with certainty. At any rate, I could tell that he was thorough in his reading. He never got
past the same page all day and he was following the lines with his fingers. Whenever I
looked at him he was sighing to himself as if the reading cost him a great effort.
Apparently the papers you gave him to read are difficult to understand.” “Yes,” said the
lawyer, “these scriptures are difficult enough. I don’t believe he really understands them.
They’re meant only to give him an inkling how hard the struggle is that I have to carry on
in his defense. And for whom do I carry on this hard struggle? It’s almost ridiculous to put
it into words — I do it for Block. He must learn to understand what that means. Did he read
without stopping?” “Almost without a stop,” answered Leni, “he asked me only once for a
drink of water, and I handed it to him through the ventilator. Then at about eight o’clock I
let him out and gave him something to eat.” Block gave a fleeting glance at K. as if
expecting to see him impressed by this virtuous record. His hopes seemed to be mounting,
his movements were less constrained, and he kept shifting his knees a little. It was all the
more noticeable that the lawyer’s next words struck him rigid. “You are praising him,” said
the lawyer. “But that only makes it more difficult for me to tell him. For the Judge’s
remarks were by no means favorable either to Block or to his case.” “Not favorable ?”
asked Leni. “How can that be possible?” Block was gazing at her as intently as if he
believed her capable of giving a new and favorable turn to the words long pronounced by
the Judge. “Not favorable,” said the lawyer. “He was even annoyed when I mentioned
Block. `Don’t speak about Block,’ he said. `But he’s my client,’ I said. `You are wasting
yourself on the man,’ he said. `I don’t think his case is hopeless,’ said I. `Well, you’re
wasting yourself on him,’ he repeated. `I don’t believe it,’ said I, `Block is sincerely
concerned about his case and devotes himself to it. He almost lives in my house to keep in
touch with the proceedings. One doesn’t often find such zeal. Of course, he’s personally
rather repulsive, his manners are bad, and he is dirty, but as a client he is beyond reproach’ –
– I said `beyond reproach,’ and it was a deliberate exaggeration. To that he replied: `Block
is merely cunning. He has acquired a lot of experience and knows how to keep on
postponing the issue. But his ignorance is even greater than his cunning. What do you
think he would say if he discovered that his case had actually not begun yet, if he were to
be told that the bell marking the start of the proceedings hadn’t even been rung ?` — Quiet there, Block,” said the lawyer, for Block was just rising up on trembling legs, obviously to
implore an explanation. This was the first time the lawyer had addressed Block directly at
any length. With lackluster eyes he looked down; his glance was partly vague and partly
turned upon Block, who slowly sank back under it on his knees again. “That remark of the
Judge’s has no possible significance for you,” said the lawyer. “Don’t get into a panic at
every word. If you do it again I’ll never tell you anything. I can’t begin a statement without
your gazing at me as if your final sentence had come. You should be ashamed to behave
like that before my client. And you’re destroying his confidence in me. What’s the matter
with you? You’re still alive, you’re still under my protection. Your panic is senseless.
You’ve read somewhere or other that a man’s condemnation often comes unexpectedly
from some chance person at some odd time. With many reservations that is certainly true,
but it is equally true that your panic disgusts me and appears to betray a lack of the
necessary confidence in me. All that I said was to report a remark made by a Judge. You