Chapter 3

Summary

K. is surprised to find that no trial has been arranged for him as much as the magistrate threatened him. K. proceeds by himself and reaches through the maze of staircases and passages. But he lands in an empty room. He finds the woman who barged into the courtroom. She is busy washing clothes in a wash tub. When the court is not in session the room becomes a proper dwelling place. She is married to the usher and has been attacked by a student in the midst of a court session. A student has been forcing himself on her in spite of her husband's protests. She hopes K. will help save her from the student's advances. K. promises to help her if she would allow him to look into the law books. But a lot of erotic literature is strewn along with the law books. The woman also says that the court officials trouble her husband too. She tries to get close to K. The examining Magistrate would sit in her room. He sends a pair of silk stockings to show his appreciation. In the meantime the law student, Bertold comes in chasing her. He tries to get rid of K. since he is a guilty prisoner and he himself would become a court official someday. Actually he is sympathetic to K.'s cause. The student carries the woman to another room while K. imagines the student being rejected by his cabaret girl friend, Elsa. K. cannot stop the student while he carries her to the Magistrate.

The usher guides K. and takes him through one of the rooms where the accused are seated. They seem to be respectable men- as seen by the cut of their beards. K. grasps one of the accused while he forgets that he is himself guilty. One of the men screams suddenly which surprises K. The usher comments that all accused men are very sensitive (K. reacts likewise later). K. is lost in the maze of offices. While he screams a guard appears with his shining sword sheathed and hung around him. It is significant that K. touches the blade feeling its texture.

The court offices have a single exit and K. is stressed out and tired. He shouts in a high pitched voice. A girl peeps out of one of the closed doors and inquires as to what he wants. K. wants to know only the date of his trial. K. concludes that the system in the courts is as corrupt as the external sitting. K. feels faint. But it seems as if the usher and the girl anticipate it as everybody invariably has an attack the first time he / she comes to court. The atmosphere is hot and suffocating. But habit helps them get used to it. K. sits down for sometime and then moves out. The usher disappears on his errand. A stylishly dressed man moves to the sick room. He is the clergy of inquires and offers to lead K. out. The officials are so poor that the other members of the staff buy his set of clothes. K. feels self-conscious and so the girl lets him know the inside story. She is the most communicative person.

He feels "sea sick" K. stumbles outside on to the street. The draught of fresh air brings him to his consciousness. He can faintly hear them saying that he is practically immobile. He picks up his hat, which is thrown across as he climbs the attic staircase and realizes the pitiable plight of the people down below. He bounces with energy and decides to spend his Sundays in a better manner.

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