Marchsatwithacompanyofotherpatientsintheanteroomofthedoctor，andwhenitcamehisturntobeproddedandkneaded，hewasashamedatbeingtoldhewasnotsobadacaseashehaddreaded。Thedoctorwroteoutacarefuldietaryforhim，withaprescriptionofacertainnumberofglassesofwateratacertainspringandacertainnumberofbaths，andaruleforthewalkshewastotakebeforeandaftereating；thenthedoctorpattedhimontheshoulderandpushedhimcaressinglyoutofhisinneroffice。Itwastoolatetobeginhistreatmentthatday，buthewentwithhiswifetobuyacup，withastrapforhangingitoverhisshoulder，andheputitonsoastobeaninvalidwiththeothersatonce；hecamenearforgettingthesmallnapkinofTurkishtowellingwhichtheystuffedintotheircups，buthappilytheshopmancalledhimbackintimetosellittohim。
Atfivethenextmorningherose，andonhiswaytothestreetexchangedwiththeservantscleaningthehotelstairsthefirstofthegloomy’GutenMorgens’whichusherinthedayatCarlsbad。Theycannotbesofinallyhopelessastheysound；theyareprobablyexpressiveonlyofthepopulardespairofgettingthroughwiththembeforenight；butMarchheardthesalutationssorrowfullygroanedoutoneveryhandashejoinedthestragglingcurrentofinvalidswhichswelledonthewaypastthesilentshopsandcafesintheAlteWiese，tillitfilledthestreet，andpoureditsthousandsuponthepromenadebeforetheclassiccolonnadeoftheMuhlbrunn。OntheotherbankoftheTepltheSprudelflingsitssteamingwatersbyirregularimpulsesintotheairunderapavilionofironandglass；buttheMuhlbrunnisthesourceofmostresort。ThereisaninstrumentalconcertsomewhereinCarlsbadfromearlyrisingtillbedtime；andnowattheMuhlbrunntherewasanorchestraalreadyplaying；
andunderthepillaredporch，aswellasbeforeit，themultitudeshuffledupanddown，drainingtheircupsbyslowsips，andthentakingeachhisplaceintheinterminablelinemovingontoreplenishthematthespring。
ApicturesquemajorityofPolishJews，whomsomeviceoftheirclimateissaidpeculiarlytofitforthehealingeffectsofCarlsbad，mosttookhiseyeintheirlonggabardinesofrustyblackandtheirderbyhatsofplushorvelvet，withtheircorkscrewcurlscomingdownbeforetheirears。
Theywereoldandyoung，theyweregrizzledandredandblack，buttheyseemedallwell-to-do；andwhatimpressesonefirstandlastatCarlsbadisthatitswatersaremainlyforthehealingoftherich。AfterthePolishJews，theGreekpriestsofRussianracewerethemoststrikingfigures。ThereweretypesofLatinecclesiastics，whowerestrikingintheirwaytoo；andtheuniformsofcertainAustrianofficersandsoldiersbrightenedthepicture。Hereandthereasouthernface，ItalianorSpanishorLevantine，lookedpassionatelyoutofthemassofdullGermanvisages；foratCarlsbadtheGermans，morethananyothergentilenation，aretothefore。Theirmisfits，theirabsenceofstyle，impartedtheprevalenteffect；thoughnowandthenamongthewomenaHungarian，orPole，orParisian，orAmerican，relievedtheeyewhichseeksbeautyandgraceratherthanthedomesticvirtues。Therewerecertainfaces，typesofdiscomfortanddisease，whichappealedfromthebeginningtotheend。