Процес
First Cross-examination
Thejudgehadbecomequitecrossbutseemedtohavenopoweroverthosebelowhiminthehall,hetriedtoreducewhatharmhadbeendoneinthegalleryandjumpedupthreateningthem,hiseyebrows,untilthenhardlyremarkable,pushedthemselvesupandbecamebig,blackandbushyoverhiseyes.
Thelefthandsideofthehallwasstillquiet,though,thepeoplestoodthereinrowswiththeirfaceslookingtowardsthepodiumlisteningtowhatwasbeingsaidthere,theyobservedthenoisefromtheothersideofthehallwiththesamequietnessandevenallowedsomeindividualsfromtheirownranks,hereandthere,togoforwardintotheotherfaction.Thepeopleintheleftfactionwerenotonlyfewerinnumberthantherightbutprobablywerenomoreimportantthanthem,althoughtheirbehaviourwascalmerandthatmadeitseemliketheywere.WhenK.nowbegantospeakhewasconvincedhewasdoingitinthesamewayasthem.
"Yourquestion,MyLord,astowhetherIamahousepainter-infactevenmorethanthat,youdidnotaskatallbutmerelyimposeditonme-issymptomaticofthewholewaytheseproceedingsagainstmearebeingcarriedout.Perhapsyouwillobjectthattherearenoproceedingsagainstme.Youwillbequiteright,asthereareproceedingsonlyifIacknowledgethatthereare.But,forthemoment,Idoacknowledgeit,outofpityforyourselvestoalargeextent.It’simpossiblenottoobserveallthisbusinesswithoutfeelingpity.
