III

           No-onedaredtoremovetheapplelodgedinGregor’sflesh,soitremainedthereasavisiblereminderofhisinjury.Hehadsuffereditthereformorethanamonth,andhisconditionseemedseriousenoughtoremindevenhisfatherthatGregor,despitehiscurrentsadandrevoltingform,wasafamilymemberwhocouldnotbetreatedasanenemy.Onthecontrary,asafamilytherewasadutytoswallowanyrevulsionforhimandtobepatient,justtobepatient.

           Becauseofhisinjuries,Gregorhadlostmuchofhismobility—probablypermanently.Hehadbeenreducedtotheconditionofanancientinvalidandittookhimlong,longminutestocrawlacrosshisroom—crawlingovertheceilingwasoutofthequestion—butthisdeteriorationinhisconditionwasfully(inhisopinion)madeupforbythedoortothelivingroombeingleftopeneveryevening.Hegotintothehabitofcloselywatchingitforoneortwohoursbeforeitwasopenedandthen,lyinginthedarknessofhisroomwherehecouldnotbeseenfromthelivingroom,hecouldwatchthefamilyinthelightofthedinnertableandlistentotheirconversation—witheveryone’spermission,inaway,andthusquitedifferentlyfrombefore.

           Theynolongerheldthelivelyconversationsofearliertimes,ofcourse,theonesthatGregoralwaysthoughtaboutwithlongingwhenhewastiredandgettingintothedampbedinsomesmallhotelroom.Allofthemwereusuallyveryquietnowadays.