worse—had yielded to him merely to secure him an interview with Klamm, and after all had gained nothing but, so she alleged, cold and moreover insincere professions, the landlady was resolved to keep K. no longer in her house; if he had connections with the Castle, then he should take advantage of them at once, for he must leave the house that very day, that very minute, and she would only take him back again at the express order and command of the authorities; but she hoped it would not come to that, for she too had connections with the Castle and would know how to make use of them. Besides he was only in the inn because of the landlord’s negligence, and moreover he was not in a state of destitution, for this very morning he had boasted of a roof which was always free to him for the night. Frieda of course was to remain; if Frieda wanted to go with K. she, the landlady, would be very sorry; down in the kitchen she had sunk into a chair by the fire and cried at the mere thought of it. The poor, sick woman; but how could she behave otherwise, now that, in her imagination at any rate, it was a matter involving the honour of Klamm’s keepsakes? That was how matters stood with the landlady. Frieda of course would follow him, K. , wherever he wanted to go. Yet the position of both of them was very bad in any case, just for that reason she had greeted the teacher’s offer with such joy; even if it was not a suitable post for K. yet it was—that was expressly insisted on—only a temporary post; one would gain a little time and would easily find other chances, even if the final decision should turn out to be unfavourable. “If it comes to the worst,” cried Frieda at last, falling on K. ’s neck, “we’ll go away, what is there in the village to keep us? But for the time being, darling, we’ll accept the offer, won’t we? I’ve fetched the teacher back again, you’ve only to say to him ‘Done,’ that’s all, and we’ll move over to the school.”
“It’s a great nuisance,” said K. without quite meaning it, for he was not much concerned about his lodgings, and in his underclothes he was shivering up here in the loft, which without wall or window on two sides was swept by a cold draught, “you’ve arranged the room so comfortably