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of such a nature that you can simply fall on Herr Momus with the question: ‘Will I be allowed to see Klamm if I answer your questions?’ When a child asks questions like that people laugh, when a grown man does it it is an insult to all authority; Herr Momus graciously concealed this under the politeness of his reply. But the hope that I mean consists simply in this, that through the protocol you have a sort of connection, a sort of connection perhaps with Klamm. Isn’t that enough? If anyone enquired for any services which might earn you the privilege of such a hope, could you bring forward the slightest one? For the last time, that’s the best that can be said about this hope of yours, and certainly Herr Momus in his official capacity could never give even the slightest hint of it. For him it’s a matter, as he says, merely of keeping a record of this afternoon’s happenings, for the sake of order; more than that he won’t say, even if you ask him this minute his opinion of what I’ve said.” “Will Klamm, then, Mr. Secretary,” asked K. , “read the protocol?” “No,” replied Momus, “why should he? Klamm can’t read every protocol, in fact he reads none. Keep away from me with your protocols! he usually says.” “Land Surveyor,” groaned the landlady, “you exhaust me with such questions. Do you think it’s necessary, or even simply desirable, that Klamm should read this protocol and become acquainted word for word with the trivialities of your life? Shouldn’t you rather pray humbly that the protocol should be concealed from Klamm⁠—a prayer, however, that would be just as unreasonable as the other, for who can hide anything from Klamm even though he has given many signs of his sympathetic nature? And is it even necessary for what you call your hope? Haven’t you admitted yourself that you would be content if you only got the chance of speaking to Klamm, even if he never looked at you and never listened to you? And won’t you achieve that at least through the protocol, perhaps much more?” “Much more?” asked K. “In what way?” “If you wouldn’t always talk about things like a child, as if they were for eating! Who on earth can give any answer to such questions? The protocol will be put in Klamm’s village register, you have heard that