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- had to concede that it was possible. But as if in gruff reply to this
question, the chief clerk’s firm footsteps in his highly polished boots
could now be heard in the adjoining room. From the room on his right,
Gregor’s sister whispered to him to let him know: “Gregor, the chief
clerk is here.” “Yes, I know”, said Gregor to himself; but without
daring to raise his voice loud enough for his sister to hear him.
“Gregor”, said his father now from the room to his left, “the chief
clerk has come round and wants to know why you didn’t leave on the
early train. We don’t know what to say to him. And anyway, he wants to
speak to you personally. So please open up this door. I’m sure he’ll be
good enough to forgive the untidiness of your room.” Then the chief
clerk called “Good morning, Mr. Samsa”. “He isn’t well”, said his
mother to the chief clerk, while his father continued to speak through
the door. “He isn’t well, please believe me. Why else would Gregor have
missed a train! The lad only ever thinks about the business. It nearly
makes me cross the way he never goes out in the evenings; he’s been in
town for a week now but stayed home every evening. He sits with us in
the kitchen and just reads the paper or studies train timetables. His
idea of relaxation is working with his fretsaw. He’s made a little
frame, for instance, it only took him two or three evenings, you’ll be
amazed how nice it is; it’s hanging up in his room; you’ll see it as
soon as Gregor opens the door. Anyway, I’m glad you’re here; we
wouldn’t have been able to get Gregor to open the door by ourselves;
he’s so stubborn; and I’m sure he isn’t well, he said this morning that
he is, but he isn’t.” “I’ll be there in a moment”, said Gregor slowly
and thoughtfully, but without moving so that he would not miss any word
of the conversation. “Well I can’t think of any other way of explaining
it, Mrs. Samsa”, said the chief clerk, “I hope it’s nothing serious.
But on the other hand, I must say that if we people in commerce ever
become slightly unwell then, fortunately or unfortunately as you like,
we simply have to overcome it because of business considerations.” “Can
the chief clerk come in to see you now then?”, asked his father
impatiently, knocking at the door again. “No”, said Gregor. In the room
on his right there followed a painful silence; in the room on his left
his sister began to cry.
So why did his sister not go and join the others? She had probably only
just got up and had not even begun to get dressed. And why was she
crying? Was it because he had not got up, and had not let the chief
clerk in, because he was in danger of losing his job and if that
happened his boss would once more pursue their parents with the same
demands as before? There was no need to worry about things like that
yet. Gregor was still there and had not the slightest intention of
abandoning his family. For the time being he just lay there on the
carpet, and no-one who knew the condition he was in would seriously
have expected him to let the chief clerk in. It was only a minor
discourtesy, and a suitable excuse could easily be found for it later
on, it was not something for which Gregor could be sacked on the spot.
And it seemed to Gregor much more sensible to leave him now in peace
instead of disturbing him with talking at him and crying. But the
others didn’t know what was happening, they were worried, that would
excuse their behaviour.
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