The Trial Essay Research Paper THE TRIALby — страница 9

Titorelli, who might be able to help him. He even writes a letter K. can give the painter. He thinks it over and decides to go see him right away, even though the Assistant Manager is just dying for some reason to steal his clients (he thinks). He finds the place where the painter lives, a ramshackle, stuffy, poorly-built apartment, surrounded by a bunch of young girls who want to know why K.’s here. Titorelli greets him and locks the door behind him, complaining about “these brats.” K. notices another painting of a judge. Who is he? Oh, he’s Justice, in the abstract. But in reality he’s just another low magistrate who’s had his picture painted like that. They’re very vain, these judges. They begin to talk about his case, interrupted at times by the girls talking or

asking if K. has left yet. I’m innocent, K. maintains. Good, says Titorelli. But the Court is not to be budged. It owns everything, like those girls out there. It is impervious to truth. What acquittal do you want? There’s actual acquittal, apparent acquittal, and protraction. Actual acquittal is the best but can’t be influenced. Besides, I’ve never heard of one. Apparent acquittal I could help you with. I could write an affidavit swearing your innocence. But if you are acquitted, it isn’t final. This would be followed by the second arrest, the second trial and acquittal, and then the third arrest, and so on. Protraction is just where you keep your case at the lowest level of the Court. You don’t have to worry about sudden arrests or anything like that, but you do

have to keep a constant eye on your case, since it still has to be kept going. K. has heard quite enough of the Court’s machinations and gets up to leave. Titorelli convinces him to buy a few of his landscape paintings, and K. walks out the back door, only to find himself in the law offices again. He meets the people waiting on their cases again and finds an usher to lead him out. He goes back to the bank and hides the pictures in his desk. Chapter 8: Block, the Tradesman / Dismissal of the Lawyer K. has had enough of Dr. Huld’s crap. He decides to fire him and goes to his place to tell him that. Upon getting there at ten P.M. he sees a strange man with a half-naked Leni, who runs off in a hurry. He questions the man, who is Rudi Block, a grain merchant. He is also a client

of the lawyer. They make their way to the kitchen, where Leni is making soup for the lawyer. He demands to know if they’re lovers, but she just tries to divert his attention by claiming to have more information about his case. K. is unimpressed and Leni leaves to give the lawyer his soup. K. and Block get to talking, and Block says his case has been going on for five years. A secret?he has five other lawyers on his case, and it’s the only thing on his mind. He’s always at the offices, trying to see what’s going on with his case, and they have a weird superstition there: you can tell the way a man’s case will turn out by the shape of his lips. And poor Joseph is going to lose his case very soon by this reckoning. Leni comes back and sees them talking. She tells K. the

lawyer is waiting for him. Block lives here, she says. The lawyer is very unpredictable and you never know when he might want to see you. She shows them his room, a tiny little maid’s room. K., pressed for a secret in return by Block, tells him he is going to fire the lawyer. Block and Leni are flabbergasted and try to chase him. K. goes in to Huld, who tells him he knows all about Leni’s affairs with accused men. Accused men are attractive, you know. Even Block. K. tells the lawyer that he’s had it with him. He’s done nothing for him. The lawyer insists that nothing much happens in any case, leading K. to insist they’re as much in the right as him. Huld says he takes only the cases that touch him closely. K. is unimpressed, so the lawyer brings in Block. Huld

says?actually yells?at Block that his case is in trouble, that it hasn’t even started, that the people at the court call it hopeless, but he’s still there to fight for him. Block demonstrates his gratefulness by getting on his knees and kissing his hand. K. gets the feeling he’s watching a staged performance of the lawyer and his dog, Block, and remains unmoved. Chapter 9: In the Cathedral An Italian, one of the bank’s biggest clients, comes to town and K. is asked to show him around. He especially wants to see the cathedral, where he’ll meet K. Joseph gets there and sees no Italian, but only the priest calling his name. He talks about K.’s case, saying it’s going badly. He’s guilty, after all, isn’t he? No, I’m innocent, says K., I just need more help. Like