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little? If it was possible that he might invite a questionable
character into the bank with a clear letter, and ask advice
from him about his trial, separated from the deputy direc-
tor by no more than a door, was it not possible or even very
likely that there were also other dangers he had failed to see
or that he was even running towards? There was not always
someone beside him to warn him. And just now, just when
he would have to act with all the strength he could mus-
ter, now a number of doubts of a sort he had never before
known had presented themselves and affected his own vigi-
lance! The difficulties he had been feeling in carrying out
his office work; were they now going to affect the trial too?
Now, at least, he found himself quite unable to understand
how he could have intended to write to Titorelli and invite
him into the bank.
He shook his head at the thought of it once more as the
servitor came up beside him and drew his attention to the
three gentlemen who were waiting on a bench in the ante-
room. They had already been waiting to see K. for a long
time. Now that the servitor was speaking with K. they had
stood up and each of them wanted to make use of the op-
portunity to see K. before the others. It had been negligent
of the bank to let them waste their time here in the wait-
ing room, but none of them wanted to draw attention to
this. “Mr. K., …” one of them was saying, but K. had told
the servitor to fetch his winter coat and said to the three of
them, as the servitor helped him to put it on, “Please for-
give me, gentlemen, I’m afraid I have no time to see you at
present. Please do forgive me but I have some urgent busi-

1 The Trial