The manufacturer suspected K. of looking for flaws in the scheme, perhaps the figures
were merely tentative, perhaps they were not the decisive factors in the deal, at any rate he
laid his hand over them and shifting closer to K. began to expound the general policy
behind the transaction. “It’s difficult,” said K., pursing his lips, and now that the papers, the
only things he had to hold on to, were covered up, he sank weakly against the arm of his
chair. He glanced up slightly, but only slightly, when the door of the Manager’s room
opened, disclosed the Assistant Manager, a blurred figure who looked as if veiled in some
kind of gauze. K. did not seek for the cause of this apparition, but merely registered its
immediate effect, which was very welcome to him. For the manufacturer at once bounded
from his chair and rushed over to the Assistant Manager, though K. could have wished him
to he ten times quicker, since he was afraid the apparition might vanish again. His fear was
superfluous, the two gentlemen met each other, shook hands, and advanced together
toward K.’s desk. The manufacturer lamented that his proposals were being coldshouldered
by the Chief Clerk, indicating K., who under the Assistant Manager’s eye had
once more bent over the papers. Then as the two of them leaned against his desk, and the
manufacturer set himself to win the newcomer’s approval for his scheme, it seemed to K.
as though two giants of enormous size were negotiating above his head about himself.
Slowly, lifting his eyes as far as he dared, he peered up to see what they were about, then
picked one of the documents from the desk at random, laid it flat on his open palm, and
gradually raised it, rising himself with it, to their level. In doing so he had no definite
purpose, but merely acted with the feeling that this was how he would have to act when he
had finished the great task of drawing up the plea which was to acquit him completely. The Assistant Manager, who was giving his full attention to the conversation, merely glanced
at the paper without even reading what was on it — for anything that seemed important to
the Chief Clerk was unimportant to him — took it from K.’s hand, said: “Thanks, I know all
that already,” and quietly laid it back on the desk again. K. darted a bitter look at him, but
the Assistant Manager did not notice that, or, if he did, was only amused; he laughed
loudly several times, visibly disconcerted the manufacturer by a quick retort, only to
counter it immediately himself, and finally invited the man into his private office, where
they could complete the transaction together. “It is a very important proposal,” he said to
the manufacturer, “I entirely agree. And the Chief Clerk” — even in saying this he went on
addressing himself only to the manufacturer — “will I am sure be relieved if we take it off
his shoulders. This business needs thinking over. And he seems to be overburdened today;
besides, there are some people who have been waiting for him in the anteroom for hours.”
K. had still enough self- command to turn away from the Assistant Manager and address
his friendly but somewhat fixed smile solely to the manufacturer; except for this he did not
intervene, supporting himself with both hands on the desk, bending forward a little like an
obsequious clerk, and looked on while the two men, still talking away, gathered up the
papers and disappeared into the Manager’s room. In the very doorway, the manufacturer
turned round to remark that he would not say good-by yet, for of course he would report
the result of the interview to the Chief Clerk; besides, there was another little matter he had
to mention.
At last K. was alone. He had not the slightest intention of interviewing any more
clients and vaguely realized how pleasant it was that the people waiting outside believed
him to be still occupied with the manufacturer, so that nobody, not even the attendant,
could disturb him. He went over to the window, perched on the sill, holding on to the latch