us。 〃shh 。 。 。 father。 be quiet； otto。 shh 。 。 。 pim！ its eight…thirty。
e here； you cant run the water anymore。 walk softly！〃 a sample of whats said to father in the bathroom。 at the stroke of half past eight； he has to be in the living room。 no running water； no flushing toilet； no walking around； no noise whatsoever。 as long as the office staff hasnt arrived； sounds travel more easily to the warehouse。
the door opens upstairs at eight…twenty； and this is followed by three gentle taps on the floor。 。 。 annes hot cereal。 i clamber up the stairs to get my doggie dish。
back downstairs； everything has to be done quickly； quickly： i b my hair； put away the potty； shove the bed back in place。 quiet！ the clock is striking eight…thirty！ mrs。
van d。 changes shoes and shuffles through the room in her slippers； mr。 van d。 too a veritable charlie chaplin。 all is quiet。
the ideal family scene has now reached its high point。 i want to read or study and margot does too。 father and mother ditto。 father is sitting （with dickens and the dictionary； of course） on the edge of the sagging； squeaky bed； which doesnt even have a decent mattress。 two bolsters can be piled on top of each other。 〃i dont need these；〃 he thinks。 〃i can manage without them！鈥�
once he starts reading； he doesnt look up。 he laughs now and then and tries to get mother to read a story。
〃i dont have the time right now！鈥�
he looks disappointed； but then continues to read。
a little while later； when he es across another good passage； he tries again： 〃you
have to read this； mother！鈥�
mother sits on the folding bed； either reading； sewing； knitting or studying； whichever is next on her list。 an idea suddenly occurs to her； and she quickly says； so as not to forget； 〃anne； remember to 。 。 。 margot； jot this down。 。 。 鈥�
after a while its quiet again。 margot slams her book shut； father knits his forehead； his eyebrows forming a funny curve and his wrinkle of concentration reappearing i at the back of his head； and he buries himself in his book 1 again； mother starts chatting with margot； and i get curious and listen too。 pim is drawn into the conversation 。 。 。
nine oclock。 breakfast！
锛凤挤锛贰i锛s锛╱o锛达几锛础�
SEPTEMBER； 1943
灏彙ｈ銆倀！xt…澶╁爞
friday； september 10； 1943
dearest kitty；
every time i write to you； something special has happened； usually unpleasant rather than pleasant。 this time； however； something wonderful is going on。
on wednesday； september 8； we were listening to the seven oclock news when we heard an announcement： 〃here is some of the best news of the war so far： italy has capitulated。〃 italy has unconditionally surrendered！ the dutch broadcast from england began at eight…fifteen with the news： 〃listeners； an hour and fifteen minutes ago； just as i finished writing my daily report； we received the wonderful news of italys capitulation。 i tell you； i never tossed my notes into the wastepaper basket with more delight than i did today！鈥�
〃god save the king；〃 the american national anthem and the russian internationale鈥�
were played。 as always； the dutch program was uplifting without being too optimistic。
the british have landed in naples。 northern italy is occupied by the germans。 the truce was signed on friday； september 3； the day the british landed in italy。 the germans are ranting and raving in all the newspapers at the treachery of badoglio and the italian king。
still； theres bad news as well。 its about mr。 kleiman。 as you know； we all like him very much。 hes unfailingly cheerful and amazingly brave； despite the fact that hes always sick and in pain and cant eat much or do a lot of walking。 〃when mr。 kleiman enters a room； the sun begins to shine；〃 mother said recently； and shes absolutely right。
now it seems he has to go to the hospital for a very difficult operation on his stomach； and will have to stay there for at least four weeks。 you should have seen him when he told us good…bye。 he acted so normally； as though he were just off to do an errand。
yours； anne
thursday； september 16； 1943
dearest kitty；
relationships here in the annex are getting worse all the time。 we dont dare open our mouths at mealtime （except to slip in a bite of food）； because no matter what we say； someone is bound to resent it or take it the wrong way。 mr。 voskuijl occasionally es to visit us。 unfortunately； hes not doing very well。 he isnt making it any easier for his family； because his attitude seems to be： what do i care； im going to die anyway！ when i think how touchy everyone is here； i can just imagine what it must be like at the voskuijls。
ive been taking valerian every day to fight the anxiety and depression； but it doesnt stop me from being even more miserable the next day。 a good hearty laugh would help better than ten valerian drops； but weve almost forgotten how to laugh。
sometimes im afraid my face is going to sag with all this sorrow and that my mouth is going to permanently droop at the corners。 the others arent doing any better。
everyone here is dreading the great terror known as winter。
another fact that doesnt exactly brighten up our days is that mr。 van maaren； the man who works in the warehouse； is getting suspicious about the annex。 a person with any brains must have noticed by now that miep sometimes says shes going to the lab； bep to the file room and mr。 kleiman to the opekta supplies； while mr。
kugler claims the annex doesnt belong to this building at all； but to the one next door。
we wouldnt care what mr。 van maaren thought of the situation except that hes known to be unreliable and to possess a high degree of curiosity。 hes not one who can be put off with a flimsy excuse。
one day mr。 kugler wanted to be extra cautious； so at twenty past twelve he put on his coat and went to the drugstore around the corner。 less than five minutes later he was back； and he sneaked up the stairs like a thief to visit us。 at one…fifteen he started to leave； but bep met him on the landing and warned him that van maaren was
in the office。 mr。 kugler did an about…face and stayed with us until one…thirty。 then he took off his shoes and went in his stockinged feet （despite his cold） to the front attic and down the other stairway； taking one step at a time to avoid the creaks。 it took him fifteen minutes to negotiate the stairs； but he wound up safely in the office after having entered from the outside。
in the meantime； bep had gotten rid of van maaren and e to get mr。 kugler from the annex。 but hed already left and at that moment was still tiptoeing down the stairs。 what must the passersby have thought when they saw the manager putting on his shoes outside？ hey； you there； in the socks！
yours； anne
wednesday； september 29； 1943
dearest kitty；
its mrs。 van daans birthday。 other than one ration stamp each for cheese； meat and bread； all she received from us was a jar of jam。 her husband； dussel and the office staff gave her nothing but flowers and also food。 such are the times we live in！
bep had a nervous fit last week because she had so many errands to do。 ten times a day people were sending her out for something； each time insisting she g