Miss Bürstner’s Friend

           Forsometimeafterthis,K.founditimpossibletoexchangeevenjustafewwordswithMissBürstner.Hetriedtoreachherinmanyandvariouswaysbutshealwaysfoundawaytoavoidit.Hewouldcomestraighthomefromtheoffice,remaininherroomwithoutthelighton,andsitonthesofawithnothingmoretodistracthimthankeepingwatchontheemptyhallway.Ifthemaidwentbyandclosedthedooroftheapparentlyemptyroomhewouldgetupafterawhileandopenitagain.HegotupanhourearlierthanusualinthemorningsothathemightperhapsfindMissBürstneraloneasshewenttotheoffice.Butnoneoftheseeffortsbroughtanysuccess.Thenhewroteheraletter,bothtotheofficeandtheflat,attemptingoncemoretojustifyhisbehaviour,offeredtomakewhateveramendshecould,promisednevertocrosswhateverboundaryshemightsethimandbeggedmerelytohavethechancetospeaktohersometime,especiallyashewasunabletodoanythingwithMrs.GrubacheitheruntilhehadspokenwithMissBürstner,hefinallyinformedherthatthefollowingSundayhewouldstayinhisroomalldaywaitingforasignfromherthattherewassomehopeofhisrequestbeingfulfilled,oratleastthatshewouldexplaintohimwhyshecouldnotfulfiliteventhoughhehadpromisedtoobservewhateverstipulationsshemightmake.Theletterswerenotreturned,buttherewasnoanswereither.However,onthefollowingSundaytherewasasignthatseemedclearenough.ItwasstillearlywhenK.