Превращение
III
What’smore,therewasnowallthemorereasontokeephimselfhiddenashewascoveredinthedustthatlayeverywhereinhisroomandflewupattheslightestmovement;hecarriedthreads,hairs,andremainsoffoodaboutonhisbackandsides;hewasmuchtooindifferenttoeverythingnowtolayonhisbackandwipehimselfonthecarpetlikehehadusedtodoseveraltimesaday.Anddespitethiscondition,hewasnottooshytomoveforwardalittleontotheimmaculatefloorofthelivingroom.
No-onenoticedhim,though.Thefamilywastotallypreoccupiedwiththeviolinplaying;atfirst,thethreegentlemenhadputtheirhandsintheirpocketsandcomeupfartooclosebehindthemusicstandtolookatallthenotesbeingplayed,andtheymusthavedisturbedGregor’ssister,butsoon,incontrastwiththefamily,theywithdrewbacktothewindowwiththeirheadssunkandtalkingtoeachotherathalfvolume,andtheystayedbythewindowwhileGregor’sfatherobservedthemanxiously.Itreallynowseemedveryobviousthattheyhadexpectedtohearsomebeautifulorentertainingviolinplayingbuthadbeendisappointed,thattheyhadhadenoughofthewholeperformanceanditwasonlynowoutofpolitenessthattheyallowedtheirpeacetobedisturbed.Itwasespeciallyunnerving,thewaytheyallblewthesmokefromtheircigarettesupwardsfromtheirmouthandnoses.YetGregor’ssisterwasplayingsobeautifully.Herfacewasleanttooneside,followingthelinesofmusicwithacarefulandmelancholyexpression.
