Процес

           totestherout.I’maccumulatingwomentohelpme,hethoughttohimselfalmostinamazement,firstMissBürstner,thenthecourtusher’swife,andnowthislittlecareassistantwhoseemstohavesomeincomprehensibleneedforme.Thewayshesitsonmylapasifitwereherproperplace!"No,"answeredLeni,slowlyshakingherhead,"Icouldn’thelpyouthen.Butyoudon’twantmyhelpanyway,itmeansnothingtoyou,you’retoostubbornandwon’tbepersuaded."Then,afterawhilesheasked,"Doyouhavealover?""No,"saidK."Oh,youmusthave,"shesaid."Well,Ihavereally,"saidK."Justthink,I’veevenbetrayedherwhileI’mcarryingherphotographwithme."LeniinsistedheshowheraphotographofElsa,andthen,hunchedonhislap,studiedthepictureclosely.ThephotographwasnotonethathadbeentakenwhileElsawasposingforit,itshowedherjustaftershehadbeeninawilddancesuchasshelikedtodoinwinebars,herskirtwasstillflungoutasshespanround,shehadplacedherhandsonherfirmhipsand,withherneckheldtaut,lookedtoonesidewithalaugh;youcouldnotseefromthepicturewhomherlaughwasintendedfor."She’sverytightlylaced,"saidLeni,pointingtotheplacewhereshethoughtthiscouldbeseen."Idon’tlikeher,she’sclumsyandcrude.Butmaybeshe’sgentleandfriendlytowardsyou,that’stheimpressionyougetfromthepicture.Big,stronggirlslikethatoftendon’tknowhowtobeanythingbutgentleandfriendly.