Page 50 - the-trial

people stood there in rows with their faces looking towards
the podium listening to what was being said there, they
observed the noise from the other side of the hall with the
same quietness and even allowed some individuals from
their own ranks, here and there, to go forward into the oth-
er faction. The people in the left faction were not only fewer
in number than the right but probably were no more impor-
tant than them, although their behaviour was calmer and
that made it seem like they were. When K. now began to
speak he was convinced he was doing it in the same way as
them.
“Your question, My Lord, as to whether I am a house
painter in fact even more than that, you did not ask at all but
merely imposed it on me is symptomatic of the whole way
these proceedings against me are being carried out. Perhaps
you will object that there are no proceedings against me.
You will be quite right, as there are proceedings only if I
acknowledge that there are. But, for the moment, I do ac-
knowledge it, out of pity for yourselves to a large extent. It’s
impossible not to observe all this business without feeling
pity. I don’t say things are being done without due care but
I would like to make it clear that it is I who make the ac-
knowledgement.”
K. stopped speaking and looked down into the hall. He
had spoken sharply, more sharply than he had intended, but
he had been quite right. It should have been rewarded with
some applause here and there but everything was quiet,
they were all clearly waiting for what would follow, perhaps
the quietness was laying the ground for an outbreak of ac-