In the Cathedral

           AveryimportantItalianbusinesscontactofthebankhadcometovisitthecityforthefirsttimeandK.wasgiventhetaskofshowinghimsomeofitsculturalsights.Atanyothertimehewouldhaveseenthisjobasanhonourbutnow,whenhewasfindingithardeventomaintainhiscurrentpositioninthebank,heaccepteditonlywithreluctance.Everyhourthathecouldnotbeintheofficewasacauseofconcernforhim,hewasnolongerabletomakeuseofhistimeintheofficeanythinglikeaswellashehadpreviously,hespentmanyhoursmerelypretendingtodoimportantwork,butthatonlyincreasedhisanxietyaboutnotbeingintheoffice.Thenhesometimesthoughthesawthedeputydirector,whowasalwayswatching,comeintoK.’soffice,sitathisdesk,lookthroughhispapers,receiveclientswhohadalmostbecomeoldfriendsofK.,andlurethemawayfromhim,perhapsheevendiscoveredmistakes,mistakesthatseemedtothreatenK.fromathousanddirectionswhenhewasatworknow,andwhichhecouldnolongeravoid.Sonow,ifhewaseveraskedtoleavetheofficeonbusinessorevenneededtomakeashortbusinesstrip,howevermuchanhonouritseemed-andtasksofthissorthappenedtohaveincreasedsubstantiallyrecently-therewasalwaysthesuspicionthattheywantedtogethimoutofhisofficeforawhileandcheckhiswork,oratleasttheideathattheythoughthewasdispensable.