Page 49 - the-metamorphosis

him. She ran into the room next door to bring some spir-
its or other with which she could revive her mother from
her fainting spell. Gregor wanted to help as well (there was
time enough to save the picture), but he was stuck fast on
the glass and had to tear himself loose forcefully. Then he
also scurried into the next room, as if he could give his sis-
ter some advice, as in earlier times, but then he had to stand
there idly behind her, while she rummaged about among
various small bottles. Still, she was frightened when she
turned around. A bottle fell onto the floor and shattered.
A splinter of glass wounded Gregor in the face, some cor-
rosive medicine or other dripped over him. Now, without
lingering any longer, Grete took as many small bottles as
she could hold and ran with them into her mother. She
slammed the door shut with her foot. Gregor was now shut
off from his mother, who was perhaps near death, thanks
to him. He could not open the door, and he did not want to
chase away his sister who had to remain with her mother. At
this point he had nothing to do but wait, and overwhelmed
with self-reproach and worry, he began to creep and crawl
over everything: walls, furniture, and ceiling,. Finally, in
his despair, as the entire room started to spin around him,
he fell onto the middle of the large table.
A short time elapsed. Gregor lay there limply. All around
was still. Perhaps that was a good sign. Then there was ring
at the door. The servant girl was naturally shut up in her
kitchen, and Grete must therefore go to open the door. The
father had arrived. ‘What’s happened,’ were his first words.
Grete’s appearance had told him everything. Grete replied

The Metamorphosis