FRAGMENTS

B.’s Friend

In the days that followed K. found it impossible to speak to Fräulein

Bürstner at all, even to exchange a few words with her. He tried all

sorts of different ways of approaching her, but she always managed

to avoid contact with him. He would come straight home from work

and stay in his room with the light off, sitting on the sofa doing noth-

ing but keep the hall under observation.

In the Cathedral

K. was given the task of showing a very important Italian business

associate of the bank, who was visiting the city for the first time,

some of its artistic treasures. It was a task which at any other time he

would have regarded as an honour. Now, however, at a time when it

was taking all his effort to maintain his reputation in the bank, he

accepted it reluctantly

Block, the Corn Merchant · The Dismissal of the Lawyer

K. had finally decided to take his case out of the lawyer’s hands. He

couldn’t entirely rid himself of doubts as to whether this was the

correct course of action, but they were outweighed by his conviction

that it was necessary. On the day he intended to visit the lawyer his

decision had severely reduced his capacity for work, he had to stay

very late in the office, and it was already after ten when he finally

reached the lawyer’s door.