"There can be no doubt—"said K., quite softly, for he was elated by the breathless attention of the meeting; in that stillness a subdued hum was audible which was more exciting than the wildest applause—"there
can be no doubt that behind all the actions of this court of justice,
that is to say in my case, behind my arrest and today's interrogation,
there is a great organization at work. An organization which not
only employs corrupt warders, oafish Inspectors, and Examining
Magistrates of whom the best that can be said is that they recognize
their own limitations, but also has at its disposal a judicial
hierarchy of high, indeed of the highest rank, with an indispensable
and numerous retinue of servants, clerks, police, and other assistants,
perhaps even hangmen, I do not shrink from that word. And the significance
of this great organization, gentlemen? It consists in this, that
innocent persons are accused of guilt, and senseless proceedings
are put in motion against them..."
The Trial
Franz Kafka
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