Page 188 - the-trial

per. The text for an assertion of this sort was passed down to
me from my father and it’s quite unassailable. I take this as-
sertion round to the judges I know. So I’ll start off with the
one I’m currently painting, and put the assertion to him
when he comes for his sitting this evening. I’ll lay the asser-
tion in front of him, explain that you’re innocent and give
him my personal guarantee of it. And that’s not just a su-
perficial guarantee, it’s a real one and it’s binding.” The
painter’s eyes seemed to show some reproach of K. for want-
ing to impose that sort of responsibility on him. “That
would be very kind of you”, said K. “And would the judge
then believe you and nonetheless not pass an absolute ac-
quittal?” “It’s like I just said,” answered the painter. “And
anyway, it’s not entirely sure that all the judges would be-
lieve me, many of them, for instance, might want me to
bring you to see them personally. So then you’d have to
come along too. But at least then, if that happens, the matter
is half way won, especially as I’d teach you in advance ex-
actly how you’d need to act with the judge concerned, of
course. What also happens, though, is that there are some
judges who’ll turn me down in advance, and that’s worse.
I’ll certainly make several attempts, but still, we’ll have to
forget about them, but at least we can afford to do that as no
one judge can pass the decisive verdict. Then when I’ve got
enough judges’ signatures on this document I take it to the
judge who’s concerned with your case. I might even have his
signature already, in which case things develop a bit quicker
than they would do otherwise. But there aren’t usually
many hold ups from then on, and that’s the time that the

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