1
In the first chapter there is a description of Einfried, the sanatorium. Director of the sanatorium is Dr. Leander who treats all sorts of patients and illnesses going from heart diseases to nervous sufferers, children and old people. Fraulein for Osterloh is a housekeeper who has romantic feelings for Dr. Leander. Deaths of patients don't disturb the work of establishment.
Analysis
Dr. Leander is described as having his patients under his spell to which the exact meaning will hopefully become clearer as the story goes on. Einfried appears to be a queer place with all sorts of people residing there-there is even an author.
The narrator appears to have an ironic undertone while describing Einfried.
2
A new patient arrives to Einfried. It is Gabriele Kloterjahn with her husband Herr Kloterjahn. Gabriele appears to have trachea and her husband brought her to sanatorium to recuperate.
Analysis
There is a long description of Gabriele; she is delicate, fragile and stunning.
3
All of the patients are stunned by Frau Kloterjahn. She and Herr Kloterjahn have a son Anton. After the birth Frau Kloterjahn's health began to deteriorate. She is from Bremen and Herr Kloterjahn is from Baltic.
Herr Klotherjahn leaves Einfried because he has to take care of his son and his business.
Analysis
There is a description of Herr Klotherjahn, he is a rough character with his Baltic accent making it even more exaggerated, he is prone to vices like flirting with maids and his business is not going well.
4
It is a description of the author Detlev Spinell. He was often heard saying how beautiful at the things he found beauty in. He wrote one book but loved writing so it's a surprise he hasn't written more.
5
Herr Kloterjahn and his wife had luncheon together with Spinell and after that both parties took interest in one another.
Analysis
It appears that Frau Kloterjahn took special interest in Herr Spinell and it leaves the reader waiting for what will happen next between the two.
6
Frau Kloterjahn and Herr Spinell spend a lot of time talking together. One day while going out on a walk he indirectly confessed to her but she made it seem like she didn't understand him and he walked away embarrassed.
Analysis
There seems to be more than friendship blooming between Herr Spinell and Frau Kloterjahn, as it could be predicted.
7
Frau Kloterjahn captures herself thinking more and more about Herr Spinell. He made her reflect on herself, on her life and choices she made and if she is truly happy.
Analysis
Herr Spinell is so much in love that he glorifies Frau Kloterjahn and talks about seeing an invisible crown on her head. Frau Kloterjahn seems to be unable to not feel flattered by his courting and thinks of his words very often.
8
Most of the patients go on a sleighing party and Frau Kloterjahn and Herr Spinell are left at Einfried almost alone. Spinell convinces Frau Kloterjahn to play the piano; she used to play it before she got sick. She plays Tristan and Isolde by Richard Wagner. Narration is broken off by the excerpts from the story of Tristan and Isolde. Frau Kloterjahn and Herr Spinell are entranced by the work.
There is a sound of sleighs. Spinell starts to leave but then falls on his knees before her.
Analysis
Here comes the source of the novella's name. It is a story about passionate lovers whose love transcends life and death.
9
Frau Kloterjahn's health began to deteriorate. Dr. Leander turned over her case to Dr. Muffler and he advised that she ought to be reunited with her husband.
Herr Kloterjahn arrives and complains about having to take the long journey. He brought his son Anton junior with him. Anton Jr. appears to be a very healthy and spoiled child. Herr Spinell observes their arrival.
10
Herr Spinell begins to write a letter to Herr Kloterjahn about how much he hates him because he ruined Gabriele Eckhof, his wife; he ruined her rare beauty with the ugliness of common life. After finishing the letter he commits it to the post.
Analysis
Arrival of Herr Kloterjahn and his son enraged Herr Spinell; he no longer can keep silent about his feelings. In author like artistic way he brings out everything in the letter that frustrated him.
11
Herr Kloterjahn comes to Herr Spinell's room a little while after he sent his letter. The post did its job and Herr Kloterjahn received it. He starts calling Herr Spinell bad names and humiliates him all the while making excuses how his heart is in the good place.
A maid suddenly knocks on the door, Frau Kloterjahn's state is deteriorating quickly, and she is coughing up a lot of blood.
12
Herr Spinell goes out for the walk and on his way he sees an apparition of Anton Kloterjahn Junior in a perambulator and Gabriele Eckhof above him moving him. The child begins to hysterically cry as if to scare Herr Spinell away.
Herr Spinell calmly continues his walk while feeling like he is running on the inside.
Analysis
Herr Kloterjahn, even though not a very positive character, runs towards his wife scared for her life. Herr Spinell glorified Frau Kloterjahn and feels disgust for her husband and her child especially because they are evidence that she chose a common life instead of an artistic path.
In the end one can't say that Herr Spinell is in the complete right. He is an artist, self-conscious as he put it, and fails to understand the people who choose a different life from his and so his not understanding and not seeing anything positive in a common life doesn't make that sort of life necessarily wrong.
