Stulsergrat (a mountain in the Swiss Alps) comes into view. They see a high mountain peak materialize before them, and to Hans it appears almost “supernatural, like something from Valhalla, distant, sacred, and inaccessible.”

Later, everyone returns to the Kurhaus for a snack and some coffee. Before long, Naphta starts lecturing about freedom, which he claims comes from Romanticism rather than Enlightenment thinking. What’s more, he claims, the desire for freedom is directly to blame for the rise in militant nationalism the continent is presently experiencing. In contrast, the freedom of mysticism and the Church protect individuals from “absolute monarchy.” At this point, Settembrini, frustrated, interjects to tell Naphta he’s tired of him corrupting the impressionable youths with “dubious ideas.” Their argument grows heated, and Hans and the others nervously look on in silence. The argument reaches its peak when Settembrini declares Naphta’s spreading of dangerous information “infamous” and says he needs to be “punished.” Naphta, irate, challenges Settembrini to a duel before storming off.

After Naphta has left, Wehsal asks Settembrini if he actually plans to accept Naphta’s challenge. Settembrini, though he does not theoretically approve of dueling, says that the “practical” circumstances require him to follow through with it. On the ride home to the Berghof, Hans feels dizzy and ill at ease. He gets even more upset when it’s revealed that Naphta wants to duel with pistols rather than fists. And, “as the injured party in an affair of honor,” it’s up to him to decide which weapon they use, so Settembrini has no say in the matter. Alone with Settembrini, Ferge, and Wehsal, Hans laments the pointlessness of the duel: it's not even over an “actual insult.” Settembrini disagrees, though, and tells Hans that intellectual disagreements really do matter and “become personal.” And, what’s more, a person who can’t defend their ideals with their body isn’t worthy of those ideals at all.

In the days leading up to the duel, Naphta informs Settembrini of the rules of the duel: the men will be five paces apart and will be allotted three shots. Settembrini accepts these rules, but Wehsal—his second—is horrified. Because nobody involved actually owns a pistol, they borrow them from Herr Albin, who also shows them how to use them. Hans selects the duel’s location: the beautiful meadow where he “‘play[s] king.’”

The night before the duel, Hans anxiously realizes it’s probably a good idea to have a doctor onsite. It’s unthinkable to ask Rhadamanthus (Behrens) to be there, since the director of a medical facility is unlikely to assist in illegal activities. Ultimately, though, Hans’s anxieties are pointless, as Naphta declares that he wants no doctor present.

Finally, the morning of the duel arrives. Hans hardly slept the night before and feels awful. His teeth chatter in the cold air as he, Ferge, Wehsal, and Settembrini make their way to the meadow. Suddenly, Settembrini stops, places his hand on Hans’s, and tells Hans that he will offer himself to be shot before killing Naphta: this is how he will fulfill his duty to honor.

Finally, they arrive at the meadow, where Naphta is already waiting. Naphta gets straight to business and asks for the weapons to be presented. Then Ferge draws the boundaries in the snow, and Settembrini and Naphta take their places. Naphta commands Settembrini to come forward and shoot. After taking his final step, Settembrini raises his pistol directly upward and fires. Naphta is furious that Settembrini has shot into the air. Settembrini calmly says he’ll shoot where he wants. “Coward!” Naphta screams at Settembrini—before turning the pistol toward his own head and pulling the trigger.

The gunshot echoes through the mountains. Everyone rushes toward Naphta’s body. Settembrini gets there first and cries out, “‘Che cosa fai per l’amor di Dio!’”