completely up to the painter whether and how he would place him under his protection if he wanted to. Even now, he made hardly any movement as the painter bent over him and, whispering into his ear in order not to be heard outside, said, “These girls belong to the court as well.” “How's that?” asked K., as he leant his head to one side and looked at the painter.

But the painter sat back down on his chair and, half in jest, half in explanation, “Well, everything belongs to the court.” “That is something I had never noticed until now,” said K. curtly, this general comment of the painter's made his comment about the girls far less disturbing. Nonetheless, K. looked for a while at the door, behind which the girls were now sitting quietly on the steps. Except, that one of them