He seemed in a great hurry, elbowing roughly the peasant herds and throwing himself like a diver into the whirl of human bodies, as, from time to time, he fixed an uneasy glance at the clock reigning over the sea of heads. It was already a quarter to four in the afternoon; in ten minutes the train for K. would be leaving. High time to buy a ticket and find a seat. Finally, after superhuman exertions, Mr Agapit Kluczka forced his way through to the cashier area to stand in line and patiently wait his turn. But the slow movement forward, a step per minute, made him most restless, and soon those around him noticed a distressing tendency on his part to rush the travellers. Eventually, breathless, red like a beet, with drops of sweat covering his face, Kluczka reached the desired window. At this point, however, something unusual occurred. Instead of ordering a ticket, Kluczka opened his wallet, explored its interior, muttered something under his nose, and departed through the exit passage from the cashier.
