It was already late at night when K reached the village.The village was sunk deep in the snow.The hill on which the castle stood was lost in mist and night, not even a single star that showed that a castle stood there. Standing on a wooden bridge leading from the road to the village, K. gazed for a long time at the empty vision above him. Then he went on, looking for a place to lodge for the night.The inn was still open, and although the innkeeper could no longer afford a room for him, and he was annoyed by the unexpected arrival of guests at such a late hour, he preferred to let K. sleep in the hall. Straw bag. K accepted his proposal.Some peasants were still sitting there drinking beer, but he didn't want to talk, so he went to the attic and got himself a straw bag, and lay down by the fire.It was a very warm place, and the peasants were silent, so he raised his tired eyes and looked around them casually, and soon fell asleep.

But after a while, he was woken up.A young fellow, dressed like a townsman, with an actor's face, narrow eyes, and bushy eyebrows, was standing beside him with the innkeeper.The peasants were still in the house, and some of them turned their chairs around in order to see and hear better.The young man politely apologized for having woken K., introduced himself as the son of the castle guard, and continued: "This village belongs to the castle, and anyone who lives here or spends the night here , or dwelling in the castle, so to speak. No one can linger here without the count's permission. But you have no such permission, or at least you have not produced any such papers."

K. had already half-stretched himself, straightened his hair now, looked up at the two men, and said: "What village have I broken into? Is there a castle here?" "Exactly," answered the young man slowly, at which point the whole room shook their heads at K.'s question, "this is the castle of my lord West-Earl of West." "Does one have to have a permit to stay here overnight?" asked K., as if wondering if what he was hearing was not a dream. "One must have a permit," said the young man, stretching out his arms to those present, with a gesture of contempt for K., "doesn't one need a permit?"

"Well, then, I'll have to get one," said K., yawning and pushing the blanket away, as if getting ready. "Excuse me, who are you going to apply for a permit from?" the young man asked him. "From the count," said K., "that's the only way to do it." "Trying to get a license from the count in the middle of the night!" cried the young man, taking a step back. "Can't this be done?" asked K. coldly. "Then why did you wake me up?" This annoyed the boy. "Stop playing with your rascal attitude!" he yelled. "I firmly demand that you respect the earl's authority! I wake you up to inform you that you must leave the earl's territory immediately."

"Enough of the jokes," said K. in a particularly calm voice, lying down again and covering him with the blanket. "You have gone too far, my friend, and to-morrow I must speak of your attitude, and the innkeeper and gentlemen will testify to me if need be. Let me tell you that I am the Earl who is waiting The land surveyor from my house. To-morrow my assistants will be here in a cart with their tools. I did not want to miss the chance of walking in the snow, so I came on foot, but unfortunately I kept getting lost, That's why it's so late. I knew it was too late to report to the castle before you tried to come and tell me. That's why I've got the right to sleep in a bed like this tonight, but you might as well say Be polite, but rude enough to wake me up. That's all I had to say. Good night, gentlemen," and K. turned away from the stove.

"Land surveyor?" he heard hesitantly asking behind him, and there was a silence.But the young man soon regained his confidence and lowered his voice, expressing his concern for K.'s sleep, but his words could still be heard clearly."I'll have to call and ask," he said to the innkeeper. So there was a telephone in such a village shop?They have all the necessary equipment.K. was surprised by the present example, but on the whole he did expect it.The telephone seemed to be mounted directly above his head, but he was so sleepy that he didn't notice it.If the young man had to make the phone call, then, even if he had the best intentions, he would not be able to avoid alarming K. The only question was whether K would let him do it; he decided to let him.Under the circumstances, then, there was no point in pretending to be asleep, so he rolled over again and fell asleep on his back.He could see the peasants whispering to each other; the presence of a land surveyor was no small matter.The door to the kitchen was open, and the whole frame was blocked by the bulky figure of the innkeeper's wife, who came up to her on tiptoe, and told her what had happened.Now, the conversation on the phone begins.The Castle Warden had fallen asleep, but the Vice-Castman--the Vice-City Guard--named Fritz was still there.The young man, announcing himself as Sivaro, reported that he had found K., an unremarkable man of about thirty, sleeping peacefully on a straw bale with a small rucksack under his head, with a stick in his hand. The gnarly cane.He naturally suspected this guy, since the innkeeper's apparent dereliction of duty, then he, Shivarro, had the responsibility to investigate this matter.He woke the man up, questioned him, and gave him a formal warning to leave the country, but K. treated all this in a disrespectful manner, perhaps with some justification, because at the end he claimed that he had been hired by the Count. Come land surveyor.Of course, this kind of statement must at least have official confirmation, so he, Schiffereau, asked Mr. Fritz to ask the Central Bureau if he really expected such a land surveyor, and then please call back immediately .

In this way, when Fritz was inquiring over there and the young man was waiting for an answer here, the room was silent. K. didn't move his position, didn't even move his body, as if he didn't care, just looked into the air.This mixture of hostility and prudence in Shivaro's report reminded K of diplomacy, and a low-ranking member of the castle like Shivaro was actually proficient in it.Moreover, they are diligent in their duties, and there are still people on duty in the Central Bureau at night.Besides, they were obviously quick to answer questions, because Frieze had already called.His answer seemed simple enough, for Sylvaro immediately put down the receiver and exclaimed angrily, "Exactly what I said! What land surveyor, not even a shadow. An ordinary swindler." , and perhaps worse than that." K. thought for a moment that Shivarro, the peasant, the innkeeper, and the landlady might join forces against him.In order to at least avoid their first attack, he huddled tightly in the blanket.But the telephone rang again, and, to K.'s ear, the ringing seemed particularly emphatic.He poked his head out slowly.Although it was impossible for this call to be related to K, they all fell silent, and Shivaro picked up the receiver again.After listening to the other party for a long time, he said in a low voice: "A misunderstanding, isn't it? I'm sorry to hear that. Did the Minister himself say that? Very strange, very strange. Show me how to tell Land surveyor explaining all this?"

K pricked up his ears.So the Castle had admitted that he was a land surveyor.From this point of view, this is not good for him, because it means that the castle has already received a detailed report on his situation, and has estimated all possible situations. Therefore, he accepted such provocation with a smile .But on the other hand, it was to his advantage, because if his explanation was right, they would have underestimated his strength, and he would have had more freedom of action than he had dared to desire.But if they tried to frighten him away with the haughty boss-to-subordinate attitude that recognized him as a land surveyor, they were mistaken;

Xi Faruo timidly walked towards him, but he waved Xi Faruo away.The innkeeper graciously asked him to move to his room to sleep, but he also refused, but accepted a cup of hot tea from the innkeeper, and a washbasin, a piece of soap, and a towel from the landlady.He didn't even have to ask everyone to leave the room, because everyone turned their faces away and rushed out, lest he recognize them the next day.The lamp had been blown out, and at last he was left quietly alone.He fell into a deep sleep until the next morning, and not even the rats running past him once or twice did not wake him up.

After breakfast the innkeeper told him that breakfast and all his board and lodging would be paid for by the castle.He was about to go out to the village at once, but when he saw the boss who seemed to have neglected him the night before, and was walking around him in silent entreaties, he felt a little pity for the fellow, and asked him to sit down for a while. "I haven't seen the count yet," said K., "but he pays well for a job well done, doesn't he? I've come all the way from home like me, You have to put something in your pocket to go back." "A decent gentleman needn't worry about such things. Nobody here complains about being underpaid."

"Well," said K., "I'm not such a coward as you are. I'd dare to express my opinion even to a man like the count. But of course everything is settled without too much trouble, That's even better." The innkeeper was sitting on the edge of the window-sill opposite K., not daring to find a more comfortable place to sit down, and stared at K. with his large brown eyes in a worried expression.At first he was intent on chatting with K., but now he seemed anxious to get away.Was he afraid that K. would question him about the count, or was he afraid because he had discovered something wrong with this "gentleman" whom he considered to be a "gentleman"? K had to divert his attention.He looked at the clock and said, "My assistants will be arriving shortly. Can you give them a place here?" "Of course, sir," said he, "but won't they come to live with you at the castle?" Was the innkeeper really so willing to let go of a promising customer, especially someone like K., and hand him over to the castle without any conditions? "It's not certain yet," said K. "I'll have to find out what work I'm asked to do, and if I have to work in the village down here, for example, I might be better off living here. Besides, I'm afraid that life in the castle will be too much for me. Unfortunately, I am a person who likes to be free." "You don't know castles," said the innkeeper quietly. "Of course," replied K., "one should not judge too early. All I know so far is that they know how to pick a good land surveyor. Maybe there are other attractions too." said Then he got up to get rid of the innkeeper in front of him, who was biting his lip restlessly.It is not easy to win his trust. K. was about to go out when he saw a dark portrait in a dull frame on the wall.When he was sleeping on the bunk near the hearth, he had already looked at it, but from such a distance, he couldn't make out what it was at all. He thought it was an ordinary floor nailed to the wooden frame.But now it became clear that it was a painting, a bust of a man in his fifties.His head was drooped on his chest, so low that the eyes could hardly be seen, and the heavy forehead and strong hook seemed to make it impossible to lift the head.Because of this posture, his full beard was suppressed by his chin, and it fell down.His left hand was hidden in thick hair, but he couldn't seem to hold his head up. "Who is he?" asked K. "Is it the Count?" He stood before the portrait and turned to the innkeeper. "No," said the innkeeper, "he is the castle guard." "He is a handsome castle guard," said K., "it's a pity he has an ill-bred son." "No, no," said the innkeeper Said, he pulled K closer, and whispered into his ear, "If Shiva was bragging yesterday, his father was only a deputy city guard, and one of the lowest ranks." At this moment, K. I feel that the innkeeper is just like a child. "The rascal!" said K. with a smile.But the innkeeper didn't laugh, and he went on to say: "But as far as his father is concerned, he is quite powerful." "Stand away from me," said K. "You think everyone is powerful, I'm probably powerful, aren't I?" "No," he replied timidly but solemnly, "I don't think you are powerful." "You have really powerful eyes," said K. To tell you the truth, I'm not really a powerful person. So I don't think I respect powerful people any worse than you, but I'm not as honest as you, and I'm not often willing to admit it." After all, K. A tap on his cheek was intended to cheer him up and call out his friendship.It actually made him smile a little.He was very young indeed, with a tender face and hardly a beard; how could he have married a wife who was so huge and older than himself?From a small window she could be seen whirling about in the kitchen with her bare elbows. K. didn't want to try to win his confidence any more, and he didn't want to scare away the smile he finally managed to make him smile.So he merely gestured to him to open the door, and stepped into the bright winter morning. Now he could see the castle.Clearly defined against the bright shining sky, it was still more distinct when covered by a thin layer of snow.There seems to be much less snow on the mountain than in the village below.When passing through the village yesterday, K found it as difficult as walking on the main road.Here, the snow was piled up to the windows of the huts, and the low roofs were all over again, but on the mountains, everything was so light.So free to fly through the air, or at least that's how it looks from below. Generally speaking, the prospect of the castle was within K's expectations.It was neither an ancient fortress nor a novel mansion, but a disorganized complex of countless small buildings tightly packed together, some of which were one-story and some two-story.If K. hadn't known it to be a castle, he might have taken it for a small town.As far as he could see there was only one tower, and whether it belonged to a house or to a church he could not be sure.Flocks of crows are flying around the tower. K. walked forward, staring at the castle, and was thinking of nothing else.But as he approached the castle, he was greatly disappointed; it was nothing more than a poor-looking town, a mess of cottages, the only virtue of which, if anything, was that they were Stone buildings, but the plaster has long since peeled off, and the stone seems to be weathering and eroding.For a moment K. thought of his own village.It is by no means inferior to this so-called castle, and if the question is only to come here for sightseeing, then it is not worth traveling so far, and it is better to revisit his own hometown, which he has not been back for a long time. Go check it out.Then he mentally compared the bell tower of the church at home with the tower above him.The bell tower in my hometown stands tall and straight.Swinging upwards from base to top, and topped with a broad roof of red tiles, it is a masterpiece of man--what else could one build? --and it has a higher purpose than the common house, and a clearer meaning than the hustle and bustle of everyday life.And the tower above him--the only tower in sight--now evidently appeared to be a dwelling, or the tower of a main building, round from top to bottom, partly dedicated to the usual The ivy was lovingly covered, and the little windows, poking out of the ivy, shone in the sun with a flicker that seemed to go mad.The top of the tower is covered with something like an attic, and the eaves on it are uneven and intermittent, very ugly, as if designed by a child's trembling or careless hands, and against the blue sky, it looks very ugly. chiseled.Like a melancholic who should have been locked in a room on the highest floor of his house, but instead he emerged from the roof and stood tall, with the eyes of the world watching him. K stopped again, as if he had more power of judgment when he stopped immediately.But he was disturbed.The place where he stopped was the country church, and behind that was the school.The church was really nothing more than a house of worship and some barn-like additions to house the parishioners.The school was a long, low house, with an old-fashioned air and a rustic appearance strikingly mixed together.It sits behind a fenced garden that has now become a field of snow.Meanwhile, the children were coming out following their teacher.They crowded around him, all staring up at him, chatting like a cannonball at the same time.They talked so fast that K could hardly understand what they were saying.The teacher was a narrow-shouldered, short young man who walked quite erect, but his posture did not seem so ridiculous.He had already fixed his eyes on K from a distance, which was also natural, since there was no one else in front of him except the schoolchildren.As a stranger, especially since he was a dignified young man, K. went up first and said: "Good morning, sir." The teacher likes to have this sudden silence as a preparation for his choice of words. "Are you looking at the castle?" he asked softer than K had expected, but his tone revealed that he did not approve of K's behaviour. "Yes," said K., "I am a stranger here, and I came to this village only last night." "Don't you like castles?" the teacher asked him quickly again. "What?" asked K., a little surprised, and repeated the question in a calm tone. "Do I like castles? Why do you think I don't like castles?" "No stranger ever liked castles," said the teacher.In order not to say anything wrong, K. changed the subject and said: "I suppose you know the count?" "No," said the teacher, turning away.But K. did not want to let him off like this, and asked again: "Why, you don't know the count?" "Please don't forget that there are innocent children here." Seizing this as a justification, K. asked: "Can I call on you some other day, sir? I have to stay here for a while, but I I'm feeling a little lonely already. I don't get along with the peasants, and I don't think I get along with the castle either." "A farmer is no different from a castle," said the teacher. "Perhaps," said K., "but that doesn't change my situation. Can I call on you some other day?" "I live in a butcher's house in Swan Street." It was more an invitation than an invitation. It is notice.But K. said: "Very well, I will definitely go and see you." The teacher nodded and led his group of children forward, who immediately started shouting again.They disappeared shortly down the steeply descending path. But K. was frightened and angry at this conversation.For the first time since coming here, he felt really tired.Such a long journey he had made did not seem to wear him out very much at first--how deliberately he walked step by step in those days! --but now he felt the effects of fatigue, and at such an inopportune hour.He felt an irresistible longing to make new acquaintances, but each new acquaintance seemed to only increase his ennui.Nevertheless, in the present situation, if he insisted on going on, at least as far as the castle entrance, his strength was more than sufficient. So he started walking again, but it was a long way.For the village street he was taking did not lead to the castle hill at all, it went towards the castle hill, and then, as if contrived, turned in another direction, although it did not leave the castle, But it didn't come close to it.At every turn K. counted on the road approaching the castle again, and it was for this reason that he continued on.Exhausted as he was, he never wanted to leave the street.Besides, the village was so long, which also surprised him. It seemed to have no end.He walked and walked, seeing only one small house after another of the same type, with frost-covered window panes, and white snow, and no one was there--but at last he broke free from this labyrinthine street, fled into an alley.The snow is deeper here, and you have to work hard to get your feet out of the snow, which is very tiring and makes you sweat profusely.He stopped abruptly, unable to move any further. Well, he wasn't on a desert island after all, with thatched huts to his left and right.He made a snowball and threw it at a window.Immediately someone opened the door—this was the first door he opened in the whole village—and an old farmer in a brown leather coat appeared at the door, with his head tilted to one side, showing a weak and kind appearance . "May I stay with you for a while?" asked K. "I'm very tired." He didn't hear the old man's answer, but he watched with gratitude as a plank was pushed towards him to rescue him from the snow, so he took a few steps and walked into the out of the kitchen. It was a large kitchen, and the room was very dark.Coming in from the outside, at first nothing could be seen clearly. K. tripped over a washing tub and was held up by a woman's hand.From one corner came the loud wailing of children.A gust of steam rose from another corner, darkening the already dark room. K seemed to be standing on a cloud. "He must be drunk," someone was saying. "Who are you?" someone yelled menacingly, and then, apparently to the old man, "why did you let him in? Are we going to bring home every loafer in the street?" I am the count's land surveyor," said K., trying to justify himself in front of this person whom he still could not see. "Oh, this is the land surveyor!" It was a woman's voice, and there was silence. "So. You know me?" asked K. "Of course," said the same woman's voice briefly.However, people know him, this does not seem to be a kind of introduction. Finally, the water vapor died down a little, and gradually K could see his surroundings clearly.This day seems to be a day of general cleaning. Near the door, someone is washing clothes.But steam was coming from another corner, and there was a big wooden bucket, K had never seen such a big wooden bucket, it was almost as wide as two beds, and two men were bathing in steaming water .But it was the scene in the right corner that surprised him even more (though he couldn't say exactly what surprised him).There was a large window opening on the back wall, the only one on the back wall, and a pale snow-like white light came in through the window opening, which obviously came in from the yard.White light shone on a woman, making her clothes shine with a silk-like brilliance.The woman is almost reclined in a high armchair.She was breastfeeding a baby in her arms, and several children were playing around her. They were obviously children from the farm.But this woman seemed to belong to another class. Of course, even peasants have a delicate appearance when they are sick or tired. "Sit down!" said one of the two men.He was full of whiskers, and he was always panting with his mouth open.A wet hand stretched out from the side of the tub, splashed the water, and pointed--this was a very interesting shot--a bench, and K. was drenched with hot water droplets all over his face.The old man who had let K in sat there in a daze. K. finally found a seat.From then on, no one paid any attention to him.The woman next to the washing tub was young, plump and lovely, and she was humming to herself as she worked.The men kicked and rolled around in the tub and took a shower.The children tried to get closer, but they were always splashed back with water so hard that the water even splashed on K.The woman lying on the armchair seemed to be a lifeless person, her eyes were fixed on the roof, and she didn't even glance at the baby in her arms. She formed a beautiful, sad and still picture, and K. must have looked at her for a long time; after that he must have fallen asleep, because when someone woke him up loudly, he found himself His head was resting on the old man's shoulder.The men had already come out of the tub—the children rolling in the tub were already the children under the care of the pretty-haired woman—and now they were standing in front of K., all dressed up.It seemed that the man with the full beard who threatened him was the lesser of the two men.The other was a quieter, slower-thinking man, with his head hanging all the time, not taller than his companions, with less beard, but much broader shoulders, and a broad face.Now it was he who spoke: "You can't stay here, sir. Please excuse our rudeness." "I don't intend to stay here," said K., "I just want to rest here for a while. I'm already rested." I'm going now." "You may find it strange that we neglect our guests like this," said the man, but hospitality is not our custom here, and guests are of no use to us. "Perhaps it was because of a nap that K. recovered a little bit, and his senses became clearer. The frankness of the other party's words made him happy. He no longer felt so restrained, and pointed with his stick. Yes, approaching the woman lying on the armchair. He found himself the tallest person in the room. "Indeed," said K., "what's the use of having guests? But you do need one sometimes, for example, me, a land surveyor." "I don't know," replied the man slowly. "If you were invited, then maybe we needed you, and that's another matter. But we little people play by our old rules, and you can't blame us for that." "No, no ’” said K., “I can only express my gratitude to you and to everyone here.” Then, catching them off guard, he turned sharply and stood in front of the lying woman with alacrity.She watched him with sleepy blue eyes, a sheer silk kerchief stretched to her forehead, and the baby was fast asleep in her arms. "Who are you?" asked K., and the woman contemptuously—either because she looked down on K., or because she herself didn't know the answer—replied: "It's a girl from the castle." It was only a matter of a second or two, but the two men were already at his side, pushing him towards the door, as if they had no other way of persuading him than to force him in silence. Push him out the door with all his might.Their behavior amused the old man so much that he couldn't help clapping his hands.The woman by the washtub smiled too.The children also suddenly yelled like crazy. K. was soon outside in the street, where the two men were watching him from the door.Now the snow is falling again, but the sky seems to be a little brighter.The bearded man couldn't help shouting: "Where are you going? This one goes to the castle, that one goes to the village." K. didn't answer him, and the other man, though a little shy, But K. seemed to him the more agreeable of the two, and turning to him, he said: "Who are you? Who should I thank for taking me in for a while?" "I am Ray the Tanner." Sman," that was the answer, "but you don't have to thank anyone." "Well," said K., "perhaps we will meet again." "I don't think so," said the man.At that moment the other man raised his hand and shouted: "Morning Arthur, Jeremiah!" K. turned his head; so there were indeed people to be seen in these village streets!Two young men were coming from the direction of the castle. They were both of medium build and slender, wearing tight-fitting clothes. They looked alike, although their skin was dark brown. Their black goatees stand out.Because the road was not easy to walk on, the two of them walked in big strides with their slender legs in step. "Where are you going?" asked the bearded man loudly.They go so fast and don't want to stop, you have to yell at them. "We have business," they answered loudly, laughing. "Where?" "In the inn." "I'm going there too," K. said suddenly, louder than the others.He felt a strong desire to walk with them, he didn't really want to make friends with them, but it was obvious that they must be good company for talking and laughing.They heard his cry, but they just nodded, and then ran away without a trace. K. was still standing in the snow, and he hardly wanted to pull his feet out of the snow, because that would only sink them again.Satisfied at last to be free of him, the tanner and his companion, sidling slowly into the house through the now only half-open door, glanced back at him, and went on. So he was scattered outside the door where it was snowing heavily. "If I'm standing here now not by design but by chance," he asked thinking, "it's an excellent scene for playing disappointment." Just at that moment a small window opened in the hut to his left, which seemed dark blue when closed, perhaps because of the reflection of the snow, and was so small that it opened After that, you couldn't even see the whole face of the man behind the window, only two eyes, old brown eyes. "There he is," K. heard a woman's trembling voice say. "That's the land surveyor," answered a man's voice.Then the man also went to the window and asked, "Are you waiting for someone here?" His tone and expression were not unapproachable, but he still seemed to be afraid of causing trouble at his own door. of. "Want to wait for a ride in a passing sleigh," said K. "There will be no sledges passing here," said the man, "no traffic here." "But this is the main road to the castle," K. remarked. "It's still the same, it's the same," said the man in a conclusive tone, "there's no traffic here." Then the two fell silent.But the man was clearly thinking of something, for he had left the window open. "It's a terrible road," said K., trying to get him to talk.The only answer he got was, "Ah, yes." But after a while he volunteered, "I can take you in my sleigh if you like." "Then please take me, "How much do you want?" said K. cheerfully. "Not a single penny," said the man, which was quite unexpected to K. "Here, you are a land surveyor," the man explained. ，"那你就是城堡的人。你要我把你送到哪儿去呢？""上城堡去，"Ｋ连忙回答说。 "我不愿意送你上那儿去，"那人毫不犹豫地说。 "可我是城堡的人，"Ｋ重复着对方的原话这么说着。 "也许是的吧，"那人简短地说道。啊，那么，就把我送到客栈去吧。 ""好，"那人说，"我一会儿就拉着雪橇出来。 "从他所有这些言语行动看来，他并不是出于任何特殊友好的愿望，而是出于一种自私，忧虑，而且几乎是装腔作势的固执，一心只想把Ｋ从自己家门口赶走。 院子的大门打开了，跟着，一只孱弱的小马拉着一辆轻便的小雪橇出现了，雪橇很简单，根本没有什么坐位，那个汉子一颠一瘸地在后面跟着，显出一副弯腰曲背的衰弱样子。那张又瘦又红的脸膛，加上鼻子又伤了风，在紧紧裹着一条羊毛围巾的脖子相比之下，显得格外小。显然这会儿他正害着病，只因为要送走Ｋ，这才强打起精神出门。Ｋ鼓起勇气向他表示歉意，但是那个汉子挥了挥手把他岔开了。Ｋ从他嘴里就只探听出来他是一个马车夫，名叫盖斯塔克，他之所以驾这辆简陋的雪橇出来，是因为这辆雪橇正现成放着，要是驾别的雪橇，那就要花费很多时间了。"坐上去吧，"他指着雪橇说。"我可以跟你并排着坐，"Ｋ说。"我要步行，"盖斯塔克说。"干吗？"Ｋ问道。"我要步行，"盖斯塔克重复说了一遍，突然咳嗽起来，咳得身子直摇晃，不得不把两条腿在雪地里又开站着，同时抓住了雪橇的边沿。Ｋ不再多说，便坐上了雪橇。那人的咳嗽也慢慢地平复了下来。于是，他们赶着雪橇走了。 在他们上面的那座城堡--Ｋ原想当天就上那儿去--现在已经开始暗淡下来了，而且又重新退向远处。但是仿佛要给他一个下次再见的告别信号，城堡上面开始响起了一阵愉快的钟声，这阵钟声，至少在那一刹那间使他的心卜卜地跳动起来，因为这钟声同样也含着吓唬他的音调，仿佛是因为他想实现他暧昧的欲望而向他表示威胁似的。这洪亮的钟声不久就消逝了，继之而起的是一阵低微而单调的丁当声，它可能来自城堡，但也可能是从村里什么地方传来的。这单调的丁当声，同这种慢腾腾的旅行和那个形状可怕而又冷漠无情的车夫却是十分和谐一致。 "我说，"Ｋ突然叫喊起来--他们已经走近教堂，离客栈不远了，因此Ｋ觉得可以冒一点险了，--"你居然有这份心肠自愿地赶着雪橇送我，我觉得很奇怪；人家容许你这样做吗？"盖斯塔克没有睬他，只是继续在那匹小马驹旁边默默地走着。"嘘！"Ｋ叫道，同时从雪橇上刮了一些雪，捏成一个雪球往盖斯塔克扔去，这一下正扔在他的耳朵上。他这才停下步子，回转身来；可是当他这样挨近了看他的时候--雪橇向前滑了几步，--Ｋ看到他那副好像受过什么迫害的弯腰曲背的身躯，面颊一边平一边瘪进去的又瘦又乏的红脸膛，张开了嘴巴，露出只有几颗稀疏的牙齿，站在那儿听他说话的时候，他这才发现自己刚才怀着恶意说的那句话，应该用怜悯的口吻重说一遍，那意思就是说，他，盖斯塔克，会不会因为给他赶了雪橇而受到处罚。"你说什么？"盖斯塔克迷惑不解地问道，可是不等到回答，他就向小马驹吆喝了一声，接着又往前赶路了。