The Castle

by Franz Kafka

Only a complete outsider could ask your question. Are there control authorities? There are nothing but control authorities. Of course, their purpose is not to uncover errors in the ordinary meaning of the word, since errors do not occur and even when an error does in fact occur, as in your case, who can say conclusively that it is an error?’ ‘That would be something entirely new,’ exclaimed K. ‘To me it is something very old,’ said the mayor.

he’s very nimble-minded, you see, it’s part of his stupidity.

Her movements had become slower, not from weariness but under the weight of memory. She had wanted to tell K. a story, and in the telling had forgotten about him.