按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
e black market。 the price keeps going up； its already risen from 27 to 33 guilders。 and that for mere sheets of printed paper！
to provide ourselves with a source of nutrition that will keep； aside from the hundred cans of food weve stored here； we bought three hundred pounds of beans。 not just for us； but for the office staff as well。 wed hung the sacks of beans on hooks in the hallway； just inside our secret entrance； but a few seams split under the weight。 so we decided to move them to the attic； and peter was entrusted with the heavy lifting。
he managed to get five of the six sacks upstairs intact and was busy with the last one when the sack broke and a flood； or rather a hailstorm； of brown beans went flying through the air and down the stairs。 since there were about fifty pounds of beans in that sack； it made enough noise to raise the dead。 downstairs they were sure the house was falling down around their heads。 peter was stunned； but then burst into peals of laughter when he saw me standing at the bottom of the stairs； like an island in a sea of brown； with waves of beans lapping at my ankles。 we promptly began picking them up； but beans are so small and slippery that they roll into every conceivable corner and hole。 now each time we go upstairs； we bend over and hunt around so we can present mrs。 van daan with a handful of beans。
i almost forgot to mention that father has recovered from his illness。
yours； anne
p。s。 the radio has just announced that algiers has fallen。 morocco； casablanca and oran have been in english hands for several days。 were now waiting for tunis。
tuesday； november 10； 1942
dearest kitty；
great news！ were planning to take an eighth person into hiding with us！
yes； really。 we always thought there was enough room and food for one more person； but we were afraid of placing an even greater burden on mr。 kugler and mr。 kleiman。
but since reports of the dreadful things being done to the jews are getting worse by the day； father decided to sound out these two gentlemen； and they thought it was an excellent plan。 〃its just as dangerous； whether there are seven or eight；〃 they noted rightly。 once this was settled； we sat down and mentally went through our circle of acquaintances； trying to e up with a single person who would blend in well with our extended family。 this wasnt difficult。 after father had rejected all the van daan relatives； we chose a dentist named alfred dussel。 he lives with a charming christian lady whos quite a bit younger than he is。 theyre probably not married； but thats beside the point。 hes known to be quiet and refined； and he seemed； from our superficial acquaintance with him； to be nice。 miep knows him as well； so shell be able to make the necessary arrangements。 if he es； mr。 dussel will have to sleep in my room instead of margot； who will have to make do with the folding bed。* ＇*after dussel arrived； margot slept in her parents bedroom。＇ well ask him to bring along something to fill cavities with。
yours； anne
thursday； november 12； 1942
dearest kitty；
miep came to tell us that shed been to see dr。 dussel。 he asked her the moment she entered the room if she knew of a hiding place and was enormously pleased when miep said she had something in mind。 she added 〃that hed need to go into hiding as soon as possible； preferably saturday； but he thought this was highly improbable； since he wanted to bring his records up to date； settle his accounts and attend to a couple of patients。 miep relayed the message to us this morning。 we didnt think it was wise to wait so long。 all these preparations require explanations to various people who we feel ought to be kept in the dark。 miep went to ask if dr。 dussel couldnt manage to e on saturday after all； but he said no； and now hes scheduled to arrive on monday。
i think its odd that he doesnt jump at our proposal。 if they pick him up on the street； it wont help either his records or his patients； so why the delay？ if you ask
me； its stupid of father to humor him。
otherwise； no news。
yours； anne
tuesday； november 17； 1942
dearest kitty！
mr。 dussel has arrived。 everything went smoothly。 miep told him to be at a certain place in front of the post office at 11 a。m。； when a man would meet him； and he was at the appointed place at the appointed time。 mr。 kleiman went up to him； announced that the man he was expecting to meet was unable to e and asked him to drop by the office to see miep。 mr。 kleiman took a streetcar back to the office while mr。
dussel followed on foot。
it was eleven…twenty when mr。 dussel tapped on the office door。 miep asked him to remove his coat； so the yellow star couldnt be seen； and brought him to the private office； where mr。 kleiman kept him occupied until the cleaning lady had gone。 on the pretext that the private office was needed for something else； miep took mr。 dussel upstairs； opened the bookcase and stepped inside； while mr。 dussellooked on in amazement。
in the meantime； the seven of us had seated ourselves around the dining table to await the latest addition to our family with coffee and cognac。 miep first led him into the frank familys room。 he immediately recognized our furniture； but had no idea we were upstairs； just above his head。 when miep told him； he was so astonished he nearly fainted。 thank goodness she didnt leave him in suspense any longer； but brought him upstairs。 mr。 dussel sank into a chair and stared at us in dumbstruck silence； as though he thought he could read the truth on our faces。 then he stuttered； 〃aber 。 。 。 but are you nicht in belgium？ the officer； the auto； they were not ing？
your escape was not working？鈥�
we explained the whole thing to him； about how wed deliberately spread the rumor of the officer and the car to throw the germans and anyone else who might e looking for us off the track。 mr。 dussel was speechless in the face of such ingenuity； and could do nothing but gaze around in surprise as he explored the rest of our lovely and ultrapractical annex。 we all had lunch together。 then he took a short nap； joined us for tea； put away the few belongings miep had been able to bring here in advance and began to feel much more at home。 especially when we handed him the following
typewritten rules and regulations for the secret annex （a van daan production）：
prospectus and guide to the secret annex a unique facility for the temporary acmodation of jews and other dispossessed persons open all year round： located in beautiful； quiet； wooded surroundings in the heart of amsterdam。 no private residences in the vicinity。 can be reached by streetcar 13 or 17 and also by car and bicycle。 for those to whom such transportation has been forbidden by the german authorities； it can also be reached on foot。 furnished and unfurnished rooms and apartments are available at all times； with or without meals。
price： free。
diet： low…fat。
runnina water in the bathroom （sorry； no bath） and on various inside and outside walls。 cozy wood stoves for heating。
ample storage space for a variety of goods。 two large； modern safes。
private radio with a direct line to london； new york； tel aviv and many other stations。 available to all residents after 6 p。m。 no listening to forbidden broadcasts； with certain exceptions； i。e。； german stations may only be tuned in to listen to classical music。 it is absolutely forbidden to listen to german news bulletins （regardless of where they are transmitted from） and to pass them on to others。
rest hours： from 10 p。m。 to 7：30 a。m。； 10：15 a。m。 on sundays。 owing to circumstances； residents are required to observe rest hours during the daytime when instructed to do so by the management。 to ensure the safety of all； rest hours must be strictly observed！！！
free…time activities： none allowed outside the house until further notice。
use of language： it is necessary to speak softly at all times。 only the language of civilized people may be spoken； thus no german。
reading and relaxation： no german books may be read； except for the classics and works of a scholarly nature。 other books are optional。
calisthenics： daily。
singing： only softly； and after 6 p。m。
movies： prior arrangements required。
classes： a weekly correspondence course in shorthand。 courses in english； french； math and history offered at any hour of the day or night。 payment in the form of tutoring； e。g。； dutch。
separate department for the care of small household pets （with the exception of vermin； for which special permits are required）。
mealtimes：
breakfast： at 9 a。m。 daily except holidays and sundays； at approximately 11：30 a。m。
on sundays and holidays。
lunch： a light meal。 from 1：15 p。m。 to 1：45 p。m。
dinner： mayor not be a hot meal。
mealtime depends on news broadcasts。
obligations with respect to the supply corps： residents must be prepared to help with office work at all times。 baths： the washtub is available to all residents after 9 a。m。
on sundays。 residents may bathe in the bathroom； kitchen； private office or front office； as they choose。
alcohol： for medicinal purposes only。
the end。
yours； anne
thursday； november 19； 1942
dearest kitty；
just as we thought； mr。 dussel is a very nice man。 of course he didnt mind sharing a
room with me； to be honest； im not exactly delighted at having a stranger use my things； but you have to make sacrifices for a good cause； and im glad i can make this small one。 〃if we can save even one of our friends； the rest doesnt matter；〃 said father； and hes absolutely right。
the first day mr。 dussel was here； he asked me all sorts of questions for example； what time the cleaning lady es to the office； how weve arranged to use the washroom and when were allowed to go to the toilet。 you may laugh； but these things arent so easy in a hiding place。 during the daytime we cant make any noise that might be heard downstairs； and when someone else is there； like the cleaning lady； we have to be extra careful。 i patiently explained all this to mr。 dussel； but i was surprised to see how slow he is to catch on。 he asks everything twice and still cant remember what youve told him。
maybe hes just confused by the sudden change and hell get over it。 otherwise； everything is going fine。
mr。 dussel has told us much about the outside world weve missed for so long。 he had sad news。 countless friends and acquaintances have been taken off to a dreadful fate。 night after night； green and gray military vehicles cruise the streets。 they knock on every door； asking whether any jews live there。 if so； the whole family is immediately taken away。 if not； they proceed to the next house。 its impossible to escape their clutches unless you go into hiding。 they often go around with lists； knocking only on those doors where they know theres a big haul to be made。 they frequently offer a bounty； so much per head。 its like the slave hunts of the olden days。 i dont mean to make light ofthisj its much too tragic for that。 in the evenings when its dark； i often see long lines of good； innocent people； acpanied by crying children； walking on and on； ordered about by a handful of men who bully and beat them until they nearly drop。 no one is spared。 the sick； the elderly； children； babies and pregnant women all are marched to their death。
were so fortunate here； away from the turmoil。 we wouldnt have to give a moments thought to all this suffering if it werent for the fact that were so worried about those we hold dear； whom we can no longer help。 i feel wicked sleeping in a warm bed； while somewhere out there my dearest friends are dropping from exhaustion or being knocked to the ground。
i get frightened myself when i think of close friends who are now at the mercy of the cruelest monsters ever to stalk the earth。
and all because theyre jews。
yours； anne
friday； november 20； 1942
dearest kitty；
we dont really know how to react。 up to now very little news about the jews had reached us here； and we thought it best to stay as cheerful as possible。 every now and then miep used to mention what had happened to a friend； and mother or mrs。
van daan would start to cry； so she decided it was better not to say any more。 but we bombarded mr。 dussel with questions； and th