“Land Surveyor, Land Surveyor!” someone shouted down the street. It was Barnabas. He came up breathless with running, but did not forget to greet K. with a bow. “It’s done!” he said. “What’s done?” asked K. “You’ve laid my request before Klamm?” “That didn’t come off,” said Barnabas, “I did my best, but it was impossible, I was urgent, stood there all day without being asked and so close to the desk that once a clerk actually pushed me away, for I was standing in his light, I reported myself when Klamm looked up—and that’s forbidden—by lifting my hand, I was the last in the bureau, was left alone there with only the servants, but had the luck all the same to see Klamm coming back again, but it was not on my account, he only wanted to have another hasty glance at something in a book and went away immediately; finally, as I still made no move, the servants almost swept me out of the door with the broom. I tell you all this so that you might never complain of my efforts again.” “What good is all your zeal to me, Barnabas,” said K., “when it hasn’t the slightest success?” “But I have had success!” replied Barnabas, “as I was leaving my bureau—I call it my bureau—I saw a gentleman coming slowly towards me along one of the passages, which were quite empty except for him. By that time in fact it was very late. I decided to wait for him. It was a good pretext to wait longer, indeed I would much rather have waited in any case, so as not to have to bring you news of failure. But apart from that it was worth while waiting, for it was Erlanger. You don’t know him? He’s one of Klamm’s chief secretaries. A weakly little gentleman, he limps a little. He recognised me at once, he’s famous for his splendid memory and his knowledge of people, he just draws his brows together and that’s enough for him to recognise anybody, often people even that he’s never seen before, that he’s only heard of or read about; for instance he could hardly ever have seen me. But although he recognises everybody immediately, he always ask first as if he weren’t quite sure. Aren’t you Barnabas? he asked me. And then he went on: You know the Land Surveyor, don’t you? And then he said: That’s very lucky, I’m just going to the Herrenhof. The Land Surveyor is to report to me there. I’ll be in room number 15. But he must come at once. I’ve only a few things to settle there and I leave again for the Castle at in the morning. Tell him that it’s very important that I should speak to him.”
Suddenly Jeremiah set off at a run. In his excitement Barnabas had scarcely noticed his presence till now and asked: “Where’s Jeremiah going?” “To forestall me with Erlanger,” said K. and set off after Jeremiah, caught him up, hung on to his arm, and said: “Is it a sudden desire for Frieda that’s seized you? I’ve got it as well, so we’ll go together side by side.”
XVII
Before the dark Herrenhof a little group of men were standing, two or three had lanterns with them, so that a face here and there could be distinguished. K. recognised only one acquaintance, Gerstäcker the carrier. Gerstäcker greeted him with the enquiry: “You’re still in the village?” “Yes,” replied K. “I’ve come here for good.” “That doesn’t matter to me,” said Gerstäcker, breaking out into a fit of coughing and turning away to the others.
It turned out that they were all waiting for Erlanger. Erlanger had already arrived, but he was consulting first with Momus before he admitted his clients. They were all complaining at not being allowed to wait inside and having to stand out there in the snow. The weather wasn’t very cold, but still it showed a lack of consideration to keep them standing there in front of the house in the darkness, perhaps for hours. It was certainly not the fault of Erlanger, who was always very accommodating, knew nothing about it, and would certainly be very annoyed if it were reported to him. It was the fault of the Herrenhof landlady, who in her positively morbid determination to be
