Процес

           Finallyshegaveaseriousnod,turnedbacktothelawyerandsaid,"He’sbeenquietandindustrious."Thiswasanelderlybusinessman,amanwhosebeardwaslong,andhewasbeggingayounggirltospeakonhisbehalf.Eveniftherewassomeplanbehindwhathedid,therewasnothingthatcouldreinstatehimintheeyesofhisfellowman.K.couldnotunderstandhowthelawyercouldhavethoughtthisperformancewouldwinhimover.Evenifhehaddonenothingearliertomakehimwanttoleavethenthisscenewouldhavedoneso.Itwasalmosthumiliatingevenfortheonlooker.Sothesewerethelawyer’smethods,whichK.fortunatelyhadnotbeenexposedtoforlong,tolettheclientforgetaboutthewholeworldandleavehimwithnothingbutthehopeofreachingtheendofhistrialbythisdeludedmeans.Hewasnolongeraclient,hewasthelawyer’sdog.Ifthelawyerhadorderedhimtocrawlunderthebedasifitwereakennelandtobarkoutfromunderit,thenhewouldhavedonesowithenthusiasm.K.listenedtoallofthis,testingitandthinkingitoverasifhehadbeengiventhetaskofcloselyobservingeverythingspokenhere,informahigherofficeaboutitandwriteareport."Andwhathashebeendoingallday?"askedthelawyer."Ikepthimlockedinthemaid’sroomallday,"saidLeni,"sothathewouldn’tstopmedoingmywork.That’swhereheusuallystays.FromtimetotimeIlookedinthroughthespyholetoseewhathewasdoing,andeachtimehewaskneelingonthebedandreadingthepapersyougavehim,proppeduponthewindowsill.