Page 242 - the-trial

companied by someone who was so learned and so pleasant
by this he meant K., who was occupied not with listening
to the Italian but the director and asked if he would be so
kind, if the time was suitable, to meet him in the cathedral
in two hours’ time at about ten o’clock. He hoped he would
certainly be able to be there at that time. K. made an appro-
priate reply, the Italian shook first the director’s hand and
then K.’s, then the director’s again and went to the door, half
turned to the two men who followed him and continuing to
talk without a break. K. remained together with the direc-
tor for a short while, although the director looked especially
unhappy today. He thought he needed to apologise to K.
for something and told him they were standing intimately
close together he had thought at first he would accompany
the Italian himself, but then he gave no more precise reason
than this then he decided it would be better to send K. with
him. He should not be surprised if he could not understand
the Italian at first, he would be able to very soon, and even
if he really could not understand very much he said it was
not so bad, as it was really not so important for the Italian to
be understood. And anyway, K.’s knowledge of Italian was
surprisingly good, the director was sure he would get by
very well. And with that, it was time for K. to go. He spent
the time still remaining to him with a dictionary, copying
out obscure words he would need to guide the Italian round
the cathedral. It was an extremely irksome task, servitors
brought him the mail, bank staff came with various queries
and, when they saw that K. was busy, stood by the door and
did not go away until he had listened to them, the deputy di-

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