I

don’t know about that,” replied the man slowly, “if you’ve been asked to come you’re probably needed, that’s an exceptional case, but we small people stick to our tradition, and you can’t blame us for that.” “No, no,” said K. , “I am only grateful to you, to you, and everybody here.” And taking them all by surprise he made an adroit turn and stood before the reclining woman. Out of weary blue eyes she looked at him, a transparent silk kerchief hung down to the middle of her forehead, the infant was asleep on her bosom. “Who are you?” asked K. , and disdainfully⁠—whether contemptuous of K. or of her own answer was not clear⁠—she replied: “A girl from the Castle.”

It had only taken a second or so, but already the two men were at either side of K. and were pushing him towards the door, as if there were no other means of persuasion, silently, but putting out all their strength. Something in this procedure delighted the old man, and he clapped his hands. The woman at the bathtub laughed too, and the children suddenly shouted like mad.

K. was soon out in the street, and from the threshold the two men surveyed him. Snow was again falling, yet the sky seemed a little brighter. The bearded man cried impatiently; “Where do you want to go? This is the way to the Castle, and that to the village.” K. made no reply to him, but turned to the other, who in spite of his shyness seemed to him the more amiable of the two, and said: “Who are you? Whom have I to thank for sheltering me?” “I am the tanner Lasemann,” was the answer, “but you owe thanks to nobody.” “All right,” said K. , “perhaps we’ll meet again.” “I don’t suppose so,” said the man. At that moment the other cried, with wave of his hand: “Good morning, Arthur; good morning, Jeremiah!” K. turned round; so there were really people to be seen in the village streets! From the direction of the Castle came two young men of medium height, both very slim, in tight-fitting clothes, and like each other in their features. Although their skin was a dusky brown the blackness of their little pointed beards was actually striking by contrast.