Процес

           Buteventhisapologywasspokeninsuchamechanicalwayandwithsuchfalseintonationthatthemanufacturerwouldcertainlyhavenoticedifhehadnotbeenfullypreoccupiedwithhisbusinessaffairs.Instead,hehurriedlypulledcalculationsandtablesoutfromallhispockets,spreadthemoutinfrontofK.,explainedseveralitems,correctedalittlemistakeinthearithmeticthathenoticedashequicklyglancedoveritall,andremindedK.ofasimilarpieceofbusinesshe’dconcludedwithhimaboutayearbefore,mentioninginpassingthatthistimetherewasanotherbankspendinggreatefforttogethisbusiness,andfinallystoppedspeakinginordertolearnK.’sopiniononthematter.AndK.hadindeed,atfirst,beencloselyfollowingwhatthemanufacturerwassaying,hetoowasawareofhowimportantthedealwas,butunfortunatelyitdidnotlast,hesoonstoppedlistening,noddedateachofthemanufacturer’slouderexclamationsforashortwhile,buteventuallyhestoppeddoingeventhatanddidnomorethanstareatthebaldheadbentoverthepapers,askinghimselfwhenthemanufacturerwouldfinallyrealisethateverythinghewassayingwasuseless.Whenhedidstoptalking,K.reallythoughtatfirstthatthiswassothathewouldhavethechancetoconfessthathewasincapableoflistening.Instead,seeingtheanticipationonthemanufacturer’sface,obviouslyreadytocounteranyobjectionsmade,hewassorrytorealisethatthebusinessdiscussionhadtobecontinued.