XII

well. And that influenced his last words to K. , spoken when he reached the door: “The lady had been driven by force to leave this room with her children, because you have rebelliously refused to accept my notice, and because nobody can ask of her, a young girl, that she should teach in the middle of your dirty household affairs. So you are left to yourself, and you can spread yourself as much as you like, undisturbed by the disapproval of respectable people. But it won’t last for long, I promise you that.” With that he slammed the door.