talking down at your subordinates from up there,
especially when you have to go right up close because the
boss is hard of hearing. Well, there's still some hope;
once I've got the money together to pay off my parents'
debt to him - another five or six years I suppose - that's
definitely what I'll do. That's when I'll make the big
change. First of all though, I've got to get up, my train
leaves at five."
And he looked over at the alarm clock, ticking on the
chest of drawers. "God in Heaven!" he thought. It was
half past six and the hands were quietly moving
forwards, it was even later than half past, more like
quarter to seven. Had the alarm clock not rung? He could
see from the bed that it had been set for four o'clock as it
should have been; it certainly must have rung. Yes, but
was it possible to quietly sleep through that furniture-
rattling noise? True, he had not slept peacefully, but
probably all the more deeply because of that. What
should he do now? The next train went at seven; if he
were to catch that he would have to rush like mad and
the collection of samples was still not packed, and he did
not at all feel particularly fresh and lively. And even if he
did catch the train he would not avoid his boss's anger as
the office assistant would have been there to see the five
o'clock train go, he would have put in his report about
Gregor's not being there a long time ago. The office
assistant was the boss's man, spineless, and with no
understanding. What about if he reported sick? But that
would be extremely strained and suspicious as in fifteen
years of service Gregor had never once yet been ill. His
boss would certainly come round with the doctor from
the medical insurance company, accuse his parents of
having a lazy son, and accept the doctor's