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made out, she was watching K. more than she was watching
his uncle even while the latter was still speaking about her.
K. leant against a chair that he had pushed near to the girl.
“When you’re as ill as I am,” said the lawyer, “you need to
have peace. I don’t find it depressing.” After a short pause he
added, “and Leni looks after me well, she’s a good girl.” But
that was not enough to persuade K.’s uncle, he had visibly
taken against his friend’s carer and, even though he did not
contradict the invalid, he persecuted her with his scowl as
she went over to the bed, put the candle on the bedside table
and, leaning over the bed, made a fuss of him by tidying the
pillows. K.’s uncle nearly forgot the need to show any con-
sideration for the man who lay ill in bed, he stood up, walked
up and down behind the carer, and K. would not have been
surprised if he had grabbed hold of her skirts behind her
and dragged her away from the bed. K. himself looked on
calmly, he was not even disappointed at finding the lawyer
unwell, he had been able to do nothing to oppose the enthu-
siasm his uncle had developed for the matter, he was glad
that this enthusiasm had now been distracted without his
having to do anything about it. His uncle, probably simply
wishing to be offensive to the lawyer’s attendant, then said,
“Young lady, now please leave us alone for a while, I have
some personal matters to discuss with my friend.” Dr.
Huld’s carer was still leant far over the invalid’s bed and
smoothing out the cloth covering the wall next to it, she
merely turned her head and then, in striking contrast with
the anger that first stopped K.’s uncle from speaking and
then let the words out in a gush, she said very quietly, “You

1 0 The Trial