Процес
First Cross-examination
lethimselfbeledbyhim,anditturnedoutthattherewas-surprisinglyinadenselypackedcrowdofpeoplemovingtoandfro-anarrowpassagewhichmayhavebeenthedivisionbetweentwofactions;thisideawasreinforcedbythefactthatinthefirstfewrowstotheleftandtherightofhimtherewashardlyanyfacelookinginhisdirection,hesawnothingbutthebacksofpeopledirectingtheirspeechandtheirmovementsonlytowardsmembersoftheirownside.Mostofthemweredressedinblack,inold,long,formalfrockcoatsthathungdownlooselyaroundthem.TheseclothesweretheonlythingthatpuzzledK.,ashewouldotherwisehavetakenthewholeassemblyforalocalpoliticalmeeting.
AttheotherendofthehallwhereK.hadbeenledtherewasalittletablesetatanangleonaverylowpodiumwhichwasasovercrowdedaseverywhereelse,andbehindthetable,neartheedgeofthepodium,satasmall,fat,wheezingmanwhowastalkingwithsomeonebehindhim.Thissecondmanwasstandingwithhislegscrossedandhiselbowsonthebackrestofthechair,provokingmuchlaughter.Fromtimetotimehethrewhisarmintheairasifdoingacaricatureofsomeone.TheyouthwhowasleadingK.hadsomedifficultyinreportingtotheman.Hehadalreadytriedtwicetotellhimsomething,standingontip-toe,butwithoutgettingtheman’sattentionashesatthereabovehim.Itwasonlywhenoneofthepeopleuponthepodiumdrewhisattentiontotheyouththatthemanturnedtohimandleantdowntohearwhatitwashequietlysaid.
