The narrator's description of the colonel during the reception leads the reader to conclude that:
D. the colonel inspires great fear among the townspeople.
The passage to which this question refers to can be found online. It belongs to the story "The Refusal," by Bohemian writer Franz Kafka (1883-1924).
The narrator of the story is a boy who describes how his town is controlled by an authoritarian government.
The colonel is also the town's tax-collector. Whenever the townspeople need anything, it is the colonel they address. However, as the narrator describes, the reception by the colonel is quite a sight to see.
The people go see the colonel, who stands upright, barely moving, breathing deeply, and saying nothing. The one person chosen to speak on behalf of the others is so intimidated by the colonel that he seems about to faint.
Thus, we can clearly see that the colonel inspires fear among the townspeople. Although they do talk to him, it is with great effort and anxiety. Once it is all over with, the people sigh in relief and leave.
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