Next morning nobody awoke until the school children were there standing with gaping eyes round the sleepers.
This was unpleasant, for on account of the intense heat, which now towards morning had given way, however, to a coldness which could be felt, they had all taken off everything but their shirts, and just as they were beginning to put on their clothes, Gisa, the lady teacher, appeared at the door, a fair, tall, beautiful, but somewhat stiff young woman.
She was evidently prepared for the new janitor, and seemed also to have been given her instructions by the teacher, for as soon as she appeared at the door she began:
“I can’t put up with this. This is a fine state of affairs. You have permission to sleep in the classroom, but that’s all; I am not obliged to teach in your bedroom. A janitor’s family that loll in their beds far into the forenoon! Faugh!”
Bueno, algo se podría decir al respecto, sobre todo en lo que se refería a la familia y a las camas, pensó K., mientras con la ayuda de Frieda —los ayudantes no servían para nada, tendidos en el suelo miraban con asombro a la maestra y a los niños— arrastraba las barras paralelas y el caballo de salto, arrojaba la manta sobre ellos y construía así una pequeña habitación en la que uno al menos podía ponerse la ropa protegido de las miradas de los niños. Sin embargo, no le concedieron ni un minuto de paz, pues la maestra comenzó a regañar porque no había agua fresca en el lavabo —K. acababa de pensar en ir a buscar el lavabo para que Frieda y él se lavasen, pero había abandonado la idea enseguida para no exasperar demasiado a la maestra—, mas su renuncia de nada sirvió, porque inmediatamente después se oyó un fuerte estrépito; por desgracia, al