Процесс
The whip-man
Butthat’snotwhatI’mdoing,itreallyisofmuchmoreimportancetometoletthemgofree;ifIhadrealisedtheywouldbepunished,oreventhattheymightbepunished,IwouldneverhavenamedtheminthefirstplaceastheyarenottheonesIholdresponsible.It’stheorganisationthat’stoblame,thehighofficialsaretheonestoblame.""That’showitis!"shoutedthepolicemen,whothenimmediatelyreceivedanotherblowontheirbacks,whichwerebynowexposed."Ifyouhadaseniorjudgeherebeneathyourstick,"saidK.,pressingdownthecaneashespoketostopitbeingraisedoncemore,"Ireallywoulddonothingtostopyou,onthecontrary,Iwouldevenpayyoumoneytogiveyouallthemorestrength.""Yeah,that’sallveryplausible,whatyou’resayingthere,"saidthewhip-man,"onlyI’mnotthesortofpersonyoucanbribe.It’smyjobtoflogpeople,soIflogthem."Franz,thepoliceman,hadbeenfairlyquietsofar,probablyinexpectationofagoodresultfromK.’sintervention,butnowhesteppedforwardtothedoorwearingjusthistrousers,kneeleddownhangingontoK.’sarmandwhispered,"Evenifyoucan’tgetmercyshownforbothofus,atleasttryandgetmesetfree.Willemisolderthanme,he’slesssensitivethanmeineveryway,heevengotalightbeatingacoupleofyearsago,butmyrecord’sstillclean,IonlydidthingsthewayIdidbecauseWillemledmeontoit,he’sbeenmyteacherbothforgoodandbad.
