The first small worry seems to be the arrival of an unknown figure at Mr. K’s door. It is very understandable that individuals are thrown off by the unfamiliar in their set daily routines. His feelings of annoyance and perturbation are further exacerbated when a second man is present in the next room. K is told that the two men are “warders” and are instructed by the highest echelons of the law to guard him for ten hours a day. In an attempt to bring legal proceedings into the matter, K tries to find his identification papers among his belongings. His agitation increases further when he cannot find this document. He opts to present his birth certificate and witnesses his land lady, Frau Gruebach, silently consenting to the strangers being present in her building. Mr.K tries to protest his confinement and demands a warrant be produced by the two guards. When the questions are sidestepped, K immediately resigns himself to his fate, accepting whatever is in store. After returning to his room and drinking from a bottle of Brandy, the two warders announce that their superior arrived. Feeling vindicated, K returns to the room to find yet another man with three young men sitting about the room. The “Inspector” maintains an aloof demeanor and flatly states K’s predicament without delving into any specifics. To further muddle the absurdity of the situation the three young men are clerks from K’s bank and are assigned to carry out his daily routine. The day passes by without incident when he is allowed to resume his duties until he discovers a “captain” living in his building.
