he, of course, jumped up as if he had just been stabbed. «You damned …,» in the first gurglings of his excitement his words could hardly be understood, K. was startled even though he had been expecting something of the sort and ran to his uncle with the intention, no doubt, of closing his mouth with both his hands. Fortunately, though, behind the girl, the invalid raised himself up, K.’s uncle made an ugly face as if swallowing something disgusting and then, somewhat calmer, said, «We have naturally not lost our senses, not yet; if what I am asking for were not possible I would not be asking for it. Now please, go!» The carer stood up straight by the bed directly facing K.’s uncle, K. thought he noticed that with one hand she was stroking the lawyer’s hand. «You can say anything in front of Leni,» said the invalid, in a tone that was unmistakably imploring. «It’s not my business,» said K.’s uncle, «and it’s not my secrets.» And he twisted himself round as if wanting to go into no more negotiations but giving himself a little more time to think. «Whose business is it then?» asked the lawyer in an exhausted voice as he leant back again. «My nephew’s,» said K.’s uncle, «and I’ve brought him along with me.» And he introduced him, «Chief Clerk Josef K.» «Oh!» said the invalid, now with much more life in him, and reached out his hand towards K. «Do forgive me, I didn’t notice you there at all.» Then he then said to his carer, «Leni, go,» stretching his hand out to her as if this were a farewell that would have to last for a long time. This time the girl offered no resistance. «So you,» he finally said to K.’s uncle, who had also calmed down and stepped closer, «you haven’t come to visit me because I’m ill but you’ve come on business.» The lawyer now looked so much stronger that it seemed the idea of being visited because he was ill had somehow made him weak, he remained supporting himself on one elbow, which must have been rather tiring, and continually pulled at a lock of hair in the middle of his beard. «You already look much better,» said K.’s uncle, «now that that witch has gone outside.» He interrupted himself, whispered, «I bet you she’s listening!» and sprang over to the door. But behind the door there was no-one, K.’s uncle came back not disappointed, as her not listening seemed to him worse than if she had been, but probably somewhat embittered. «You’re mistaken about her,» said the lawyer, but did nothing more to defend her; perhaps that was his way of indicating that she did not need defending. But in a tone that was much more committed he went on, «As far as your nephew’s affairs are concerned, this will be an extremely difficult undertaking and I’d count myself lucky if my strength lasted out long enough for it; I’m greatly afraid it won’t do, but anyway I don’t want to leave anything untried; if I don’t last out you can always get somebody else. To be honest, this matter interests me too much, and I can’t bring myself to give up the chance of taking some part in it. If my heart does totally give out then at least it will have found a worthy affair to fail in.» K. believed he understood not a word of this entire speech, he looked at his uncle for an explanation but his uncle sat on the bedside table with the candle in his hand, a medicine bottle had rolled off the table onto the floor, he nodded to everything the lawyer said, agreed to everything, and now and then looked at K. urging him to show the same compliance. Maybe K.’s uncle had already told the lawyer about the trial. But that was impossible, everything that had happened so far spoke against it. So he said, «I don’t understand….» «Well, maybe I’ve misunderstood what you’ve been saying,» said the lawyer, just as astonished and embarrassed as K. «Perhaps I’ve been going too fast. What was it you wanted to speak to me about? I thought it was to do with your trial.» «Of course it is,» said K.’s uncle, who then asked K., «So what is it you want?» «Yes, but how is it that you know anything about me and my case?» asked K. «Oh, I see,» said the lawyer with a smile. «I am a lawyer, I move in court circles, people talk about various different cases and the more interesting ones stay in your mind, especially when they concern the nephew of a friend. There’s nothing very remarkable about that.» «What is it you want, then?» asked K.’s uncle once more, «You seem so uneasy about it.» «You move in this court’s circles?» asked K. «Yes,» said the lawyer. «You’re asking questions like a child,» said K.’s uncle. «What circles should I move in, then, if not with members of my own discipline?» the lawyer added. It sounded so indisputable that K. gave no answer at all. «But you work in the High Court, not that court in the attic,» he had wanted to say but could not bring himself to actually utter it. «You have to realise,» the lawyer continued, in a tone as if he were explaining something obvious, unnecessary and incidental, «you have to realise that I also derive great advantage for my clients from mixing with those people, and do so in many different ways, it’s not something you can keep talking about all the time. I’m at a bit of a disadvantage now, of course, because of my illness, but I still get visits from some good friends of mine at the court and I learn one or two things. It might even be that I learn more than many of those who are in the best of health and spend all day in court. And I’m receiving a very welcome visit right now, for instance.» And he pointed into a dark corner of the room. «Where?» asked K., almost uncouth in his surprise. He looked round uneasily; the little candle gave off far too little light to reach as far as the wall opposite. And then, something did indeed begin to move there in the corner. In the light of the candle held up by K.’s uncle an elderly gentleman could be seen sitting beside a small table. He had been sitting there for so long without being noticed that he could hardly have been breathing. Now he stood up with a great deal of fuss, clearly unhappy that attention had been drawn to him. It was as if, by flapping his hands about like short wings, he hoped to deflect any introductions and greetings, as if he wanted on no account to disturb the others by his presence and seemed to be exhorting them to leave him back in the dark and forget about his being there. That, however, was something that could no longer be granted him. «You took us by surprise, you see,» said the lawyer in explanation, cheerfully indicating to the gentleman that he should come closer, which, slowly, hesitatingly, looking all around him, but with a certain dignity, he did. «The office director—oh, yes, forgive me, I haven’t introduced you—this is my friend Albert K., this is his nephew, the chief clerk Josef K., and this is the office director—so, the office director was kind enough to pay me a visit. It’s only possible to appreciate just how valuable a visit like this is if you’ve been let into the secret of what a pile of work the office director has heaped over him. Well, he came anyway, we were having a peaceful chat, as far as I was able when I’m so weak, and although we hadn’t told Leni she mustn’t let anyone in as we weren’t expecting anyone, we still would rather have remained alone, but then along came you, Albert, thumping your fists on the door, the office director moved over into the corner pulling his table and chair with him, but now it turns out we might have, that is, if that’s what you wish, we might have something to discuss with each other and it would be good if we can all come back together again.—Office director …,» he said with his head on one side, pointing with a humble smile to an armchair near the bed. «I’m afraid I’ll only be able to stay a few minutes more,» smiled the office director as he spread himself out in the armchair and looked at the clock. «Business calls. But I wouldn’t want to miss the chance of meeting a friend of my friend.» He inclined his head slightly toward K.’s uncle, who seemed very happy with his new acquaintance, but he was not the sort of person to express his feelings of deference and responded to the office director’s words with embarrassed, but loud, laughter. A horrible sight! K. was able to quietly watch everything as nobody paid any attention to him, the office director took over as leader of the conversation as seemed to be his habit once he had been called forward, the lawyer listened attentively with his hand to his ear, his initial weakness having perhaps only had the function of driving away his new visitors. K.’s uncle served as candle-bearer—balancing the candle on his thigh while the office director frequently glanced nervously at it—and