Chapter 4 Chapter Four

He wanted to have an intimate talk with Frieda, but he was stopped because the two assistants were begging for nothing, and Frieda joked with them from time to time.Otherwise, they simply spread two old village shirts on the floor in the corner of the room and lay down.As a sign of respect, they repeatedly assured Frieda that they would never disturb the land surveyor and that they would take up as little space as possible. This wish, they kept pushing each other in order to make their own space smaller, so that the two crouched in a corner and looked like one big package in the dim light.But from the experience K. had gained during the day, he felt deeply that they were two clever observers, whether they mischievously put their hands into binoculars like children, or whether they just glanced at him, It's fine if they seem to be preoccupied with grooming their beards -- they put a lot of thought into their beards, always comparing each other's beards with longer and thicker ones, and asking Frieda to judge them -- their The eyes never moved away from him. K. slept on the bed and often watched the grotesque movements of the three men with complete indifference.

When he felt refreshed enough to get up, all three of them ran to attend to him.Though he was not yet physically recovered enough to refuse their services, and noticing that doing so would put him in a position of dependence on them which would have adverse consequences for him, he had to in this way.Sitting at the table, drinking the strong coffee made by Frieda, warming up by Frieda's stove, there were two assistants who ran up and down the stairs a dozen times in a frantic and grotesque manner, to give him Fetching water, fetching soap, handing the comb, looking for the mirror, and finally bringing him a small glass of rum, because he had hinted in a low voice that he wanted to drink such a small glass, all this is really not teaching. Unpleasant.

In the midst of giving orders and having others wait on him, K., really out of pleasure and not because he wanted them to obey, said: "Now you two go away, I don't need anything from you at the moment, and I want to Talk to Miss Frieda alone." Seeing that there was no expression of direct disapproval on their faces, he added in an apologetic tone: "The three of us are going to the mayor's house later, so you two go upstairs first." Come down and wait for me in the bar." Strangely enough, they obeyed him, but before they went away they turned and said: "We can wait here." But K. replied: "I know, but I don't want you waiting here."

As soon as the two assistants walked away, Frieda sat on his knee and said: "My dear, why do you hate these two assistants? We have nothing to shame, and we don't have to hide from them. They are A faithful friend." This displeased K., but also gave him a sense of pleasure. "Oh, faithful friend," said K., "they watch me all the time, and it's tedious and annoying." "I'm sure I understand what you mean," she said, and went on Throwing his arms around K.'s neck, he wanted to say something else, but couldn't, because the chair they were sitting in was very close to the bed, and they rolled unsteadily out of the chair onto the bed.They lay in bed, but not into oblivion as they had the night before.She was looking, and he was also looking. They twisted their faces like crazy, and put their heads into each other's arms, desperately looking for something. Neither their hugs nor the shaking of their hands and feet could make them Forgetting everything outside of them, just reminding them what they were looking for; they grabbed each other's bodies like dogs scratching at the ground, and often, after helpless failure, made a last effort to obtain happiness, They sniff each other and lick each other's faces with their tongues.In the end, extreme fatigue calmed them down and brought them mutual gratitude.At this moment, the maids came in. "Look how they sleep," said one of the maids, throwing a sheet over them pitifully.

After a while, K. got out of the coverlet and looked around. The two assistants—K. was not surprised to see them—hid in the corner again, pointed a finger at K., and shook each other again. The elbow reminded the other party to give K. a formal salute, but beside them, near the bed, the innkeeper's wife was sitting there knitting socks, doing such a small job, which was really out of proportion to her huge body. , for her size nearly obscured the room. "I've been here for a long time," she said, lifting her wide, wrinkled but still plump, probably once beautiful face.This sentence sounded like a reproach, an untimely reproach, because K. hadn't asked her to come.So K. just gave them a nod of greeting and sat up.Frieda got up too, but she left K. and leaned back in the landlady's chair. "If you have something you want to talk to me about," said K. perplexedly, "can you postpone it until I return from the visit to the village chief? I have important business to discuss with him." "That's the important thing, "Sir," said the landlady, "your other business may be just a matter of work, but this one concerns a real person, Frieda, my dear girl." "Oh, if you say that Of course you're right, but I don't know why we can't let the two of us take care of our own affairs." "Because I love her and care about her," said the landlady, pulling Frieda's head towards her. because even though Frieda was standing, she could only reach the landlady's shoulders. "Since Frieda trusts you so much," cried K., "I must trust you too, and since Frieda not long ago called my assistants faithful friends, then , we are all friends now. So, I can tell you that all I have on my mind right now is to marry Frieda, and as soon as possible. Oh, I know, I can never make it up to Frieda for mine All the losses she has suffered for this reason, her position in the Herrenhof Hotel and her friendship with Klamm." Frieda raised her face, her eyes filled with tears, without a trace of complacency. "Why? Why didn't you pick anyone else but me?" "What's the matter?" asked K. and the proprietress at the same time. "She is restless, poor child," said the landlady, "so many happy events, so many worrying things, all concentrated on her at once, and she was disturbed." As if to confirm the landlady's statement As if saying these words, Frieda threw herself on top of K., kissed him wildly, as if no one else was present in the room except her and K., and then wept again and again, but still He hugged K and knelt down in front of him. Caressing Frieda's hair with both hands, K asked the landlady: "You don't seem to object to me marrying her, do you?" "You are a noble gentleman," said the landlady, with tears in her eyes. .She looked a little tired, and was breathing heavily, but she held her breath and said: "Now there is only one question, and that is what promises you can make to Frieda, because as much as I respect you, you are always here." I am a stranger; there is no one here to speak for you; no one knows your family situation, so this requires a little security. You must understand this, my dear sir, when you talk about Frieda. You yourself have come into contact with this when you have to suffer great losses because of the union with you." "Of course, certain guarantees must be given, there is no doubt about it," said K. Before the notary, and at the same time, perhaps, some of the count's officials. Besides, I have one more thing to do before I get married. I have to have a talk with Klamm." "It can't be done." Yes," said Frieda, raising herself a little, and clinging to K., "you can figure it out!" "But it must be done," said K., "if I can't, then It's up to you to talk to him." "I can't, K., I can't," said Frieda. "Klamm will never talk to you. You can't think of such a thing!" "Isn't he willing to talk to you?" "He doesn't want to talk to me, either," said Frieda. It just can't be done with you or with me." She turned and stretched out her arms to the landlady: "Look what he's asking for!" "You're a weirdo," said the landlady; Now she was a frightening figure, sitting upright, her thighs spread wide, her huge knees poking out from under her thin skirt, "You're asking for something that can't be done." "Why? Can't do it?" asked K. "Here's what I'm going to tell you," said the landlady, in an explanatory tone that seemed less of a final concession of friendship than of the first of twenty commandments. That's what I'm glad to let you know. Although I'm not of the castle, and I'm only a woman, I'm only one of the lowest inns here--not the lowest, but not much worse. Madam proprietress, maybe because of this reason, you may not pay so much attention to my explanation, but in my life, with my eyes open, I have always seen the world. I have met all kinds of people. The burden was carried on my shoulders, too, for Martin, though a good man, was not an innkeeper's material, for whom he never knew what duty was. For instance, you have to Thanks to him, it was because of his carelessness—I was dying of exhaustion that night—that you were able to stay in the village and sit comfortably on this bed." "What?" said K. It was anger rather than curiosity, and it was curiosity that aroused him rather than anger propelling him out of his absent-minded trance. "You have to thank him for his carelessness," the landlady repeated aloud, pointing at K with her forefinger.Frieda wanted to teach her not to shout so loudly. "I can't help but say that," said the landlady, turning sharply. "The land surveyor asked me a question, and I had to answer him. Otherwise there would be no way of making him understand what we took for granted, and Mr. Crumb would never talk to him--never, that's not what I said. Is it possible to talk to him?--Never talk to him. Listen to me, sir. Mr. Crumb is a gentleman from the castle, not to mention Kramm's status, just because he is from the castle. That said, it shows that he is a very noble person. We here humbly consider all kinds of ways and means to obtain marriage permission for you, but who are you? You are not from the castle, and you are not from the village. What are you? No. But unfortunately, you are an unusual person, a stranger, a person who is in the way when no one needs it, a person who is always a nuisance, and a person who takes the servant girl's room. Man, a man who has no idea what he's up to, a man who has ruined our dear little Frieda and now unfortunately we have to take him as her husband. I'm not raising all this against you. You are You, I've seen enough in my life to face the truth. But now think about what you're asking for. To have someone like Klamm talk to you. To hear Frieda If you can peek into the hole, it will make me angry. She was already seduced by you when she did this. But tell me, how can you have the cheek to look at Klamm? You don’t have to answer me , I know you thought you were doing it right at the time. It is not an exaggeration to say that you are not even allowed to look at Klamm's face, because as far as I am concerned, people are not Permitted. You say that Klamm has to talk to you, but Klamm doesn't even say a word to the people in the village. When he is in the village, he never talks to anyone. This is Fli It is a great honor, an honor that I will be proud of until the day I die. He at least calls her name often, and she can talk to him whenever she wants, and She was allowed to look at him through the hole, but he never spoke to her, and besides, when he called her by name, it didn't necessarily mean he had anything on his mind, he just called Fr. The name Lida was all that mattered—who can say what he was thinking?—Frieda, of course, ran to him immediately, that was her business; as for her freedom of movement without hindrance, that was It was a kind gesture of kindness from Klamm, but why he wanted Frieda to go on purpose is not what ordinary people can explain. Of course, all this is over now. Perhaps Klamm will call Frieda as before. Lida, it is possible, but he will never let her, a girl who gave herself up and gave herself to you, come before him. There is only one thing that my muddled mind can't understand. Tom's mistress--that's a presumptuous lie, I think--a girl of this honour, to let your fingers touch her body."

"It's true, that's a very unusual thing," said K., pulling Frieda into his arms—she obeyed him at once, though still bowing her head—"but I think this only proves that you I may be wrong in some respects. You are quite right, for example, that I am nothing compared to Klamm, but nevertheless I insisted on talking to Klamm despite everything. , and what you say doesn't convince me, but it doesn't mean that I can meet Klamm if there is no door between me and Klamm, or that I can see him in this room. No need to run away. But such a surmise, though well founded, is not in my eyes a justification for giving up my attempt. As long as it keeps me in my position, there is no need for him to follow. What I say, I need only see the effect it has on him, and if it doesn't work, or if he doesn't take it seriously at all, then in any case I've I am quite content to speak my mind freely to a great man. But you, with your insight into the world, and Frieda, who was Klamm's mistress last night—I don't think so. There is reason to doubt the title—it must have been easy for me to find an interview with Klamm, and if nothing else, I'm sure I'll see him at the Herrenhof Hotel, perhaps he's still there ."

"It's impossible," said the landlady. "I know you won't understand it. But tell me, what are you going to talk to Klamm about?" "Of course it was about Frieda," said K. "About Frieda?" the landlady repeated in bewilderment, and turned to Frieda. "Did you hear, Frieda, he wants to talk to Klamm about you, to Klamm!" "Oh," said K., "you're an admirable, intelligent woman, but you're excited by every trifle. Well, that's right, I'm going to talk to him about Frieda; What a fuss, that's the usual thing. Besides, you're completely mistaken in thinking that Frieda is nothing to Klamm as soon as I appear. If you think so, you're putting Klamm underestimated too much. I feel very deeply that I would be rude to you in this matter, but I must. Klamm's relationship with Frieda can never be changed because of me. There was no great relationship between them--at best, that he might no longer be recognized as her esteemed lover--in which case there was nothing between them. It doesn’t really matter. If there is such a relationship, then, a person like me, you are right, is a worthless person in Klam’s eyes. How can I change their relationship? What? When a person is panicked, he may have such a guess for a while, but a little thought will surely correct his prejudice. Anyway, let us hear what Frieda herself thinks."

Frieda, with a dreamy look in her eyes, pressed her cheek against K.'s breast and said: "Mama is telling the truth, Klamm will never have anything to do with me again. But I agree with you, my dear." Yes, it's not because of you, he would never be offended by such things. I think on the other hand, it was entirely his arrangement that we met under the counter in the bar, and we The hour should be thanked, not complained about." "If that's the case," said K. slowly, closing his eyes for a moment because Frieda's words were sweet, to let the sweet taste penetrate him, "if that's the case, Then there's even less reason to avoid a meeting with Klamm."

"To tell you the truth," the proprietress said with her nose up, "you remind me of my husband. Your childishness and stubbornness are just like him. You have only been in this village for a few days, but you have already I thought that the people who lived in the village didn't know as much as you did, even an old woman like me, and Frieda, who had seen a lot at the Herrenhof Hotel. I don't deny that people may I violated the rules and regulations and did something for a while. Although I have never experienced it myself, I believe that there are examples like this. Say no, no, cling to your own ideas, and laugh at other people's well-meaning advice, then such a thing will never happen. Do you think I am worried about you? If you are still alone, Shall I bother you? If so, it would be a very good thing, wouldn't it save me so much trouble? That's all I said when I mentioned you to my husband: keep away from him Yes. And I myself should have stayed far away from you to this day, if Frieda had not been involved in your affairs. My concern for you, and even my attention to your existence, you have to Thank her—whether you like it or not. So you can't just leave me alone, because I am the only one who takes care of little Frieda, and you have strict responsibilities to me. Frieda may be right, All this happened because of Klamm's will, but I have nothing to do with Klamm here at the moment. I can't talk to him, and I can't get up to him. But you sit here, watching my Frie Da, you depend on me for protection yourself--I don't know why I shouldn't tell you,--yes, it's all on me, young man, if I throw you out, you'll show me, you Can you find a place to live in this village, even if it's just a kennel."

"Thank you," said K., "you've said it quite frankly, and I believe you completely. My status is as vague as you say, isn't it, but is Frieda's status also the same?" "No!" The proprietress interrupted him angrily. "In this respect, Frieda's status has nothing to do with yours. Frieda is from my family, and no one here will dare to say that she is unknown." "Yes, yes," said K., "I think you're right, too, especially since Frieda seems to be afraid of you, and I don't know why, and I'm too afraid to intervene. Now Listen to me patiently. My identity is unclear, and you do not deny it. In fact, you might as well let it go and make the problem more prominent. You say this, like anything else you say, although There's some truth to it, but not quite the truth. For example, I know that if I like it, I can find a very comfortable place to stay."

"Where is it? Where is it?" cried Frieda and the landlady in unison, and they asked so urgently that they seemed to have the same motive. "At Barnabas' house," said K. "That wretch!" cried the proprietress. "That dirty wretch! At Barnabas's! Listen..." She turned her face into the corner, but the two assistants were no longer there, and they were standing behind her now, arm in arm.So now, as if she needed support, she took one of them by the hand, and said, "Didn't you hear that man goes up there to drink with the Barnabases? Well, of course he'll find a man there." A bed; I wish he had spent the night with them instead of the Herrenhof. But where were you?" "Ma'am," K. said without waiting for the two assistants to answer, "they are my assistants. But you treat them as if they were your assistants, my guards. In any case, at least I am I would like to discuss it politely with you, but leave my two assistants alone, which is too obvious for me to ask. I therefore beg you not to speak to my assistants, and if my request is invalid, then I shall have to forbid my assistant to answer you." "So I can't talk to you," said the landlady, and all three of them laughed, the landlady smiled ironically, but she was not as angry as K had expected, and the two assistants remained as usual. This appearance can be said to be meaningful, or it can be said to have no meaning, and it can also be said to have given up all their responsibilities. "Don't be offended," said Frieda, "you should understand why we're so troubled. I can tell you that it's all because of Barnabas that we're together now. I was the first in the bar." The first time I saw you—when you walked in arm in arm with Olga—well, I knew who you were, but I wasn't interested in you. I was interested in almost everything, not just you. No interest, yes, almost no interest in anything. Because in those days I was dissatisfied with a lot of things, and I was often annoyed, but it was a very strange dissatisfaction and a very strange annoyance. For example, if the customer One of them in the middle insulted me in the bar--they keep staring at me, you've seen what kind of people they are, but there's a lot worse than them, not even Klamm's minions Worst of all,- well, what does it matter to me if one of them insults me? I'll take it as something that happened years ago, or as something that happened to someone else Well, or it's just something I've heard told me, or something I've forgotten, which I can hardly imagine now, since I lost Klamm, Everything is very different." Frieda stopped suddenly, bowed her head sadly, and folded her arms on her chest. "Look," cried the landlady, as if she was not speaking herself, but merely lent her voice to Frieda; at the same time she moved closer and sat next to Frieda , "Look, sir, that's what you've done, and you two assistants I can't talk to, and you'll get something out of them too. You get Frieda out of her You were able to do this by taking advantage of her childish sentimentality, and she couldn't bear to see you, arm in arm with Olga, entangled in the Barnabas' house in plain sight. Never mind. She rescued you and sacrificed herself in doing so. Now it's done, Frieda has given up everything to enjoy the blessing of sitting on your lap, you will You played this brilliant trump card instead; saying that you had a chance of staying at the Barnabas' house. You were showing me by this that you didn't need to depend on me. I tell you the truth, if you slept In their house, then you will not depend on me at all, and you will leave this room immediately." "I don't know what crimes the Barnabas family has committed," said K., carefully lifting Frieda into his arms -- shaking her head as if she had lost her life -- slowly. Putting her on the bed, she stood up by herself, "You may be right about them, but I know it's not bad for me to ask you to let me and Frieda arrange our own affairs. You I just talked about caring and loving, but I haven’t seen how much caring and loving you have shown. All I see is a lot of resentment and ridicule, and you won’t let me live in your room. If you want to avoid Lida leaving me, or asking me to leave Frieda, would be a good move, but I don't think your move will succeed either, and if it does—now it's my turn to bluff I frightened you,—then you will regret it. As for your kindness to give me a place to stay—it was only such an unbearable hole—it is not at all out of Your own mind, and more likely because the castle authorities insist on it. I'm going to tell them now that I'm going to be kicked out here--if I'm put up somewhere else, you may be at ease, But I am probably more relaxed and happy than you. Now I will go to the village chief to discuss this and other matters. Please at least take care of Frieda. Your so-called motherly advice, put her The fuss is bad enough." As he spoke, he turned to face the two assistants. "Come on," he said, taking Klamm's letter from the peg, and going to the door.The proprietress looked at him quietly, and only when his hand was on the latch did she say: "You left one person behind, because no matter what you say, no matter how much you humiliate a man like me An old woman, you are Frieda's future husband after all. That's why I have to tell you at this moment that your ignorance of local conditions is amazing. The comparison with your idea of ​​the actual situation really drives me dizzy. This kind of ignorance will not be enlightened at once, and it may never be enlightened, but if you will only believe me a little, you will be enlightened. Your own ignorance is always hidden in your heart, and you can still learn a lot. For example, you will be a little fairer to me in a moment, and you will only give me a little hint of shock-but you are so scared. I am still trembling with fear when I find out that my dear Frieda, so to speak, has given up an eagle for a snake in the grass, when the situation is much worse than that, it The time really frightened me, but I still have to try to forget about it, so I can talk to you politely. Ah, now you're angry again! No, don't you just go away like this Come on, listen to my request; wherever you go, don't forget that you are the most ignorant person in this village, you must take care, here, in this inn because of Frieda, you You can say anything stupid, no one will hurt you, for example, you can explain to us why you want to see Klamm once, but I beg you, I beg you, don't take it seriously." She got up, went up to K., staggering a little with excitement, took his hand, and looked at him imploringly. "Madame," said K., "I don't see how such a thing as this is worth your humble begging. If, as you say, it is impossible for me to talk to Klamm, then, whether you beg me or not, I will always." No way. But if I could talk to him, why shouldn't I, especially since that would defeat your main objection and make your other arguments less credible. Of course I am ignorant, and to me it is an unshakably tragic fact, but with all the benefits of ignorance, I have greater courage, so as long as there is breath left , I am ready to go on in this ignorance, and I am ready to endure all the evil consequences in the future. But these consequences will not actually affect others, but only myself, which is why I don't understand why you want to plead with me. Frieda's care, so if I disappear from Frieda's nest, you will only see it as a thankful good thing. So, what are you afraid of? Of course you don't... Everything is possible for an ignorant person." At this point, K opened the door violently, "of course you are not afraid of Klamm?" When the assistant at the back ran downstairs, the proprietress stared at his back silently.