Процесс

           wasastonishedatthisorderlyexplanation,butthen,justasquietlyasthepainter,hesaid,"Ithinkyou’recontradictingyourself.""How’sthat?"askedthepainterpatiently,leaningbackwithasmile.ThissmilemadeK.feelasifhewereexaminingnotthewordsofthepainterbutseekingoutinconsistenciesintheproceduresofthecourtitself.Nonetheless,hecontinuedunabashedandsaid,"Youremarkedearlierthatthecourtcannotbeapproachedwithreasonedproofs,youlaterrestrictedthistotheopencourt,andnowyougosofarastosaythataninnocentmanneedsnoassistanceincourt.Thatentailsacontradiction.Moreover,yousaidearlierthatthejudgescanbeinfluencedpersonallybutnowyouinsistthatanabsoluteacquittal,asyoucallit,canneverbeattainedthroughpersonalinfluence.Thatentailsasecondcontradiction.""It’squiteeasytoclearupthesecontradictions,"saidthepainter."We’retalkingabouttwodifferentthingshere,there’swhatitsaysinthelawandthere’swhatIknowfrommyownexperience,youshouldn’tgetthetwoconfused.I’veneverseenitinwriting,butthelawdoes,ofcourse,sayontheonehandthattheinnocentwillbesetfree,butontheotherhanditdoesn’tsaythatthejudgescanbeinfluenced.Butinmyexperienceit’stheotherwayround.Idon’tknowofanyabsoluteacquittalsbutIdoknowofmanytimeswhenajudgehasbeeninfluenced.It’spossible,ofcourse,thattherewasnoinnocenceinanyofthecasesIknowabout.