Page 151 - the-trial

choice whether he would accept the trial or turn it down, he
was in the middle of it and had to defend himself. If he was
tired, then that was bad.
But there was no reason to worry too much before he
needed to. He had been capable of working himself up to
his high position in the bank in a relatively short time and
to retain it with respect from everyone, now he simply had
to apply some of the talents that had made that possible for
him to the trial, and there was no doubt that it had to turn
out well. The most important thing, if something was to be
achieved, was to reject in advance any idea that he might be
in any way guilty. There was no guilt. The trial was nothing
but a big piece of business, just like he had already conclud-
ed to the benefit of the bank many times, a piece of business
that concealed many lurking dangers waiting in ambush for
him, as they usually did, and these dangers would need to
be defended against. If that was to be achieved then he must
not entertain any idea of guilt, whatever he did, he would
need to look after his own interests as closely as he could.
Seen in this way, there was no choice but to take his repre-
sentation away from the lawyer very soon, at best that very
evening. The lawyer had told him, as he talked to him, that
that was something unheard of and would probably do him
a great deal of harm, but K. could not tolerate any impedi-
ment to his efforts where his trial was concerned, and these
impediments were probably caused by the lawyer himself.
But once he had shaken off the lawyer the documents would
need to be submitted straight away and, if possible, he would
need to see to it that they were being dealt with every day.

1 0 The Trial