1 00:00:01,920 --> 00:00:10,630 CHAPTER I. 2 00:00:10,630 --> 00:00:17,670 One morning, as Gregor Samsa was waking up from anxious dreams, he discovered that in 3 00:00:17,670 --> 00:00:24,010 bed he had been changed into a monstrous verminous bug. 4 00:00:24,010 --> 00:00:30,810 He lay on his armour-hard back and saw, as he lifted his head up a little, his brown, 5 00:00:30,810 --> 00:00:37,879 arched abdomen divided up into rigid bow- like sections. 6 00:00:37,879 --> 00:00:43,659 From this height the blanket, just about ready to slide off completely, could hardly 7 00:00:43,659 --> 00:00:45,920 stay in place. 8 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:51,370 His numerous legs, pitifully thin in comparison to the rest of his 9 00:00:51,370 --> 00:00:56,629 circumference, flickered helplessly before his eyes. 10 00:00:56,629 --> 00:01:00,699 "What's happened to me," he thought. 11 00:01:00,699 --> 00:01:06,280 It was no dream. His room, a proper room for a human being, 12 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:12,850 only somewhat too small, lay quietly between the four well-known walls. 13 00:01:12,850 --> 00:01:18,030 Above the table, on which an unpacked collection of sample cloth goods was spread 14 00:01:18,030 --> 00:01:23,369 out--Samsa was a travelling salesman--hung the picture which he had cut out of an 15 00:01:23,369 --> 00:01:30,020 illustrated magazine a little while ago and set in a pretty gilt frame. 16 00:01:30,020 --> 00:01:34,600 It was a picture of a woman with a fur hat and a fur boa. 17 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:40,570 She sat erect there, lifting up in the direction of the viewer a solid fur muff 18 00:01:40,570 --> 00:01:44,429 into which her entire forearm had disappeared. 19 00:01:44,429 --> 00:01:49,159 Gregor's glance then turned to the window. 20 00:01:49,159 --> 00:01:54,249 The dreary weather--the rain drops were falling audibly down on the metal window 21 00:01:54,249 --> 00:01:56,840 ledge--made him quite melancholy. 22 00:01:56,840 --> 00:02:03,119 "Why don't I keep sleeping for a little while longer and forget all this 23 00:02:03,119 --> 00:02:05,329 foolishness," he thought. 24 00:02:05,329 --> 00:02:12,370 But this was entirely impractical, for he was used to sleeping on his right side, and 25 00:02:12,370 --> 00:02:17,250 in his present state he couldn't get himself into this position. 26 00:02:17,250 --> 00:02:22,849 No matter how hard he threw himself onto his right side, he always rolled again onto 27 00:02:22,849 --> 00:02:24,420 his back. 28 00:02:24,420 --> 00:02:29,340 He must have tried it a hundred times, closing his eyes so that he would not have 29 00:02:29,340 --> 00:02:35,430 to see the wriggling legs, and gave up only when he began to feel a light, dull pain in 30 00:02:35,430 --> 00:02:38,819 his side which he had never felt before. 31 00:02:38,819 --> 00:02:45,640 "O God," he thought, "what a demanding job I've chosen! 32 00:02:45,640 --> 00:02:48,819 Day in, day out, on the road. 33 00:02:48,819 --> 00:02:54,140 The stresses of selling are much greater than the work going on at head office, and, 34 00:02:54,140 --> 00:02:58,750 in addition to that, I have to cope with the problems of travelling, the worries 35 00:02:58,750 --> 00:03:02,060 about train connections, irregular bad 36 00:03:02,060 --> 00:03:08,510 food, temporary and constantly changing human relationships, which never come from 37 00:03:08,510 --> 00:03:13,379 the heart. To hell with it all!" 38 00:03:13,379 --> 00:03:17,430 He felt a slight itching on the top of his abdomen. 39 00:03:17,430 --> 00:03:22,819 He slowly pushed himself on his back closer to the bed post so that he could lift his 40 00:03:22,819 --> 00:03:28,849 head more easily, found the itchy part, which was entirely covered with small white 41 00:03:28,849 --> 00:03:35,180 spots--he did not know what to make of them and wanted to feel the place with a leg. 42 00:03:35,180 --> 00:03:42,180 But he retracted it immediately, for the contact felt like a cold shower all over 43 00:03:42,180 --> 00:03:43,510 him. 44 00:03:43,510 --> 00:03:46,579 He slid back again into his earlier position. 45 00:03:46,579 --> 00:03:53,750 "This getting up early," he thought, "makes a man quite idiotic. 46 00:03:53,750 --> 00:03:56,620 A man must have his sleep. 47 00:03:56,620 --> 00:04:00,989 Other travelling salesmen live like harem women. 48 00:04:00,989 --> 00:04:05,280 For instance, when I come back to the inn during the course of the morning to write 49 00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:10,760 up the necessary orders, these gentlemen are just sitting down to breakfast. 50 00:04:10,760 --> 00:04:16,239 If I were to try that with my boss, I'd be thrown out on the spot. 51 00:04:16,239 --> 00:04:20,480 Still, who knows whether that mightn't be really good for me? 52 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:25,290 If I didn't hold back for my parents' sake, I'd have quit ages ago. 53 00:04:25,290 --> 00:04:29,850 I would've gone to the boss and told him just what I think from the bottom of my 54 00:04:29,850 --> 00:04:31,200 heart. 55 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:36,820 He would've fallen right off his desk! How weird it is to sit up at that desk and 56 00:04:36,820 --> 00:04:41,250 talk down to the employee from way up there. 57 00:04:41,250 --> 00:04:47,660 The boss has trouble hearing, so the employee has to step up quite close to him. 58 00:04:47,660 --> 00:04:51,220 Anyway, I haven't completely given up that hope yet. 59 00:04:51,220 --> 00:04:56,810 Once I've got together the money to pay off my parents' debt to him--that should take 60 00:04:56,810 --> 00:05:01,860 another five or six years--I'll do it for sure. 61 00:05:01,860 --> 00:05:03,820 Then I'll make the big break. 62 00:05:03,820 --> 00:05:11,720 In any case, right now I have to get up. My train leaves at five o'clock." 63 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:16,570 He looked over at the alarm clock ticking away by the chest of drawers. 64 00:05:16,570 --> 00:05:18,760 "Good God!" he thought. 65 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:22,580 It was half past six, and the hands were going quietly on. 66 00:05:22,580 --> 00:05:28,510 It was past the half hour, already nearly quarter to. 67 00:05:28,510 --> 00:05:31,190 Could the alarm have failed to ring? 68 00:05:31,190 --> 00:05:34,690 One saw from the bed that it was properly set for four o'clock. 69 00:05:34,690 --> 00:05:40,160 Certainly it had rung. Yes, but was it possible to sleep through 70 00:05:40,160 --> 00:05:44,220 that noise which made the furniture shake? 71 00:05:44,220 --> 00:05:51,600 Now, it's true he'd not slept quietly, but evidently he'd slept all the more deeply. 72 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:56,980 Still, what should he do now? The next train left at seven o'clock. 73 00:05:56,980 --> 00:06:00,940 To catch that one, he would have to go in a mad rush. 74 00:06:00,940 --> 00:06:05,800 The sample collection wasn't packed up yet, and he really didn't feel particularly 75 00:06:05,800 --> 00:06:07,910 fresh and active. 76 00:06:07,910 --> 00:06:13,120 And even if he caught the train, there was no avoiding a blow-up with the boss, 77 00:06:13,120 --> 00:06:17,230 because the firm's errand boy would've waited for the five o'clock train and 78 00:06:17,230 --> 00:06:21,020 reported the news of his absence long ago. 79 00:06:21,020 --> 00:06:25,880 He was the boss's minion, without backbone or intelligence. 80 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:28,860 Well then, what if he reported in sick? 81 00:06:28,860 --> 00:06:35,410 But that would be extremely embarrassing and suspicious, because during his five 82 00:06:35,410 --> 00:06:40,450 years' service Gregor hadn't been sick even once. 83 00:06:40,450 --> 00:06:44,910 The boss would certainly come with the doctor from the health insurance company 84 00:06:44,910 --> 00:06:50,850 and would reproach his parents for their lazy son and cut short all objections with 85 00:06:50,850 --> 00:06:54,730 the insurance doctor's comments; for him 86 00:06:54,730 --> 00:07:00,210 everyone was completely healthy but really lazy about work. 87 00:07:00,210 --> 00:07:05,110 And besides, would the doctor in this case be totally wrong? 88 00:07:05,110 --> 00:07:10,950 Apart from a really excessive drowsiness after the long sleep, Gregor in fact felt 89 00:07:10,950 --> 00:07:16,660 quite well and even had a really strong appetite. 90 00:07:16,660 --> 00:07:22,360 As he was thinking all this over in the greatest haste, without being able to make 91 00:07:22,360 --> 00:07:28,060 the decision to get out of bed--the alarm clock was indicating exactly quarter to 92 00:07:28,060 --> 00:07:33,990 seven--there was a cautious knock on the door by the head of the bed. 93 00:07:33,990 --> 00:07:39,400 "Gregor," a voice called--it was his mother!--"it's quarter to seven. 94 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:43,030 Don't you want to be on your way?" 95 00:07:43,030 --> 00:07:48,040 The soft voice! Gregor was startled when he heard his voice 96 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:49,380 answering. 97 00:07:49,380 --> 00:07:56,090 It was clearly and unmistakably his earlier voice, but in it was intermingled, as if 98 00:07:56,090 --> 00:08:02,870 from below, an irrepressibly painful squeaking, which left the words positively 99 00:08:02,870 --> 00:08:06,260 distinct only in the first moment and 100 00:08:06,260 --> 00:08:12,750 distorted them in the reverberation, so that one didn't know if one had heard 101 00:08:12,750 --> 00:08:13,630 correctly. 102 00:08:13,630 --> 00:08:18,320 Gregor wanted to answer in detail and explain everything, but in these 103 00:08:18,320 --> 00:08:24,530 circumstances he confined himself to saying, "Yes, yes, thank you mother. 104 00:08:24,530 --> 00:08:28,390 I'm getting up right away." 105 00:08:28,390 --> 00:08:33,250 Because of the wooden door the change in Gregor's voice was not really noticeable 106 00:08:33,250 --> 00:08:40,500 outside, so his mother calmed down with this explanation and shuffled off. 107 00:08:40,500 --> 00:08:44,720 However, as a result of the short conversation, the other family members 108 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:50,459 became aware that Gregor was unexpectedly still at home, and already his father was 109 00:08:50,459 --> 00:08:55,279 knocking on one side door, weakly but with his fist. 110 00:08:55,279 --> 00:08:59,439 "Gregor, Gregor," he called out, "what's going on?" 111 00:08:59,439 --> 00:09:04,410 And, after a short while, he urged him on again in a deeper voice: "Gregor!" 112 00:09:04,410 --> 00:09:08,279 Gregor!" At the other side door, however, his sister 113 00:09:08,279 --> 00:09:09,959 knocked lightly. 114 00:09:09,959 --> 00:09:12,329 "Gregor? Are you all right? 115 00:09:12,329 --> 00:09:18,649 Do you need anything?" Gregor directed answers in both directions, 116 00:09:18,649 --> 00:09:21,259 "I'll be ready right away." 117 00:09:21,259 --> 00:09:27,199 He made an effort with the most careful articulation and by inserting long pauses 118 00:09:27,199 --> 00:09:34,790 between the individual words to remove everything remarkable from his voice. 119 00:09:34,790 --> 00:09:37,560 His father turned back to his breakfast. 120 00:09:37,560 --> 00:09:44,600 However, the sister whispered, "Gregor, open the door--I beg you." 121 00:09:44,600 --> 00:09:49,160 Gregor had no intention of opening the door, but congratulated himself on his 122 00:09:49,160 --> 00:09:56,829 precaution, acquired from travelling, of locking all doors during the night, even at 123 00:09:56,829 --> 00:09:58,110 home. 124 00:09:58,110 --> 00:10:04,540 First he wanted to stand up quietly and undisturbed, get dressed, above all have 125 00:10:04,540 --> 00:10:12,639 breakfast, and only then consider further action, for--he noticed this clearly--by 126 00:10:12,639 --> 00:10:18,470 thinking things over in bed he would not reach a reasonable conclusion. 127 00:10:18,470 --> 00:10:24,749 He remembered that he had already often felt a light pain or other in bed, perhaps 128 00:10:24,749 --> 00:10:29,589 the result of an awkward lying position, which later turned out to be purely 129 00:10:29,589 --> 00:10:32,310 imaginary when he stood up, and he was 130 00:10:32,310 --> 00:10:36,199 eager to see how his present fantasies would gradually dissipate. 131 00:10:36,199 --> 00:10:43,310 That the change in his voice was nothing other than the onset of a real chill, an 132 00:10:43,310 --> 00:10:49,069 occupational illness of commercial travellers, of that he had not the 133 00:10:49,069 --> 00:10:51,870 slightest doubt. 134 00:10:51,870 --> 00:10:54,899 It was very easy to throw aside the blanket. 135 00:10:54,899 --> 00:11:00,269 He needed only to push himself up a little, and it fell by itself. 136 00:11:00,269 --> 00:11:06,439 But to continue was difficult, particularly because he was so unusually wide. 137 00:11:06,439 --> 00:11:11,240 He needed arms and hands to push himself upright. 138 00:11:11,240 --> 00:11:18,329 Instead of these, however, he had only many small limbs which were incessantly moving 139 00:11:18,329 --> 00:11:26,050 with very different motions and which, in addition, he was unable to control. 140 00:11:26,050 --> 00:11:32,569 If he wanted to bend one of them, then it was the first to extend itself, and if he 141 00:11:32,569 --> 00:11:39,209 finally succeeded doing what he wanted with this limb, in the meantime all the others, 142 00:11:39,209 --> 00:11:45,050 as if left free, moved around in an excessively painful agitation. 143 00:11:45,050 --> 00:11:51,470 "But I must not stay in bed uselessly," said Gregor to himself. 144 00:11:51,470 --> 00:12:00,829 At first he wanted to get out of bed with the lower part of his body, but this lower 145 00:12:00,829 --> 00:12:05,439 part--which, by the way, he had not yet looked at and which he also couldn't 146 00:12:05,439 --> 00:12:09,829 picture clearly--proved itself too difficult to move. 147 00:12:09,829 --> 00:12:14,680 The attempt went so slowly. 148 00:12:14,680 --> 00:12:20,540 When, having become almost frantic, he finally hurled himself forward with all his 149 00:12:20,540 --> 00:12:27,339 force and without thinking, he chose his direction incorrectly, and he hit the lower 150 00:12:27,339 --> 00:12:29,399 bedpost hard. 151 00:12:29,399 --> 00:12:35,350 The violent pain he felt revealed to him that the lower part of his body was at the 152 00:12:35,350 --> 00:12:37,160 moment probably the most sensitive. 153 00:12:37,160 --> 00:12:45,240 Thus, he tried to get his upper body out of the bed first and turned his head carefully 154 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:47,660 toward the edge of the bed. 155 00:12:47,660 --> 00:12:54,040 He managed to do this easily, and in spite of its width and weight his body mass at 156 00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:58,430 last slowly followed the turning of his head. 157 00:12:58,430 --> 00:13:04,240 But as he finally raised his head outside the bed in the open air, he became anxious 158 00:13:04,240 --> 00:13:09,100 about moving forward any further in this manner, for if he allowed himself 159 00:13:09,100 --> 00:13:11,870 eventually to fall by this process, it 160 00:13:11,870 --> 00:13:15,889 would take a miracle to prevent his head from getting injured. 161 00:13:15,889 --> 00:13:20,930 And at all costs he must not lose consciousness right now. 162 00:13:20,930 --> 00:13:25,069 He preferred to remain in bed. 163 00:13:25,069 --> 00:13:31,209 However, after a similar effort, while he lay there again, sighing as before, and 164 00:13:31,209 --> 00:13:38,249 once again saw his small limbs fighting one another, if anything worse than earlier, 165 00:13:38,249 --> 00:13:41,329 and didn't see any chance of imposing quiet 166 00:13:41,329 --> 00:13:46,749 and order on this arbitrary movement, he told himself again that he couldn't 167 00:13:46,749 --> 00:13:52,529 possibly remain in bed and that it might be the most reasonable thing to sacrifice 168 00:13:52,529 --> 00:13:55,170 everything if there was even the slightest 169 00:13:55,170 --> 00:13:58,379 hope of getting himself out of bed in the process. 170 00:13:58,379 --> 00:14:05,720 At the same moment, however, he didn't forget to remind himself from time to time 171 00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:12,430 of the fact that calm--indeed the calmest-- reflection might be better than the most 172 00:14:12,430 --> 00:14:15,720 confused decisions. 173 00:14:15,720 --> 00:14:22,459 At such moments, he directed his gaze as precisely as he could toward the window, 174 00:14:22,459 --> 00:14:27,980 but unfortunately there was little confident cheer to be had from a glance at 175 00:14:27,980 --> 00:14:33,069 the morning mist, which concealed even the other side of the narrow street. 176 00:14:33,069 --> 00:14:40,430 "It's already seven o'clock," he told himself at the latest striking of the alarm 177 00:14:40,430 --> 00:14:46,329 clock, "already seven o'clock and still such a fog." 178 00:14:46,329 --> 00:14:52,110 And for a little while longer he lay quietly with weak breathing, as if perhaps 179 00:14:52,110 --> 00:14:58,439 waiting for normal and natural conditions to re-emerge out of the complete stillness. 180 00:14:58,439 --> 00:15:06,110 But then he said to himself, "Before it strikes a quarter past seven, whatever 181 00:15:06,110 --> 00:15:09,369 happens I must be completely out of bed. 182 00:15:09,369 --> 00:15:14,809 Besides, by then someone from the office will arrive to inquire about me, because 183 00:15:14,809 --> 00:15:18,779 the office will open before seven o'clock." 184 00:15:18,779 --> 00:15:23,809 And he made an effort then to rock his entire body length out of the bed with a 185 00:15:23,809 --> 00:15:26,600 uniform motion. 186 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:32,119 If he let himself fall out of the bed in this way, his head, which in the course of 187 00:15:32,119 --> 00:15:38,519 the fall he intended to lift up sharply, would probably remain uninjured. 188 00:15:38,519 --> 00:15:44,939 His back seemed to be hard; nothing would really happen to that as a result of the 189 00:15:44,939 --> 00:15:45,899 fall. 190 00:15:45,899 --> 00:15:51,749 His greatest reservation was a worry about the loud noise which the fall must create 191 00:15:51,749 --> 00:15:58,029 and which presumably would arouse, if not fright, then at least concern on the other 192 00:15:58,029 --> 00:16:00,569 side of all the doors. 193 00:16:00,569 --> 00:16:04,420 However, it had to be tried. 194 00:16:04,420 --> 00:16:09,899 As Gregor was in the process of lifting himself half out of bed--the new method was 195 00:16:09,899 --> 00:16:16,550 more of a game than an effort; he needed only to rock with a constant rhythm--it 196 00:16:16,550 --> 00:16:22,059 struck him how easy all this would be if someone were to come to his aid. 197 00:16:22,059 --> 00:16:27,959 Two strong people--he thought of his father and the servant girl--would have been quite 198 00:16:27,959 --> 00:16:29,309 sufficient. 199 00:16:29,309 --> 00:16:34,420 They would have only had to push their arms under his arched back to get him out of the 200 00:16:34,420 --> 00:16:40,990 bed, to bend down with their load, and then merely to exercise patience and care that 201 00:16:40,990 --> 00:16:44,449 he completed the flip onto the floor, where 202 00:16:44,449 --> 00:16:50,040 his diminutive legs would then, he hoped, acquire a purpose. 203 00:16:50,040 --> 00:16:55,420 Now, quite apart from the fact that the doors were locked, should he really call 204 00:16:55,420 --> 00:16:57,399 out for help? 205 00:16:57,399 --> 00:17:04,890 In spite of all his distress, he was unable to suppress a smile at this idea. 206 00:17:04,890 --> 00:17:10,209 He had already got to the point where, by rocking more strongly, he maintained his 207 00:17:10,209 --> 00:17:16,839 equilibrium with difficulty, and very soon he would finally have to decide, for in 208 00:17:16,839 --> 00:17:20,010 five minutes it would be a quarter past seven. 209 00:17:20,010 --> 00:17:23,870 Then there was a ring at the door of the apartment. 210 00:17:23,870 --> 00:17:28,720 "That's someone from the office," he told himself, and he almost froze while his 211 00:17:28,720 --> 00:17:32,760 small limbs only danced around all the faster. 212 00:17:32,760 --> 00:17:35,780 For one moment everything remained still. 213 00:17:35,780 --> 00:17:42,020 "They aren't opening," Gregor said to himself, caught up in some absurd hope. 214 00:17:42,020 --> 00:17:49,890 But of course then, as usual, the servant girl with her firm tread went to the door 215 00:17:49,890 --> 00:17:52,190 and opened it. 216 00:17:52,190 --> 00:17:56,900 Gregor needed to hear only the first word of the visitor's greeting to recognize 217 00:17:56,900 --> 00:18:02,070 immediately who it was, the manager himself. 218 00:18:02,070 --> 00:18:08,020 Why was Gregor the only one condemned to work in a firm where, at the slightest 219 00:18:08,020 --> 00:18:13,280 lapse, someone immediately attracted the greatest suspicion? 220 00:18:13,280 --> 00:18:18,590 Were all the employees then collectively, one and all, scoundrels? 221 00:18:18,590 --> 00:18:24,980 Among them was there then no truly devoted person who, if he failed to use just a 222 00:18:24,980 --> 00:18:29,990 couple of hours in the morning for office work, would become abnormal from pangs of 223 00:18:29,990 --> 00:18:35,010 conscience and really be in no state to get out of bed? 224 00:18:35,010 --> 00:18:39,400 Was it really not enough to let an apprentice make inquiries, if such 225 00:18:39,400 --> 00:18:42,010 questioning was even necessary? 226 00:18:42,010 --> 00:18:47,770 Must the manager himself come, and in the process must it be demonstrated to the 227 00:18:47,770 --> 00:18:52,340 entire innocent family that the investigation of this suspicious 228 00:18:52,340 --> 00:18:58,190 circumstance could be entrusted only to the intelligence of the manager? 229 00:18:58,190 --> 00:19:03,760 And more as a consequence of the excited state in which this idea put Gregor than as 230 00:19:03,760 --> 00:19:11,370 a result of an actual decision, he swung himself with all his might out of the bed. 231 00:19:11,370 --> 00:19:15,540 There was a loud thud, but not a real crash. 232 00:19:15,540 --> 00:19:21,870 The fall was absorbed somewhat by the carpet and, in addition, his back was more 233 00:19:21,870 --> 00:19:25,400 elastic than Gregor had thought. 234 00:19:25,400 --> 00:19:30,750 For that reason the dull noise was not quite so conspicuous. 235 00:19:30,750 --> 00:19:36,060 But he had not held his head up with sufficient care and had hit it. 236 00:19:36,060 --> 00:19:43,180 He turned his head, irritated and in pain, and rubbed it on the carpet. 237 00:19:43,180 --> 00:19:47,950 "Something has fallen in there," said the manager in the next room on the left. 238 00:19:47,950 --> 00:19:53,200 Gregor tried to imagine to himself whether anything similar to what was happening to 239 00:19:53,200 --> 00:19:57,410 him today could have also happened at some point to the manager. 240 00:19:57,410 --> 00:20:02,870 At least one had to concede the possibility of such a thing. 241 00:20:02,870 --> 00:20:09,010 However, as if to give a rough answer to this question, the manager now, with a 242 00:20:09,010 --> 00:20:15,310 squeak of his polished boots, took a few determined steps in the next room. 243 00:20:15,310 --> 00:20:19,960 From the neighbouring room on the right the sister was whispering to inform Gregor: 244 00:20:19,960 --> 00:20:26,680 "Gregor, the manager is here." "I know," said Gregor to himself. 245 00:20:26,680 --> 00:20:32,820 But he did not dare make his voice loud enough so that his sister could hear. 246 00:20:32,820 --> 00:20:38,110 "Gregor," his father now said from the neighbouring room on the left, "Mr. Manager 247 00:20:38,110 --> 00:20:42,590 has come and is asking why you have not left on the early train. 248 00:20:42,590 --> 00:20:45,530 We don't know what we should tell him. 249 00:20:45,530 --> 00:20:49,880 Besides, he also wants to speak to you personally. 250 00:20:49,880 --> 00:20:54,010 So please open the door. He will be good enough to forgive the mess 251 00:20:54,010 --> 00:20:56,320 in your room." 252 00:20:56,320 --> 00:21:00,900 In the middle of all this, the manager called out in a friendly way, "Good 253 00:21:00,900 --> 00:21:02,010 morning, Mr. Samsa." 254 00:21:02,010 --> 00:21:08,280 "He is not well," said his mother to the manager, while his father was still talking 255 00:21:08,280 --> 00:21:12,590 at the door, "He is not well, believe me, Mr. Manager. 256 00:21:12,590 --> 00:21:16,150 Otherwise how would Gregor miss a train? 257 00:21:16,150 --> 00:21:19,680 The young man has nothing in his head except business. 258 00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:23,160 I'm almost angry that he never goes out at night. 259 00:21:23,160 --> 00:21:29,050 Right now he's been in the city eight days, but he's been at home every evening. 260 00:21:29,050 --> 00:21:35,380 He sits here with us at the table and reads the newspaper quietly or studies his travel 261 00:21:35,380 --> 00:21:36,770 schedules. 262 00:21:36,770 --> 00:21:40,860 It's a quite a diversion for him to busy himself with fretwork. 263 00:21:40,860 --> 00:21:46,870 For instance, he cut out a small frame over the course of two or three evenings. 264 00:21:46,870 --> 00:21:49,250 You'd be amazed how pretty it is. 265 00:21:49,250 --> 00:21:53,470 It's hanging right inside the room. You'll see it immediately, as soon as 266 00:21:53,470 --> 00:21:57,950 Gregor opens the door. Anyway, I'm happy that you're here, Mr. 267 00:21:57,950 --> 00:21:58,550 Manager. 268 00:21:58,550 --> 00:22:02,780 By ourselves, we would never have made Gregor open the door. 269 00:22:02,780 --> 00:22:07,940 He's so stubborn, and he's certainly not well, although he denied that this 270 00:22:07,940 --> 00:22:09,970 morning." 271 00:22:09,970 --> 00:22:17,990 "I'm coming right away," said Gregor slowly and deliberately and didn't move, so as not 272 00:22:17,990 --> 00:22:21,130 to lose one word of the conversation. 273 00:22:21,130 --> 00:22:26,960 "My dear lady, I cannot explain it to myself in any other way," said the manager; 274 00:22:26,960 --> 00:22:29,170 "I hope it is nothing serious. 275 00:22:29,170 --> 00:22:34,860 On the other hand, I must also say that we business people, luckily or unluckily, 276 00:22:34,860 --> 00:22:41,350 however one looks at it, very often simply have to overcome a slight indisposition for 277 00:22:41,350 --> 00:22:43,540 business reasons." 278 00:22:43,540 --> 00:22:48,910 "So can Mr. Manager come in to see you now?" asked his father impatiently and 279 00:22:48,910 --> 00:22:53,880 knocked once again on the door. "No," said Gregor. 280 00:22:53,880 --> 00:22:59,030 In the neighbouring room on the left a painful stillness descended. 281 00:22:59,030 --> 00:23:05,510 In the neighbouring room on the right the sister began to sob. 282 00:23:05,510 --> 00:23:08,810 Why didn't his sister go to the others? 283 00:23:08,810 --> 00:23:13,470 She'd probably just gotten up out of bed now and hadn't even started to get dressed 284 00:23:13,470 --> 00:23:16,710 yet. Then why was she crying? 285 00:23:16,710 --> 00:23:21,900 Because he wasn't getting up and wasn't letting the manager in, because he was in 286 00:23:21,900 --> 00:23:27,710 danger of losing his position, and because then his boss would badger his parents once 287 00:23:27,710 --> 00:23:29,720 again with the old demands? 288 00:23:29,720 --> 00:23:34,650 Those were probably unnecessary worries right now. 289 00:23:34,650 --> 00:23:39,990 Gregor was still here and wasn't thinking at all about abandoning his family. 290 00:23:39,990 --> 00:23:46,390 At the moment he was lying right there on the carpet, and no one who knew about his 291 00:23:46,390 --> 00:23:51,230 condition would've seriously demanded that he let the manager in. 292 00:23:51,230 --> 00:23:56,750 But Gregor wouldn't be casually dismissed right way because of this small 293 00:23:56,750 --> 00:24:03,470 discourtesy, for which he would find an easy and suitable excuse later on. 294 00:24:03,470 --> 00:24:08,390 It seemed to Gregor that it might be far more reasonable to leave him in peace at 295 00:24:08,390 --> 00:24:13,340 the moment, instead of disturbing him with crying and conversation. 296 00:24:13,340 --> 00:24:19,710 But it was the very uncertainty which distressed the others and excused their 297 00:24:19,710 --> 00:24:25,120 behaviour. "Mr. Samsa," the manager was now shouting, 298 00:24:25,120 --> 00:24:28,300 his voice raised, "what's the matter? 299 00:24:28,300 --> 00:24:34,320 You are barricading yourself in your room, answer with only a yes and a no, are making 300 00:24:34,320 --> 00:24:40,890 serious and unnecessary troubles for your parents, and neglecting (I mention this 301 00:24:40,890 --> 00:24:46,680 only incidentally) your commercial duties in a truly unheard of manner. 302 00:24:46,680 --> 00:24:51,990 I am speaking here in the name of your parents and your employer, and I am 303 00:24:51,990 --> 00:24:58,860 requesting you in all seriousness for an immediate and clear explanation. 304 00:24:58,860 --> 00:24:59,910 I am amazed. 305 00:24:59,910 --> 00:25:05,340 I am amazed. I thought I knew you as a calm, reasonable 306 00:25:05,340 --> 00:25:11,830 person, and now you appear suddenly to want to start parading around in weird moods. 307 00:25:11,830 --> 00:25:18,500 The Chief indicated to me earlier this very day a possible explanation for your 308 00:25:18,500 --> 00:25:22,820 neglect--it concerned the collection of cash entrusted to you a short while ago-- 309 00:25:22,820 --> 00:25:26,580 but in truth I almost gave him my word of 310 00:25:26,580 --> 00:25:30,530 honour that this explanation could not be correct. 311 00:25:30,530 --> 00:25:36,930 However, now I see here your unimaginable pig headedness, and I am totally losing any 312 00:25:36,930 --> 00:25:39,680 desire to speak up for you in the slightest. 313 00:25:39,680 --> 00:25:44,470 And your position is not at all the most secure. 314 00:25:44,470 --> 00:25:48,710 Originally I intended to mention all this to you privately, but since you are letting 315 00:25:48,710 --> 00:25:53,430 me waste my time here uselessly, I don't know why the matter shouldn't come to the 316 00:25:53,430 --> 00:25:54,700 attention of your parents. 317 00:25:54,700 --> 00:26:01,170 Your productivity has also been very unsatisfactory recently. 318 00:26:01,170 --> 00:26:06,080 Of course, it's not the time of year to conduct exceptional business, we recognize 319 00:26:06,080 --> 00:26:12,170 that, but a time of year for conducting no business, there is no such thing at all, 320 00:26:12,170 --> 00:26:15,790 Mr. Samsa, and such a thing must never be." 321 00:26:15,790 --> 00:26:22,620 "But Mr. Manager," called Gregor, beside himself and, in his agitation, forgetting 322 00:26:22,620 --> 00:26:27,880 everything else, "I'm opening the door immediately, this very moment. 323 00:26:27,880 --> 00:26:32,920 A slight indisposition, a dizzy spell, has prevented me from getting up. 324 00:26:32,920 --> 00:26:37,990 I'm still lying in bed right now. But I'm quite refreshed once again. 325 00:26:37,990 --> 00:26:41,410 I'm in the midst of getting out of bed. 326 00:26:41,410 --> 00:26:46,560 Just have patience for a short moment! Things are not going as well as I thought. 327 00:26:46,560 --> 00:26:52,000 But things are all right. How suddenly this can overcome someone! 328 00:26:52,000 --> 00:26:54,660 Only yesterday evening everything was fine with me. 329 00:26:54,660 --> 00:26:58,830 My parents certainly know that. Actually just yesterday evening I had a 330 00:26:58,830 --> 00:27:00,540 small premonition. 331 00:27:00,540 --> 00:27:06,710 People must have seen that in me. Why have I not reported that to the office? 332 00:27:06,710 --> 00:27:11,290 But people always think that they'll get over sickness without having to stay at 333 00:27:11,290 --> 00:27:12,480 home. 334 00:27:12,480 --> 00:27:16,150 Mr. Manager! Take it easy on my parents! 335 00:27:16,150 --> 00:27:20,930 There is really no basis for the criticisms which you're now making against me, and 336 00:27:20,930 --> 00:27:24,510 really nobody has said a word to me about that. 337 00:27:24,510 --> 00:27:28,440 Perhaps you have not read the latest orders which I shipped. 338 00:27:28,440 --> 00:27:34,850 Besides, now I'm setting out on my trip on the eight o'clock train; the few hours' 339 00:27:34,850 --> 00:27:37,160 rest have made me stronger. 340 00:27:37,160 --> 00:27:42,000 Mr. Manager, do not stay. I will be at the office in person right 341 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:46,290 away. Please have the goodness to say that and to 342 00:27:46,290 --> 00:27:50,180 convey my respects to the Chief." 343 00:27:50,180 --> 00:27:55,690 While Gregor was quickly blurting all this out, hardly aware of what he was saying, he 344 00:27:55,690 --> 00:28:01,030 had moved close to the chest of drawers without effort, probably as a result of the 345 00:28:01,030 --> 00:28:03,860 practice he had already had in bed, and now 346 00:28:03,860 --> 00:28:10,220 he was trying to raise himself up on it. Actually, he wanted to open the door. 347 00:28:10,220 --> 00:28:16,270 He really wanted to let himself be seen by and to speak with the manager. 348 00:28:16,270 --> 00:28:21,460 He was keen to witness what the others now asking about him would say when they saw 349 00:28:21,460 --> 00:28:25,400 him. If they were startled, then Gregor had no 350 00:28:25,400 --> 00:28:28,690 more responsibility and could be calm. 351 00:28:28,690 --> 00:28:35,270 But if they accepted everything quietly, then he would have no reason to get excited 352 00:28:35,270 --> 00:28:40,380 and, if he got a move on, could really be at the station around eight o'clock. 353 00:28:40,380 --> 00:28:46,780 At first he slid down a few times on the smooth chest of drawers. 354 00:28:46,780 --> 00:28:52,480 But at last he gave himself a final swing and stood upright there. 355 00:28:52,480 --> 00:28:57,840 He was no longer at all aware of the pains in his lower body, no matter how they might 356 00:28:57,840 --> 00:29:00,140 still sting. 357 00:29:00,140 --> 00:29:05,120 Now he let himself fall against the back of a nearby chair, on the edge of which he 358 00:29:05,120 --> 00:29:08,300 braced himself with his thin limbs. 359 00:29:08,300 --> 00:29:14,080 By doing this he gained control over himself and kept quiet, for he could now 360 00:29:14,080 --> 00:29:16,650 hear the manager. 361 00:29:16,650 --> 00:29:22,950 "Did you understood a single word?" the manager asked the parents, "Is he playing 362 00:29:22,950 --> 00:29:23,920 the fool with us?" 363 00:29:23,920 --> 00:29:30,020 "For God's sake," cried the mother already in tears, "perhaps he's very ill and we're 364 00:29:30,020 --> 00:29:31,960 upsetting him. Grete! 365 00:29:31,960 --> 00:29:34,940 Grete!" she yelled at that point. 366 00:29:34,940 --> 00:29:38,320 "Mother?" called the sister from the other side. 367 00:29:38,320 --> 00:29:42,250 They were making themselves understood through Gregor's room. 368 00:29:42,250 --> 00:29:44,270 "You must go to the doctor right away. 369 00:29:44,270 --> 00:29:46,830 Gregor is sick. Hurry to the doctor. 370 00:29:46,830 --> 00:29:50,530 Have you heard Gregor speak yet?" 371 00:29:50,530 --> 00:29:56,500 "That was an animal's voice," said the manager, remarkably quietly in comparison 372 00:29:56,500 --> 00:29:59,340 to the mother's cries. "Anna! 373 00:29:59,340 --> 00:30:04,120 Anna!' yelled the father through the hall into the kitchen, clapping his hands, 374 00:30:04,120 --> 00:30:06,860 "fetch a locksmith right away!" 375 00:30:06,860 --> 00:30:11,970 The two young women were already running through the hall with swishing skirts--how 376 00:30:11,970 --> 00:30:16,250 had his sister dressed herself so quickly?- -and yanked open the doors of the 377 00:30:16,250 --> 00:30:17,520 apartment. 378 00:30:17,520 --> 00:30:22,150 One couldn't hear the doors closing at all. They probably had left them open, as is 379 00:30:22,150 --> 00:30:28,530 customary in an apartment where a huge misfortune has taken place. 380 00:30:28,530 --> 00:30:32,360 However, Gregor had become much calmer. 381 00:30:32,360 --> 00:30:37,540 All right, people did not understand his words any more, although they seemed clear 382 00:30:37,540 --> 00:30:43,450 enough to him, clearer than previously, perhaps because his ears had gotten used to 383 00:30:43,450 --> 00:30:44,450 them. 384 00:30:44,450 --> 00:30:49,190 But at least people now thought that things were not all right with him and were 385 00:30:49,190 --> 00:30:51,430 prepared to help him. 386 00:30:51,430 --> 00:30:56,700 The confidence and assurance with which the first arrangements had been carried out 387 00:30:56,700 --> 00:30:58,630 made him feel good. 388 00:30:58,630 --> 00:31:05,070 He felt himself included once again in the circle of humanity and was expecting from 389 00:31:05,070 --> 00:31:10,740 both the doctor and the locksmith, without differentiating between them with any real 390 00:31:10,740 --> 00:31:15,530 precision, splendid and surprising results. 391 00:31:15,530 --> 00:31:20,630 In order to get as clear a voice as possible for the critical conversation 392 00:31:20,630 --> 00:31:25,890 which was imminent, he coughed a little, and certainly took the trouble to do this 393 00:31:25,890 --> 00:31:28,950 in a really subdued way, since it was 394 00:31:28,950 --> 00:31:35,220 possible that even this noise sounded like something different from a human cough. 395 00:31:35,220 --> 00:31:39,450 He no longer trusted himself to decide any more. 396 00:31:39,450 --> 00:31:43,230 Meanwhile in the next room it had become really quiet. 397 00:31:43,230 --> 00:31:48,460 Perhaps his parents were sitting with the manager at the table whispering; perhaps 398 00:31:48,460 --> 00:31:52,940 they were all leaning against the door listening. 399 00:31:52,940 --> 00:31:59,080 Gregor pushed himself slowly towards the door, with the help of the easy chair, let 400 00:31:59,080 --> 00:32:05,900 go of it there, threw himself against the door, held himself upright against it--the 401 00:32:05,900 --> 00:32:09,200 balls of his tiny limbs had a little sticky 402 00:32:09,200 --> 00:32:14,870 stuff on them--and rested there momentarily from his exertion. 403 00:32:14,870 --> 00:32:20,100 Then he made an effort to turn the key in the lock with his mouth. 404 00:32:20,100 --> 00:32:24,690 Unfortunately it seemed that he had no real teeth. 405 00:32:24,690 --> 00:32:28,070 How then was he to grab hold of the key? 406 00:32:28,070 --> 00:32:34,070 But to make up for that his jaws were naturally very strong; with their help he 407 00:32:34,070 --> 00:32:37,160 managed to get the key really moving. 408 00:32:37,160 --> 00:32:42,150 He didn't notice that he was obviously inflicting some damage on himself, for a 409 00:32:42,150 --> 00:32:50,560 brown fluid came out of his mouth, flowed over the key, and dripped onto the floor. 410 00:32:50,560 --> 00:32:54,230 "Just listen for a moment," said the manager in the next room; "he's turning the 411 00:32:54,230 --> 00:32:59,530 key." For Gregor that was a great encouragement. 412 00:32:59,530 --> 00:33:03,970 But they all should've called out to him, including his father and mother, "Come on, 413 00:33:03,970 --> 00:33:10,100 Gregor," they should've shouted; "keep going, keep working on the lock." 414 00:33:10,100 --> 00:33:15,150 Imagining that all his efforts were being followed with suspense, he bit down 415 00:33:15,150 --> 00:33:19,720 frantically on the key with all the force he could muster. 416 00:33:19,720 --> 00:33:24,190 As the key turned more, he danced around the lock. 417 00:33:24,190 --> 00:33:30,380 Now he was holding himself upright only with his mouth, and he had to hang onto the 418 00:33:30,380 --> 00:33:36,060 key or then press it down again with the whole weight of his body, as necessary. 419 00:33:36,060 --> 00:33:43,370 The quite distinct click of the lock as it finally snapped really woke Gregor up. 420 00:33:43,370 --> 00:33:50,190 Breathing heavily he said to himself, "So I didn't need the locksmith," and he set his 421 00:33:50,190 --> 00:33:55,870 head against the door handle to open the door completely. 422 00:33:55,870 --> 00:34:01,650 Because he had to open the door in this way, it was already open very wide without 423 00:34:01,650 --> 00:34:04,310 him yet being really visible. 424 00:34:04,310 --> 00:34:09,950 He first had to turn himself slowly around the edge of the door, very carefully, of 425 00:34:09,950 --> 00:34:14,849 course, if he didn't want to fall awkwardly on his back right at the entrance into the 426 00:34:14,849 --> 00:34:16,240 room. 427 00:34:16,240 --> 00:34:21,369 He was still preoccupied with this difficult movement and had no time to pay 428 00:34:21,369 --> 00:34:26,609 attention to anything else, when he heard the manager exclaim a loud "Oh!"--it 429 00:34:26,609 --> 00:34:30,269 sounded like the wind whistling--and now he 430 00:34:30,269 --> 00:34:35,990 saw him, nearest to the door, pressing his hand against his open mouth and moving 431 00:34:35,990 --> 00:34:42,329 slowly back, as if an invisible constant force was pushing him away. 432 00:34:42,329 --> 00:34:48,480 His mother--in spite of the presence of the manager she was standing here with her hair 433 00:34:48,480 --> 00:34:53,409 sticking up on end, still a mess from the night--was looking at his father with her 434 00:34:53,409 --> 00:34:55,609 hands clasped. 435 00:34:55,609 --> 00:35:01,049 She then went two steps towards Gregor and collapsed right in the middle of her 436 00:35:01,049 --> 00:35:06,960 skirts, which were spread out all around her, her face sunk on her breast, 437 00:35:06,960 --> 00:35:09,329 completely concealed. 438 00:35:09,329 --> 00:35:15,640 His father clenched his fist with a hostile expression, as if he wished to push Gregor 439 00:35:15,640 --> 00:35:21,150 back into his room, then looked uncertainly around the living room, covered his eyes 440 00:35:21,150 --> 00:35:27,990 with his hands, and cried so that his mighty breast shook. 441 00:35:27,990 --> 00:35:33,999 At this point Gregor did not take one step into the room, but leaned his body from the 442 00:35:33,999 --> 00:35:40,680 inside against the firmly bolted wing of the door, so that only half his body was 443 00:35:40,680 --> 00:35:43,470 visible, as well as his head, tilted 444 00:35:43,470 --> 00:35:48,109 sideways, with which he peeped over at the others. 445 00:35:48,109 --> 00:35:50,880 Meanwhile it had become much brighter. 446 00:35:50,880 --> 00:35:56,400 Standing out clearly from the other side of the street was a part of the endless grey- 447 00:35:56,400 --> 00:36:03,190 black house situated opposite--it was a hospital--with its severe regular windows 448 00:36:03,190 --> 00:36:05,480 breaking up the facade. 449 00:36:05,480 --> 00:36:12,799 The rain was still coming down, but only in large individual drops visibly and firmly 450 00:36:12,799 --> 00:36:17,749 thrown down one by one onto the ground. 451 00:36:17,749 --> 00:36:23,240 The breakfast dishes were standing piled around on the table, because for his father 452 00:36:23,240 --> 00:36:28,910 breakfast was the most important meal time in the day, which he prolonged for hours by 453 00:36:28,910 --> 00:36:32,650 reading various newspapers. 454 00:36:32,650 --> 00:36:37,680 Directly across on the opposite wall hung a photograph of Gregor from the time of his 455 00:36:37,680 --> 00:36:43,950 military service; it was a picture of him as a lieutenant, as he, smiling and worry 456 00:36:43,950 --> 00:36:51,920 free, with his hand on his sword, demanded respect for his bearing and uniform. 457 00:36:51,920 --> 00:36:57,410 The door to the hall was ajar, and since the door to the apartment was also open, 458 00:36:57,410 --> 00:37:02,809 one could see out into the landing of the apartment and the start of the staircase 459 00:37:02,809 --> 00:37:05,440 going down. 460 00:37:05,440 --> 00:37:10,579 "Now," said Gregor, well aware that he was the only one who had kept his composure. 461 00:37:10,579 --> 00:37:17,730 "I'll get dressed right away, pack up the collection of samples, and set off. 462 00:37:17,730 --> 00:37:20,890 You'll allow me to set out on my way, will you not? 463 00:37:20,890 --> 00:37:26,599 You see, Mr. Manager, I am not pig-headed, and I am happy to work. 464 00:37:26,599 --> 00:37:30,859 Travelling is exhausting, but I couldn't live without it. 465 00:37:30,859 --> 00:37:33,480 Where are you going, Mr. Manager? To the office? 466 00:37:33,480 --> 00:37:34,220 Really? 467 00:37:34,220 --> 00:37:36,140 Will you report everything truthfully? 468 00:37:36,140 --> 00:37:42,779 A person can be incapable of work momentarily, but that's precisely the best 469 00:37:42,779 --> 00:37:48,329 time to remember the earlier achievements and to consider that later, after the 470 00:37:48,329 --> 00:37:51,109 obstacles have been shoved aside, the 471 00:37:51,109 --> 00:37:54,299 person will work all the more eagerly and intensely. 472 00:37:54,299 --> 00:38:00,359 I am really so indebted to Mr. Chief--you know that perfectly well. 473 00:38:00,359 --> 00:38:05,079 On the other hand, I am concerned about my parents and my sister. 474 00:38:05,079 --> 00:38:09,309 I'm in a fix, but I'll work myself out of it again. 475 00:38:09,309 --> 00:38:13,640 Don't make things more difficult for me than they already are. 476 00:38:13,640 --> 00:38:18,999 Speak up on my behalf in the office! People don't like travelling salesmen. 477 00:38:18,999 --> 00:38:20,519 I know that. 478 00:38:20,519 --> 00:38:25,240 People think they earn pots of money and thus lead a fine life. 479 00:38:25,240 --> 00:38:28,680 People don't even have any special reason to think through this judgment more 480 00:38:28,680 --> 00:38:29,130 clearly. 481 00:38:29,130 --> 00:38:35,819 But you, Mr. Manager, you have a better perspective on what's involved than other 482 00:38:35,819 --> 00:38:39,970 people, even, I tell you in total confidence, a better perspective than Mr. 483 00:38:39,970 --> 00:38:42,900 Chairman himself, who in his capacity as 484 00:38:42,900 --> 00:38:48,690 the employer may let his judgment make casual mistakes at the expense of an 485 00:38:48,690 --> 00:38:50,049 employee. 486 00:38:50,049 --> 00:38:55,049 You also know well enough that the travelling salesman who is outside the 487 00:38:55,049 --> 00:39:02,809 office almost the entire year can become so easily a victim of gossip, coincidences, 488 00:39:02,809 --> 00:39:05,579 and groundless complaints, against which 489 00:39:05,579 --> 00:39:10,660 it's impossible for him to defend himself, since for the most part he doesn't hear 490 00:39:10,660 --> 00:39:16,990 about them at all and only then when he's exhausted after finishing a trip and at 491 00:39:16,990 --> 00:39:21,150 home gets to feel in his own body the nasty 492 00:39:21,150 --> 00:39:25,890 consequences, which can't be thoroughly explored back to their origins. 493 00:39:25,890 --> 00:39:30,900 Mr. Manager, don't leave without speaking a word telling me that you'll at least 494 00:39:30,900 --> 00:39:33,049 concede that I'm a little in the right!" 495 00:39:33,049 --> 00:39:41,400 But at Gregor's first words the manager had already turned away, and now he looked back 496 00:39:41,400 --> 00:39:46,680 at Gregor over his twitching shoulders with pursed lips. 497 00:39:46,680 --> 00:39:52,819 During Gregor's speech he was not still for a moment but kept moving away towards the 498 00:39:52,819 --> 00:39:58,680 door, without taking his eyes off Gregor, but really gradually, as if there was a 499 00:39:58,680 --> 00:40:01,749 secret ban on leaving the room. 500 00:40:01,749 --> 00:40:06,680 He was already in the hall, and given the sudden movement with which he finally 501 00:40:06,680 --> 00:40:11,049 pulled his foot out of the living room, one could have believed that he had just burned 502 00:40:11,049 --> 00:40:13,359 the sole of his foot. 503 00:40:13,359 --> 00:40:18,660 In the hall, however, he stretched his right hand out away from his body towards 504 00:40:18,660 --> 00:40:24,140 the staircase, as if some truly supernatural relief was waiting for him 505 00:40:24,140 --> 00:40:27,079 there. 506 00:40:27,079 --> 00:40:33,759 Gregor realized that he must not under any circumstances allow the manager to go away 507 00:40:33,759 --> 00:40:39,150 in this frame of mind, especially if his position in the firm was not to be placed 508 00:40:39,150 --> 00:40:41,789 in the greatest danger. 509 00:40:41,789 --> 00:40:44,690 His parents did not understand all this very well. 510 00:40:44,690 --> 00:40:50,359 Over the long years, they had developed the conviction that Gregor was set up for life 511 00:40:50,359 --> 00:40:56,200 in his firm and, in addition, they had so much to do nowadays with their present 512 00:40:56,200 --> 00:41:00,249 troubles that all foresight was foreign to them. 513 00:41:00,249 --> 00:41:06,019 But Gregor had this foresight. The manager must be held back, calmed down, 514 00:41:06,019 --> 00:41:09,390 convinced, and finally won over. 515 00:41:09,390 --> 00:41:13,630 The future of Gregor and his family really depended on it! 516 00:41:13,630 --> 00:41:17,430 If only the sister had been there! She was clever. 517 00:41:17,430 --> 00:41:22,509 She had already cried while Gregor was still lying quietly on his back. 518 00:41:22,509 --> 00:41:27,989 And the manager, this friend of the ladies, would certainly let himself be guided by 519 00:41:27,989 --> 00:41:29,009 her. 520 00:41:29,009 --> 00:41:33,880 She would have closed the door to the apartment and talked him out of his fright 521 00:41:33,880 --> 00:41:38,099 in the hall. But the sister was not even there. 522 00:41:38,099 --> 00:41:42,509 Gregor must deal with it himself. 523 00:41:42,509 --> 00:41:48,170 Without thinking that as yet he didn't know anything about his present ability to move 524 00:41:48,170 --> 00:41:54,039 and that his speech possibly--indeed probably--had once again not been 525 00:41:54,039 --> 00:41:56,700 understood, he left the wing of the door, 526 00:41:56,700 --> 00:42:01,680 pushed himself through the opening, and wanted to go over to the manager, who was 527 00:42:01,680 --> 00:42:06,599 already holding tight onto the handrail with both hands on the landing in a 528 00:42:06,599 --> 00:42:08,329 ridiculous way. 529 00:42:08,329 --> 00:42:14,150 But as he looked for something to hold onto, with a small scream Gregor 530 00:42:14,150 --> 00:42:17,650 immediately fell down onto his numerous little legs. 531 00:42:17,650 --> 00:42:23,099 Scarcely had this happened, when he felt for the first time that morning a general 532 00:42:23,099 --> 00:42:25,450 physical well being. 533 00:42:25,450 --> 00:42:32,259 The small limbs had firm floor under them; they obeyed perfectly, as he noticed to his 534 00:42:32,259 --> 00:42:37,710 joy, and strove to carry him forward in the direction he wanted. 535 00:42:37,710 --> 00:42:43,069 Right away he believed that the final amelioration of all his suffering was 536 00:42:43,069 --> 00:42:44,349 immediately at hand. 537 00:42:44,349 --> 00:42:51,329 But at the very moment when he lay on the floor rocking in a restrained manner quite 538 00:42:51,329 --> 00:42:56,599 close and directly across from his mother, who had apparently totally sunk into 539 00:42:56,599 --> 00:42:59,869 herself, she suddenly sprang right up with 540 00:42:59,869 --> 00:43:06,819 her arms spread far apart and her fingers extended and cried out, "Help, for God's 541 00:43:06,819 --> 00:43:08,839 sake, help!" 542 00:43:08,839 --> 00:43:14,460 She held her head bowed down, as if she wanted to view Gregor better, but ran 543 00:43:14,460 --> 00:43:19,720 senselessly back, contradicting that gesture, forgetting that behind her stood 544 00:43:19,720 --> 00:43:22,109 the table with all the dishes on it. 545 00:43:22,109 --> 00:43:27,839 When she reached the table, she sat down heavily on it, as if absent-mindedly, and 546 00:43:27,839 --> 00:43:33,369 did not appear to notice at all that next to her coffee was pouring out onto the 547 00:43:33,369 --> 00:43:37,980 carpet in a full stream from the large overturned container. 548 00:43:37,980 --> 00:43:45,579 "Mother, mother," said Gregor quietly, and looked over towards her. 549 00:43:45,579 --> 00:43:49,970 The manager momentarily had disappeared completely from his mind. 550 00:43:49,970 --> 00:43:56,420 At the sight of the flowing coffee Gregor couldn't stop himself snapping his jaws in 551 00:43:56,420 --> 00:43:57,660 the air a few times . 552 00:43:57,660 --> 00:44:05,369 At that his mother screamed all over again, hurried from the table, and collapsed into 553 00:44:05,369 --> 00:44:09,539 the arms of his father, who was rushing towards her. 554 00:44:09,539 --> 00:44:14,619 But Gregor had no time right now for his parents--the manager was already on the 555 00:44:14,619 --> 00:44:18,920 staircase. His chin level with the banister, the 556 00:44:18,920 --> 00:44:22,259 manager looked back for the last time. 557 00:44:22,259 --> 00:44:26,039 Gregor took an initial movement to catch up to him if possible. 558 00:44:26,039 --> 00:44:30,730 But the manager must have suspected something, because he made a leap down over 559 00:44:30,730 --> 00:44:35,319 a few stairs and disappeared, still shouting "Huh!" 560 00:44:35,319 --> 00:44:40,440 The sound echoed throughout the entire stairwell. 561 00:44:40,440 --> 00:44:46,130 Now, unfortunately this flight of the manager also seemed to bewilder his father 562 00:44:46,130 --> 00:44:46,789 completely. 563 00:44:46,789 --> 00:44:52,420 Earlier he had been relatively calm, for instead of running after the manager 564 00:44:52,420 --> 00:44:58,069 himself or at least not hindering Gregor from his pursuit, with his right hand he 565 00:44:58,069 --> 00:45:00,960 grabbed hold of the manager's cane, which 566 00:45:00,960 --> 00:45:05,079 he had left behind with his hat and overcoat on a chair. 567 00:45:05,079 --> 00:45:09,599 With his left hand, his father picked up a large newspaper from the table and, 568 00:45:09,599 --> 00:45:15,619 stamping his feet on the floor, he set out to drive Gregor back into his room by 569 00:45:15,619 --> 00:45:18,829 waving the cane and the newspaper. 570 00:45:18,829 --> 00:45:25,079 No request of Gregor's was of any use; no request would even be understood. 571 00:45:25,079 --> 00:45:30,739 No matter how willing he was to turn his head respectfully, his father just stomped 572 00:45:30,739 --> 00:45:33,880 all the harder with his feet. 573 00:45:33,880 --> 00:45:38,730 Across the room from him his mother had pulled open a window, in spite of the cool 574 00:45:38,730 --> 00:45:44,980 weather, and leaning out with her hands on her cheeks, she pushed her face far outside 575 00:45:44,980 --> 00:45:46,920 the window. 576 00:45:46,920 --> 00:45:51,749 Between the alley and the stairwell a strong draught came up, the curtains on the 577 00:45:51,749 --> 00:45:57,829 window flew around, the newspapers on the table swished, and individual sheets 578 00:45:57,829 --> 00:46:00,460 fluttered down over the floor. 579 00:46:00,460 --> 00:46:07,420 The father relentlessly pressed forward, pushing out sibilants, like a wild man. 580 00:46:07,420 --> 00:46:13,970 Now, Gregor had no practice at all in going backwards--it was really very slow going. 581 00:46:13,970 --> 00:46:18,339 If Gregor only had been allowed to turn himself around, he would have been in his 582 00:46:18,339 --> 00:46:23,710 room right away, but he was afraid to make his father impatient by the time-consuming 583 00:46:23,710 --> 00:46:26,920 process of turning around, and each moment 584 00:46:26,920 --> 00:46:32,460 he faced the threat of a mortal blow on his back or his head from the cane in his 585 00:46:32,460 --> 00:46:34,039 father's hand. 586 00:46:34,039 --> 00:46:39,819 Finally Gregor had no other option, for he noticed with horror that he did not 587 00:46:39,819 --> 00:46:44,970 understand yet how to maintain his direction going backwards. 588 00:46:44,970 --> 00:46:51,799 And so he began, amid constantly anxious sideways glances in his father's direction, 589 00:46:51,799 --> 00:46:57,029 to turn himself around as quickly as possible, although in truth this was only 590 00:46:57,029 --> 00:46:57,809 done very slowly. 591 00:46:57,809 --> 00:47:04,359 Perhaps his father noticed his good intentions, for he did not disrupt Gregor 592 00:47:04,359 --> 00:47:09,970 in this motion, but with the tip of the cane from a distance he even directed 593 00:47:09,970 --> 00:47:13,650 Gregor's rotating movement here and there. 594 00:47:13,650 --> 00:47:18,809 If only his father had not hissed so unbearably! 595 00:47:18,809 --> 00:47:23,119 Because of that Gregor totally lost his head. 596 00:47:23,119 --> 00:47:28,349 He was already almost totally turned around, when, always with this hissing in 597 00:47:28,349 --> 00:47:33,609 his ear, he just made a mistake and turned himself back a little. 598 00:47:33,609 --> 00:47:38,239 But when he finally was successful in getting his head in front of the door 599 00:47:38,239 --> 00:47:43,729 opening, it became clear that his body was too wide to go through any further. 600 00:47:43,729 --> 00:47:50,839 Naturally his father, in his present mental state, had no idea of opening the other 601 00:47:50,839 --> 00:47:56,229 wing of the door a bit to create a suitable passage for Gregor to get through. 602 00:47:56,229 --> 00:48:02,069 His single fixed thought was that Gregor must get into his room as quickly as 603 00:48:02,069 --> 00:48:02,869 possible. 604 00:48:02,869 --> 00:48:08,160 He would never have allowed the elaborate preparations that Gregor required to orient 605 00:48:08,160 --> 00:48:11,779 himself and thus perhaps get through the door. 606 00:48:11,779 --> 00:48:16,950 On the contrary, as if there were no obstacle and with a peculiar noise, he now 607 00:48:16,950 --> 00:48:19,749 drove Gregor forwards. 608 00:48:19,749 --> 00:48:24,729 Behind Gregor the sound at this point was no longer like the voice of only a single 609 00:48:24,729 --> 00:48:25,819 father. 610 00:48:25,819 --> 00:48:31,599 Now it was really no longer a joke, and Gregor forced himself, come what might, 611 00:48:31,599 --> 00:48:36,289 into the door. One side of his body was lifted up. 612 00:48:36,289 --> 00:48:39,089 He lay at an angle in the door opening. 613 00:48:39,089 --> 00:48:46,829 His one flank was sore with the scraping. On the white door ugly blotches were left. 614 00:48:46,829 --> 00:48:52,529 Soon he was stuck fast and would have not been able to move any more on his own. 615 00:48:52,529 --> 00:48:58,710 The tiny legs on one side hung twitching in the air above, and the ones on the other 616 00:48:58,710 --> 00:49:01,630 side were pushed painfully into the floor. 617 00:49:01,630 --> 00:49:08,369 Then his father gave him one really strong liberating push from behind, and he 618 00:49:08,369 --> 00:49:14,339 scurried, bleeding severely, far into the interior of his room. 619 00:49:14,339 --> 99:59:59,999 The door was slammed shut with the cane, and finally it was quiet.