AI-Generated Graded Readers 　　Masaru Uchida, Gifu University 　　 　　Publication webpage: 　　https://www1.gifu-u.ac.jp/~masaru/a1/ai-generated_graded_readers.html 　　 　　Publication date: March 4, 2026 　　 　　About This Edition 　　 　　This book is a simplified English adaptation created for extensive reading practice. 　　The text was translated from German into English and simplified using ChatGPT for intermediate English learners as part of an educational project. 　　 　　Target reading level: CEFR A2-B1 　　 　　This edition aims to support fluency development through accessible vocabulary, expanded narration, and improved readability while preserving the original story structure. 　　 　　Source Text 　　 　　Original work: Die Verwandlung 　　Author: Franz Kafka 　　Language: German 　　 　　Source: Project Gutenberg 　　https://www.gutenberg.org/ 　　 　　Full text available at: 　　https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/52484/pg52484.txt 　　 　　The original text is in the public domain. 　　 　　Copyright and Use 　　 　　This simplified edition is intended for educational and non-commercial use only. 　　 　　The source text is provided by Project Gutenberg under its public domain policy. 　　Users should refer to the Project Gutenberg License for full terms: 　　 　　https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html 　　 　　This adaptation was generated with the assistance of artificial intelligence and edited for readability and educational purposes. 　　 　　Disclaimer 　　 　　This edition is an educational adaptation and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Project Gutenberg.

　　Franz Kafka, Metamorphosis [Die Verwandlung] (Simplified Edition, Adapted and Simplified from German by ChatGPT)
　　
　　Part 1
　　
　　 Gregor Samsa woke one morning from uneasy sleep and found that something was very wrong. He lay on his back in bed, but his body felt strange and heavy. When he lifted his head a little, he saw that his body had changed into the body of a large bug. His back was hard and round like a shell. His many small legs moved weakly in the air. They shook in front of his eyes and he could not control them well. Gregor blinked slowly and tried to understand what had happened.
　　 The room around him looked the same as always. It was a small and simple room, but it was clean and comfortable. Gregor saw the table where he kept the cloth samples for his work. He was a traveling salesman, and these samples were very important for his job. On the wall above the table hung a picture that he had once cut from a magazine. The picture showed a woman sitting upright. She wore a thick fur hat and a fur coat. Her arm rested calmly on a fur muff. Gregor liked this picture very much and had carefully placed it in a nice frame.
　　 Gregor looked at the window beside his bed. Outside he saw the gray sky of a rainy morning. The drops of rain struck the window quietly, making a soft sound that filled the room. Gregor felt tired when he listened to it. “Perhaps I should sleep a little longer,” he thought. “Then everything will become normal again.” But this was not easy. Gregor usually slept on his right side, and in his new condition he could not turn his body in that direction.
　　 Again and again he tried to roll onto his side. Each time he pushed with his many small legs and moved his body with great effort. But each attempt ended the same way. He rolled back onto his hard back. Gregor closed his eyes so that he would not have to see the movement of his many legs. They moved constantly, even when he tried to keep them still. After many attempts he finally stopped trying. He felt a dull pain in his side and grew tired from the effort.
　　 “Oh God,” Gregor thought, “what a difficult life I have chosen.” Every day he had to travel for his work. The troubles of business were much greater than those of workers who stayed in one place. Gregor had to catch early trains, worry about missed connections, and eat poor food in strange cities. He had no chance to make close friends. Even when he returned home he stayed only a short time before leaving again for another trip. “All this travel,” he thought, “it makes a person nervous.”
　　 Gregor looked toward the alarm clock on the table. The clock was already ringing softly, but he had not heard it before. He stared at the hands of the clock in surprise. “Good heavens,” he thought. It was half past six. The train he needed had already left. The next train would depart at seven, and there was no way he could prepare himself in time.
　　 Usually Gregor woke before the alarm clock rang. His body had become used to rising early for work. Now he lay helplessly in bed. The thought of missing work filled him with anxiety. His employer was a strict man who did not trust his workers. If Gregor arrived late even once, the chief clerk from the office might come to investigate. Gregor knew this well, and the idea made him uneasy.
　　 Gregor thought about his family. His father had once owned a business, but the business had failed some years earlier. Since then Gregor had worked hard to support the family. His mother was weak and often sick. His sister was young and still enjoyed a quiet life at home. Gregor had accepted his difficult job for their sake. He hoped that after a few more years he could pay off the family’s debts and free himself from the work he hated.
　　 But now everything had become strange and confusing. Gregor tried to move again. He slowly pushed himself toward the edge of the bed. His body was wide and heavy, and he could not lift it easily. His legs waved helplessly in the air, searching for something to hold. Finally he managed to slide a little closer to the edge.
　　 Just then he heard a knock on the door. It was a gentle knock.
　　 “Gregor,” called his mother’s voice from the other side of the door. “It is almost seven. Do you not need to catch a train?”
　　 Gregor tried to answer. He wanted to say, “Yes, Mother, thank you. I am getting up now.” But when he spoke, the sound that came from his mouth was strange. His words were not clear. His voice sounded thin and rough, like the voice of an animal.
　　 Gregor stopped speaking in surprise. He coughed lightly and tried again, speaking slowly and carefully.
　　 “Yes, Mother,” he said. “Thank you. I am getting up now.”
　　 The words sounded a little clearer this time, but Gregor himself could hear the strange tone of his voice. Still, his mother seemed satisfied.
　　 “Good,” she said from outside the door, and her footsteps moved away.
　　 Gregor breathed slowly. “That was close,” he thought. “If my voice sounded strange, perhaps they will think I simply have a cold.” It would not be unusual. Traveling salesmen often became sick after long journeys.
　　 But then another knock sounded at the door, this time from the other side of the room.
　　 “Gregor,” called his father’s deep voice. “What is the matter? Why have you not left yet?”
　　 Gregor answered again, trying to speak as normally as possible.
　　 “I am getting ready,” he said slowly. “I will come out soon.”
　　 The father remained silent for a moment. Then he said quietly, “Very well.”
　　 Soon Gregor heard another voice. It was his sister.
　　 “Gregor,” she said softly, “are you ill? Do you need anything?”
　　 Gregor felt grateful for her concern. He wanted to comfort her.
　　 “No, Grete,” he answered. “Everything is fine.”
　　 But once again his voice sounded strange, even to his own ears.
　　 Gregor lay quietly after this conversation. The room became silent again. Only the rain continued tapping gently on the window.
　　 Gregor knew that he could not remain in bed forever. If he did not open the door soon, his family would become worried. Worse still, the chief clerk from the office might come to the apartment. The clerk often visited workers who were late or absent without explanation.
　　 Gregor gathered his strength. He pushed his body forward again, slowly sliding toward the edge of the bed. His many legs struggled against the blanket. At last he reached the edge and began carefully lowering himself toward the floor.
　　 The movement was awkward and slow. Gregor feared that he might fall heavily and injure himself. But he had no other choice. With one final push he allowed his body to slide down.
　　 A moment later he landed on the floor with a soft thud. His body felt slightly hurt, but nothing was broken.
　　 Gregor lay still for a moment. Then he began moving his legs again, trying to stand.
　　 It was the beginning of a long and difficult morning.
　　
　　Part 2
　　
　　 At first Gregor felt uncertain about how to move his new body. His many legs touched the floor and slipped slightly on the smooth surface. For a moment he remained still, trying to understand how they worked. Slowly he began to notice that some legs responded when he tried to move them. He pushed gently with one side of his body and then the other. After several awkward attempts he managed to raise himself a little from the floor. The movement felt strange, but he was pleased that he could at least stand.
　　 Now he looked around the room more carefully. Everything was familiar, yet his position on the floor made the furniture appear larger and heavier than before. The chair beside the bed rose above him like a tall object. The table seemed far away. Gregor realized that crossing the room would take more effort than he expected. Still, he knew that he had to reach the door if he wanted to explain himself to his family.
　　 Before he could move farther, he heard another sound from outside the apartment. It was the bell at the front door. Gregor froze immediately. The bell rang again, sharp and clear through the quiet hallway. Gregor knew what this meant. The chief clerk from the office had arrived.
　　 “So early,” Gregor thought with alarm. The clerk was known for his strict manner. If Gregor did not appear at once, the situation might become serious. Gregor began moving quickly toward the door, though his legs still worked poorly together. His body slid slowly across the floor, and several times he nearly lost his balance. At last he reached the door and rested there for a moment.
　　 In the hallway he heard the voice of the servant woman opening the apartment door. Soon after, the chief clerk spoke in a polite but firm tone. “Good morning,” he said. “I hope I am not disturbing the household. I have come to ask about Mr. Gregor Samsa.”
　　 Gregor’s father answered quickly, his voice tense. “He is still in his room. He is not feeling well this morning.”
　　 “Indeed?” said the clerk. “But he missed the early train. The office was surprised. I thought it best to come personally.”
　　 Gregor listened with growing worry. The conversation moved closer to his door. Soon he heard his mother speaking anxiously. “He truly is not well,” she said. “Please believe us. My son never misses work without a reason.”
　　 Gregor wanted to call out and reassure them. He tried speaking again through the door. “I will open the door soon,” he said. “Please wait a moment.”
　　 His voice again sounded strange, but now everyone in the hallway heard it clearly. A short silence followed.
　　 Then the chief clerk spoke sharply. “Did you understand that voice?” he asked. “That does not sound like a healthy man.”
　　 Gregor’s father knocked loudly on the door. “Gregor,” he said impatiently, “open the door immediately.”
　　 Gregor wished he could explain everything calmly. But the door was locked, and he had never practiced opening it with his new body. He turned slowly and looked toward the key in the lock. If he could somehow reach it and turn it, the door would open.
　　 Gregor began climbing onto the chair near the door. The task was difficult because the surface was smooth. His legs slipped several times before he managed to pull himself upward. When he reached the seat of the chair he rested for a moment, breathing slowly. From there he could reach the key.
　　 The voices outside the door grew more anxious. The chief clerk spoke again, this time with suspicion in his voice. “Mr. Samsa,” he said loudly, “your silence is very troubling. You have shown yourself to be a dependable worker, but recently your performance has caused concern.”
　　 Gregor listened with growing fear. The clerk continued speaking about Gregor’s responsibilities and the importance of his position. The words seemed endless, and each sentence made Gregor feel more desperate. He knew he must open the door quickly.
　　 Gregor leaned forward and pressed his mouth carefully against the key. He had no teeth as before, but his jaws were strong enough to hold it. Slowly he began to turn the key in the lock. The metal moved little by little under the pressure of his mouth.
　　 Outside, the chief clerk suddenly stopped speaking. “Listen,” he said quietly. “He is turning the key.”
　　 Gregor heard the surprise in his voice and felt a small sense of hope. If he could open the door, perhaps everything would be explained. He continued turning the key with great effort. His body twisted as he pushed harder, and a dark liquid from his mouth dripped onto the floor. Gregor did not notice the pain. His thoughts were fixed only on the lock.
　　 At last the key turned completely with a clear clicking sound.
　　 Gregor felt a deep breath of relief pass through his body. “Now the door will open,” he thought. Carefully he pressed the handle and began pushing the door outward. Because of the way he stood, the door opened wider before his body could be seen from the hallway.
　　 Slowly Gregor moved forward. He turned his body sideways and tried to pass through the opening. The movement required great care, and for a moment he worried that he might fall onto his back. Finally his head appeared in the doorway.
　　 The first person he saw was the chief clerk. The man stood directly in front of the door. When he saw Gregor, he suddenly covered his mouth with his hand and stepped backward. His face had become pale with shock.
　　 Gregor’s mother stood nearby. She looked at Gregor for a moment with wide eyes, unable to speak. Then she took two steps toward him before collapsing to the floor, her skirts spreading around her.
　　 The father stood behind her with clenched fists. His expression showed both anger and confusion. For a moment he looked around the room as if searching for something. Then he covered his face with his hands and began breathing heavily.
　　 Gregor remained partly inside the doorway, unsure how to move. Only half of his body could be seen. He tilted his head slightly as he looked at the others.
　　 The room had grown brighter during these moments. Through the window across the street Gregor could see a long gray building. It was the hospital. The rain continued falling, and the drops struck the ground one by one.
　　 On the breakfast table lay several newspapers and dishes. The father usually spent a long time reading during breakfast. On the wall hung a photograph of Gregor from his days as a soldier. In the picture he stood proudly in uniform, smiling confidently.
　　 Gregor tried to speak calmly to the chief clerk. “I will get ready immediately,” he said. “Please do not worry. I will catch the next train and go to work.”
　　 The clerk, however, continued stepping backward toward the hallway. His eyes remained fixed on Gregor.
　　 Gregor tried again. “You must understand,” he said nervously. “Traveling work is difficult. Sometimes a man cannot rise at once in the morning. But I will go to the office today and explain everything.”
　　 The clerk did not answer. Instead he moved slowly toward the door that led to the staircase.
　　 Gregor realized that if the clerk left now, his job would be in great danger. Desperately he began crawling forward to stop him.
　　 But his body was still awkward, and his movement frightened everyone even more.
　　 The clerk suddenly turned and rushed toward the stairs. His cry echoed through the hallway as he disappeared.
　　 Gregor understood at once that the situation had become very serious.
　　
　　Part 3
　　
　　 The chief clerk’s hurried steps quickly faded down the stairway, but the sound left a heavy silence behind it. Gregor remained near the doorway for a moment, unsure what he should do next. He knew that the clerk would soon return to the office and report everything he had seen. That thought filled Gregor with fear. If the office believed that Gregor could no longer work, he would lose his job at once. Without his income, his family would fall into serious trouble.
　　 Gregor tried to speak again in order to calm everyone. “Please do not worry,” he said as gently as possible. His strange voice still made the words sound unclear, but he hoped that the meaning could be understood. “I will go to the office soon. I will explain everything.”
　　 No one answered him. His father stood near the table, looking uncertain and deeply troubled. The mother had not yet risen from the floor. She leaned weakly against a chair and breathed quickly, as if the air in the room had suddenly become too heavy.
　　 Gregor slowly moved farther into the living room. He did not want to frighten them, so he moved carefully and kept his body low to the ground. Yet every small movement seemed to make the situation worse. His legs slid across the floor with soft scratching sounds that made the mother shiver.
　　 Suddenly the mother cried out again. She raised her arms as if to protect herself. “Help!” she shouted weakly. “For God’s sake, help!”
　　 Her voice filled the room with panic. She tried to step backward but soon lost her balance and sank into a chair near the table. In her confusion she pushed against the breakfast dishes. A large coffee pot tipped over, and dark coffee spread slowly across the carpet.
　　 Gregor watched the coffee flow across the floor. For a moment he forgot everything else. The smell reached him clearly, and he moved his head slightly toward it. The movement caused the mother to scream once more.
　　 At that moment the father suddenly seemed to understand what he must do. His face hardened, and he looked at Gregor with a determined expression. He grabbed the chief clerk’s walking stick from a chair near the door. With his other hand he picked up a large newspaper from the table.
　　 Then he began moving toward Gregor.
　　 The father stamped his feet loudly as he advanced. The stick and the newspaper moved in the air as if they were weapons. “Back!” he shouted angrily. “Back into your room!”
　　 Gregor tried to answer, but his voice came out as a thin and strange sound. The father did not seem to hear any words in it. He only saw the creature before him and moved forward with greater force.
　　 Gregor understood that he must retreat. Slowly he began moving backward across the living room floor. But walking backward with his new body was extremely difficult. His legs became confused, and several times he nearly fell onto his back.
　　 The father continued pushing him with sharp movements of the stick. The newspaper also waved through the air, making a soft rushing sound. Each time Gregor tried to turn around, the father stamped his foot loudly, forcing him to continue moving backward.
　　 Meanwhile the mother had opened the window wide, even though the air outside was cold and wet. She leaned forward and pressed her face into her hands. The wind rushed into the room, making the curtains fly and the newspapers on the table rustle loudly.
　　 Gregor felt confused by the noise and the sudden movement of air. His legs trembled as he tried to move more quickly toward his room. But the doorway seemed very far away.
　　 At last Gregor decided that he must turn around. If he could face the door, he might reach it more easily. Slowly he began twisting his body while keeping one eye on his father’s movements.
　　 The turning was slow and awkward, but the father seemed to understand what Gregor was trying to do. For a moment he stopped stamping his feet and watched the movement carefully. He even guided Gregor slightly with the tip of the stick.
　　 After several difficult seconds Gregor finally faced the doorway of his room. Relief filled him when he saw it directly ahead.
　　 But another problem appeared immediately. His body was wider than the doorway.
　　 Gregor tried pushing forward carefully, but his sides touched the frame on both sides. He struggled to squeeze through the opening, yet the movement only made him more firmly stuck.
　　 The father did not stop pushing. He seemed to believe that Gregor should pass through at once. Instead of opening the second door panel to make the space wider, he continued forcing Gregor forward.
　　 Gregor felt pain as his body pressed hard against the wood of the doorframe. One side of his body lifted slightly into the air while the other scraped painfully along the edge. White marks appeared on the wood where his shell rubbed against it.
　　 For a moment Gregor remained trapped halfway through the doorway. Some of his legs moved helplessly in the air while others pressed weakly against the floor.
　　 Then the father gave him a strong push from behind with the stick.
　　 The force pushed Gregor forward suddenly. His body slipped through the doorway at last, though the movement caused a sharp pain along his side. He slid across the floor of his room and landed heavily inside.
　　 Immediately the father slammed the door shut with the stick.
　　 The loud sound echoed through the room.
　　 After that everything became quiet.
　　 Gregor lay still on the floor for a long time. His body felt exhausted from the struggle. Slowly the pain in his side spread through his entire body.
　　 Outside the door the apartment remained silent. No voices could be heard.
　　 Gregor realized that the morning had passed in confusion and fear. The life he had known only a few hours earlier had already disappeared.
　　
　　Part 4
　　
　　 Gregor remained where he had fallen for a long time. His body felt weak, and the pain along his side slowly spread through him. At first he could not move at all. Only after some time did he begin to notice that the room had grown darker. The gray light of morning had slowly changed into the dim light of evening. Gregor had slept for several hours without realizing it.
　　 When he finally opened his eyes fully, he felt a little stronger. His body was still heavy, but the sharp pain had faded into a dull pressure along his side. Gregor began moving his legs carefully. This time the movement felt more natural. The legs seemed to understand his wishes better than before. Slowly he pushed himself across the floor.
　　 The room around him was quiet. Through the window he could see the faint light of a street lamp outside. The soft glow touched the ceiling and the upper parts of the furniture. The floor itself remained mostly dark. Gregor moved toward the door, curious about what was happening in the rest of the apartment.
　　 As he approached the door he noticed something unusual. A pleasant smell filled the air. Gregor stopped and moved his feelers slowly forward. The smell of food reached him clearly. Just outside the door stood a bowl filled with milk. Small pieces of white bread floated in it.
　　 Gregor felt a sudden wave of hunger. He had eaten nothing since the day before. The sight of the milk made him eager. Milk had always been his favorite drink, and he believed that his sister must have brought it because she knew this. Gregor pushed his head forward and placed his mouth into the bowl.
　　 At once he pulled back in disappointment.
　　 The milk did not taste pleasant to him. In fact it made him feel uneasy. Gregor tried again, taking only a small amount this time. But the taste still seemed wrong. His body did not want the milk anymore.
　　 Gregor slowly turned away from the bowl. The hunger remained, yet the food before him no longer satisfied him. He crawled slowly back toward the center of the room and lay there quietly.
　　 Through the small opening of the door he could see into the living room. The gas lamp there was lit, and its light spread across the table. Usually at this hour Gregor’s father sat reading the evening newspaper aloud to the family. His voice often filled the apartment. But tonight the living room was silent.
　　 Gregor listened carefully. He heard no voices and no movement. The apartment seemed strangely calm.
　　 “What a quiet life they have now,” Gregor thought. For several years he had worked hard to support the family and give them comfort. The apartment had always been a place of peace when he returned from his long journeys. Now he wondered if that peaceful life had ended because of his condition.
　　 Gregor did not want to continue such thoughts. Instead he began slowly crawling around the room. During the long evening one of the doors to the hallway opened slightly and then closed again. Later the other door opened a little and also closed quickly.
　　 It seemed that someone wished to enter but felt too afraid.
　　 Gregor waited quietly near the door to the living room. He wanted to make the visitor feel safe. If someone came inside, he would remain calm and still. But the door did not open again.
　　 The hours passed slowly.
　　 Late in the night the gas lamp in the living room was finally turned off. Gregor heard quiet footsteps moving away. His parents and sister walked carefully across the floor so that they would not make noise.
　　 Gregor realized that no one would come into his room until morning.
　　 Now he had many hours to think about his new life.
　　 Yet the large empty space of the room made him uneasy. It had been his room for five years, but now the high ceiling and wide floor felt strange. He no longer felt like the person who had lived here before.
　　 Almost without thinking, Gregor crawled under the sofa.
　　 The space beneath it felt dark and safe. His back pressed lightly against the bottom of the sofa, and his head could not lift fully. Still, the narrow place comforted him.
　　 Gregor remained there through the entire night. Sometimes he slept lightly. At other times hunger woke him again. During the quiet hours he thought about his family and the trouble he had caused them.
　　 In the end he decided that he must remain calm and patient. His strange condition had forced great difficulty upon the family. If he moved carefully and caused no fear, perhaps life could slowly become easier again.
　　 Very early the next morning Gregor heard a soft sound at the door.
　　 The door opened quietly.
　　 His sister entered the room.
　　 She was already dressed and looked around carefully. At first she did not see him. But when she noticed his shape under the sofa she stepped back suddenly and closed the door again.
　　 It was as if she had touched something dangerous.
　　 After a short moment the door opened once more. This time she entered slowly, walking on her toes like someone visiting a sick person.
　　 Gregor watched her from beneath the sofa.
　　 She immediately noticed the bowl of milk.
　　 The bowl was still full, though a little milk had spilled onto the floor. The sister picked it up quickly. She did not touch it with her bare hands but used a cloth instead.
　　 Then she carried it out of the room.
　　 Gregor wondered what she would bring next. His hunger had not disappeared. Yet he felt certain that the milk would not return.
　　 Soon the sister came back again.
　　 This time she carried many different foods.
　　 She placed them on an old piece of paper spread across the floor. There were pieces of vegetable food that had grown old and soft. There were bones from the previous evening’s meal with dried white sauce still on them. She also brought a few raisins and some cheese that Gregor himself had refused only two days earlier.
　　 In addition there were pieces of dry bread and bread with butter. Beside these foods she placed a bowl of water.
　　 After arranging everything carefully, the sister quickly left the room. Before closing the door she turned the key in the lock so that Gregor would know he could eat safely without being watched.
　　 Gregor immediately began moving toward the food.
　　 His legs carried him forward quickly now. He felt surprised at how easily they moved. It seemed that his wound had almost healed overnight.
　　 The smell of the cheese attracted him strongly. He began eating it with great hunger. The taste pleased him, and he ate quickly until nothing remained.
　　 After that he tried the vegetables and the sauce. These also tasted good.
　　 But the fresh bread did not interest him at all. Even the smell of it seemed unpleasant.
　　 When he had finished eating everything he liked, Gregor lay still and rested.
　　 Soon he heard the key turning again.
　　 The sister had returned.
　　 Gregor hurried back under the sofa.
　　 Because he had eaten so much, his body had grown rounder. In the narrow space beneath the sofa he could hardly breathe.
　　 He watched quietly as the sister cleaned the room.
　　 With a broom she swept away the remains of the food, even the pieces he had not touched. She pushed everything into a bucket and closed it with a lid.
　　 Then she carried the bucket away and shut the door behind her.
　　 When she left, Gregor slowly crawled out from beneath the sofa.
　　 He stretched his body wide and breathed deeply in the quiet room.
　　
　　Part 5
　　
　　 From that day forward Gregor received food twice each day. The first time came early in the morning, before the parents and the servant girl woke up. The second time came after the family had eaten their midday meal. At that hour the parents usually rested for a while, and the sister often sent the servant girl out of the apartment for some small errand. In this way Gregor could eat without anyone watching him.
　　 Gregor understood why they did this. The family did not want him to starve, yet they also did not wish to see him eating in his new form. It was easier for them if the sister cared for everything alone. Perhaps she wished to protect the parents from even more sadness, because they already suffered greatly from the situation.
　　 Gregor himself could learn little directly from the family. When the sister entered the room she usually spoke very little. Sometimes he heard her sigh softly. At other times she whispered short prayers under her breath. Only later, after several days had passed, did she begin saying a few words aloud.
　　 When Gregor ate well she sometimes said quietly, “Today he liked the food.” But when he left much of it untouched, which began to happen more often, she would say with sadness, “Again he has left everything.”
　　 Gregor could not answer her. Even if he tried, his voice would only frighten her again.
　　 Instead he began listening carefully at the doors that connected his room with the rest of the apartment. Whenever he heard voices he crawled quickly to the door and pressed his body against it. In this way he could understand at least a little about what the family discussed.
　　 During the first days almost every conversation concerned Gregor. At every meal the parents and the sister spoke about what they should do next. Even between meals they returned again and again to the same subject.
　　 For two full days no one wanted to leave the apartment alone. At least two members of the family always remained at home. At the same time they did not want to leave the apartment completely empty.
　　 On the first day the servant girl had begged the mother on her knees to allow her to leave the job immediately. It was not clear how much she understood about what had happened. Still, she was deeply frightened. A short time later she left the apartment, thanking the family with tears and promising strongly that she would tell no one about the strange event.
　　 From that moment the sister and the mother had to prepare the meals together. But cooking was not difficult, because the family hardly ate anything. Gregor often heard one person ask another to eat a little more, and usually the answer was the same.
　　 “No, thank you,” someone would say quietly. “I have had enough.”
　　 Sometimes they said something similar.
　　 They even drank very little.
　　 Several times the sister asked the father whether he wanted beer. She offered kindly to bring it for him. When he did not answer, she tried to make the decision easier for him.
　　 “I could ask the caretaker to bring it,” she said.
　　 But the father always replied firmly, “No.” After that the subject ended.
　　 On the first evening the father began explaining the family’s financial situation to the mother and sister. From time to time he rose from the table and went to a small chest where he kept money and papers. Gregor heard the lock opening and closing as the father removed documents and looked through them carefully.
　　 What Gregor heard from these conversations surprised him greatly.
　　 He had always believed that nothing remained from the father’s failed business. At least his father had never spoken about any savings. Gregor himself had never asked questions. His only concern had been earning money as quickly as possible.
　　 When the father’s business had collapsed five years earlier, the entire family had fallen into despair. Gregor had begun working with great determination. Very soon he became a traveling salesman. The position brought better opportunities than his earlier work in a shop.
　　 The commissions he earned soon turned into steady income. Each month Gregor placed the money on the table at home. The family had accepted it with gratitude and relief. Those early months had been filled with warm feelings.
　　 Later Gregor earned even more money. In fact he earned enough to support the entire family comfortably.
　　 Yet as the years passed, the earlier warmth slowly faded. The family had become accustomed to the money. They accepted it gladly, and Gregor was happy to provide it. Still, the deep closeness between them gradually disappeared.
　　 Only the sister remained especially dear to him.
　　 Gregor loved her very much. She was young and full of life. Most of all she loved music. She played the violin beautifully.
　　 Gregor had secretly made an important plan for her future. Next year he intended to send her to the music school in the city. The cost would be high, but Gregor believed he could earn enough money to pay for it.
　　 Often during his short visits home he spoke with her about this dream. They treated the idea like a wonderful secret. The parents did not like to hear about it. They believed the plan was too expensive and unrealistic.
　　 But Gregor had already decided. On Christmas evening he intended to announce the plan formally to the whole family.
　　 Now, lying quietly in his room, Gregor realized that such dreams had become impossible.
　　 Still the thoughts returned again and again as he listened at the door.
　　 Sometimes he became so tired that he could not listen any longer. His head slipped and touched the door lightly. The small sound always stopped the conversation in the other room.
　　 “What is he doing now?” the father would ask after a moment.
　　 His voice was directed toward the door.
　　 Only after that did the conversation slowly begin again.
　　 From these repeated discussions Gregor learned everything clearly. A small amount of money had remained from the old business after all. The family had not spent it during the past years. In fact the money had grown a little because of interest.
　　 In addition, the money Gregor brought home each month had never been fully spent. Gregor had kept only a few coins for himself, and the rest had slowly formed a small savings fund.
　　 When Gregor heard this, he felt a sudden sense of pride. He had not realized how carefully the family had managed the money.
　　 Still, the amount would not support them for very long. Perhaps it could last one year. At most two.
　　 After that the money would be gone.
　　 Someone would have to earn money again.
　　 Gregor listened as the family spoke about this difficult question.
　　 The father was still healthy, but he had not worked for five years and had grown somewhat slow. The mother suffered from breathing trouble and became tired even after small tasks around the apartment. The sister was only seventeen and had lived a comfortable life until now.
　　 Each time the family spoke about these worries Gregor could not bear to listen any longer. He moved away from the door and lay down on the cool leather sofa.
　　 His whole body burned with shame and sadness.
　　 Often he remained there through the entire night, unable to sleep.
　　 Sometimes he pushed a chair toward the window and climbed up with great effort. From the chair he could look outside at the street below. In the past he had loved looking out of the window. It made him feel free after his long journeys.
　　 But now the view became less clear each day.
　　 The hospital building across the street slowly disappeared from his sight. The world beyond the window seemed to turn into a gray and empty space where sky and earth blended together.
　　 Only twice did the careful sister notice that the chair stood near the window.
　　 Each time she quietly pushed it back to its place after cleaning the room. Later she even began leaving the inner window open slightly for him.
　　 Gregor wished deeply that he could thank her for these small kindnesses.
　　 But he could only remain silent and watch her from the shadows.
　　
　　Part 6
　　
　　 One morning, about a month after Gregor’s transformation, an event occurred that showed clearly how difficult his appearance still was for his sister. She entered the room somewhat earlier than usual, carrying the food as she always did. Gregor had not yet hidden himself under the sofa. Instead he stood near the window, completely still, looking outside at the pale morning light. In the gray air his dark body must have appeared especially strange and frightening.
　　 When the sister opened the door and saw him there, she stopped immediately. For a moment she remained in the doorway, unable to move. Gregor could see the fear on her face. It seemed possible that she might turn around and leave the room at once. In fact Gregor would not have been surprised if she had done so, because his position near the window made it impossible for her to approach the window as she usually did.
　　 But the sister did not simply run away. Instead she stepped backward and closed the door quietly. The movement was quick, almost like the action of someone who had touched something hot. Gregor immediately understood that he had frightened her deeply.
　　 He hurried at once under the sofa. The movement was slow and awkward, but he managed to hide himself completely. After that he waited quietly in the darkness beneath the furniture.
　　 Nearly half the day passed before the sister returned. When she finally opened the door again, her movements were careful and uncertain. Gregor realized that she must force herself to enter the room each time. Even the small sight of his body beneath the sofa probably filled her with discomfort.
　　 Because of this, Gregor began thinking about a way to make things easier for her. He wished to hide himself completely so that she would not have to see him at all.
　　 Later that day he found a sheet on the bed and slowly began pulling it toward the sofa. The work was extremely difficult. He had to push the cloth with his back and drag it across the floor. Many times the sheet slipped away from him, and he had to begin again.
　　 After nearly four hours of effort he finally managed to place the sheet over the sofa. The cloth hung down on all sides and covered the space beneath it entirely.
　　 Gregor crawled under the sofa again and examined the result carefully. Now, even if the sister bent down, she would not be able to see him clearly.
　　 Gregor felt satisfied with this solution. If the sister believed the sheet unnecessary, she could easily remove it. But at least Gregor had tried to make the situation easier for her.
　　 The sister did not remove the sheet. In fact she left it exactly where Gregor had placed it. Once Gregor even thought he noticed a small sign of gratitude in her eyes when she saw how carefully the sheet covered the space beneath the sofa.
　　 During the first two weeks after Gregor’s transformation the parents could not bring themselves to enter the room. Gregor often heard them praising the sister’s courage and patience. Before this they had sometimes complained about her, calling her somewhat lazy or careless. Now they spoke about her with admiration.
　　 Often they stood outside the door while she cleaned the room. When she came out again they asked many questions. They wanted to know how the room looked, what Gregor had eaten, and whether his behavior had changed.
　　 The mother especially wished to see Gregor herself. At first the father and sister prevented her with reasonable arguments. Gregor listened carefully to these discussions and agreed with them. He understood that the sight of him might frighten her too much.
　　 But the mother continued asking again and again.
　　 “Let me go to Gregor,” she said. “He is my unfortunate son. I must see him.”
　　 Sometimes she even cried loudly outside the door.
　　 At such moments Gregor wondered whether it might be good if the mother visited him after all. Perhaps once each week would not be too much. The mother understood life better than the sister, who despite her bravery was still young and inexperienced.
　　 Eventually the opportunity came.
　　 Gregor had begun crawling not only across the floor but also along the walls and ceiling of the room. He discovered that he enjoyed climbing upward. When he hung from the ceiling his body could swing freely in the air. The feeling was almost pleasant, and it made him forget his troubles for a short time.
　　 The sister soon noticed the marks his climbing left on the walls. She immediately understood that Gregor needed more space to move.
　　 For this reason she decided to remove some of the furniture from the room. The large chest and the writing desk stood directly in his way. But these pieces of furniture were heavy, and she could not move them alone.
　　 The father refused to help her. Since the servant girl had left the apartment, there was no one else available.
　　 Finally the sister asked the mother to help.
　　 The mother agreed gladly. “Yes,” she said, “we will move the furniture together. Perhaps Gregor will feel better if he has more space.”
　　 Soon the two women entered the room.
　　 Gregor had already hidden himself under the sheet beneath the sofa. The cloth rose slightly where his body pressed against it, but otherwise it appeared to be nothing more than a pile of fabric.
　　 The mother seemed relieved when she saw this.
　　 “Come,” she said quietly. “Let us begin with the chest.”
　　 The sister and the mother began pushing the heavy piece of furniture across the floor. The work was slow and difficult. Gregor listened carefully from beneath the sofa.
　　 The chest contained small tools that Gregor had once used during his free time. If the furniture disappeared completely, the room would become empty and strange.
　　 Suddenly Gregor felt that he must save at least one object.
　　 Slowly he crawled out from beneath the sheet. The two women had their backs turned and did not see him.
　　 Gregor climbed up the wall carefully. On the wall hung the picture of the woman in fur that he had once cut from the magazine.
　　 Gregor pressed his body tightly against the frame. The cool glass touched his belly.
　　 “At least this picture will remain mine,” he thought.
　　 At that moment the sister turned around.
　　 She saw the empty sofa.
　　 Her eyes moved across the room.
　　 Then she saw Gregor on the wall.
　　 Her face turned pale with shock.
　　 “Mother!” she cried. “Look out!”
　　 The mother turned slowly.
　　 She saw Gregor.
　　 For a moment she stood still with wide eyes.
　　 Then her body collapsed onto the sofa.
　　 Her arms spread weakly across the cushions.
　　 “Oh God,” she whispered.
　　 Gregor quickly climbed down from the wall. He wished to help somehow, but the sister rushed toward him with sudden anger.
　　 “Gregor!” she shouted.
　　 She grabbed a chair and held it toward him as if it were a weapon.
　　 Gregor immediately moved backward into the darker part of the room. He did not wish to frighten them further.
　　 Meanwhile the sister hurried into the living room to bring medicine for the mother.
　　 Gregor remained in the corner, waiting quietly.
　　
　　Part 7
　　
　　 After a short time the sister returned with a small bottle in her hand. She hurried toward the sofa where the mother still lay weak and motionless. Carefully she lifted the mother’s head and held the bottle near her lips. The mother drank a few drops of the medicine and slowly began to breathe more steadily. Gregor remained in the dark corner of the room and did not move, because he knew that his presence would only make the situation worse.
　　 The sister glanced at him once more. Her face showed both anger and fear. “Gregor,” she said sharply, pointing toward the door of his room, “you must go back inside.”
　　 Gregor obeyed immediately. Slowly he turned his body and began crawling across the floor toward the doorway. Every movement felt difficult because he had grown tired from climbing the wall and from the excitement of the moment. Behind him he heard the sister speaking softly to the mother.
　　 “Do not be afraid, Mother,” she said gently. “Gregor is going back to his room now.”
　　 Gregor reached the doorway and paused there for a moment. He did not want to frighten them again by moving too suddenly. But the sister noticed that he had stopped.
　　 “Go,” she said impatiently.
　　 Gregor moved forward again and pushed his body through the doorway. Once he had entered the room completely, the sister followed quickly and closed the door behind him. The key turned firmly in the lock.
　　 Gregor heard the sound clearly and understood that he was once again alone.
　　 For a long time he lay quietly on the floor without moving. The events had exhausted him completely. His body felt heavy, and the wound along his side began to ache again.
　　 Outside the door he could hear the voices of the sister and the mother speaking in low tones. Soon their conversation faded as they moved into another room.
　　 A short time later another sound reached Gregor’s ears.
　　 The front door of the apartment opened.
　　 Heavy footsteps entered the hallway.
　　 Gregor recognized the sound immediately.
　　 The father had returned home.
　　 The sister ran to meet him.
　　 “Father!” she called.
　　 The father’s voice answered quickly. “What has happened?”
　　 The sister began explaining the situation. Her words came quickly and were difficult to follow through the closed door. Gregor could hear only parts of the story.
　　 “…Mother fainted… we tried to move the furniture… Gregor came out…”
　　 The father’s voice suddenly became louder.
　　 “Gregor came out?” he repeated sharply.
　　 Gregor felt a wave of fear pass through his body.
　　 The father’s steps moved quickly toward Gregor’s room.
　　 The sister tried to stop him.
　　 “Father, please,” she said anxiously. “Gregor is quiet now.”
　　 But the father had already reached the door.
　　 The key turned violently in the lock.
　　 The door flew open.
　　 Gregor saw his father standing in the doorway.
　　 The father looked very different from the man Gregor remembered. During the past years he had grown slow and heavy and spent much of his time resting in a chair. Now, however, he stood upright and strong.
　　 He wore a dark blue uniform with bright gold buttons. His hair was carefully combed, and his face appeared serious and determined.
　　 Gregor did not yet know that his father had found work as a messenger at a bank.
　　 When the father saw Gregor in the room he stopped suddenly.
　　 His eyes grew hard.
　　 “Ah!” he shouted with anger.
　　 Gregor immediately began crawling backward across the floor. He wished to show that he meant no harm.
　　 But the father did not wait.
　　 On the table near the door stood a bowl filled with apples.
　　 The father seized several apples at once.
　　 Without hesitation he threw the first one.
　　 The apple flew across the room and struck the wall beside Gregor. It fell to the floor with a dull sound.
　　 A second apple followed quickly.
　　 Gregor tried to escape, but his movement was slow.
　　 Then a third apple struck him directly on the back.
　　 The pain was sharp and sudden.
　　 Gregor stopped moving at once.
　　 The apple had become stuck in the hard surface of his body.
　　 Gregor tried to crawl forward again, but the fruit remained fixed in place. Each movement caused new pain.
　　 The father raised another apple in his hand.
　　 At that moment the mother rushed into the room.
　　 She had recovered enough to follow him.
　　 “Stop!” she cried desperately.
　　 She ran toward the father and threw her arms around his neck.
　　 “Please spare him!” she begged. “He is our son!”
　　 The father slowly lowered his arm.
　　 The apple fell from his hand to the floor.
　　 For several seconds no one spoke.
　　 Gregor could barely breathe. The apple remained buried in his back like a painful weight.
　　 The sister stood in the doorway watching silently.
　　 Finally the father turned away and walked out of the room without another word.
　　 The mother followed him slowly.
　　 The sister remained behind for a moment. She looked at Gregor with deep sadness but said nothing.
　　 Then she quietly closed the door.
　　 Gregor remained alone in the dark room.
　　 The apple stayed lodged in his back.
　　 No one removed it.
　　 The wound soon became serious, and Gregor’s strength began to fade.
　　 From that day his movements became weaker and slower.
　　 Yet even greater than the physical pain was the sadness that filled his thoughts.
　　 Gregor understood that life for his family had changed forever.
　　
　　Part 8
　　
　　 The apple remained in Gregor’s back for many weeks. No one dared to remove it, and slowly the wound around it became worse. The pain did not remain sharp all the time. Instead it stayed in his body like a heavy pressure that never completely disappeared. Because of this injury Gregor’s movements grew slower each day. Crawling across the room required great effort, and sometimes he remained in the same place for hours without moving at all.
　　 Yet the family did not forget him completely. Each evening the door between Gregor’s room and the living room was opened for a short time. Gregor could lie in the darkness and look into the bright room where the family sat together at the table. Often they ate their evening meal quietly, speaking only a few words.
　　 Gregor watched them carefully. The father usually returned home from work wearing a blue uniform with bright gold buttons. Even after supper he often remained in the uniform because he was too tired to change his clothes. Many evenings he sat in his chair and fell asleep there. When the mother or sister tried to wake him, he would suddenly open his eyes and say in confusion, “What is it? Is it already time for work again?”
　　 Then he would realize where he was and slowly lean back into the chair.
　　 The mother worked quietly during these hours. She had found small sewing jobs from a clothing shop, and every evening she bent over her work under the lamp. Her hands moved slowly but carefully as she repaired the garments.
　　 The sister also had new responsibilities. She had found work as a salesgirl in a shop. During the evenings she studied French and writing in order to improve her chances for better work in the future. Sometimes Gregor saw her sitting at the table with a book open before her, repeating words softly to herself.
　　 Gregor understood that life had become difficult for them all.
　　 At the same time his own room slowly changed. The sister had less time to care for it. She entered quickly in the morning and again in the evening, cleaning only what was necessary. Dust began gathering in the corners, and sometimes the remains of food lay on the floor longer than before.
　　 Gregor did not complain. In fact he felt grateful for every small effort she still made.
　　 After some time another change occurred.
　　 One day the sister entered the room carrying a large bucket and several old objects. She placed them near the wall and then returned with more items. Soon the room began filling with things that the family no longer needed.
　　 Broken chairs, empty containers, and other useless objects were pushed into the room. The apartment had become too small to hold everything, especially now that the family wished to keep the rest of the home clean.
　　 Gregor’s room slowly turned into a place where old things were stored.
　　 At first Gregor felt annoyed. The objects stood in his way and made moving across the floor difficult. But later he no longer cared. In fact he often hid among the boxes and furniture because the narrow spaces made him feel safer.
　　 The family had found another way to improve their financial situation.
　　 They had taken in three boarders who rented a room in the apartment.
　　 These men were serious and quiet. Each of them had a large beard, and they always wore dark clothes. They demanded that the apartment remain very clean and orderly.
　　 Because of them the family worked harder than ever.
　　 The sister and mother prepared meals carefully for the boarders. Even the father helped from time to time. Gregor rarely saw the men closely, but he heard their heavy steps and deep voices moving through the apartment.
　　 Every evening the boarders sat at the dining table in the living room and ate their supper slowly and carefully. The father served them with great attention, and the mother brought dishes from the kitchen.
　　 One evening the door to Gregor’s room had again been left slightly open. Gregor lay quietly in the darkness and watched the scene in the living room.
　　 The boarders were finishing their meal. They ate with serious expressions and spoke very little. The father stood nearby with his hands behind his back.
　　 After supper the sister entered the room holding her violin.
　　 One of the boarders had noticed the instrument earlier that day. Now he asked politely if she would play something for them.
　　 The sister looked surprised but pleased by the request. She stood near the window and began playing softly.
　　 Gregor listened with deep emotion.
　　 The sound of the violin filled the room with gentle music. The notes seemed warm and full of feeling. Gregor had always loved hearing his sister play.
　　 Slowly he began crawling forward across the floor of his room. The door stood open, and the music drew him closer.
　　 The boarders listened quietly, but they did not appear deeply interested. One man leaned back in his chair while another looked up at the ceiling.
　　 Gregor felt something like anger rising inside him. How could they listen so carelessly? The music was beautiful.
　　 His sister played with true feeling.
　　 Gregor moved closer to the doorway.
　　 In his thoughts he imagined telling her that she should play only for him. He would protect her from the world and never allow her to leave his room again. She would remain beside him and fill the quiet evenings with music.
　　 Without thinking about the danger, Gregor crawled slowly into the living room.
　　 The sister noticed him first.
　　 The sound of the violin stopped suddenly.
　　 She stared at him with wide eyes.
　　 The boarders followed her gaze.
　　 For several seconds no one spoke.
　　 Then one of the boarders rose from his chair with anger.
　　 “What is this?” he cried loudly.
　　 He pointed toward Gregor.
　　 “You allow such a creature to live in your apartment?”
　　 The other two boarders also stood up. Their faces showed disgust and anger.
　　 “We will not remain here another day,” one of them said sharply.
　　 “We will leave immediately.”
　　 The father tried to calm them.
　　 “Please, gentlemen,” he said anxiously. “There has been a misunderstanding.”
　　 But the boarders refused to listen.
　　 They walked quickly into their room and began packing their belongings.
　　 The sister stood in the center of the living room, holding the violin loosely in her hand. Her face looked tired and hopeless.
　　 Gregor realized at once that his presence had destroyed everything again.
　　 Slowly he turned his body and began crawling back toward his room.
　　 No one tried to stop him.
　　 The music had ended.
　　 A deep silence filled the apartment.
　　
　　Part 9
　　
　　 Gregor had hardly entered his room when the door behind him was closed quickly and locked. The sound of the key turning echoed through the quiet apartment. Gregor stopped moving at once. His body felt extremely tired, and he remained lying on the floor near the doorway. For a moment he simply listened.
　　 Soon he heard the voices of his family in the living room. They spoke quietly at first, but the sister’s voice soon became clear.
　　 “Mother, Father,” she said firmly, “we cannot continue living like this.”
　　 Gregor listened carefully. The words seemed to move slowly through the silence.
　　 The father answered after a moment. His voice sounded tired.
　　 “What do you mean?”
　　 The sister spoke again, this time with even greater determination. “You must understand,” she said. “I will no longer call that creature Gregor. If it were truly Gregor, he would have understood long ago that people cannot live together with such a being.”
　　 Gregor felt a strange stillness in his thoughts as he heard these words.
　　 “If it were really Gregor,” the sister continued, “he would have left us of his own will. Then we could remember him kindly and continue our lives.”
　　 The mother began crying softly.
　　 “But this creature frightens us,” the sister said. “Because of it the boarders are leaving. Because of it Father and Mother must suffer every day.”
　　 The father spoke again, slowly and heavily.
　　 “She is right,” he said. “We must try to get rid of it.”
　　 The mother raised her weak hands slightly.
　　 “Perhaps we could still help him,” she whispered.
　　 But the sister shook her head.
　　 “No,” she said firmly. “We must stop believing that. That is the mistake we have made until now. How could it still be Gregor? If it were Gregor, he would not harm us in this way.”
　　 Gregor heard every word clearly. Yet he felt no anger toward them.
　　 Instead he felt a quiet understanding.
　　 The father rose slowly from his chair.
　　 “Tomorrow we will find a way,” he said.
　　 After that the voices became quiet again. Soon the light in the living room was turned off.
　　 Silence filled the apartment.
　　 Gregor remained alone in the darkness of his room.
　　 His breathing had become weak. The apple in his back still caused pain, but the pain now seemed distant. His body felt lighter and strangely calm.
　　 Gregor turned his head slowly toward the door.
　　 He began thinking about his earlier life. He remembered the long train journeys and the many hotel rooms where he had spent the night during his work. He remembered the effort he had made each day to earn money for his family.
　　 Most of all he thought about his parents and his sister.
　　 He remembered the evenings when they had all sat together peacefully. He remembered the sound of his sister’s violin filling the room with music.
　　 These memories warmed his thoughts.
　　 Gregor remained in the same place for a long time. Outside the window the night slowly passed.
　　 The air in the room became cooler.
　　 From the church tower nearby the clock struck three.
　　 Gregor could hardly move now. But he did not wish to move.
　　 He felt that his body was slowly growing lighter and weaker.
　　 Once more he thought about his sister.
　　 “She must have a good life,” he thought quietly. “She is young and strong.”
　　 Gregor believed that the family would live more peacefully once he was gone. This thought filled him with calm.
　　 As the first light of morning entered the room, Gregor’s head slowly sank down to the floor.
　　 His last breath left his body quietly.
　　 Gregor Samsa was dead.
　　 Several hours later the cleaning woman arrived at the apartment. She was a strong older woman who worked for the family. As usual she knocked loudly on the doors while entering the apartment.
　　 When no one answered immediately, she opened Gregor’s door without hesitation. She had often looked into the room with curiosity before.
　　 This time she stepped inside and looked around.
　　 At first she did not notice anything unusual. But soon she saw Gregor lying motionless on the floor.
　　 She pushed his body gently with her broom.
　　 Gregor did not move.
　　 She pushed him again, this time a little harder.
　　 Still nothing happened.
　　 “Well,” she said calmly, “look at that. It is completely dead.”
　　 She opened the door and called into the living room.
　　 “Come here for a moment. It is dead now.”
　　 The father, mother, and sister came quickly into the room.
　　 They stood around Gregor’s body silently.
　　 The father crossed himself slowly.
　　 “Now we can thank God,” he said quietly.
　　 The mother also crossed herself.
　　 The sister looked at the floor for a long time.
　　 Gregor’s body had become very thin. During the last weeks he had eaten almost nothing.
　　 Finally the father turned toward the cleaning woman.
　　 “You may take care of it,” he said.
　　 The woman nodded.
　　 She pushed the body carefully onto a piece of newspaper with her broom and carried it away.
　　 The door closed behind her.
　　 The family remained standing together in the quiet room.
　　 After a moment the father spoke.
　　 “Today we will rest,” he said. “We will write letters to our employers and take the day off.”
　　 The mother and sister agreed.
　　 Later that morning the three of them left the apartment together. They rode a tram out of the city. The day was warm and bright.
　　 The father sat upright and looked stronger than before. The mother leaned comfortably beside him. The sister looked out the window at the wide open fields.
　　 They began speaking quietly about their future. They would find a smaller apartment and continue working. Life would move forward again.
　　 As the tram traveled through the sunlight, the parents noticed something new.
　　 Their daughter had grown into a young woman.
　　 She stretched her body lightly in the warm air.
　　 The parents looked at each other and understood the same thought.
　　 The time had come to find a good husband for her.