Превращение

           AftertheyhadcomebackfromtakinghisfathertobedGregor’smotherandsisterwouldnowleavetheirworkwhereitwasandsitclosetogether,cheektocheek;hismotherwouldpointtoGregor’sroomandsay“Closethatdoor,Grete”,andthen,whenhewasinthedarkagain,theywouldsitinthenextroomandtheirtearswouldmingle,ortheywouldsimplysittherestaringdry-eyedatthetable.

           Gregorhardlysleptatall,eithernightorday.Sometimeshewouldthinkoftakingoverthefamily’saffairs,justlikebefore,thenexttimethedoorwasopened;hehadlongforgottenabouthisbossandthechiefclerk,buttheywouldappearagaininhisthoughts,thesalesmenandtheapprentices,thatstupidteaboy,twoorthreefriendsfromotherbusinesses,oneofthechambermaidsfromaprovincialhotel,atendermemorythatappearedanddisappearedagain,acashierfromahatshopforwhomhisattentionhadbeenseriousbuttooslow,—allofthemappearedtohim,mixedtogetherwithstrangersandothershehadforgotten,butinsteadofhelpinghimandhisfamilytheywerealloftheminaccessible,andhewasgladwhentheydisappeared.Othertimeshewasnotatallinthemoodtolookafterhisfamily,hewasfilledwithsimplerageaboutthelackofattentionhewasshown,andalthoughhecouldthinkofnothinghewouldhavewanted,hemadeplansofhowhecouldgetintothepantrywherehecouldtakeallthethingshewasentitledto,evenifhewasnothungry.