Процесс

           wantedhimtocontinuespeakingandsaid,"Well,positionslikethat,thataren’tofficiallyacknowledged,canoftenhavemoreinfluencethanthosethatare.""Andthat’showitiswithme,"saidthepainter,andnoddedwithafrown."Iwastalkingaboutyourcasewiththemanufactureryesterday,andheaskedmeifIwouldn’tliketohelpyou,andIanswered:"Hecancomeandseemeifhelikes",andnowI’mpleasedtoseeyouheresosoon.Thisbusinessseemstobequiteimportanttoyou,and,ofcourse,I’mnotsurprisedatthat.Wouldyounotliketotakeyourcoatoffnow?"K.hadintendedtostayforonlyaveryshorttime,butthepainter’sinvitationwasnonethelessverywelcome.Theairintheroomhadslowlybecomequiteoppressiveforhim,hehadseveraltimeslookedinamazementatasmall,ironstoveinthecornerthatcertainlycouldnothavebeenlit,theheatoftheroomwasinexplicable.Ashetookoffhiswinterovercoatandalsounbuttonedhisfrockcoatthepaintersaidtohiminapology,"Imusthavewarmth.Anditisverycosyhere,isn’tit.Thisroom’sverygoodinthatrespect."K.madenoreply,butitwasactuallynottheheatthatmadehimuncomfortablebut,muchmore,thestuffiness,theairthatalmostmadeitmoredifficulttobreathe,theroomhadprobablynotbeenventilatedforalongtime.TheunpleasantnessofthiswasmadeallthestrongerforK.whenthepainterinvitedhimtositonthebedwhilehehimselfsatdownontheonlychairintheroominfrontoftheeasel.ThepainterevenseemedtomisunderstandwhyK.