Превращение
I
Thefirstthinghewantedtodowasgetthelowerpartofhisbodyoutofthebed,buthehadneverseenthislowerpart,andcouldnotimaginewhatitlookedlike;itturnedouttobetoohardtomove;itwentsoslowly;andfinally,almostinafrenzy,whenhecarelesslyshovedhimselfforwardswithalltheforcehecouldgather,hechosethewrongdirection,hithardagainstthelowerbedpost,andlearnedfromtheburningpainhefeltthatthelowerpartofhisbodymightwell,atpresent,bethemostsensitive.
Sothenhetriedtogetthetoppartofhisbodyoutofthebedfirst,carefullyturninghisheadtotheside.Thishemanagedquiteeasily,anddespiteitsbreadthanditsweight,thebulkofhisbodyeventuallyfollowedslowlyinthedirectionofthehead.Butwhenhehadatlastgothisheadoutofthebedandintothefreshairitoccurredtohimthatifhelethimselffallitwouldbeamiracleifhisheadwerenotinjured,sohebecameafraidtocarryonpushinghimselfforwardthesameway.Andhecouldnotknockhimselfoutnowatanyprice;bettertostayinbedthanloseconsciousness.
Ittookjustasmuchefforttogetbacktowherehehadbeenearlier,butwhenhelaytheresighing,andwasoncemorewatchinghislegsastheystruggledagainsteachotherevenharderthanbefore,ifthatwaspossible,hecouldthinkofnowayofbringingpeaceandordertothischaos.Hetoldhimselfoncemorethatitwasnotpossibleforhimtostayinbedandthatthemostsensiblethingtodowouldbetogetfreeofitinwhateverwayhecouldatwhateversacrifice.