Процес
First Cross-examination
Asmallcirclehadformedaroundthetwoofthem,thevisitorsnearhiminthegalleryseemeddelightedthattheserioustoneK.hadintroducedintothegatheringhadbeendisturbedinthisway.K.’sfirstthoughtwastorunoverthere,andhealsothoughtthateveryonewouldwanttobringthingsbackintoorderthereoratleasttomakethepairleavetheroom,butthefirstrowofpeopleinfrontofhimstayedweretheywere,no-onemovedandno-oneletK.through.Onthecontrary,theystoodinhisway,oldmenheldouttheirarmsinfrontofhimandahandfromsomewhere-hedidnothavethetimetoturnround-tookholdofhiscollar.K.,bythistime,hadforgottenaboutthepair,itseemedtohimthathisfreedomwasbeinglimitedasifhisarrestwasbeingtakenseriously,and,withoutanythoughtforwhathewasdoing,hejumpeddownfromthepodium.Nowhestoodfacetofacewiththecrowd.Hadhejudgedthepeopleproperly?Hadheputtoomuchfaithintheeffectofhisspeech?Hadtheybeenputtingupapretenceallthetimehehadbeenspeaking,andnowthathecometotheendandtowhatmustfollow,weretheytiredofpretending?Whatfacestheywere,allaroundhim!Dark,littleeyesflickeredhereandthere,cheeksdroopeddownlikeondrunkenmen,theirlongbeardswerethinandstiff,iftheytookholdofthemitwasmoreliketheyweremakingtheirhandsintoclaws,notasiftheyweretakingholdoftheirownbeards.Butunderneaththosebeards-andthiswastherealdiscoverymadebyK.
