Процес

           Hewasespeciallyimpressedbyalargepicturehangingtotherightofthedoor,heleantforwardinordertoseeitbetter.Itdepictedamanwearingajudge’srobes;hewassittingonaloftythronegildedinawaythatshoneforthfromthepicture.Theoddthingaboutthepicturewasthatthisjudgewasnotsittingthereindignifiedcalmbuthadhisleftarmpressedagainstthebackandarmrest,hisrightarm,however,wascompletelyfreeandonlygraspedthearmrestwithhishand,asifabouttojumpupanymomentinvigorousoutrageandmakesomedecisivecommentoreventopasssentence.Theaccusedwasprobablymeanttobeimaginedatthefootofthesteps,thetoponeofwhichcouldbeseeninthepicture,coveredwithayellowcarpet."Thatmightbemyjudge,"saidK.,pointingtothepicturewithonefinger."Iknowhim,"saidLenilookingupatthepicture,"hecomesherequiteoften.Thatpictureisfromwhenhewasyoung,buthecanneverhavelookedanythinglikeit,ashe’stiny,minutealmost.Butdespitethat,hehadhimselfmadetolookbiggerinthepictureashe’smadlyvain,justlikeeveryoneroundhere.ButevenI’mvainandthatmakesmeveryunhappythatyoudon’tlikeme."K.repliedtothatlastcommentmerelybyembracingLenianddrawinghertowardshim,shelayherheadquietlyonhisshoulder.Totherestofit,though,hesaid,"Whatrankishe?""He’sanexaminingjudge,"shesaid,takingholdofthehandwithwhichK.heldherandplayingwithhisfingers."Justanexaminingjudgeonceagain,"saidK.