One morning, as Gregor Samsa was waking up from anxious dreams, he discovered that in bed he had been changed into a monstrous verminous bug. He lay on his armour-hard back and saw, as he lifted his head up a little, his brown, arched abdomen divided up into rigid bow-like sections. From this height the blanket, just about ready to slide off completely, could hardly stay in place. His numerous legs, pitifully thin in comparison to the rest of his circumference, flickered helplessly before his eyes.
Gregorio Samsa, svegliandosi un mattino da sogni agitati, si trovòtrasformato, nel suo letto, in un enorme insetto immondo. Giacevasulla schiena, dura come una corazza e, sollevando un po' latesta, vide un addome arcuato, scuro, attraversato da numerosenervature. La coperta, in equilibrio sulla sua punta, minacciavadi cadere da un momento all'altro; mentre le numerose zampe,pietosamente sottili rispetto alla sua mole, gli ondeggiavanoconfusamente davanti agli occhi.
"What's happened to me," he thought. It was no dream. His room, a proper room for a human being, only somewhat too small, lay quietly between the four well-known walls. Above the table, on which an unpacked collection of sample cloth goods was spread out (Samsa was a traveling salesman) hung the picture which he had cut out of an illustrated magazine a little while ago and set in a pretty gilt frame. It was a picture of a woman with a fur hat and a fur boa. She sat erect there, lifting up in the direction of the viewer a solid fur muff into which her entire forearm disappeared.
"Che mi è successo?" pensò. Non era un sogno. La sua camera, unavera camera per esseri umani, anche se un po' piccola, stava benferma e tranquilla tra le sue quattro note pareti. Sopra iltavolo, su cui era sparso un campionario di tessuti -Samsa eracommesso viaggiatore -era appesa un'immagine ritagliata, nonmolto tempo prima, da una rivista illustrata e collocata in unagraziosa cornice dorata. Raffigurava una donna che, in boa eberretto di pelle, sedeva ben dritta con il busto, alzando versol'osservatore un pesante manicotto di pelliccia in cui scomparivatutto l'avambraccio.
Gregor's glance then turned to the window. The dreary weather (the rain drops were falling audibly down on the metal window ledge) made him quite melancholy. "Why don't I keep sleeping for a little while longer and forget all this foolishness," he thought. But this was entirely impractical, for he was used to sleeping on his right side, and in his present state he couldn't get himself into this position. No matter how hard he threw himself onto his right side, he always rolled again onto his back. He must have tried it a hundred times, closing his eyes, so that he would not have to see the wriggling legs, and gave up only when he began to feel a light, dull pain in his side which he had never felt before.
Lo sguardo di Gregorio passò allora alla finestra e il cielocoperto -si sentivano gocce di pioggia picchiettare sulla lamieradel davanzale -finì d'immalinconirlo. "Se dormissi ancora un po',e dimenticassi tutte queste stupidaggini?" pensò; ma la cosa eraimpossibile, perché abituato a dormire sul fianco destro, e nellostato in cui si trovava, non era in grado di assumere quellaposizione. Per quanta forza impiegasse nel cercare di buttarsisulla destra, ricadeva sempre sul dorso. Provò cento volte, chiusegli occhi per non vedere le sue zampine annaspanti e smise soloquando cominciò a sentire sul fianco un dolore leggero, sordo, maiprovato prima.
"O God," he thought, "what a demanding job I've chosen! Day in, day out on the road. The stresses of trade are much greater than the work going on at head office, and, in addition to that, I have to deal with the problems of traveling, the worries about train connections, irregular bad food, temporary and constantly changing human relationships which never come from the heart. To hell with it all!" He felt a slight itching on the top of his abdomen. He slowly pushed himself on his back closer to the bed post so that he could lift his head more easily, found the itchy part, which was entirely covered with small white spots (he did not know what to make of them), and wanted to feel the place with a leg. But he retracted it immediately, for the contact felt like a cold shower all over him.
"Dio mio!" pensò, "che professione faticosa mi sono scelta! Tuttii santi giorni in viaggio. Le preoccupazioni sono maggiori diquando lavoravamo in proprio, in più c'è il tormento delviaggiare: l'affanno delle coincidenze, i pasti irregolari,cattivi, i rapporti con gli uomini sempre mutevoli, instabili, chenon arrivano mai a diventare duraturi, cordiali. Vada tutto aldiavolo!" Sentì un lieve prurito sul ventre; restando supino sitirò adagio verso il capezzale, per poter alzare meglio la testa,e trovò il punto che prudeva coperto da macchioline bianche che lolasciarono perplesso; provò a sfiorare il punto con una zampa, mala ritirò subito, perché il contatto gli provocò un brivido.
He slid back again into his earlier position. "This getting up early," he thought, "makes a man quite idiotic. A man must have his sleep. Other traveling salesmen live like harem women. For instance, when I come back to the inn during the course of the morning to write up the necessary orders, these gentlemen are just sitting down to breakfast. If I were to try that with my boss, I'd be thrown out on the spot. Still, who knows whether that mightn't be really good for me. If I didn't hold back for my parents' sake, I would've quit ages ago. I would've gone to the boss and told him just what I think from the bottom of my heart. He would've fallen right off his desk! How weird it is to sit up at the desk and talk down to the employee from way up there. The boss has trouble hearing, so the employee has to step up quite close to him. Anyway, I haven't completely given up that hope yet. Once I've got together the money to pay off the parents' debt to him--that should take another five or six years--I'll do it for sure. Then I'll make the big break. In any case, right now I have to get up. My train leaves at five o'clock."
Scivolò di nuovo nella posizione di prima. "Queste alzatacce",pensò, "finiscono col rimbecillire. L'uomo deve avere il suosonno. Certi colleghi vivono come le donne di un harem. Se unamattina mi succede, per esempio, di rientrare in albergo pertrascrivere le commissioni ricevute, quei signori si sono appenaseduti per la prima colazione. Ci provassi io, col mio principale: che volo farei! D'altra parte, chi sa se non sarebbe una fortuna. Non fosse per i genitori, mi sarei licenziato da un pezzo, sareiandato dal principale e gli avrei detto quello che penso, dalla aalla zeta! Sarebbe dovuto cadere dallo scrittoio! Che strano modo,poi, di sedere sullo scrittoio e parlare da lì agli impiegati,specie se si considera che, sordo com'è, quelli devono andargliproprio sotto il naso. Ma non è detta l'ultima parola: appena avròmesso da parte tanto denaro da pagargli il debito dei mieigenitori, forse occorrono ancora cinque o sei anni, -lo faròsenz'altro. Allora ci sarà il grande distacco. Ma intanto mi devoalzare, il treno parte alle cinque".
And he looked over at the alarm clock ticking away by the chest of drawers. "Good God," he thought. It was half past six, and the hands were going quietly on. It was past the half hour, already nearly quarter to. Could the alarm have failed to ring? One saw from the bed that it was properly set for four o'clock. Certainly it had rung. Yes, but was it possible to sleep through this noise that made the furniture shake? Now, it's true he'd not slept quietly, but evidently he'd slept all the more deeply. Still, what should he do now? The next train left at seven o'clock. To catch that one, he would have to go in a mad rush. The sample collection wasn't packed up yet, and he really didn't feel particularly fresh and active. And even if he caught the train, there was no avoiding a blow up with the boss, because the firm's errand boy would've waited for the five o'clock train and reported the news of his absence long ago. He was the boss's minion, without backbone or intelligence. Well then, what if he reported in sick? But that would be extremely embarrassing and suspicious, because during his five years' service Gregor hadn't been sick even once. The boss would certainly come with the doctor from the health insurance company and would reproach his parents for their lazy son and cut short all objections with the insurance doctor's comments; for him everyone was completely healthy but really lazy about work. And besides, would the doctor in this case be totally wrong? Apart from a really excessive drowsiness after the long sleep, Gregor in fact felt quite well and even had a really strong appetite.
Diede un'occhiata alla sveglia, che ticchettava sul cassettone. "Dio del cielo!" pensò. Erano le sei e mezzo, e le lancetteproseguivano tranquillamente il loro cammino, anzi la mezza eragià passata, erano ormai i tre quarti. Che la sveglia non avessesuonato? Dal letto si vedeva che era stata messa regolarmentesulle quattro; aveva senza dubbio suonato: possibile che avessecontinuato a dormire con quel suono che scuoteva i mobili? Nonaveva avuto un sonno tranquillo, ma forse per questo aveva dormitopiù pesantemente. Che avrebbe fatto? Il treno successivo partivaalle sette; per riuscire a prenderlo, avrebbe dovuto correre comeun matto, e il campionario non era ancora pronto, mentre lui, poi,non si sentiva troppo fresco e in forze. E anche se fosse riuscitoa prendere il treno, un rimprovero del principale era ormaiinevitabile: il fattorino lo aveva aspettato al treno delle cinquee da un pezzo doveva aver riferito sulla sua assenza. Era unacreatura del principale, senza volontà né cervello. E se si fossedato malato? Sarebbe stato molto penoso e sospetto, perché incinque anni di servizio non era ancora stato malato nemmeno unavolta. Il principale sarebbe venuto con il medico della mutua,avrebbe rimproverato ai genitori la pigrizia del figlio e tagliatocorto a tutte le obiezioni, rimettendosi al medico, per il quale,come si sa, esistono solo individui sanissimi, ma poltroni. E nelsuo caso avrebbe poi avuto tutti i torti? Non fosse stato per unacerta sonnolenza, inspiegabile dopo un riposo così lungo, Gregoriosi sentiva proprio bene, provava perfino un ottimo appetito.
As he was thinking all this over in the greatest haste, without being able to make the decision to get out of bed (the alarm clock was indicating exactly quarter to seven) there was a cautious knock on the door by the head of the bed.
Mentre pensava rapidamente a tutto questo, senza potersi deciderea lasciare il letto, la sveglia suonò le sei e tre quarti. Nellostesso tempo, qualcuno picchiò con cautela alla porta vicino alcapezzale.
"Gregor," a voice called (it was his mother!) "it's quarter to seven. Don't you want to be on your way?" The soft voice! Gregor was startled when he heard his voice answering. It was clearly and unmistakably his earlier voice, but in it was intermingled, as if from below, an irrepressibly painful squeaking which left the words positively distinct only in the first moment and distorted them in the reverberation, so that one didn't know if one had heard correctly. Gregor wanted to answer in detail and explain everything, but in these circumstances he confined himself to saying, "Yes, yes, thank you mother. I'm getting up right away." Because of the wooden door the change in Gregor's voice was not really noticeable outside, so his mother calmed down with this explanation and shuffled off. However, as a result of the short conversation the other family members became aware of the fact that Gregor was unexpectedly still at home, and already his father was knocking on one side door, weakly but with his fist. "Gregor, Gregor," he called out, "what's going on?" And after a short while he urged him on again in a deeper voice. "Gregor!" Gregor!" At the other side door, however, his sister knocked lightly. "Gregor? Are you all right? Do you need anything?" Gregor directed answers in both directions, "I'll be ready right away." He made an effort with the most careful articulation and by inserting long pauses between the individual words to remove everything remarkable from his voice. His father turned back to his breakfast. However, the sister whispered, "Gregor, open the door, I beg you." Gregor had no intention of opening the door, but congratulated himself on his precaution, acquired from traveling, of locking all doors during the night, even at home.
"Gregorio!" chiamava una voce, quella della mamma. "Sono le sei e tre quarti. Non volevi partire?". La voce soave! Gregorio si spaventò quando sentì la propriarisposta. La voce, senza dubbio, era la sua di prima: ma ad essasi mischiava un pigolio lamentoso, incontenibile, che lasciavacapire le parole solo in un primo momento, ma subito ne alterava isuoni a un punto tale, da far dubitare di aver inteso bene. Gregorio avrebbe voluto dare una lunga risposta e spiegare tutto,ma, in quelle condizioni, si limitò a dire: "Sì, sì, grazie,mamma, sto già alzandomi". Attraverso la porta, la voce non dovésembrare diversa dal solito, perché la mamma fu tranquillizzatadalla spiegazione e si allontanò ciabattando. Ma quel brevedialogo aveva rivelato anche agli altri membri della famiglia cheGregorio, fatto insolito, era ancora in casa. Infatti ecco ilpadre picchiare piano, ma col pugno, a una delle porte laterali. "Gregorio, Gregorio!" gridò. "Che c'è?". E dopo un po' ripetéancora, con voce più bassa: "Gregorio, Gregorio!". Attraverso l'altra porta laterale, la sorella chiese piano: "Gregorio, non ti senti bene? Hai bisogno di qualche cosa?". Gregorio rispose a entrambi: "Sono già pronto!" sforzandosi direndere la sua voce normale con un'attenta pronuncia e lunghepause tra una parola e l'altra. Il padre tornò alla sua colazione,ma la sorella sussurrò: "Gregorio, apri, ti scongiuro!". Ma Gregorio non ci pensò nemmeno, ad aprire, e si rallegrò anzidell'abitudine, presa durante i suoi viaggi, di chiudersi, lanotte, in camera, anche a casa.
First he wanted to stand up quietly and undisturbed, get dressed, above all have breakfast, and only then consider further action, for (he noticed this clearly) by thinking things over in bed he would not reach a reasonable conclusion. He remembered that he had already often felt a light pain or other in bed, perhaps the result of an awkward lying position, which later turned out to be purely imaginary when he stood up, and he was eager to see how his present fantasies would gradually dissipate. That the change in his voice was nothing other than the onset of a real chill, an occupational illness of commercial travelers, of that he had not the slightest doubt.
Voleva alzarsi tranquillo e indisturbato, vestirsi, soprattuttofare colazione, e poi pensare al resto, perché si rendeva contoche, se fosse rimasto a meditare a letto, non sarebbe mai arrivatoa una conclusione ragionevole. Si ricordò che altre volte avevasentito, a letto, un leggero dolore, forse provocato da unaposizione scomoda, che poi, appena alzato, si era rivelato fruttod'immaginazione; e ora era curioso di vedere come le fantasiedella mattinata si sarebbero a poco a poco dileguate. Era convintoche il cambiamento di voce fosse soltanto il preavviso di un forteraffreddore, malattia professionale dei commessi viaggiatori.
It was very easy to throw aside the blanket. He needed only to push himself up a little, and it fell by itself. But to continue was difficult, particularly because he was so unusually wide. He needed arms and hands to push himself upright. Instead of these, however, he had only many small limbs which were incessantly moving with very different motions and which, in addition, he was unable to control. If he wanted to bend one of them, then it was the first to extend itself, and if he finally succeeded doing with this limb what he wanted, in the meantime all the others, as if left free, moved around in an excessively painful agitation. "But I must not stay in bed uselessly," said Gregor to himself.
Buttare via la coperta fu una cosa da nulla: gli bastò gonfiarsiun poco e quella cadde da sola. Ma dopo cominciarono ledifficoltà, specialmente perché era così grosso. Avrebbe avutobisogno di braccia e di mani, per alzarsi; invece aveva soltantotutte quelle zampine in perpetuo movimento, che non riusciva adominare. Se provava a piegarne una, gli capitava, al contrario,di allungarla; quando riusciva infine a fare con essa ciò chevoleva, le altre, quasi fossero senza controllo, si muovevano conun'altissima e dolorosa intensità. "Via, via, inutile restare aletto!" si disse Gregorio.
At first he wanted to get of the bed with the lower part of his body, but this lower part (which he incidentally had not yet looked at and which he also couldn't picture clearly) proved itself too difficult to move. The attempt went so slowly. When, having become almost frantic, he finally hurled himself forward with all his force and without thinking, he chose his direction incorrectly, and he hit the lower bedpost hard. The violent pain he felt revealed to him that the lower part of his body was at the moment probably the most sensitive.
Dapprima cercò di uscire dal letto con la parte inferiore delcorpo, ma questa parte, che non aveva ancora visto e che nonpoteva immaginare bene, era troppo difficile da muovere. Esasperato per la lentezza dell'operazione, raccolse tutte le sueforze e si slanciò in avanti, ma, avendo calcolato male ladistanza, picchiò contro il fondo del letto. Un dolore cocente gliinsegnò che la parte inferiore del suo corpo era, per il momento,la più sensibile.
Thus, he tried to get his upper body out of the bed first and turned his head carefully toward the edge of the bed. He managed to do this easily, and in spite of its width and weight his body mass at last slowly followed the turning of his head. But as he finally raised his head outside the bed in the open air, he became anxious about moving forward any further in this manner, for if he allowed himself eventually to fall by this process, it would take a miracle to prevent his head from getting injured. And at all costs he must not lose consciousness right now. He preferred to remain in bed.
Cercò allora di portare fuori prima il tronco, e giròprudentemente la testa verso l'orlo del letto. Questa manovrariuscì e la massa del corpo, nonostante la mole e il peso,accompagnò lentamente il movimento della testa. Quando però lasporse fuori dal letto, ebbe paura a spingersi ancora avanti: sefosse caduto così, infatti, si sarebbe fracassato la testa, a menodi un miracolo. In quel momento, non voleva proprio perdere ilcontrollo di sé; preferiva piuttosto restare a letto.
However, after a similar effort, while he lay there again sighing as before and once again saw his small limbs fighting one another, if anything worse than before, and didn't see any chance of imposing quiet and order on this arbitrary movement, he told himself again that he couldn't possibly remain in bed and that it might be the most reasonable thing to sacrifice everything if there was even the slightest hope of getting himself out of bed in the process. At the same moment, however, he didn't forget to remind himself from time to time of the fact that calm (indeed the calmest) reflection might be better than the most confused decisions. At such moments, he directed his gaze as precisely as he could toward the window, but unfortunately there was little confident cheer to be had from a glance at the morning mist, which concealed even the other side of the narrow street. "It's already seven o'clock" he told himself at the latest striking of the alarm clock, "already seven o'clock and still such a fog." And for a little while longer he lay quietly with weak breathing, as if perhaps waiting for normal and natural conditions to re-emerge out of the complete stillness.
Ma quando, dopo altrettanta fatica, si ritrovò ansimante nellaposizione di partenza e vide le zampine agitarsi le une contro lealtre in modo, se possibile, ancora più rabbioso, di fronteall'impossibilità di mettere ordine e calma in quella confusione,si disse ancora una volta che non poteva assolutamente restare aletto e che la cosa più ragionevole era quella di sacrificare ognicosa alla speranza, sia pure minima, di alzarsi. Nello stessotempo, si disse che una calma, tranquilla riflessione era megliodi una decisione disperata. In quei momenti, di solito, glicapitava di fissare la finestra, ma questa volta la foschiamattutina, che nascondeva perfino le case all'altro lato dellastretta strada, poté ben poco sul suo umore. "Già le sette", sidisse a un nuovo segnale della sveglia, "già le sette e ancora unanebbia così". Per un po' rimase immobile, respirando appena, comese aspettasse dall'immobilità assoluta il ritorno alla vitanormale.
But then he said to himself, "Before it strikes a quarter past seven, whatever happens I must be completely out of bed. Besides, by then someone from the office will arrive to inquire about me, because the office will open before seven o'clock." And he made an effort then to rock his entire body length out of the bed with a uniform motion. If he let himself fall out of the bed in this way, his head, which in the course of the fall he intended to lift up sharply, would probably remain uninjured. His back seemed to be hard; nothing would really happen to that as a result of the fall. His greatest reservation was a worry about the loud noise which the fall must create and which presumably would arouse, if not fright, then at least concern on the other side of all the doors. However, it had to be tried.
Ma poi si disse: "Prima delle sette e un quarto, devo averlasciato il letto ad ogni costo. Nel frattempo, sarà di certovenuto qualcuno della ditta a chiedere notizie, perché apronoprima delle sette. Si accinse a buttarsi fuori del letto di uncolpo solo, con tutto il corpo. Se si lasciava cadere in questomodo, la testa, che nella caduta avrebbe cercato di teneresollevata, sarebbe rimasta illesa. La schiena sembrava dura: cadendo sul tappeto, non le sarebbe successo niente. Soprattuttotemeva il rumore che avrebbe prodotto, l'apprensione, se non lospavento, che avrebbe destato dietro le porte. Ma bisognavacorrere questo rischio.
As Gregor was in the process of lifting himself half out of bed (the new method was more of a game than an effort; he needed only to rock with a constant rhythm) it struck him how easy all this would be if someone were to come to his aid. Two strong people (he thought of his father and the servant girl) would have been quite sufficient. They would have only had to push their arms under his arched back to get him out of the bed, to bend down with their load, and then merely to exercise patience and care that he completed the flip onto the floor, where his diminutive legs would then, he hoped, acquire a purpose. Now, quite apart from the fact that the doors were locked, should he really call out for help? In spite of all his distress, he was unable to suppress a smile at this idea.
Quando Gregorio ebbe una metà del corpo fuori del letto -il nuovosistema era più un gioco che una fatica, bastava dondolarsi conpiccole scosse -pensò quanto tutto sarebbe stato semplice sequalcuno lo avesse aiutato. Due persone robuste come il padre e ladomestica sarebbero bastate; passate le braccia sotto la suaschiena arcuata, così da farlo sgusciare dal letto, bastava che sifossero chinati con il carico e avessero aspettato, tranquilli,che lui si rovesciasse sul pavimento, dove le zampine, c'era dasperare, si sarebbero dimostrate utili. Ma a parte il fatto che leporte erano chiuse, avrebbe fatto bene a chiedere aiuto? A questopensiero, nonostante le difficoltà, non poté trattenere unsorriso.
He had already got to the point where, with a stronger rocking, he maintained his equilibrium with difficulty, and very soon he would finally have to decide, for in five minutes it would be a quarter past seven. Then there was a ring at the door of the apartment. "That's someone from the office" he told himself, and he almost froze while his small limbs only danced around all the faster. For one moment everything remained still. "They aren't opening," Gregor said to himself, caught up in some absurd hope. But of course then, as usual, the servant girl with her firm tread went to the door and opened it. Gregor needed to hear only the visitor's first word of greeting to recognize immediately who it was, the manager himself. Why was Gregor the only one condemned to work in a firm where at the slightest lapse someone immediately attracted the greatest suspicion? Were all the employees then collectively, one and all, scoundrels? Was there then among them no truly devoted person who, if he failed to use just a couple of hours in the morning for office work, would become abnormal from pangs of conscience and really be in no state to get out of bed? Was it really not enough to let an apprentice make inquiries, if such questioning was even necessary? Must the manager himself come, and in the process must it be demonstrated to the entire innocent family that the investigation of this suspicious circumstance could only be entrusted to the intelligence of the manager? And more as a consequence of the excited state in which this idea put Gregor than as a result of an actual decision, he swung himself with all his might out of the bed. There was a loud thud, but not a real crash. The fall was absorbed somewhat by the carpet and, in addition, his back was more elastic than Gregor had thought. For that reason the dull noise was not quite so conspicuous. But he had not held his head up with sufficient care and had hit it. He turned his head, irritated and in pain, and rubbed it on the carpet.
La sua manovra era tanto avanzata che, con una oscillazione piùenergica, avrebbe definitivamente perso l'equilibrio; dovevadunque decidersi, perché entro cinque minuti sarebbe scaduto ilquarto. In quel momento suonò il campanello d'ingresso. "E'qualcuno della ditta", si disse; e si sentì agghiacciare, mentrele zampine ballavano ancor più velocemente. Per un momento, non sisentì niente. "Non aprono", si disse Gregorio, in preda a unasperanza irragionevole. Poi, come sempre, naturalmente, ladomestica andò con il suo passo pesante alla porta e aprì. AGregorio bastò sentire la prima parola di saluto del visitatore,per capire di chi si trattava: il procuratore in persona. Maperché Gregorio era condannato a lavorare in una ditta dove laminima mancanza faceva nascere i più gravi sospetti? Gli impiegatierano dunque tutti dei mascalzoni? Non poteva esserci tra loro unapersona fidata, devota, che, per avere sottratto qualche ora alladitta, impazziva dal rimorso, fino a non essere più in grado dialzarsi dal letto? Non bastava mandare un garzone, se eraindispensabile mandare qualcuno; doveva venire il procuratore inpersona, per mostrare a tutta la famiglia, che era assolutamenteinnocente, che le indagini su un caso tanto sospetto potevanovenire affidate solo alla sua intelligenza? Più per l'agitazionein cui questi pensieri lo avevano messo che di proposito, Gregoriosi slanciò, con tutte le sue forze, fuori dal letto. Il tonfo fusonoro, ma non quanto temeva. Il tappeto aveva attutito la caduta,poi la schiena era più elastica di quanto Gregorio pensasse. Nonaveva, però, sollevato abbastanza la testa, che aveva picchiatosul pavimento. Pieno di stizza e di dolore, la girò e la strofinòsul tappeto.
"Something has fallen in there," said the manager in the next room on the left. Gregor tried to imagine to himself whether anything similar to what was happening to him today could have also happened at some point to the manager. At least one had to concede the possibility of such a thing. However, as if to give a rough answer to this question, the manager now took a few determined steps in the next room, with a squeak of his polished boots. From the neighbouring room on the right the sister was whispering to inform Gregor: "Gregor, the manager is here." "I know," said Gregor to himself. But he did not dare make his voice loud enough so that his sister could hear.
"Là dentro è caduto qualche cosa" disse il procuratore nellacamera di sinistra. Gregorio si chiese se un giorno non sarebbepotuto capitare anche al procuratore, quello che stava accadendo alui; in sé, la cosa poteva essere anche possibile. Ma quasi perribattere duramente a questa ipotesi, nella stanza vicina ilprocuratore fece alcuni passi risoluti, facendo scricchiolare lescarpe di vernice. Dalla camera di destra, la sorella sussurrò,per avvertire Gregorio: "Gregorio, c'è il procuratore!". "Lo so", mormorò Gregorio, senza tuttavia alzare la voce tanto dafarsi udire dalla sorella.
"Gregor," his father now said from the neighbouring room on the left, "Mr. Manager has come and is asking why you have not left on the early train. We don't know what we should tell him. Besides, he also wants to speak to you personally. So please open the door. He will be good enough to forgive the mess in your room."
"Gregorio", disse il padre dalla stanza di sinistra, "il signorprocuratore è venuto a sentire perché non sei partito con il trenodell'alba. Noi non sappiamo cosa dirgli, del resto vuole parlarepersonalmente con te. Apri la porta, avrà certo la bontà discusare il disordine della camera".
In the middle of all this, the manager called out in a friendly way, "Good morning, Mr. Samsa." "He is not well," said his mother to the manager, while his father was still talking at the door, "He is not well, believe me, Mr. Manager. Otherwise how would Gregor miss a train! The young man has nothing in his head except business. I'm almost angry that he never goes out at night. Right now he's been in the city eight days, but he's been at home every evening. He sits there with us at the table and reads the newspaper quietly or studies his travel schedules. It's quite a diversion for him if he busies himself with fretwork. For instance, he cut out a small frame over the course of two or three evenings. You'd be amazed how pretty it is. It's hanging right inside the room. You'll see it immediately, as soon as Gregor opens the door. Anyway, I'm happy that you're here, Mr. Manager. By ourselves, we would never have made Gregor open the door. He's so stubborn, and he's certainly not well, although he denied that this morning."
"Buon giorno, signor Samsa!" lo interruppe in tono cordiale, ilprocuratore. "Non sta bene!" diceva la madre al procuratore, mentre il padrecontinuava a parlare accanto alla porta. "Mi creda, signorprocuratore, non sta bene! Altrimenti, come avrebbe potuto perdereil treno? Quel ragazzo pensa solo alla ditta. Quasi mi arrabbio, avedere che la sera non esce mai; è in città otto giorni, e èrimasto sempre in casa. Siede a tavola con noi e legge tranquilloil giornale o studia l'orario ferroviario. Per distrarsi, glibastano i suoi lavori di intaglio. In due o tre sere, per esempio,ha intagliato una piccola cornice: rimarrà meravigliato nel vederequanto è graziosa; è appesa nella camera, la vedrà non appenaGregorio avrà aperto. Del resto, sono contenta che lei sia qui,signor procuratore: da soli, non saremmo riusciti a convincereGregorio a aprire la porta, è così testardo, e di sicuro non stabene, sebbene stamattina presto lo abbia negato".
"I'm coming right away," said Gregor slowly and deliberately and didn't move, so as not to lose one word of the conversation. "My dear lady, I cannot explain it to myself in any other way," said the manager; "I hope it is nothing serious. On the other hand, I must also say that we business people, luckily or unluckily, however one looks at it, very often simply have to overcome a slight indisposition for business reasons." "So can Mr. Manager come in to see you now" asked his father impatiently and knocked once again on the door. "No," said Gregor. In the neighbouring room on the left a painful stillness descended. In the neighbouring room on the right the sister began to sob.
"Vengo subito", disse Gregorio lento e circospetto; ma non simosse, per non perdere una parola del dialogo. "Neanche io, signora, posso spiegarmi la cosa in altro modo",disse il procuratore. "Speriamo non sia niente di grave. D'altraparte, debbo dire che noi, uomini d'affari, per nostra fortuna edisgrazia, come si vuole, dobbiamo spesso trascurare un leggeromalessere, per seguire le nostre faccende". "Allora, può entrare il signor procuratore?" chiese il padreimpaziente, picchiando ancora alla porta. "No", disse Gregorio. Nella stanza di sinistra subentrò un silenzio penoso, in quella didestra la sorella cominciò a singhiozzare.
Why didn't his sister go to the others? She'd probably just gotten up out of bed now and hadn't even started to get dressed yet. Then why was she crying? Because he wasn't getting up and wasn't letting the manager in; because he was in danger of losing his position, and because then his boss would badger his parents once again with the old demands? Those were probably unnecessary worries right now. Gregor was still here and wasn't thinking at all about abandoning his family. At the moment he was lying right there on the carpet, and no one who knew about his condition would've seriously demanded that he let the manager in. But Gregor wouldn't be casually dismissed right way because of this small discourtesy, for which he would find an easy and suitable excuse later on. It seemed to Gregor that it might be far more reasonable to leave him in peace at the moment, instead of disturbing him with crying and conversation. But it was the very uncertainty which distressed the others and excused their behaviour.
Perché la sorella non andava con gli altri? Si era certo alzata inquel momento e non aveva cominciato a vestirsi. E perché piangeva? Perché lui non si alzava e non faceva entrare il procuratore,perché rischiava di perdere il posto, perché in questo caso ilprincipale avrebbe ripreso a perseguitare i genitori con i vecchicrediti? Per ora queste preoccupazioni erano davvero fuori luogo. Gregorio era sempre lì e non pensava affatto di abbandonare lafamiglia. Giaceva sul tappeto e nessuno, nel vederlo in quellacondizione, avrebbe potuto pretendere sul serio che facesseentrare il procuratore. Non potevano licenziarlo in tronco per unapiccola scortesia, che si sarebbe potuta facilmente giustificarein seguito. Gregorio pensò che sarebbe stato molto più ragionevolese lo avessero lasciato in pace, invece di disturbarlo con piantie consigli. Ma si rese anche conto che si comportavano così perchénon sapevano cosa pensare, e li scusò.
"Mr. Samsa," the manager was now shouting, his voice raised, "what's 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 neglect--it concerned the collection of cash entrusted to you a short while ago--but 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 here uselessly, I don't know why the matter shouldn't come to the attention of your parents. Your productivity has also been very unsatisfactory recently. Of course, it's 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."
"Signor Samsa!" disse il procuratore, alzando la voce. "Chesuccede dunque? Si barrica nella sua stanza, risponde soltanto condei sì e dei no, procura ai suoi genitori grosse, inutilipreoccupazioni e trascura, sia detto di sfuggita, i suoi doveriprofessionali in maniera veramente inaudita. Le parlo in nome deisuoi genitori e del suo principale, la prego formalmente dirispondere subito e chiaro. Sono molto, molto stupito. Credevo diconoscerla come un uomo tranquillo, ragionevole, e ora sembraimprovvisamente che lei abbia intenzione di mettersi a fare lostravagante. Il principale, stamattina, ha accennato a unaspiegazione per la sua assenza, a un certo incasso consegnatolepoco tempo fa, ma io ho dato la mia parola d'onore che tra i duefatti non c'era nessun rapporto. La sua ostinazioneincomprensibile mi ha fatto passare la voglia di intercedereancora per lei. Immagino saprà che la sua posizione non è moltosolida. Avevo intenzione di raccontarle ogni cosa a quattr'occhi,ma poiché lei mi fa perdere tempo senza inutilmente, non capiscoperché non debbano essere informati anche i suoi genitori. Il suolavoro, in questi ultimi tempi, ha lasciato molto a desiderare. Lastagione non è favorevole, d'accordo, ai grossi affari; ma nonesiste una stagione in cui non se ne combina nessuno, signorSamsa, non deve esistere".
"But Mr. Manager," called Gregor, beside himself and in his agitation forgetting everything else, "I'm opening the door immediately, this very moment. A slight indisposition, a dizzy spell, has prevented me from getting up. I'm still lying in bed right now. But now I'm quite refreshed once again. I'm 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 they'll 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 me about that. Perhaps you have not read the latest orders which I shipped. Besides, now I'm setting out on my trip on the eight o'clock 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."
"Signor procuratore!" gridò Gregorio fuori di sé, dimenticando,per l'agitazione, tutto il resto. "Apro immediatamente. Un leggeromalessere, un po' di vertigine, mi hanno impedito di alzarmi. Sonoancora a letto, ma sarò subito a posto. Mi alzo subito. Un momentodi pazienza! Non sto ancora come speravo, ma va già meglio. Chi siaspettava una cosa simile, così all'improvviso? Ieri sera stavobenissimo, i miei genitori lo sanno, o, per essere precisi,proprio ieri sera sentii qualcosina. Mi si doveva vedere in viso. Perché non ho avvertito la ditta? Uno spera sempre che ilmalessere passi, senza bisogno di restare a casa. Signorprocuratore! Abbia riguardo per i miei genitori. Tutti irimproveri che lei mi ha fatto sono infondati: nessuno ne ha maifatto parola con me. Forse non ha letto le ultime ordinazioni cheho spedito. Del resto, posso ancora partire col treno delle otto,qualche ora di riposo è bastata per rimettermi. Non si trattenga,signor procuratore, io stesso sarò subito in ditta, abbia la bontàdi dirlo al principale, presentandogli i miei omaggi!"
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 o'clock.
Mentre buttava fuori a precipizio tutte queste parole, senzasapere quello che diceva, Gregorio si era avvicinato agevolmenteal cassettone, grazie alla pratica fatta sul letto, e cercava didrizzarsi appoggiandosi al mobile. Voleva aprire la porta, farsivedere, parlare con il procuratore; era ansioso di sapere che cosaavrebbero detto, vedendolo, quegli stessi che ora si affannavanotanto a cercarlo. Se si fossero spaventati, allora poteva staretranquillo, era libero da ogni responsabilità. Se invece nonavessero dato a vedere nulla, anche in questo caso non avrebbeavuto ragione di inquietarsi e, se faceva in fretta, poteva esserein stazione per le otto.
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 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.
Scivolò diverse volte contro la lisciasuperficie del mobile, poi, con un ultimo slancio, riuscì araddrizzarsi: ai dolori all'addome non faceva più caso, percocenti che fossero. Si lasciò andare contro la spalliera di unasedia vicina e ad essa si aggrappò con le sue zampine. Ora avevaraggiunto il dominio di sé. Rimase, in silenzio, ad ascoltare ilprocuratore.
"Did you understand a single word?" the manager asked the parents, "Is he playing the fool with us?" "For God's sake," cried the mother already in tears, "perhaps he's very ill and we're upsetting him. Grete! Grete!" she yelled at that point. "Mother?" called the sister from the other side. They were making themselves understood through Gregor's 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 animal's voice," said the manager, remarkably quietly in comparison to the mother's cries.
"Loro hanno capito qualcosa?" chiedeva il procuratore ai genitori. "Non ci starà prendendo in giro?". "Per l'amor di Dio!" gridò la madre tra le lacrime. "Forse stamalissimo, e noi lo tormentiamo. Grete! Grete!" chiamò. "Sì,mamma", rispose la sorella dall'altra parte; si parlavanoattraverso la camera di Gregorio. "Corri subito dal dottore. Gregorio sta male. Svelta, dal dottore. Hai sentito come parla?". "Era la voce di un animale", disse il procuratore, in tonosingolarmente basso, rispetto alle grida della madre.
"Anna! Anna!' yelled the father through the hall into the kitchen, clapping his hands, "fetch a locksmith right away!" The two young women were already running through the hall with swishing skirts (how had his sister dressed herself so quickly?) and yanked open the doors of the apartment. One couldn't hear the doors closing at all. They probably had left them open, as is customary in an apartment in which a huge misfortune has taken place.
"Anna, Anna!" gridò il babbo, attraverso l'anticamera, indirezione della cucina, e batté le mani. "Vada subito a chiamareun fabbro!". In un gran fruscio di gonne le due ragazze corsero attraversol'anticamera -come aveva fatto, la sorella, a vestirsi tanto infretta? -e spalancarono la porta d'ingresso. Non si sentìrichiuderla; dovevano avere lasciato la porta aperta, come succedenelle case in cui è avvenuta una grave disgrazia.
However, Gregor had become much calmer. All right, people did not understand his words any more, although they seemed clear enough to him, clearer than previously, perhaps because his ears had gotten used to them. But at least people now thought that things were not all right with him and were prepared to help him. The confidence and assurance with which the first arrangements had been carried out made him feel good. He felt himself included once again in the circle of humanity and was expecting from both the doctor and the locksmith, without differentiating between them with any real precision, splendid and surprising results. In order to get as clear a voice as possible for the critical conversation which was imminent, he coughed a little, and certainly took the trouble to do this in a really subdued way, since it was possible that even this noise sounded like something different from a human cough. He no longer trusted himself to decide any more. Meanwhile in the next room it had become really quiet. Perhaps his parents were sitting with the manager at the table and were whispering; perhaps they were all leaning against the door and listening.
Gregorio, intanto, era molto più calmo. Dunque, le sue parole nonerano più comprensibili, sebbene a lui fossero sembrate abbastanzachiare, anzi più chiare di prima, forse perché ci aveva fattol'orecchio. Ma allora gli altri dovevano avere capito che qualcosanon andava, e lo avrebbero aiutato. La fermezza e la risolutezzacon cui erano stati presi i primi provvedimenti gli avevano fattobene. Si sentiva di nuovo compreso nella cerchia umana;dall'intervento del medico e del fabbro insieme, senza troppodistinguere, sperava imprevisti, meravigliosi risultati. Per avere una voce quanto più chiara possibile nelle prossime,decisive conversazioni, tossicchiò, raschiandosi la gola, ma condiscrezione, perché era probabile -da solo non si sentiva didirlo con certezza -che essa non suonasse come una tosse umana. Nella stanza accanto, non si sentiva più niente. Forse i genitorierano seduti accanto al tavolo col procuratore, e parlavano sottovoce, forse stavano con l'orecchio incollato alla porta, inascolto.
Gregor pushed himself slowly towards the door, with the help of the easy chair, let go of it there, threw himself against the door, held himself upright against it (the balls of his tiny limbs had a little sticky stuff on them), and rested there momentarily from his exertion. Then he made an effort to turn the key in the lock with his mouth. Unfortunately it seemed that he had no real teeth. How then was he to grab hold of the key? But to make up for that his jaws were naturally very strong; with their help he managed to get the key really moving, and he did not notice that he was obviously inflicting some damage on himself, for a brown fluid came out of his mouth, flowed over the key, and dripped onto the floor.
Pian pianino, Gregorio si spinse fino alla porta, tenendosiaggrappato alla sedia. Abbandonata la sedia, si lasciò andare,dritto, contro la porta -le estremità delle sue zampine eranoleggermente vischiose -e si concesse un attimo di riposo. Poi simise a girare, con la bocca, la chiave nella toppa. Visto,purtroppo, che non aveva denti, come avrebbe potuto stringere lachiave? Gli venne in mente che disponeva di robustissime mascelle: con il loro aiuto, riuscì a girare la chiave, senza accorgersi diessersi, in qualche modo, ferito, se non quando dalla bocca unliquido scuro cominciò a colare sulla chiave, gocciolando poi sulpavimento. "Sentite!" disse il procuratore nella stanza accanto.
"Just listen for a moment," said the manager in the next room, "he's turning the key." For Gregor that was a great encouragement. But they all should've called out to him, including his father and mother, "Come on, Gregor," they should've shouted, "keep going, keep working on the lock." Imagining that all his efforts were being followed with suspense, he bit down frantically on the key with all the force he could muster. As the key turned more, he danced around the lock. Now he was holding himself upright only with his mouth, and he had to hang onto the key or then press it down again with the whole weight of his body, as necessary. The quite distinct click of the lock as it finally snapped really woke Gregor up. Breathing heavily he said to himself, "So I didn't need the locksmith," and he set his head against the door handle to open the door completely.
"Sta girando la chiave". Queste parole furono, per Gregorio, digrande incoraggiamento, tutti avrebbero dovuto incitarlo, anche ilbabbo e la mamma: "Forza Gregorio!" avrebbero dovuto gridare: "Nonmollare, dacci sotto con la serratura!" Gli sembrava di vederlimentre, pieni d'ansia, seguivano i suoi sforzi. Fece appello atutte le sue energie e si accanì frenetico sulla chiave. Accompagnava i progressi della chiave con una specie di danzaintorno alla serratura: reggendosi con la bocca, a seconda delbisogno, restava sospeso alla chiave o vi gravava sopra con tuttoil suo peso. Il secco rumore di uno scatto, lo fece trasalire. Conun respiro di sollievo, si disse: "Non ho avuto bisogno delfabbro", e posò la testa sulla maniglia, per tirare a sé l'uscio.
Because he had to open the door in this way, it was already open very wide without him yet being really visible. He first had to turn himself slowly around the edge of the door, very carefully, of course, if he did not want to fall awkwardly on his back right at the entrance into the room. He was still preoccupied with this difficult movement and had no time to pay attention to anything else, when he heard the manager exclaim a loud "Oh!" (it sounded like the wind whistling), and now he saw him, nearest to the door, pressing his hand against his open mouth and moving slowly back, as if an invisible constant force was pushing him away. His mother (in spite of the presence of the manager she was standing here with her hair sticking up on end, still a mess from the night) with her hands clasped was looking at his father; she then went two steps towards Gregor and collapsed right in the middle of her skirts spreading out all around her, her face sunk on her breast, completely concealed. His father clenched his fist with a hostile expression, as if he wished to push Gregor back into his room, then looked uncertainly around the living room, covered his eyes with his hands, and cried so that his mighty breast shook.
La porta, a questo punto, era aperta; ma Gregorio ancora non sivedeva. Doveva girare adagio, facendo molta attenzione, intornoall'imposta aperta, se proprio sulla soglia non voleva caderemalamente sulla schiena. Stava appunto compiendo, con grandecautela, questa manovra, quando sentì il procuratore emettere un"Oh!" che sembrò il sibilo del vento. Poi lo vide portare una manocontro la bocca spalancata -stava davanti agli altri eindietreggiare lentamente, quasi fosse spinto, con pressionecostante, da una forza invisibile. La madre, ancora coi capellisciolti e arruffati, nonostante la presenza del procuratore,guardò a mani giunte il padre, fece due passi verso Gregorio, poisi afflosciò a terra in mezzo alle sottane che le si allargavanointorno, sprofondando il viso nel seno. Il padre strinse i pugnicon aria minacciosa, quasi volesse ricacciare Gregorio nella suastanza, poi si guardò intorno smarrito, si mise le mani davantiagli occhi, e scoppiò in singhiozzi.
At this point Gregor did not take one step into the room, but leaned his body from the inside against the firmly bolted wing of the door, so that only half his body was visible, as well as his head, titled sideways, with which he peeped over at the others. Meanwhile it had become much brighter. Standing out clearly from the other side of the street was a part of the endless gray-black house situated opposite (it was a hospital) with its severe regular windows breaking up the facade. The rain was still coming down, but only in large individual drops visibly and firmly thrown down one by one onto the ground. The breakfast dishes were standing piled around on the table, because for his father breakfast was the most important meal time in the day, which he prolonged for hours by reading various newspapers. Directly across on the opposite wall hung a photograph of Gregor from the time of his military service; it was a picture of him as a lieutenant, as he, smiling and worry free, with his hand on his sword, demanded respect for his bearing and uniform. The door to the hall was ajar, and since the door to the apartment was also open, one saw out into the landing of the apartment and the start of the staircase going down.
Gregorio non entrò nella stanza. Appoggiato all'imposta rimastachiusa, e mostrando solo metà del corpo, fissava i presenti con latesta piegata da una parte. Intanto, si era fatto molto piùchiaro; dalla finestra si vedeva benissimo un pezzo del lungofabbricato di fronte, un ospedale di colore grigioferro, con lesue finestre tutte uguali ritagliate sulla facciata. La pioggianon aveva smesso di cadere, c'erano ancora grosse gocce bendistinte che finivano a terra una per una. Piatti, vasetti,tazzine e altre cose coprivano ancora il tavolo; per il padre, laprima colazione era il pasto più importante della giornata e luilo faceva durare ore, leggendo diversi giornali. Sulla parete difronte era appesa una fotografia di Gregorio, quando era militare: in uniforme di tenente, la mano sulla sciabola, sorrideva felice eincuteva, insieme, rispetto. Attraverso la porta dell'anticamera equella dell'ingresso, si vedeva il pianerottolo e un primo pezzodi scale.
"Now," said Gregor, well aware that he was the only one who had kept his composure. "I'll get dressed right away, pack up the collection of samples, and set off. You'll allow me to set out on my way, will you not? You see, Mr. Manager, I am not pig-headed, and I am happy to work. Traveling is exhausting, but I couldn't live without it. Where are you going, Mr. Manager? To the office? Really? Will you report everything truthfully? A person can be incapable of work momentarily, but that is precisely the best time to remember the earlier achievements and to consider that later, after the obstacles have been shoved aside, the person will work all the more keenly and intensely. I am really so indebted to Mr. Chief--you know that perfectly well. On the other hand, I am concerned about my parents and my sister. I'm in a fix, but I'll work myself out of it again. Don't make things more difficult for me than they already are. Speak up on my behalf in the office! People don't like traveling salesmen. I know that. People think they earn pots of money and thus lead a fine life. People don't even have any special reason to think through this judgment more clearly. But you, Mr. Manager, you have a better perspective on the interconnections than the other people, even, I tell you in total confidence, a better perspective than Mr. Chairman himself, who in his capacity as the employer may let his judgment make casual mistakes at the expense of an employee. You also know well enough that the traveling salesman who is outside the office almost the entire year can become so easily a victim of gossip, coincidences, and groundless complaints, against which it's impossible for him to defend himself, since for the most part he doesn't hear about them at all and only then when he's exhausted after finishing a trip, and gets to feel in his own body at home the nasty consequences, which can't be thoroughly explored back to their origins. Mr. Manager, don't leave without speaking a word telling me that you'll at least concede that I'm a little in the right!"
"Ora", disse Gregorio, consapevole di essere il solo ad avereconservato la calma, "mi vesto subito, metto in ordine ilcampionario e parto. Volete farmi partire? Vede bene, signorprocuratore, che non sono un testardo e che mi piace lavorare: viaggiare è faticoso, ma che farei se non viaggiassi? Dove va,ora, signor procuratore? In ditta? Ah sì? Riferirà tutto per filoe per segno? Una persona, a un certo punto, può essere incapace dilavorare, ma proprio allora gli altri dovrebbero ricordarsi dicome ha sempre lavorato; pensare che in seguito, eliminati gliostacoli, lavorerà con impegno e attenzione ancora maggiori. Leisa quali obblighi ho verso il principale. Inoltre devo pensare aimiei genitori e a mia sorella. Sono nei guai ma me la caverò. Lei,per favore, non mi renda la cosa più difficile di quanto è. Inditta, mi difenda! Il viaggiatore non è amato, lo so. Pensano cheguadagni un sacco di quattrini e che faccia una bella vita. Purtroppo non ho argomenti per confutare questo pregiudizio. Malei, signor procuratore, lei sa meglio degli altri come stanno lecose; in confidenza, anzi, lo sa anche meglio del principale, che,considerata la sua posizione, può essere portato a giudicare maleun impiegato. Lei sa che il viaggiatore, standosene lontano pertutto l'anno dalla ditta, è facile vittima di pettegolezzi, dicasi fortuiti, di lagnanze ingiustificate, e che non puòdifendersi perché, in genere, ignora tutto; e quando è di ritorno,stanchissimo, da un giro, sperimenta sulla sua pelle leconseguenze di cause ormai impossibili da ricostruire. Signorprocuratore, non se ne vada senza avermi prima, in qualche modo,tranquillizzato che mi darà almeno un po' di ragione!"
But at Gregor's first words the manager had already turned away, and now he looked back at Gregor over his twitching shoulders with pursed lips. During Gregor's speech he was not still for a moment, but was moving away towards the door, without taking his eyes off Gregor, but really gradually, as if there was a secret ban on leaving the room. He was already in the hall, and after the sudden movement with which he finally pulled his foot out of the living room, one could have believed that he had just burned the sole of his foot. In the hall, however, he stretched out his right hand away from his body towards the staircase, as if some truly supernatural relief was waiting for him there.
Ma già alle prime parole il procuratore si era girato, econsiderava Gregorio, scuotendo le spalle, con la faccia scura. Senza smettere di guardarlo, a poco a poco, quasi che gli fossevietato di lasciare la stanza, si avvicinò alla porta. Messo unpiede in anticamera, ritrasse l'altro con fulminea rapidità dalsalotto, come se il pavimento scottasse; poi fece con la destra ungran gesto verso la scala, come se da quella parte lo aspettasseuna liberazione soprannaturale.
Gregor realized that he must not under any circumstances allow the manager to go away in this frame of mind, especially if his position in the firm was not to be placed in the greatest danger. His parents did not understand all this very well. Over the long years, they had developed the conviction that Gregor was set up for life in his firm and, in addition, they had so much to do nowadays with their present troubles that all foresight was foreign to them. But Gregor had this foresight. The manager must be held back, calmed down, convinced, and finally won over. The future of Gregor and his family really depended on it! If only the sister had been there! She was clever. She had already cried while Gregor was still lying quietly on his back. And the manager, this friend of the ladies, would certainly let himself be guided by her. She would have closed the door to the apartment and talked him out of his fright in the hall. But the sister was not even there. Gregor must deal with it himself.
Gregorio comprese che non poteva lasciarlo andare in quel modo, segli stava a cuore il posto nella ditta. Ma i genitori non sapevanovedere altrettanto chiaro. Con il passare del tempo, si eranoconvinti che Gregorio era sistemato per tutta la vita; in quelmomento, poi, il loro smarrimento era così grande, che non eranocerto in grado di prevedere nulla. Gregorio, lui, immaginava cosasarebbe successo. Dovevano fermare il procuratore, calmarlo,convincerlo, infine conquistarlo: ne andava del futuro di Gregorioe della sua famiglia! Se almeno ci fosse stata la sorella: leicapiva, aveva già pianto quando ancora Gregorio se ne stava nellasua stanza, tranquillamente coricato sulla schiena. Ilprocuratore, che aveva un debole per il gentil sesso, le avrebbecertamente dato ascolto; lei avrebbe chiuso la porta di casa e inanticamera lo avrebbe convinto che il suo spavento erairragionevole. Ma la sorella non c'era e Gregorio se la dovevacavare da solo.
Without thinking that as yet he didn't know anything about his present ability to move and without thinking that his speech possibly (indeed probably) had once again not been understood, he left the wing of the door, pushed himself through the opening, and wanted to go over to the manager, who was already holding tight onto the handrail with both hands on the landing in a ridiculous way. But as he looked for something to hold onto, with a small scream Gregor immediately fell down onto his numerous little legs. Scarcely had this happened, when he felt for the first time that morning a general physical well being. The small limbs had firm floor under them; they obeyed perfectly, as he noticed to his joy, and strove to carry him forward in the direction he wanted. Right away he believed that the final amelioration of all his suffering was immediately at hand. But at the very moment when he lay on the floor rocking in a restrained manner quite close and directly across from his mother (apparently totally sunk into herself) she suddenly sprang right up with her arms spread far apart and her fingers extended and cried out, "Help, for God's sake, help!" She held her head bowed down, as if she wanted to view Gregor better, but ran senselessly back, contradicting that gesture, forgetting that behind her stood the table with all the dishes on it. When she reached the table, she sat down heavily on it, as if absent-mindedly, and did not appear to notice at all that next to her coffee was pouring out onto the carpet in a full stream from the large overturned container.
Senza pensare a come avrebbe potuto spostarsi,nelle condizioni in cui era, né se il suo discorso era statocompreso -probabilmente no -abbandonò il suo sostegno e siaffacciò oltre la soglia per raggiungere il procuratore, mentrequello si aggrappava in modo grottesco alla balaustra delle scale;ma perse l'equilibrio e, con un debole grido, cadde sulle zampine. Immediatamente, e fu la prima volta, nella mattinata, provò unaspecie di benessere fisico. Notò con soddisfazione che le zampine,con qualcosa di solido sotto, obbedivano a meraviglia, fremevanoaddirittura dal desiderio di portarlo dove voleva: e così pensòche la guarigione da tutti i suoi mali era imminente. Mentre tuttofremente per la voglia di muoversi, rimaneva sul pavimento,proprio di fronte a sua madre, questa, che sembrava esanime, saltòd'un tratto in piedi, spalancò le braccia allargando le dita egridò: "Aiuto, per l'amor di Dio, aiuto!". A giudicare dal suo capo chino, sembrava che volesse guardareGregorio; cominciò, invece, a indietreggiare a precipizio, senzapensare alla tavola ancora apparecchiata, la urtò, vi si sedettesopra, come avrebbe fatto una persona distratta; e non sembròneppure accorgersi che dalla grande caffettiera rovesciata unrivolo di caffè cominciò a scorrere sul tappeto.
"Mother, mother," said Gregor quietly, and looked over towards her. The manager momentarily had disappeared completely from his mind; by contrast, at the sight of the flowing coffee he couldn't stop himself snapping his jaws in the air a few times . At that his mother screamed all over again, hurried from the table, and collapsed into the arms of his father, who was rushing towards her. But Gregor had no time right now for his parents: the manager was already on the staircase. His chin level with the banister, the manager looked back for the last time. Gregor took an initial movement to catch up to him if possible. But the manager must have suspected something, because he made a leap down over a few stairs and disappeared, still shouting "Huh!" The sound echoed throughout the entire stairwell.
Now, unfortunately this flight of the manager also seemed completely to bewilder his father, who earlier had been relatively calm, for instead of running after the manager himself or at least not hindering Gregor from his pursuit, with his right hand he grabbed hold of the manager's cane, which he had left behind with his hat and overcoat on a chair. With his left hand, his father picked up a large newspaper from the table and, stamping his feet on the floor, he set out to drive Gregor back into his room by waving the cane and the newspaper. No request of Gregor's was of any use; no request would even be understood. No matter how willing he was to turn his head respectfully, his father just stomped all the harder with his feet.
"Mamma, mamma", disse piano Gregorio, alzando gli occhi. Avevadimenticato il procuratore; ma, alla vista del caffè che scorreva,non poté impedirsi di far scattare più volte le mascelle a vuoto. La mamma gettò un altro grido, lasciò di corsa il tavolo e caddetra le braccia del padre, che le era corso incontro. Ma Gregorionon aveva più tempo per i genitori: il procuratore era sulla scalae, con il mento sulla ringhiera, guardava per l'ultima voltaall'indietro. Gregorio prese la rincorsa, per cercare diraggiungerlo, ma il procuratore dovette intuire qualche cosa,perché con un salto superò diversi gradini e scomparve con un"Uh!" che risuonò per le scale. La fuga del procuratore,purtroppo, fece perdere la testa anche al padre, fino ad alloraabbastanza calmo. Invece di inseguire il procuratore o almeno dilasciare che Gregorio lo inseguisse, afferrò con la destra ilbastone, lasciato dal visitatore su una sedia con il cappotto e ilcappello, prese con la sinistra un giornale dal tavolo, quindi,battendo i piedi e agitando bastone e giornale, prese a spingereGregorio nella sua camera. Non servì nessuna preghiera, che delresto non era neppure capita; mentre i movimenti supplichevolidella testa servirono solo a rendere più violento il battere deipiedi.
Across the room from him his mother had pulled open a window, in spite of the cool weather, and leaning out with her hands on her cheeks, she pushed her face far outside the window. Between the alley and the stair well a strong draught came up, the curtains on the window flew around, the newspapers on the table swished, and individual sheets fluttered down over the floor. The father relentlessly pressed forward pushing out sibilants, like a wild man. Now, Gregor had no practice at all in going backwards; it was really going very slowly. If Gregor only had been allowed to turn himself around, he would have been in his room right away, but he was afraid to make his father impatient by the time-consuming process of turning around, and each moment he faced the threat of a mortal blow on his back or his head from the cane in his father's hand. Finally Gregor had no other option, for he noticed with horror that he did not understand yet how to maintain his direction going backwards. And so he began, amid constantly anxious sideways glances in his father's direction, to turn himself around as quickly as possible (although in truth this was only very slowly). Perhaps his father noticed his good intentions, for he did not disrupt Gregor in this motion, but with the tip of the cane from a distance he even directed here and there Gregor's rotating movement.
Nonostante il freddo, la madre aveva spalancato unafinestra e, sporgendosi quanto più poteva, si stringeva il visotra le mani. Tra la sala e il pianerottolo delle scale ci fu unaforte corrente d'aria, le tende delle finestre volarono in alto, igiornali sul tavolo frusciarono e alcuni fogli volarono sulpavimento. Senza pietà il padre continuava a incalzare Gregorio,emettendo sibili da selvaggio. Gregorio, che non aveva nessunapratica della marcia indietro, procedeva molto adagio. Se si fossepotuto girare, avrebbe raggiunto subito la camera, ma, perdendotempo con quella manovra, temeva di spazientire il padre, mentre,d'altra parte, aveva paura per un colpo di bastone, che sarebbestato fatale per la sua schiena o per la sua testa. Ma presto nongli restò altro da fare: con spavento si accorse che,indietreggiando, non sapeva mantenere la direzione. Continuando alanciare al babbo occhiate piene di angoscia, cominciò a eseguirela conversione con la maggiore rapidità possibile, e cioè conestrema lentezza. Forse il padre capì la sua buona volontà perchéinvece di disturbarlo, si mise a dirigere, da lontano, ilmovimento, aiutandolo anzi, ogni tanto, con la punta del bastone.
If only there hadn't been his father's unbearable hissing! Because of that Gregor totally lost his head. He was already almost totally turned around, when, always with this hissing in his ear, he just made a mistake and turned himself back a little. But when he finally was successful in getting his head in front of the door opening, it became clear that his body was too wide to go through any further. Naturally his father, in his present mental state, had no idea of opening the other wing of the door a bit to create a suitable passage for Gregor to get through. His single fixed thought was that Gregor must get into his room as quickly as possible. He would never have allowed the elaborate preparations that Gregor required to orient himself and thus perhaps get through the door. On the contrary, as if there were no obstacle and with a peculiar noise, he now drove Gregor forwards. Behind Gregor the sound was at this point no longer like the voice of only a single father. Now it was really no longer a joke, and Gregor forced himself, come what might, into the door. One side of his body was lifted up. He lay at an angle in the door opening. His one flank was sore with the scraping. On the white door ugly blotches were left. Soon he was stuck fast and would have not been able to move any more on his own. The tiny legs on one side hung twitching in the air above, the ones on the other side were pushed painfully into the floor. Then his father gave him one really strong liberating push from behind, and he scurried, bleeding severely, far into the interior of his room. The door was slammed shut with the cane, and finally it was quiet.
Se soltanto avesse smesso con quel sibilo intollerabile! AGregorio gli faceva proprio perdere la ragione. Si era quasicompletamente girato quando, frastornato da quel rumore, siconfuse, e ricominciò a girare in senso opposto. In ogni modo,quando fu arrivato di fronte alla porta aperta, si accorse che ilsuo corpo era troppo grosso per passare. Nello stato d'animo incui si trovava, il padre non pensò neppure, naturalmente, adaprire l'altra imposta. La sua idea fissa era di ricacciare subitoGregorio in camera, non si sarebbe rassegnato ai lunghipreparativi necessari a quello per passare, dritto, dall'altraparte. Come se non ci fosse nessun ostacolo, incalzava Gregoriofacendo più baccano che mai, la sua voce sembrava moltiplicata permille. Ora c'era poco da scherzare; e Gregorio rischiò il tuttoper tutto. Ma nello slancio ribaltò, rimanendo incastrato sulfianco e producendosi una lunga escoriazione, mentre la biancasuperficie della porta si sporcava di umori e di sangue. Da solo,non sarebbe più stato capace di muoversi: le sue zampine, da unaparte si agitavano inutili nell'aria, dall'altra erano schiacciatedolorosamente contro il pavimento. In quel momento il padre glidiede il colpo di grazia di grazia e lui, con un gran volo,perdendo sangue abbondantemente, finì nella sua camera. La portavenne chiusa con il bastone, e infine tutto fu silenzio.