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he said: some lawyers lead their clients on a thread until
judgement is passed, but there are others who immediately
lift their clients onto their shoulders and carry them all the
way to the judgement and beyond. That’s just how it is. But
it was quite true when I said I never regret all this work. But
if, as in your case, they are so fully misunderstood, well,
then I come very close to regretting it.” All this talking did
more to make K. impatient than to persuade him. From the
way the lawyer was speaking, K. thought he could hear what
he could expect if he gave in, the delays and excuses would
begin again, reports of how the documents were progress-
ing, how the mood of the court officials had improved, as
well as all the enormous difficulties in short all that he had
heard so many times before would be brought out again
even more fully, he would try to mislead K. with hopes that
were never specified and to make him suffer with threats
that were never clear. He had to put a stop to that, so he said,
“What will you undertake on my behalf if you continue to
represent me?” The lawyer quietly accepted even this insult-
ing question, and answered, “I should continue with what
I’ve already been doing for you.” “That’s just what I thought,”
said K., “and now you don’t need to say another word.” “I
will make one more attempt,” said the lawyer as if whatever
had been making K. so annoyed was affecting him too. “You
see, I have the impression that you have not only misjudged
the legal assistance I have given you but also that that mis-
judgement has led you to behave in this way, you seem,
although you are the accused, to have been treated too well
or, to put it a better way, handled with neglect, with appar-