II. Nothing But Work and Worries
The document, having been corrected at eight-fifteen, was handed over to the clerks for the preparation of the draft a few minutes later, and the problem seemed all but insoluble. But they showed neither surprise nor anger, nor did they complain, not in the least: they simply looked at each other in silence as if to say — you see! the latest, undoubtedly convincing evidence of the tragically rapid general decline. It was enough to glance at the sloping lines and scratchy hand to see that the work before them was quite clearly an essay in the impossible because, once again, they had to bring some clarity, some fitting intelligible order to some “depressingly crude scrawl.” The incomprehensibly short time at their disposal combined with the distant prospect of producing a usable document made them feel tense and yet urged them on to some heroic effort. Only “the experience and maturity of long years; the years of practice that demand respect” explained how they were able to detach themselves in a moment from the maddening racket of their colleagues dashing around and chattering — so that in a matter of moments they could focus their entire attention on the document. They soon got through the opening sentences where they only had to clear up a few common ambiguities, those clumsy attempts at subtlety that clearly betrayed a layman’s touch, so the first part of the text might be said to have passed fairly smoothly into a “final draft.”
Though only yesterday I stressed, several times, that I regard the writing down of such information as unfortunate, in order that he should see my willingness — and, naturally, as proof of my faultless devotion to the matter in hand — I am prepared to carry out his commission. In my report I take particular note of the fact that you have encouraged me to be strictly honest. At this point I should remark that there can be no doubt about the suitability of my workforce, and I hope to convince you of that tomorrow. I consider it important to repeat this only because because it is possible for you to read the following improvised draft in ways other than intended. I particularly draw your attention to the condition that in order for my work to continue and to have a functioning basis it is vital that I alone should be in contact with my workforce, and that any other approach will lead to failure.. etc etc. . But as soon as the clerks got to the part relating to Mrs. Schmidt, they immediately found themselves in the deepest difficulty, because they didn’t know how to formulate such vulgar expressions as