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Mr. Samsa, the manager was now shouting, his voice
raised, whats the matter? You are barricading yourself in
your room, answer with only a yes and a no, are making
serious and unnecessary troubles for your parents, and
neglecting (I mention this only incidentally) your
commercial duties in a truly unheard of manner. I am
speaking here in the name of your parents and your
employer, and I am requesting you in all seriousness for an
immediate and clear explanation. I am amazed. I am
amazed. I thought I knew you as a calm, reasonable
person, and now you appear suddenly to want to start
parading around in weird moods. The Chief indicated to
me earlier this very day a possible explanation for your
neglectit concerned the collection of cash entrusted to
you a short while agobut in truth I almost gave him my
word of honour that this explanation could not be correct.
However, now I see here your unimaginable pig
headedness, and I am totally losing any desire to speak up
for you in the slightest. And your position is not at all the
most secure. Originally I intended to mention all this to
you privately, but since you are letting me waste my time.The Metamorphosis
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here uselessly, I dont know why the matter shouldnt
come to the attention of your parents. Your productivity
has also been very unsatisfactory recently. Of course, its
not the time of year to conduct exceptional business, we
recognize that, but a time of year for conducting no
business, there is no such thing at all, Mr. Samsa, and such
a thing must never be.
But Mr. Manager, called Gregor, beside himself and
in his agitation forgetting everything else, Im opening the
door immediately, this very moment. A slight
indisposition, a dizzy spell, has prevented me from getting
up. Im still lying in bed right now. But now Im quite
refreshed once again. Im in the midst of getting out of
bed. Just have patience for a short moment! Things are not
going so well as I thought. But things are all right. How
suddenly this can overcome someone! Just yesterday
evening everything was fine with me. My parents certainly
know that. Actually just yesterday evening I had a small
premonition. People must have seen that in me. Why
have I not reported that to the office! But people always
think that theyll get over sickness without having to stay
at home. Mr. Manager! Take it easy on my parents! There
is really no basis for the criticisms which you are now
making against me, and really nobody has said a word to.The Metamorphosis
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me about that. Perhaps you have not read the latest orders
which I shipped. Besides, now Im setting out on my trip
on the eight oclock train; the few hours rest have made
me stronger. Mr. Manager, do not stay. I will be at the
office in person right away. Please have the goodness to
say that and to convey my respects to the Chief.
While Gregor was quickly blurting all this out, hardly
aware of what he was saying, he had moved close to the
chest of drawers without effort, probably as a result of the
practice he had already had in bed, and now he was trying
to raise himself up on it. Actually, he wanted to open the
door; he really wanted to let himself be seen by and to
speak with the manager. He was keen to witness what the
others now asking after him would say at the sight of him.
If they were startled, then Gregor had no more
responsibility and could be calm. But if they accepted
everything quietly, then he would have no reason to get
excited and, if he got a move on, could really be at the
station around eight oclock.
At first he slid down a few times from the smooth chest
of drawers. But at last he gave himself a final swing and
stood upright there. He was no longer at all aware of the
pains in his lower body, no matter how they might still
sting. Now he let himself fall against the back of a nearby.The Metamorphosis
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chair, on the edge of which he braced himself with his
thin limbs. By doing this he gained control over himself
and kept quiet, for he could now hear the manager.
Did you understood a single word? the manager asked
the parents, Is he playing the fool with us? For Gods
sake, cried the mother already in tears, perhaps hes very
ill and were upsetting him. Grete! Grete! she yelled at
that point. Mother? called the sister from the other side.
They were making themselves understood through
Gregors room. You must go to the doctor right away.
Gregor is sick. Hurry to the doctor. Have you heard
Gregor speak yet? That was an animals voice, said the
manager, remarkably quietly in comparison to the
mothers cries.
Anna! Anna! yelled the father through the hall into
the kitchen, clapping his hands, fetch a locksmith right