Texts for Nothing

After Many a Summer Dies the Swan, Ch 8

Interrupting the Kafka novel for an Aldous Huxley interlude. This is a 1939 novel set in Los Angeles.

Chapter 7: "The Teacher"

The teacher offers K. a position as live-in janitor at the schoolhouse; Frieda pressures him into accepting. Starting salary: nothing a month. Talk about humiliating!

Chapter 6: "Second Conversation with the Landlady"

From her sickbed, Gardena the landlady explains to K. what a thrill it was to have been Klamm's mistress. Her "three mementos". How she met her husband, Hans, and opened the inn. K. resolves to confront Klamm as a "private individual".

Chapter 5: "At the Chairman's" (full)

K.'s audience with the bed-ridden but long-winded Chairman and his "insignificant" wife, Mizzi. Insight into the fascinating world of Kafka-esque bureaucracy at the Castle. The hyper-capable Italian clerk Sordini. K. gets flacked. "Nobody is keeping you here, but that still doesn't mean you're being thrown out."

Chapter 4: "First Conversation with the Landlady" (full)

K. and Frieda get busy; the landlady intervenes in their relationship and demands "assurances". What will Klamm say? K. makes a speech. (Finally joined the sound files together!)