Превращение
III
Throughoutallthis,Gregorhadlainstillwherethethreegentlemenhadfirstseenhim.Hisdisappointmentatthefailureofhisplan,andperhapsalsobecausehewasweakfromhunger,madeitimpossibleforhimtomove.Hewassurethateveryonewouldturnonhimanymoment,andhewaited.Hewasnotevenstartledoutofthisstatewhentheviolinonhismother’slapfellfromhertremblingfingersandlandedloudlyonthefloor.
“Father,Mother”,saidhissister,hittingthetablewithherhandasintroduction,“wecan’tcarryonlikethis.Maybeyoucan’tseeit,butIcan.Idon’twanttocallthismonstermybrother,allIcansayis:wehavetotryandgetridofit.We’vedoneallthat’shumanlypossibletolookafteritandbepatient,Idon’tthinkanyonecouldaccuseusofdoinganythingwrong.”
“She’sabsolutelyright”,saidGregor’sfathertohimself.Hismother,whostillhadnothadtimetocatchherbreath,begantocoughdully,herhandheldoutinfrontofherandaderangedexpressioninhereyes.
Gregor’ssisterrushedtohismotherandputherhandonherforehead.HerwordsseemedtogiveGregor’sfathersomemoredefiniteideas.Hesatupright,playedwithhisuniformcapbetweentheplatesleftbythethreegentlemenaftertheirmeal,andoccasionallylookeddownatGregorashelaythereimmobile.
“Wehavetotryandgetridofit”,saidGregor’ssister,nowspeakingonlytoherfather,ashermotherwastoooccupiedwithcoughingtolisten,“it’llbethedeathofbothofyou,Icanseeitcoming.
