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was obliged to let go of her。 mrs。 van d。
came back to the room and collapsed into a chair with a loud sigh。
〃die enifu〃hruna der mutter；〃。 i joked。 ＇ the abduction of mother； a possible reference to mozarts opera the abduction from the seraglio。＇ 〃yes； but he hurt me。”
i went to have a look and cooled her hot； red wrists with water。 peter； still by the stairs and growing impa… tient again； strode into the room with his belt in his hand； like a lion tamer。 mrs。 van d。 didnt move； but stayed by her writing desk； looking for a handkerchief。 〃youve got to apologize first。”
〃all right； i hereby offer my apologies； but only because if i dont； well be here till midnight。”
mrs。 van d。 had to laugh in spite of herself。 she got up and went toward the door； where she felt obliged to give us an explanation。 （by us i mean father； mother and me； we were busy doing the dishes。） 〃he wasnt like this at home；〃 she said。 〃id have belted him so hard hed have gone flying down the stairs ＇！＇。 hes never been so insolent。 this isnt the first time hes deserved a good hiding。 thats what you get with a modern upbringing； modern children。 id never have grabbed my mother like that。 did you treat your mother that way； mr。 frank？〃 she was very upset； pacing back and forth； saying whatever came into her head； and she still hadnt gone upstairs。
finally； at long last； she made her exit。
less than five minutes later she stormed back down the stairs； with her cheeks all puffed out； and flung her apron on a chair。 when i asked if she was through； she replied that she was going downstairs。 she tore down the stairs like a tornado； probably straight into the arms of her putti。
she didnt e up again until eight； this time with her husband。 peter was dragged from the attic； given a merciless scolding and showered with abuse： ill…mannered brat； no…good bum； bad example； anne this； margot that； i couldnt hear the rest。
everything seems to have calmed down again today！
yours； anne
m。 frank
p。s。 tuesday and wednesday evening our beloved queen addressed the country。 shes taking a vacation so shell be in good health for her return to the netherlands。
she used words like 〃soon； when im back in holland；〃 〃a swift liberation；〃 〃heroism”
and 〃heavy burdens。”
this was followed by a speech by prime minister gerbrandy。 he has such a squeaky little childs voice that mother instinctively said； 〃oooh。〃 a clergyman； who must have borrowed his voice from mr。 edel； concluded by asking god to take care of the jews； all those in concentration camps and prisons and everyone working in germany。
thursday； may 11； 1944
dearest kitty；
since ive left my entire 〃junk box〃 …… including my fountain pen …… upstairs and im not allowed to disturb the grown…ups during their nap time （until two…thirty）； youll have to make do with a letter in pencil。
im terribly busy at the moment； and strange as it may sound； i dont have enough time to get through my pile of work。 shall i tell you briefly what ive got to do？ well then； before tomorrow i have to finish reading the first volume of a biography of galileo galilei； since it has to be returned to the library。 i started reading it yesterday and have gotten up to page 220 out of 320 pages； so ill manage it。 next week i have to read palestine at the cross… roads and the second volume of galilei。 besides that； i finished the first volume of a biography of emperor charles v yesterday； and i still have to work out the many genealogical charts ive collected and the notes ive taken。
next i have three pages of foreign words from my various books； all of which have to be written down； memorized and read aloud。 number four： my movie stars are in a terrible disarray and are dying to be straightened out； but since itll take several days to do that and professor anne is； as shes already said； up to her ears in work； theyll have to put up with the chaos a while longer。 then therere theseus； oedipus； peleus； orpheus； jason and hercules all waiting to be untangled； since their various deeds are running crisscross through my mind like mul… ticolored threads in a dress。 myron and phidias are also urgently in need of attention； or else ill forget entirely how they fit into the picture。 the same applies； for example； to the seven years war and the nine years war。 now im getting everything all mixed up。 well； what can you do with a memory like mine！ just imagine how forgetful ill be when im eighty！
oh； one more thing。 the bible。 how long is it going to take before i e to the story of the bathing susanna？ and what do they mean by sodom and gomorrah？ oh；
theres still so much to find out and learn。 and in the meantime； ive left charlotte of the palatine in the lurch。
you can see； cant you； kitty； that im full to bursting？
and now something else。 youve known for a long time that my greatest wish is to be a journalist； and later on； a famous writer。 well have to wait and see if these grand illusions （or delusions！） will ever e true； but up to now ive had no lack of topics。
in any case； after the war id like to publish a book called the secret annex。 it remains to be seen whether ill succeed； but my diary can serve as the basis。
i also need to finish 〃cadys life。〃 ive thought up the rest of the plot。 after being cured in the sanatorium； cady goes back home and continues writing to hans。 its 1941； and it doesnt take her long to discover hanss nazi sympathies； and since cady is deeply concerned with the plight of the jews and of her friend marianne； they begin drifting apart。 they meet and get back together； but break up when hans takes up with another girl。 cady is shattered； and because she wants to have a good job； she studies nursing。 after graduation she accepts a position； at the urging of her fathers friends； as a nurse in a tb sanatorium in switzerland。 during her first vacation she goes to lake o； where she runs into hans。 he tells her that two years earlier hed married cadys successor； but that his wife took her life in a fit of depression。
now that hes seen his little cady again； he realizes how much he loves her； and once more asks for her hand in marriage。 cady refuses； even though； in spite of herself； she loves him as much as ever。 but her pride holds her back。 hans goes away； and years later cady learns that hes wound up in england； where hes struggling with ill health。
when shes twenty…seven； cady marries a well…to…do man from the country； named simon。 she grows to love him； but not as much as hans。 she has two daughters and a son； lthan； judith and nico。 she and simon are happy together； but hans is always in the back of her mind until one night she dreams of him and says farewell。
。 。 。
its not sentimental nonsense： its based on the story of fathers life。
yours； anne
m。 frank
saturday； may 13； 1944
my dearest kitty；
yesterday was fathers birthday； father and mothers nineteenth wedding anniversary； a day without the cleaning lady。 。 。 and the sun was shining as its never shone before in 1944。 our chestnut tree is in full bloom。 its covered with leaves and is even more beautiful than last year。
father received a biography of linnaeus from mr。 kleiman； a book on nature from mr。
kugler； the canals of amsterdam from dussel； a huge box from the van daans （wrapped so beautifully it might have been done by a professional）； containing three eggs； a bottle of beer； a jar of yogurt and a green tie。 it made our jar of molasses seem rather paltry。 my roses smelled wonderful pared to miep and beps red carnations。 he was thoroughly spoiled。 fifty petits fours arrived from siemons bakery； delicious！ father also treated us to spice cake； the men to beer and the ladies to yogurt。 everything was scrumptious！
yours； anne
m。 frank
tuesday； may 16； 1944
my dearest kitty； just for a change （since we havent had one of these in so long） ill recount a little discussion between mr。 and mrs。 van d。 last night：
mrs。 van d。： 〃the germans have had plenty of time to fortify the atlantic wall； and theyll certainly do everything within their power to hold back the british。 its amazing how strong the germans are！”
mr。 van d。： 〃oh； yes； amazing。
mrs。 van d。： 〃it is！”
m