IX

but pride?” “Oh, madam,” said K. , “that’s neither the only road to Klamm, nor is it any better than the others. But you, Mr. Secretary, decide this question, whether what I may say here can get as far as Klamm or not.” “Of course it can,” said Momus, lowering his eyes proudly and gazing at nothing, “otherwise why should I be secretary here?” “Now you see, madam,” said K. , “I don’t need a road to Klamm, but only to Mr. Secretary.” “I wanted to throw open this road for you,” said the landlady, “didn’t I offer this morning to send your request to Klamm? That might have been done through Herr Momus. But you refused, and yet from now on no other way will remain for you but this one. But frankly, after your attempt on Klamm’s privacy, with much less prospect of success. All the same this last, tiny, vanishing, yes, actually invisible hope, is your only one.” “How is it, madam,” said K. , “that originally you tried so hard to keep me from seeing Klamm, and yet now take my wish to see him quite seriously, and seem to consider me lost largely on account of the miscarrying of my plan? If at one time you can advise me sincerely from your heart against trying to see Klamm at all, how can you possibly drive me on the road to Klamm now, apparently just as sincerely, even though it’s admitted that the road may not reach as far as him?” “Am I driving you on?” asked the landlady. “Do you call it driving you on when I tell you that your attempt is hopeless? It would really be the limit of audacity if you tried in that way to push the responsibility on to me. Perhaps it’s Herr Momus’ presence that encourages you to do it. No, Land Surveyor, I’m not trying to drive you on to anything. I can admit only one mistake, that I overestimated you a little when I first saw you. Your immediate victory over Frieda frightened me, I didn’t know what you might still be capable of. I wanted to prevent further damage, and thought that the only means of achieving that was to shake your resolution by prayers and threats. Since then I have learned to look on the whole thing more calmly. You can do what you like. Your actions may no doubt leave deep footprints in the snow out there in the courtyard, but they’ll do nothing more.” “The contradiction doesn’t