Превращение
I
Whateverwassaidnextwouldbecrucial,so,inordertomakehisvoiceasclearaspossible,hecoughedalittle,buttakingcaretodothisnottooloudlyaseventhismightwellsounddifferentfromthewaythatahumancoughsandhewasnolongersurehecouldjudgethisforhimself.Meanwhile,ithadbecomeveryquietinthenextroom.Perhapshisparentsweresatatthetablewhisperingwiththechiefclerk,orperhapstheywereallpressedagainstthedoorandlistening.
Gregorslowlypushedhiswayovertothedoorwiththechair.Oncethereheletgoofitandthrewhimselfontothedoor,holdinghimselfuprightagainstitusingtheadhesiveonthetipsofhislegs.Herestedtherealittlewhiletorecoverfromtheeffortinvolvedandthensethimselftothetaskofturningthekeyinthelockwithhismouth.Heseemed,unfortunately,tohavenoproperteeth—howwashe,then,tograspthekey?—butthelackofteethwas,ofcourse,madeupforwithaverystrongjaw;usingthejaw,hereallywasabletostartthekeyturning,ignoringthefactthathemusthavebeencausingsomekindofdamageasabrownfluidcamefromhismouth,flowedoverthekeyanddrippedontothefloor.“Listen”,saidthechiefclerkinthenextroom,“he’sturningthekey.
