Page 43 - the-metamorphosis

ture which got in the way, especially the chest of drawers
and the writing desk.
But she was in no position to do this by herself. She did
not dare to ask her father to help, and the servant girl would
certainly not have assisted her, for although this girl, about
sixteen years old, had courageously remained since the
dismissal of the previous cook, she had begged for the priv-
ilege of being allowed to stay permanently confined to the
kitchen and of having to open the door only in answer to a
special summons. Thus, his sister had no other choice but
to involve his mother while his father was absent. His moth-
er approached Gregor’s room with cries of excited joy, but
she fell silent at the door. Of course, his sister first checked
whether everything in the room was in order. Only then
did she let his mother walk in. In great haste Gregor had
drawn the sheet down even further and wrinkled it more.
The whole thing really looked just like a coverlet thrown
carelessly over the couch. On this occasion, Gregor held
back from spying out from under the sheet. Thus, he re-
frained from looking at his mother this time and was just
happy that she had come. ‘Come on; he is not visible,’ said
his sister, and evidently led his mother by the hand. Now
Gregor listened as these two weak women shifted the still
heavy old chest of drawers from its position, and as his sis-
ter constantly took on herself the greatest part of the work,
without listening to the warnings of his mother who was
afraid that she would strain herself. The work lasted a long
time. After about a quarter of an hour had already gone by
his mother said that it would be better if they left the chest

The Metamorphosis