Процесс
In the Cathedral
"Areyoucrosswithme?"askedK."Maybeyoudon’tknowwhatsortofcourtitisyouserve."Hereceivednoanswer."Well,it’sjustmyownexperience,"saidK.Abovehimtherewasstillsilence."Ididn’tmeantoinsultyou,"saidK.Atthat,thepriestscreameddownatK.:"Canyounotseetwostepsinfrontofyou?"Heshoutedinanger,butitwasalsothescreamofonewhoseesanotherfalland,shockedandwithoutthinking,screamsagainsthisownwill.
Thetwomen,then,remainedsilentforalongtime.Inthedarknessbeneathhim,thepriestcouldnotpossiblyhaveseenK.distinctly,althoughK.wasabletoseehimclearlybythelightofthelittlelamp.Whydidthepriestnotcomedown?Hehadnotgivenasermon,hehadonlytoldK.afewthingswhich,ifhefollowedthemclosely,wouldprobablycausehimmoreharmthangood.Butthepriestcertainlyseemedtomeanwell,itmightevenbepossible,ifhewouldcomedownandcooperatewithhim,itmightevenbepossibleforhimtoobtainsomeacceptablepieceofadvicethatcouldmakeallthedifference,itmight,forinstance,beabletoshowhimnotsomuchtoinfluencetheproceedingsbuthowtobreakfreeofthem,howtoevadethem,howtoliveawayfromthem.K.hadtoadmitthatthiswassomethinghehadhadonhismindquitealotoflate.Ifthepriestknewofsuchapossibilityhemight,ifK.askedhim,lethimknowaboutit,eventhoughhewaspartofthecourthimselfandeventhough,whenK.hadcriticisedthecourt,hehadhelddownhisgentlenatureandactuallyshoutedatK.
