the feather quilt. In bed she looked much younger than in her clothes, but a nightcap of delicate lacework which she wore, although it was too small and nodded on her head, made her sunk face look pitiable. “Why should I have come?” asked K. mildly. “You didn’t send for me.” “You shouldn’t have kept me waiting so long,” said the landlady with the capriciousness of an invalid. “Sit down,” she went on pointing to the bed, “and you others go away.” Meantime the maids as well as the assistants had crowded in. “I’ll go too, Gardana,” said the landlord, This was the first time that K. had heard her name. “Of course,” she replied slowly, and as if she were occupied with other thoughts she added absently: “Why should you remain any more than the others?” But when they had all retreated to the kitchen—even the assistants this time went at once, besides, a maid was behind them—Gardana was alert enough to grasp that everything she said could be heard in there, for the annex lacked a door, and so she commanded everyone to leave the kitchen as well. It was immediately done.
“Land Surveyor,” said Gardana, “there’s a wrap hanging over there beside the chest, will you please reach me it. I’ll lay it over me. I can’t bear the feather quilt, my breathing is so bad.” And as K. handed her the wrap, she went on: “Look, this is a beautiful wrap, isn’t it?” To K. it seemed to be an ordinary woollen wrap; he felt it with his fingers again merely out of politeness, but did not reply. “Yes, it’s a beautiful wrap,” said Gardana covering herself up. Now she lay back comfortably, all her pain seemed to have gone, she actually had enough strength to think of the state of her hair which had been disordered by her lying position; she raised herself up for a moment and rearranged her coiffure a little round the nightcap. Her hair was abundant.
K. became impatient, and began: “You asked me, madam, whether I had found other lodgings yet.” “I asked you?” said the landlady, “no, you’re mistaken.” “Your husband asked me a few minutes ago.” “That may well be,” said the landlady, “I’m at variance with him. When I didn’t want