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automatically bound to use them against you; in the coun-
try they’ll either have to delegate authority to different
bodies or just have to try and bother you by letter, telegram
or telephone. And that’s bound to weaken the effect, it won’t
release you from them but it’ll give you room to breathe.”
“You could forbid me to leave,” said K., who had been drawn
slightly into his uncle’s way of thinking by what he had been
saying. “I didn’t think you would do it,” said his uncle
thoughtfully, “you won’t suffer too much loss of power by
moving away.” K. grasped his uncle under the arm to pre-
vent him stopping still and said, “I thought you’d think all
this is less important than I do, and now you’re taking it so
hard.” “Josef,” called his uncle trying to disentangle himself
from him so that he could stop walking, but K. did not let
go, “you’ve completely changed, you used to be so astute,
are you losing it now? Do you want to lose the trial? Do you
realise what that would mean? That would mean you would
be simply destroyed. And that everyone you know would be
pulled down with you or at the very least humiliated, dis-
graced right down to the ground. Josef, pull yourself
together. The way you’re so indifferent about it, it’s driving
me mad. Looking at you I can almost believe that old say-
ing: ‘Having a trial like that means losing a trial like that’.”
“My dear Uncle,” said K., “it won’t do any good to get ex-
cited, it’s no good for you to do it and it’d be no good for me
to do it. The case won’t be won by getting excited, and please
admit that my practical experience counts for something,
just as I have always and still do respect your experience,
even when it surprises me. You say that the family will also

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