Процес
First Cross-examination
Itreallydoesn’tmattertome,andIgivehislordshipthejudgemyfullandpublicpermissiontostopgivingsecretsignstohispaidsubordinatedownthereandgivehisordersinwordsinstead;lethimjustsay"Boonow!,"andthenthenexttime"Clapnow!".
Whetheritwasembarrassmentorimpatience,thejudgerockedbackwardsandforwardsonhisseat.Themanbehindhim,whomhehadbeentalkingwithearlier,leantforwardagain,eithertogivehimafewgeneralwordsofencouragementorsomespecificpieceofadvice.Belowtheminthehallthepeopletalkedtoeachotherquietlybutanimatedly.Thetwofactionshadearlierseemedtoholdviewsstronglyopposedtoeachotherbutnowtheybegantointermingle,afewindividualspointedupatK.,otherspointedatthejudge.Theairintheroomwasfuggyandextremelyoppressive,thosewhowerestandingfurthestawaycouldhardlyevenbeseenthroughit.Itmusthavebeenespeciallytroublesomeforthosevisitorswhowereinthegallery,astheywereforcedtoquietlyasktheparticipantsintheassemblywhatexactlywashappening,albeitwithtimidglancesatthejudge.Therepliestheyreceivedwerejustasquiet,andgivenbehindtheprotectionofaraisedhand.
"IhavenearlyfinishedwhatIhavetosay,"saidK.,andastherewasnobellavailablehestruckthedeskwithhisfistinawaythatstartledthejudgeandhisadvisorandmadethemlookupfromeachother.
