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           remainedattheedgeofthebedandurgedK.tomakehimselfcomfortable,andashehesitatedhewentovertothebedhimselfandpressedK.deepdownintothebedclothesandpillows.Thenhewentbacktohisseatandatlastheaskedhisfirstobjectivequestion,whichmadeK.forgeteverythingelse."You’reinnocent,areyou?"heasked."Yes,"saidK.Hefeltasimplejoyatansweringthisquestion,especiallyastheanswerwasgiventoaprivateindividualandthereforewouldhavenoconsequences.Uptillthenno-onehadaskedhimthisquestionsoopenly.Tomakethemostofhispleasureheadded,"Iamtotallyinnocent.""So,"saidthepainter,andheloweredhisheadandseemedtobethinking.Suddenlyheraisedhisheadagainandsaid,"Wellifyou’reinnocentit’sallverysimple."K.begantoscowl,thissupposedtrusteeofthecourtwastalkinglikeanignorantchild."Mybeinginnocentdoesnotmakethingssimple,"saidK.Despiteeverything,hecouldn’thelpsmilingandslowlyshookhishead."Therearemanyfinedetailsinwhichthecourtgetslost,butintheenditreachesintosomeplacewhereoriginallytherewasnothingandpullsenormousguiltoutofit.""Yeah,yeah,sure,"saidthepainter,asifK.hadbeendisturbinghistrainofthoughtfornoreason."Butyouareinnocent,aren’tyou?""WellofcourseIam,"saidK."That’sthemainthing,"saidthepainter.Therewasnocounter-argumentthatcouldinfluencehim,butalthoughhehadmadeuphisminditwasnotclearwhetherhewastalkingthiswaybecauseofconvictionorindifference.