Gustav Aschenbach, sau von Aschenbach, cum suna numele lui legiuit, \u00een ziua cinci \u00eemplinise
cincizeci de ani pornise, intr-o dup\u0103-amiaz\u0103 din prim\u0103vara anului 19..., an care timp de luni
\u00eentregi se \u00eenf\u0103\u0163i\u015fase continentului nostru cam posoniontj pornise de la locuin\u0163a lui de pe
Prinzregentens\u00eerasse din Miinchen, s\u0103 fac\u0103 o plimbare mai lung\u0103. Cu nervii \u00eencorda\u0163i de
munca din cursul dimine\u0163ii, munc\u0103 grea \u015fi d\u0103un\u0103toare, care tocmai acum \u00eei cerea \u015fi mai mult\u0103
grij\u0103, aten\u0163ie, p\u0103trundere \u015fi precizie^ scriitorul na izbutise s\u0103-\u015fi st\u0103vileasc\u0103, nici chiar dup\u0103 ce
pr\u00eenzise, vibra\u0163ia aceea permanenta a instinctului s\u0103u de crea\u0163ie, acel motus animi continttus
*\u00bb care, dup\u0103 cum pretinde Cicero, e esen\u0163a \u00eens\u0103\u015fi a elocven\u0163ei \u015fi nu putuse a\u0163ipi o clip\u0103
m\u0103car, r\u0103gazul acesta fiin-du-i totu\u015fi at\u00eet de necesar, o dat\u0103 pe zi cel pu\u0163in, c\u00eerid se sim\u0163ea
istovit. Plecase a\u015fadar de acas\u0103, n\u0103d\u0103jduind ca aerul \u015fi mi\u015fcarea s\u0103-i re\u00eemprosp\u0103teze for\u0163ele ca
s\u0103 se poat\u0103 bucura iar\u0103\u015fi, din plin, de senra ce avea s\u0103 vin\u0103.
Era pe \u00eei \u00eenceputul lui mai, \u015fi dup\u0103 c\u00eeteva s\u0103pta-m\u00eeni umede \u015fi reci se pornise deodat\u0103 o
c\u0103ldur\u0103 \u00een\u015fel\u0103toare de miez de var\u0103. Cu toate c\u0103 frunzele

\u015fi. pie~IOP \u00ce se \u00eendreptau spre marginea ora\u015fului. Ajuns, pe c\u0103r\u0103ri di:.i ce \u00een ce mai t\u0103cute, la
Aumeister, Aschen-bach privi o vreme restaurantul acesta atit de animat, \u00een fa\u0163a c\u0103ruia
a\u015fteptau c\u00e2teva birje \u015fi echipaje : apoi, m timp ce soarele cobora tot mai jos, porni spre

ca:\u0103, ie\u015find din parc pe \u00eentinsul c\u00eempid ; dar, cum \u00eencepuse sa se simt\u0103 obosit, iar pe do alt\u0103 parte se adunaser\u0103 n c d de ploaie peste Fohring, ramase ling\u0103 cimitir s'i a\u015ftepte tramvaiul- ce trebuia sa-1 duc\u0103 \u00eenapci \u00een ora\u015f.

ar\u0103ta a bavarez; \u00een orice 'caz, p\u0103l\u0103ria mare, cu borurile lar\u00eert, d\u0103dea \u00eenf\u0103\u0163i\u015f\u0103rii lui un aer de om str\u0103in, venit de departe. Bine\u00een\u0163eles c\u0103 \u00een jurul umerilor piKta obi\u015fnuit'"! rucsac \u015fi era \u00eembr\u0103catm ni\u015fte haine g\u0103lbui de loden, cu cing\u0103toare. \u0162inea pe bra\u0163ul st\u00eeng sprijinit \u00een \u015fold, o pelerin\u0103 cenu\u015fie de ploaie, iar \u00een. rnna dreapt\u0103 un baston cu v\u00eerf ascu\u0163it de fier, pe -.re 11 \u00eenfipsese oblic \u00een p\u0103rmnt \u015fi de a! c\u0103rui miner , v'i rezemase \u015foldul, \u00eencrac'\u015fttidu-\u015fi

gol, g\u00eetul slab cu un proe-\u2022uinent m.ar .al lai Adam ; ocbii lui sp\u0103l\u0103ci\u0163i, tivi\u0163i cu \u00ee\u00bbene ro\u015fietice,. priveau cercet\u0103tor \u00een. dep\u0103rtare ; \u2022ntre ochi, dou\u0103 cute verticale inipriirau chipului sar* o energie care nu se potrivea de loc cu Basul lui

ce^rnipc-rios/ccva \u00eendr\u0103zne\u0163, dac\u0103 nu chiar s\u0103lbatic ; cacU-e ca lumina vie a soarelui ce sc\u0103pata \u00eel siiea sar^ felul de schime, fie c\u0103 era vorba de vreun toc, buze P\u0103reau c\u0103 nu-i ajung, \u00eentr-at\u00eet erau detr^ \u2022-\u0103tul din\u0163ilor, dezveli\u0163i astfeJ pma ia ^ng.-\u201e. a,b., 'inn\u00ab^'\u00abi oar\u00eenH c\u0103 r\u00eemesc nitr-una.

t prea poate ca A-,<:henbach, cerat\u00ee, dn-1 pe n\u00abm cu orivhea lui pe jum\u0103tate distratr.,
pe ;urna-rate tatrAitoare. si fi dep\u0103\u015fit m\u0103mra, eac. d\u2014 \u00ceS", d\u0103du seami ca, ia nndul
lui, omul u sa^t

privind u-! cu m\u00eenie, \u00ee\u00eerept \u00een ochi, fiotar\u00eet sa \u00eemping\u0103 lucrurile p\u00een\u0103 Ia cap\u0103t, silindu-1 s\u0103-
s.i coboare privirea; a\u015fa c\u0103, st\u00eenjenit, Aschenbach se \u00eentoarse \u015fi~o lu\u0103 din loc, f\u0103r\u0103 s\u0103-i mai
dea celuilalt nici o aten\u0163ie, \u00eentr-o clip\u0103 \u00eel si uitase. Totu\u015fi, fie c\u0103 \u00eenf\u0103\u0163i\u015fare;! nomad\u0103 a
str\u0103inului \u00eei st\u00eernise \u00eenchipuirea, fie c\u0103 se afla sub influen\u0163a vreunui alt factor fizic sau
psihic, \u00ee\u015fi d\u0103du seama c\u0103s \u00een chip ciudat, se trezise ceva \u00een el; sim\u0163irea \u00eei devenise parca

mai cuprinz\u0103toare \u2014\u2022 p\u0103rea c\u0103-1 b\u00eentuie o nelini\u015fte hoinar\u0103, o sete tinereasc\u0103 de a
cutreiera dep\u0103rt\u0103rile \u2014 sim\u0163ire atft de vie \u015fi de nou\u0103, sau poate mai veche, dar de care se
dezobi\u015fnuite, uit\u00eend-o; \u015fi Aschenbach, cu rm\u00eenile la spate \u015fi cu ochii \u00een p\u0103ri\u00eent, r\u0103mase ca
\u00eencremenit locului, vr\u00eend s\u0103-\u015fi dea mai bine seama de sensul \u015fi de rostul sim\u0163irii acesteia
r\u0103scolite.
Nu era \u00eens\u0103 nimic altceva deci t dorul de a c\u0103l\u0103tori, care se manifesta n\u0103valnic, ca o
patim\u0103, aproape ca o r\u0103t\u0103cire a sim\u0163urilor. Dorin\u0163a Iui lacom\u0103 prindea via\u0163\u0103, puterea lui de
\u00eenchipuire, care fac\u0103 nu se lini\u015ftise dup\u0103 atftea ceasuri de munc\u0103, prinse s\u0103 vad\u0103 aievea
toate minunile \u015fi groz\u0103viile de pe p\u0103m\u00eentul acesta at\u00eet de divers, \u00eenaintea ochilor p\u0103ru c\u0103 i
se arat\u0103 o \u00eentindere tropical\u0103, ml\u0103\u015ftinoas\u0103, sub un cer acoperit de ce\u0163uri groase, o \u00eentindere
umed\u0103, cu o vegeta\u0163ie luxuriant\u0103, un soi de lume primitiv\u0103 \u015fi s\u0103lbatic\u0103, alc\u0103tuit\u0103 din insule
cu r\u00eeuri ce aduc n\u0103moluri \u015fi noroaie ; din mijlocul ferigilor lacome, din \u00eempfnzirea
n\u0103valnic\u0103, \u00eenvolburata, a plantelor ce se ramificau \u00een tot felul de \u00eenflorituri tantastice, v\u0103zu
desprinz\u00eendu-se trunchiuri p\u0103roase de palmieri, v\u0103zu pomi ciuda\u0163i ridicmdu-\u015fi r\u0103d\u0103cinile
\u00een v\u0103zduh, pentru ca apoi s\u0103 \u015fi le \u00eenfig\u0103 \u00een p\u0103m\u00eent, \u00een ape st\u0103t\u0103toare, \u00een undele cu oglinda
verzuie, acolo unde, printre flori plutitoare, albe ca
laptele\u015fl mari c\u00eet str\u0103chinile, p\u0103s\u0103ri stranii, cu capul ad\u00eencit \u00eentre umeri \u015fi cu ciocuri
diforme, st\u0103teau privind nemi\u015fcate \u00een laturi ; v\u0103zu, printre trunchiurile noduroase ale
desi\u015furilor de bambus, se\u00eeri-teind ochii tigrului care st\u0103tea la p\u00eend\u0103 \u015fi-\u015fi sim\u0163i inima
b\u0103t\u00eendu~i de groaz\u0103, dar \u015fi de dorin\u0163e nel\u0103murite. Atunci, chipul care i se ar\u0103tase disp\u0103ru ;
\u015fi, scutur\u00eend din cap, Aschenbach \u00ee\u015fi re\u00eencepu plimbarea de-a lungul ulucilor ce
\u00eemprejmuiau cioplko-riiie de pietre funerare.
El nu privise c\u0103l\u0103toriile, cel pu\u0163in de c\u00eend avea destule mijloace ca s\u0103 se poat\u0103 bucura de
ele, dec\u00eet ca un fel de m\u0103sur\u0103 igienic\u0103 pe care trebuie s-o iei uneori, chiar \u00eempotriva
voin\u0163ei \u015fi inten\u0163iilor tale. Prea ocupat cu sarcinile ce i le impunea sufletul lui de european,
\u00eempov\u0103rat de \u00eendatorirea ce o avea de a scrie, pu\u0163in \u00eenclinat s\u0103 caute o distragere \u00een forfota
lumii exterioare, el se mul\u0163umise cu imaginea pe care omul de r\u00eend \u015fi-o face despre
\u00eenf\u0103\u0163i\u015farea p\u0103rn\u00ee\u00eeituluK f\u0103r\u0103 sa fie ispitit vreodat\u0103 de g\u00eendul de a p\u0103r\u0103si Europa. Mai cu
seam\u0103 de c\u00eend \u00eencepuse s\u0103 simt\u0103 declinul vie\u0163ii, de c\u00eend artistuluidin el \u00eencepuse sa-i fie
team\u0103 c\u0103 n-o s\u0103-\u015fi poat\u0103 \u00eendeplini misiunea, de c\u00eend frica de a nu-i suna ceasul \u00eenainte de
a~\u015fi fi f\u0103cut datoria \u015fi de a fi dat tot ce putea sa dea nu mai erau doar simple idei fixe,
\u00eentreaga lui existen\u0163a se m\u0103rginea aproape numai la ora\u015ful acela frumos \u00een care se
stabilise \u015fi la c\u0103su\u0163a de \u0163ar\u0103 pe care \u015fi-o cl\u0103dise \u00een mijlocul mun\u0163ilor, unde \u00ee\u015fi petrecea de

obicei verile ploioase.
De altfel, ispitele ce \u00eencepuser\u0103 sa-1 ademeneasc\u0103 a\u0163i r de t\u00eersiu$i de nea\u015fteptat fur\u0103
curind potolite \u015fi alungate de ra\u0163iune \u015fi de acea disciplina pe care \u00a7i-o \u00eensu\u015fise \u00eenc\u0103 din
tinere\u0163e. Luase hot\u0103r\u00eerea s\u0103-\u015fi duc\u0103, \u00eenainte de a pleca \u00een mun\u0163i, p\u00een\u0103 la im anume punct
opera c\u0103reia \u00ee\u015fi \u00eenchinase via\u0163a ; ideea hoina-

prea nes\u0103-boit\u0103 ca s\u0103 mai \u0163in\u0103 soco^al\u0103 de ea. \u015ei totu\u015fi, \u00ee\u015fi d\u0103dea prea bine seama de
motivul ce-\u00ee prilejuite, a?a d'eoda^, aceasta ispita. Era simpla dbrin\u0163a de a fugi, n\u0103zuin\u0163a
depan\u0103rii \u015fl a. nout\u0103\u0163ii, seiea tic eli-i berare. de despov\u0103rare\u015f:.'uitare \u2014 dorin\u0163a de a se
dep\u0103rta, c\u00eet mai mult de opera lui, de local unde zi dezi slujea unei datorii rigide, reci \u015fi
p\u0103tima\u015fe. E drept c\u0103 iubea aceast\u0103 \u00eendatorire \u015fi c\u0103 iubea aproape p\u00een\u0103 \u015fi acea lupta
\u00eenver\u015funata, zi de zi re\u00eennoit\u0103, \u00eentre voin\u0163a lui m\u00eenclra, \u00eenc\u0103p\u0103\u0163\u00eenata, de at\u00eetea, on lixercac\u0103,
\u015fi oboseala mereu crese\u00eend\u0103, de care nimeni nu trebuia s\u0103 afle \u015f\u00ee care nu trebuia s\u0103 se va-

coarda \u015fi sa nu mrd \u00een\u0103bu\u015fe cu \u00eenc\u0103p\u0103\u0163ma-re nevoia ce izbucnea cu at\u00eeta \u00eend\u00eerjire. Se gindi la lucrarea lui, 52 gmd\u00ee la pasajul \u00abndc se \u00eempotmolise ast\u0103zi, la felc,i \u015fi .ieri, pasaj care p\u0103rea c\u0103 -na vrea 's\u0103 se supun\u0103 nici u noi formul\u0103ri r\u0103bd\u0103toare\u015fl nici unei solu\u0163ii mdrlzneie \u015f\u00ee precipitate, \u00eel examina din nou, \u00eencerc\u00eend &i treac\u0103 peste dificultatea ce-i sta \u00een cale, sau s\u0103 o \u00eenl\u0103ture, dar, sc\u00eerb.it, se opri, reniin\u0163\u00eend. Nu c\u0103 ar fi fost vorba de cine \u015ftie ce lucru greu, dar ceea ce \u00eel st\u00eenjenea erau de fapt .scrupulele tui ai dezgust" ce se \u00eenfarisa sub forma unui sim\u0163 exagerat al perfec\u0163iunii, din ce \u00een ce mai cu neputin\u0163\u0103 de satisf\u0103cut. E drept ca, \u00eenc\u0103 din cea din\u0163ii tinere\u0163e\u00bb socotise acest sim\u0163 ca fiind \u00eens\u0103\u015fi esen\u0163a \u015fl natura infima a, talentului, \u015fi de dragul Iul '\u00ee\u015fi strunise sim\u0163irea* poto-lind-o, pentru c\u0103 \u00ee\u015fi- d\u0103dea seama ca ea \u00eenclina sa se mul\u0163umeasc\u0103 do2< cu o simpl\u0103 \u015fi oaonb-ii\u0103 apro-xima\u0163ie, oprind des\u0103v\u00e2r\u015firea

s\u0103-i mal sprij\u00een-2 arta,,
,)?nd-o, lu\u00eend cu d\u00eensa toat\u0103 pl\u0103cerea \u015f\u00ee tot: farmecul fe care i le d\u0103ruise CJ s\u0103 se slujeasc\u0103 de
ele \u00een ce -/riveste forma f? expresia ? Nu s-ar fi putut spune ta ceea ce scria el acum n-ar
f\u00ee fost izbutit. Cel pu\u0163in acest avantaj i-1 d\u0103dea virsta : sa aib\u0103 \u00een orice clip\u0103 certitudinea
m\u0103iestriei srJe. El, \u00een schimb, \u00een timp ce \u00eentreaga na\u0163iune \u00eei cinstea aceast\u0103 .m\u0103iestrie, ri
nu putea s\u0103 se bucure \u00eendeajuns de aceast\u0103 cinstire ;;i st\u0103ruia \u00een impresia ca opera lui e lipsita
de spontaneitatea fireasc\u0103 si \u00eenfl\u0103c\u0103rat\u0103, menita sa-1 bucure, \u0163i care, mai mult dec\u00eet orice alt
con\u0163inut, ar h fost \u00een stare s\u0103-i bucure pe datorii s\u0103i. \u00eei era teama s\u0103-si petreac\u0103 vara la \u0163ara,
singur \u00een c\u0103su\u0163a aceea, al\u0103turi de femeia care trebuia s\u0103-i g\u0103teasc\u0103 si de servitorul care-i
aducea m\u00eencarca ; se temea de \u00eenf\u0103\u0163i\u015farea at\u00eet de cunoscut\u0103 a piscurilor \u015fi pere\u0163ilor
st\u00eencosi. care aveau s\u0103-i Incercuiasca, martori ai \u00eencetinelii si ne-mul\u0163umirii lui Era nevoie

a\u015fadar de ceva cu totul nou, de ceva neprev\u0103zut, de c\u00eeteva zile de trind\u0103-vie, ce aer nou din alte meleaguri, de pu\u0163in sfiise proasp\u0103t, care s\u0103-i dea puterea s\u0103-si petreac\u0103 cu lofos van si s\u0103 lucreze cu spor. Prin urmare c\u0103l\u0103torie 1-ar fi mul\u0163umit. Nu cine \u015ftie c\u00eet de parte si \u00een nici un caz p\u00een\u0103 \u00een \u0163ara tigri Io de dormit \u015fi o siest\u0103 de douc

recunosc\u0103tor c\u0103 \u015fi dincolo de admcuri\u00eee cunoa\u015fterii moralitatea \u015f\u00ee energia sint cu putin\u0163\u0103, in sf\u00eer\u015fit, autorul (si aci s\u00eent enumerate pe scurt operele maturit\u0103\u0163ii sale) acelui eseu aut de \u00eenfl\u0103c\u0103rat despre Spirit \u015fi Ana., a c\u0103rui for\u0163\u0103 categoric\u0103 \u015fi a c\u0103rui elocven\u0163\u0103