{"id":"01KG16PR2C8QMAJEMBDDF9QDG1","cid":"bafkreidyes3nwxqdjdewvqzasrjr3eu57uzpedx24leasfjdcvwqg46cjy","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":373,"extracted_at":"2026-01-28T02:25:17.178Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 7","source_file":"01KG0K71QM71M0G20X5B9DHB1X","start_line":325,"text":"have expected him to let the chief clerk in. It was only a minor\r\ndiscourtesy, and a suitable excuse could easily be found for it later\r\non, it was not something for which Gregor could be sacked on the spot.\r\nAnd it seemed to Gregor much more sensible to leave him now in peace\r\ninstead of disturbing him with talking at him and crying. But the\r\nothers didn’t know what was happening, they were worried, that would\r\nexcuse their behaviour.\r\n\r\nThe chief clerk now raised his voice, “Mr. Samsa”, he called to him,\r\n“what is wrong? You barricade yourself in your room, give us no more\r\nthan yes or no for an answer, you are causing serious and unnecessary\r\nconcern to your parents and you fail—and I mention this just by the\r\nway—you fail to carry out your business duties in a way that is quite\r\nunheard of. I’m speaking here on behalf of your parents and of your\r\nemployer, and really must request a clear and immediate explanation. I\r\nam astonished, quite astonished. I thought I knew you as a calm and\r\nsensible person, and now you suddenly seem to be showing off with\r\npeculiar whims. This morning, your employer did suggest a possible\r\nreason for your failure to appear, it’s true—it had to do with the\r\nmoney that was recently entrusted to you—but I came near to giving him\r\nmy word of honour that that could not be the right explanation. But now\r\nthat I see your incomprehensible stubbornness I no longer feel any wish\r\nwhatsoever to intercede on your behalf. And nor is your position all\r\nthat secure. I had originally intended to say all this to you in\r\nprivate, but since you cause me to waste my time here for no good\r\nreason I don’t see why your parents should not also learn of it. Your\r\nturnover has been very unsatisfactory of late; I grant you that it’s\r\nnot the time of year to do especially good business, we recognise that;\r\nbut there simply is no time of year to do no business at all, Mr.\r\nSamsa, we cannot allow there to be.”\r\n\r\n“But Sir”, called Gregor, beside himself and forgetting all else in the\r\nexcitement, “I’ll open up immediately, just a moment. I’m slightly\r\nunwell, an attack of dizziness, I haven’t been able to get up. I’m\r\nstill in bed now. I’m quite fresh again now, though. I’m just getting\r\nout of bed. Just a moment. Be patient! It’s not quite as easy as I’d\r\nthought. I’m quite alright now, though. It’s shocking, what can\r\nsuddenly happen to a person! I was quite alright last night, my parents\r\nknow about it, perhaps better than me, I had a small symptom of it last\r\nnight already. They must have noticed it. I don’t know why I didn’t let\r\nyou know at work! But you always think you can get over an illness\r\nwithout staying at home. Please, don’t make my parents suffer! There’s\r\nno basis for any of the accusations you’re making; nobody’s ever said a\r\nword to me about any of these things. Maybe you haven’t read the latest\r\ncontracts I sent in. I’ll set off with the eight o’clock train, as\r\nwell, these few hours of rest have given me strength. You don’t need to\r\nwait, sir; I’ll be in the office soon after you, and please be so good\r\nas to tell that to the boss and recommend me to him!”\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 7"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG16NYWC39TXGGYV7QX3CSQ0","peer_label":"I","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG0K71QM71M0G20X5B9DHB1X","peer_label":"metamorphoses.txt","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KFXT0KM64XT6K8W52TDEE0YS","peer_label":"More Classics","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG16PR41PWWSP8TV5XN36QD5","peer_label":"Chunk 6","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"},{"peer":"01KG16PR75EC6K90RN4A3BKEQ7","peer_label":"Chunk 8","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-28T02:25:17.553Z","ts":"2026-01-28T02:25:18.837Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}