Russian Stories

Since he had to pull the door towards him, he was still invisible when it was really wide open. He had to edge himself slowly round the near half of the double door, and to do it very carefully if he was not to fall plump upon his back just on the threshold. His father knotted his fist with a fierce expression on his room, then looked uncertainly round the living room, covered his eyes with his hands and wept till his great chest heaved.

Gregor did not go now into the living room. But leaned against the inside of the firmly shut wing of the of the door. So that only half his body was visible and his head above it bending sideways to look at the others. The light had meanwhile strenghened. On the other side of the street one could see clearly a section of the endlessly long, dark gray building opposite-it was a hospital-abruptly punctuated by its row of regular windows.