hence , when he set foot in the notorious room , the sight before his eyes invoked in him a flicker of hope , a new wave of optimism that perhaps the situation was not as black and unequivocal as would be expected and that the disciplinary committee would realize the true nature of his deed , while at the same time he disregarded any thoughts about what his existence would amount to should they decide to impose the penalty he had so feared only a moment before .