reassure him, “but I'd like just to ask you to speak a little more slowly, these are many very important things for me, and I can't follow exactly what you're saying.” “You're quite right to remind me of that,” said the businessman, “you're new to all this, a junior. Your trial is six months old, isn't it?

Yes, I've heard about it. Such a new case! But I've already thought all these things through countless times, to me they're the most obvious things in the world.” “You must be glad your trial has already progressed so far, are you?” asked K., he did not wish to ask directly how the businessman's affairs stood, but received no clear answer anyway. “Yes, I've been working at my trial for five years now,” said the businessman as his head sank, “that's no