Процес
First Cross-examination
wassatisfiedtohearnothingbuthisownquietwordsinthisroomfullofstrangers,andheevendaredcasuallytopickuptheexaminingjudge’snotebookand,touchingitonlywiththetipsofhisfingersasifitweresomethingrevolting,lifteditintheair,holdingitjustbyoneofthemiddlepagessothattheothersoneachsideofit,closelywritten,blottedandyellowing,flappeddown."Thosearetheofficialnotesoftheexaminingjudge,"hesaid,andletthenotebookfalldownontothedesk."Youcanreadinyourbookasmuchasyoulike,sir,Ireallydon’thaveanythinginthischargebooktobeafraidof,eventhoughIdon’thaveaccesstoitasIwouldn’twantitinmyhand,Icanonlytouchitwithtwofingers."Thejudgegrabbedthenotebookfromwhereithadfallenonthedesk-whichcouldonlyhavebeenasignofhisdeephumiliation,oratleastthatishowitmusthavebeenperceived-triedtotidyitupalittle,andhelditoncemoreinfrontofhimselfinordertoreadfromit.
Thepeopleinthefrontrowlookedupathim,showingsuchtensionontheirfacesthathelookedbackdownatthemforsometime.Everyoneofthemwasanoldman,someofthemwithwhitebeards.Couldtheyperhapsbethecrucialgroupwhocouldturnthewholeassemblyonewayortheother?TheyhadsunkintoastateofmotionlessnesswhileK.gavehisoration,andithadnotbeenpossibletoraisethemfromthispassivityevenwhenthejudgewasbeinghumiliated."Whathashappenedtome,"continuedK.
