Page 155 - the-trial

learn K.’s opinion on the matter. And K. had indeed, at first,
been closely following what the manufacturer was saying,
he too was aware of how important the deal was, but unfor-
tunately it did not last, he soon stopped listening, nodded at
each of the manufacturer’s louder exclamations for a short
while, but eventually he stopped doing even that and did
no more than stare at the bald head bent over the papers,
asking himself when the manufacturer would finally realise
that everything he was saying was useless. When he did
stop talking, K. really thought at first that this was so that
he would have the chance to confess that he was incapable
of listening. Instead, seeing the anticipation on the man-
ufacturer’s face, obviously ready to counter any objections
made, he was sorry to realise that the business discussion
had to be continued. So he bent his head as if he’d been
given an order and began slowly to move his pencil over
the papers, now and then he would stop and stare at one of
the figures. The manufacturer thought there must be some
objection, perhaps his figures weren’t really sound, per-
haps they weren’t the decisive issue, whatever he thought,
the manufacturer covered the papers with his hand and be-
gan once again, moving very close to K., to explain what the
deal was all about. “It is difficult,” said K., pursing his lips.
The only thing that could offer him any guidance were the
papers, and the manufacturer had covered them from his
view, so he just sank back against the arm of the chair. Even
when the door of the manager’s office opened and revealed
not very clearly, as if through a veil, the deputy director, he
did no more than look up weakly. K. thought no more about

1 The Trial