than he rushed over to Fräulein Bürstner and seized her hand. “Don’t be afraid,” he
whispered, “I’ll put everything right. But who can it be? There’s only the living room next
door, nobody sleeps there.” “No,” Fräulein Bürstner whispered in his ear, “since yesterday
a nephew of Frau Grubach has been sleeping there, a Captain. There was no other room he
could have. I forgot all about it. Why did you have to shout like that? I’m all upset.”
“There’s no need for that,” said K., and as she sank back on the cushions he kissed her on
the brow. “Away with you, away with you,” she said, hastily sitting up again, “do go away, do go now, what are you thinking about, he’s listening at the door, he hears everything.
How you torment me !” “I won’t go,” said K., “until you are a little calmer. Come to the far
corner of the room, he can’t hear us there.” She let herself be led there. “You forget,” he
said, “that though this may mean unpleasantness for you, it is not at all serious. You know
how Frau Grubach, who has the decisive voice in this matter, particularly as the Captain is
her nephew, you know how she almost venerates me and believes absolutely everything I
say. She is also dependent on me, I may say, for she has borrowed a fair sum of money
from me. I shall confirm any explanation of our being together here that you like to invent,
if it is in the least practicable, and I pledge myself to make Frau Grubach not only publicly
accept it but also really and honestly believe it. You needn’t consider me at all. If you want
to have it announced that I assaulted you, then Frau Grubach will be informed accordingly
and she will believe it without losing her confidence in me, she’s so devoted to me.”
Fräulein Bürstner, silent and somewhat limp, stared at the floor. “Why shouldn’t Frau
Grubach believe that I assaulted you?” K. added. He was gazing at her hair: it was reddish
hair, parted in the middle and fastened with a bun at the back, and very neatly dressed. He
expected her to look up at him, but she said without changing her posture: “Forgive me, I
was terrified at the sudden knocking rather than at any consequence of the Captain’s being
there. It was so still after you shouted and then there came these knocks, that was why I
was so terrified, I was sitting quite near the door, too, the knocking seemed to be just
beside me. I thank you for your offer, but I’m not going to accept it. I can bear the
responsibility for anything that happens in my room, no matter who questions it. I’m
surprised you don’t see the insult to me that is implied in your suggestion, together with
your good intentions, of course, which I do appreciate. But now go, leave me to myself, I
need more than ever to be left in peace. The few minutes you begged for have stretched to
half an hour and more.” K. clasped her hand and then her wrist. “But you aren’t angry with
me he asked. She shook his hand off and answered: “No, no, I’m never angry with
anybody.” lie felt for her wrist again, she let him take it this time and so led him to the
door. He was firmly resolved to leave. But at the door he stopped as if he had not expected
to find a door there; Fräulein Bürstner seized this moment to free herself, open the door,
and slip into the entrance hail, where she whispered: “Now, please do come! Look” — she
pointed to the Captain’s door, underneath which showed a strip of light — “he has turned on
his light and is amusing himself at our expense.” “I’m just coming,” K. said, rushed out,
seized her, and kissed her first on the lips, then all over the face, like some thirsty animal
lapping greedily at a spring of long-sought fresh water. Finally he kissed her on the neck,
right on the throat, and kept his lips there for a long time. A slight noise from the Captain’s