Превращение
III
Hecouldalreadyhardlyfeelthedecayedappleinhisbackortheinflamedareaaroundit,whichwasentirelycoveredinwhitedust.Hethoughtbackofhisfamilywithemotionandlove.Ifitwaspossible,hefeltthathemustgoawayevenmorestronglythanhissister.Heremainedinthisstateofemptyandpeacefulruminationuntilheheardtheclocktowerstrikethreeinthemorning.Hewatchedasitslowlybegantogetlighteverywhereoutsidethewindowtoo.Then,withouthiswillingit,hisheadsankdowncompletely,andhislastbreathflowedweaklyfromhisnostrils.
Whenthecleanercameinearlyinthemorning—they’doftenaskedhernottokeepslammingthedoorsbutwithherstrengthandinherhurryshestilldid,sothateveryoneintheflatknewwhenshe’darrivedandfromthenonitwasimpossibletosleepinpeace—shemadeherusualbrieflookinonGregorandatfirstfoundnothingspecial.Shethoughthewaslayingtheresostillonpurpose,playingthemartyr;sheattributedallpossibleunderstandingtohim.Shehappenedtobeholdingthelongbroominherhand,soshetriedtotickleGregorwithitfromthedoorway.Whenshehadnosuccesswiththatshetriedtomakeanuisanceofherselfandpokedathimalittle,andonlywhenshefoundshecouldshovehimacrossthefloorwithnoresistanceatalldidshestarttopayattention.
