Lawyer - Manufacturer - Painter

           Onewintermorning-snowwasfallinginthedulllightoutside-K.wassittinginhisoffice,alreadyextremelytireddespitetheearlyhour.Hehadtoldtheservitorhewasengagedinamajorpieceofworkandnoneofthejuniorstaffshouldbeallowedintoseehim,sohewouldnotbedisturbedbythematleast.Butinsteadofworkingheturnedroundinhischair,slowlymovedvariousitemsaroundhisdesk,butthen,withoutbeingawareofit,helayhisarmstretchedoutonthedesktopandsatthereimmobilewithhisheadsunkdownonhischest.

           Hewasnolongerabletogetthethoughtofthetrialoutofhishead.Hehadoftenwonderedwhetheritmightnotbeagoodideatoworkoutawrittendefenceandhanditintothecourt.Itwouldcontainashortdescriptionofhislifeandexplainwhyhehadactedthewayhehadateacheventthatwasinanywayimportant,whetherhenowconsideredhehadactedwellorill,andhisreasonsforeach.Therewasnodoubtoftheadvantagesawrittendefenceofthissortwouldhaveoverrelyingonthelawyer,whowasanywaynotwithouthisshortcomings.K.hadnoideawhatactionsthelawyerwastaking;itwascertainlynotalot,itwasmorethanamonthsincethelawyerhadsummonedhim,andnoneofthepreviousdiscussionshadgivenK.theimpressionthatthismanwouldbeabletodomuchforhim.Mostimportantly,hehadaskedhimhardlyanyquestions.Andthereweresomanyquestionsheretobeasked.Askingquestionswerethemostimportantthing.K.