Page 101 - the-trial

swer. But the other two called out, “Mr. K.! We’re to be
beaten because you made a complaint about us to the exam-
ining judge.” And now, K. finally realised that it was
actually the two policemen, Franz and Willem, and that the
third man held a cane in his hand with which to beat them.
“Well,” said K., staring at them, “I didn’t make any com-
plaint, I only said what took place in my home. And your
behaviour was not entirely unobjectionable, after all.” “Mr.
K.,” said Willem, while Franz clearly tried to shelter behind
him as protection from the third man, “if you knew how
badly we get paid you wouldn’t think so badly of us. I’ve got
a family to feed, and Franz here wanted to get married, you
just have to get more money where you can, you can’t do it
just by working hard, not however hard you try. I was sorely
tempted by your fine clothes, policemen aren’t allowed to
do that sort of thing, course they aren’t, and it wasn’t right
of us, but it’s tradition that the clothes go to the officers,
that’s how it’s always been, believe me; and it’s understand-
able too, isn’t it, what can things like that mean for anyone
unlucky enough to be arrested? But if he starts talking about
it openly then the punishment has to follow.” “I didn’t know
about any of this that you’ve been telling me, and I made no
sort of request that you be punished, I was simply acting on
principle.” “Franz,” said Willem, turning to the other po-
liceman, “didn’t I tell you that the gentleman didn’t say he
wanted us to be punished? Now you can hear for yourself,
he didn’t even know we’d have to be punished.” “Don’t you
let them persuade you, talking like that,” said the third man
to K., “this punishment is both just and unavoidable.”

100 The Trial