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!” Well, something might be said about that, particularly as far as the family and the beds were concerned, thought K. , while with Frieda’s help⁠—the assistants were of no use, lying on the floor they looked in amazement at the lady teacher and the children⁠—he dragged across the parallel bars and the vaulting horse, threw the blanket over them, and so constructed a little room in which one could at least get on one’s clothes protected from the children’s gaze. He was not given a minute’s peace, however, for the lady teacher began to scold because there was no fresh water in the washing basin⁠— K. had just been thinking of fetching the basin for himself and Frieda to wash in, but he had at once given up the idea so as not to exasperate the lady teacher too much, but his renunciation was of no avail, for immediately afterwards there was a loud crash; unfortunately, it seemed, they had forgotten to clear away the remains of the supper from the teacher’s table, so she sent it all flying with her ruler and everything fell on the floor; she didn’t need to bother about the sardine oil and the remainder of the coffee being spilt and the