Page 43 - the-trial

taking his goods up to the windows, was just as inatten-
tive as K. and nearly knocked him down with his cart. Just
then, a gramophone, which in better parts of town would
have been seen as worn out, began to play some murder-
ous tune.
K. went further into the street, slowly, as if he had plenty
of time now, or as if the examining magistrate were looking
at him from one of the windows and therefore knew that K.
had found his way there. It was shortly after nine. The build-
ing was quite far down the street, it covered so much area
it was almost extraordinary, and the gateway in particular
was tall and long. It was clearly intended for delivery wag-
ons belonging to the various warehouses all round the yard
which were now locked up and carried the names of com-
panies some of which K. knew from his work at the bank.
In contrast with his usual habits, he remained standing a
while at the entrance to the yard taking in all these external
details. Near him, there was a bare-footed man sitting on a
crate and reading a newspaper. There were two lads swing-
ing on a hand cart. In front of a pump stood a weak, young
girl in a bedjacket who, as the water flowed into her can,
looked at K. There was a piece of rope stretched between
two windows in a corner of the yard, with some washing
hanging on it to dry. A man stood below it calling out in-
structions to direct the work being done.
K. went over to the stairway to get to the room where the
hearing was to take place, but then stood still again as be-
sides these steps he could see three other stairway entrances,
and there also seemed to be a small passageway at the end

The Trial