Процес
In the Cathedral
Thedeputydirector’sofficewas,ofcourse,stillasemptyasthemiddleofthenight,theservitorhadprobablybeenaskedtosummonhimtoobutwithoutsuccess.AsK.enteredthereceptionroomtwomenstoodupfromthedeeparmchairswheretheyhadbeensitting.Thedirectorgavehimafriendlysmile,hewasclearlyverygladthatK.wasthere,heimmediatelyintroducedhimtotheItalianwhoshookK.’shandvigorouslyandjokedthatsomebodywasanearlyriser.K.didnotquiteunderstandwhomhehadinmind,itwasmoreoveranoddexpressiontouseandittookK.alittlewhiletoguessitsmeaning.HerepliedwithafewblandphraseswhichtheItalianreceivedoncemorewithalaugh,passinghishandnervouslyandrepeatedlyoverhisblue-grey,bushymoustache.Thismoustachewasobviouslyperfumed,itwasalmosttemptingtocomeclosetoitandsniff.Whentheyhadallsatdownandbegunalightpreliminaryconversation,K.wasdisconcertedtonoticethatheunderstoodnomorethanfragmentsofwhattheItaliansaid.Whenhespokeverycalmlyheunderstoodalmosteverything,butthatwasveryinfrequent,mostlythewordsgushedfromhismouthandheseemedtobeenjoyinghimselfsomuchhisheadshook.WhenhewastalkinginthiswayhisspeechwasusuallywrappedupinsomekindofdialectwhichseemedtoK.tohavenothingtodowithItalianbutwhichthedirectornotonlyunderstoodbutalsospoke,althoughK.oughttohaveforeseenthisastheItaliancamefromthesouthofhiscountrywherethedirectorhadalsospentseveralyears.Whateverthecause,K.
