Gregor found out clearly enough (for his father tended
to repeat himself often in his explanations, partly because
he had not personally concerned himself with these
matters for a long time now, and partly also because his
mother did not understand everything right away the first
time) that, in spite all bad luck, a fortune, although a very
small one, was available from the old times, which the
interest (which had not been touched) had in the
intervening time gradually allowed to increase a little.
Furthermore, in addition to this, the money which Gregor
had brought home every month (he had kept only a few
florins for himself) had not been completely spent and had
grown into a small capital amount. Gregor, behind his
door, nodded eagerly, rejoicing over this unanticipated
foresight and frugality. True, with this excess money, he
could have paid off more of his father’s debt to his
employer and the day on which he could be rid of this
position would have been a lot closer, but now things
were doubtless better the way his father had arranged
them.
At the moment, however, this money was nowhere
near sufficient to permit the family to live on the interest
payments. Perhaps it would be enough to maintain the
family for one or at most two years, that’s all. Thus it came