Процес
The whip-man
Atthedoorofthejunkroomhestoppedandlistenedforalittlewhile.Allwassilent.Thetwopolicemenwereentirelyatthewhip-man’smercy;hecouldhavebeatenthemtodeath.K.reachedhishandoutforthedoorhandlebutdrewitsuddenlyback.Hewasnolongerinanypositiontohelpanyone,andtheservitorswouldsoonbeback;hedid,though,promisehimselfthathewouldraisethematteragainwithsomebodyandseethat,asfarasitwasinhispower,thosewhoreallywereguilty,thehighofficialswhomnobodyhadsofardaredpointouttohim,receivedtheirduepunishment.Ashewentdownthemainstairwayatthefrontofthebank,helookedcarefullyroundateveryonewhowaspassing,buttherewasnogirltobeseenwhomighthavebeenwaitingforsomebody,notevenwithinsomedistancefromthebank.Franz’sclaimthathisbridewaswaitingforhimwasthusshowntobealie,albeitonethatwasforgivableandintendedonlytoelicitmoresympathy.
ThepolicemenwerestillonK.’smindallthroughthefollowingday;hewasunabletoconcentrateonhisworkandhadtostayinhisofficealittlelongerthanthepreviousdaysothathecouldfinishit.Onthewayhome,ashepassedbythejunkroomagain,heopeneditsdoorasifthathadbeenhishabit.Insteadofthedarknessheexpected,hesaweverythingunchangedfromthepreviousevening,anddidnotknowhowheshouldrespond.Everythingwasexactlythesameashehadseenitwhenhehadopenedthedoorthepreviousevening
