»Worauf warten Sie hier?« fragte K. höflich. Die unerwartete Ansprache aber machte den Mann verwirrt, was um so peinlicher aussah, da es sich offenbar um einen welterfahrenen Menschen handelte, der anderswo gewiß sich zu beherrschen verstand und die Überlegenheit, die er sich über viele erworben hatte, nicht leicht aufgab.
"What is it you are waiting for here?" asked K., politely, but the man was startled at being spoken to unexpectedly, which was all the more pitiful to see because the man clearly had some experience of the world and elsewhere would certainly have been able to show his superiority and would not have easily given up the advantage he had acquired.