Процесс

           Andbesides,hehadhardlyanyideawhattheconversationwasaboutandhisthoughtssoonturnedtothecareassistantandtheilltreatmentshehadsufferedfromhisuncle.Soonafter,hebegantowonderwhetherhehadnotseentheofficedirectorsomewherebefore,perhapsamongthepeoplewhowereathisfirsthearing.Hemayhavebeenmistaken,butthoughttheofficedirectormightwellhavebeenamongtheoldgentlemenwiththethinbeardsinthefirstrow.

           Therewasthenanoisethateveryoneheardfromthehallwayasifsomethingofporcelainwerebeingbroken."I’llgoandseewhat’shappened,"saidK.,whoslowlylefttheroomasifgivingtheothersthechancetostophim.Hehadhardlysteppedintothehallway,findinghisbearingsinthedarknesswithhishandstillfirmlyholdingthedoor,whenanothersmallhand,muchsmallerthanK.’sown,placeditselfonhisandgentlyshutthedoor.Itwasthecarerwhohadbeenwaitingthere."Nothinghashappened,"shewhisperedtohim,"Ijustthrewaplateagainstthewalltogetyououtofthere.""Iwasthinkingaboutyou,aswell,"repliedK.uneasily."Somuchthebetter,"saidthecarer."Comewithme".Afewstepsalong,theycametoafrostedglassdoorwhichthecareropenedforhim."Comeinhere,"shesaid.Itwasclearlythelawyer’soffice,fittedoutwithold,heavyfurniture,asfarascouldbeseeninthemoonlightwhichnowilluminatedjustasmall,rectangularsectionofthefloorbyeachofthethreebigwindows.