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oot… steps on the stairs； then a rattling at the bookcase。 this moment is indescribable。
〃now were done for；〃 i said； and i had visions of all fifteen of us being dragged away by the gestapo that very night。
more rattling at the bookcase； twice。 then we heard a can fall； and the footsteps receded。 we were out of danger； so far！ a shiver went though everyones body； i heard several sets of teeth chattering； no one said a word。 we stayed like this until eleven…thirty。
there were no more sounds in the house； but a light was shining on our landing； right in front of the bookcase。 was that because the police thought it looked so suspicious or because they simply forgot？ was anyone going to e back and turn it off？ we found our tongues again。
there were no longer any people inside the building； but perhaps someone was standing guard outside。 we then did three things： tried to guess what was going on； trembled with fear and went to the bathroom。 since the buckets were in the attic； all we had was peters metal wastepaper basket。 mr。 van daan went first； then father； but mother was too embarrassed。 father brought the waste… basket to the next room； where margot； mrs。 van daan and i gratefully made use of it。 mother finally gave in。
there was a great demand for paper； and luckily i had some in my pocket。
the wastebasket stank； everything went on in a whisper； and we were exhausted。 it was midnight。
〃lie down on the floor and go to sleep！〃 margot and i were each given a pillow and a blanket。 margot lay down near the food cupboard； and i made my bed between the table legs。 the smell wasnt quite so bad when you were lying on the floor； but mrs。
van daan quietly went and got some powdered bleach and draped a dish towel over the potty as a further precaution。
talk； whispers； fear； stench； farting and people continually going to the bathroom； try sleeping through that！ by two…thirty； however； i was so tired i dozed off and didnt hear a thing until three…thirty。 i woke up when mrs。 van d。 lay her head on my feet。
〃for heavens sake； give me something to put on！〃 i said。 i was handed some clothes； but dont ask what： a pair of wool slacks over my pajamas； a red sweater and a black skirt； white understockings and tattered kneesocks。
mrs。 van d。 sat back down on the chair； and mr。 van d。 lay down with his head on my feet。 from three… thirty onward i was engrossed in thought； and still shiver… ing so much that mr。 van daan couldnt sleep。 i was preparing myself for the return of the police。 wed tell them we were in hiding； if they were good people； wed be safe； and if they were nazi sympathizers； we could try to bribe them！
〃we should hide the radio！〃 moaned mrs。 van d。
〃sure； in the stove；〃 answered mr。 van d。 〃if they find us； they might as well find the radio！鈥�
〃then theyll also find annes diary；〃 added father。
〃so burn it；〃 suggested the most terrified of the group。
this and the police rattling on the bookcase were the moments when i was most afraid。 oh； not my diary； if my diary goes； i go too！ thank goodness father didnt say anything more。
theres no point in recounting all the conversations； so much was said。 i forted mrs。 van daan； who was very frightened。 we talked about escaping； being interrogated by the gestapo； phoning mr。 kleiman and being courageous。
〃we must behave like soldiers； mrs。 van daan。 if our time has e； well then； itll be for queen and country； for freedom； truth and justice； as theyre always telling us on the radio。 the only bad thing is that well drag the others down with us！鈥�
after an hour mr。 van daan switched places with his wife again； and father came and sat beside me。 the men smoked one cigarette after another； an occasional sigh was heard； somebody made another trip to the potty； and then everything began allover again。
four oclock； five； five…thirty。 i went and sat with peter by his window and listened； so close we could feel each others bodies trembling； we spoke a word or two from time to time and listened intently。 next door they took down the blackout screen。
they made a list of everything they were planning to tell mr。 kleiman over the phone； because they intended to call him at seven and ask him to send someone over。 they were taking a big chance； since the police guard at the door or in the warehouse might hear them calling； but there was an even greater risk that the police would return。
im enclosing their list； but for the sake of clarity； ill copy it here。
buralary： police in building； up to bookcase； but no farther。 burglars apparently interrupted； forced warehouse door； fled through garden。 main entrance bolted； kugler must have left through second door。
typewriter and adding machine safe in black chest in private office。
mieps or beps laundry in washtub in kitchen。
only bep or kugler have key to second door； lock may be broken。
try to warn jan and get key； look around office； also feed cat。
for the rest； everything went according to plan。 mr。 kleiman was phoned； the poles were removed from the doors； the typewriter was put back in the chest。 then we all sat around the table again and waited for either jan or the police。
peter had dropped off to sleep and mr。 van daan anne frank and i were lying on the floor when we heard loud footsteps below。 i got up quietly。 〃its jan！鈥�
〃no； no； its the police！〃 they all said。
there was a knocking at our bookcase。 miep whis… tled。 this was too much for mrs。
van daan； who sank limply in her chair； white as a sheet。 if the tension had lasted another minute； she would have fainted。
jan and miep came in and were met with a delightful scene。 the table alone would have been worth a photograph： a copy of cinema &。。 theater； opened to a page of dancing girls and smeared with jam and pectin； which wed been taking to bat the diarrhea； two jam jars； half a bread roll； a quarter of a bread roll； pectin； a mirror； a b； matches； ashes； cigarettes； tobacco； an ashtray； books； a pair of underpants； a
flashlight； mrs。 van daans b； toilet paper； etc。
jan and miep were of course greeted with shouts and tears。 jan nailed a pinewood board over the gap in the door and went off again with miep to inform the police of the break…in。 miep had also found a note under the ware… house door from sleegers； the night watchman； who had noticed the hole and alerted the police。 jan was also planning to see sleegers。
so we had half an hour in which to put the house and ourselves to rights。 ive never seen such a transformation as in those thirty minutes。 margot and i got the beds ready downstairs； went to the bathroom； brushed our teeth； washed our hands and bed our hair。 then i straightened up the room a bit and went back upstairs。 the table had already been cleared； so we got some water； made coffee and tea； boiled the milk and set the table。 father and peter emptied our improvised potties and rinsed them with warm water and powdered bleach。 the largest one was filled to the brim and was so heavy they had a hard time lifting it。 to make things worse； it was leaking； so they had to put it in a bucket。
at eleven oclock jan was back and joined us at the table； and gradually everyone began to relax。 jan had the following story to tell：
mr。 sleegers was asleep； but his wife told jan that her husband had discovered the hole in the door while making his rounds。 he called in a policeman； and the two of them searched the building。 mr。 sleegers； in his capacity as night watchman； patrols the area every night on his bike； acpanied by his two dogs。 his wife said he would e on tuesday and tell mr。 kugler the rest。 no one at the police station seemed to know anything about the break…in； but they made a note to e first thing tuesday morning to have a look。
on the way back jan happened to run into mr。 van hoeven； the man who supplies us with potatoes； and told him of the break…in。 〃i know；〃 mr。 van hoeven calmly replied。
〃last night when my wife and i were walking past your building； i saw a gap in the door。 my wife wanted to walk on； but i peeked inside with a flashlight； and thats when the burglars must have run off。 to be on the safe side； i didnt call the police。 i thought it wouldnt be wise in your case。 i dont know anything； but i have my suspicions。〃 jan thanked him and went on。 mr。 van hoeven obviously suspects were here； because he always delivers the potatoes at lunchtime。 a decent man！
it was one oclock by the time jan left and wed done the dishes。 all eight of us went to bed。 i woke up at quarter to three and saw that mr。 dussel was already up。 my face rumpled with sleep； i happened to run into peter in the bathroom； just after hed
e downstairs。 we agreed to meet in the office。 i freshened up a bit and went down。
〃after all this； do you still dare go to the front attic？〃 he asked。 i nodded； grabbed my pillow； with a cloth wrapped around it； and we went up together。 the weather was gorgeous； and even though the air…raid sirens soon began to wail； we stayed where we were。 peter put his arm around my shoulder； i put mine around his； and we sat quietly like this until four oclock； when margot came to get us for coffee。
we ate our bread； drank our lemonade and joked （we were finally able to again）； and for the rest everything was back to normal。 that evening i thanked peter because hed been the bravest of us all。
none of us have ever been in such danger as we were that night。 god was truly watching over us。 just think…the police were right at the bookcase； the light was on； and still no one had discovered our hiding place！ 〃now were done for！〃 id whispered at that moment； but once again we were spared。 when the invasion es and the bombs start falling； itll be every man for himself； but this time we feared for those good； innocent christians who are helping us。
〃weve been saved； keep on saving us！〃 thats all we can say。
this incident has brought about a whole lot of changes。 as of now； dussel will be doing his work in the bathroom； and peter will be patrolling the house between eight…thirty and nine…thirty。 peter isnt allowed to open his window anymore； since one of the keg people noticed it was open。 we can no longer flush the toilet after nine…thirty at night。 mr。 sleegers has been hired as night watchman； and tonight a carpenter from the underground is ing to make a barricade out of our white frankfurt bedsteads。 debates are going on left and right in the annex。 mr。 kugler has reproached us for our carelessness。 jan also said we should never go downstairs。 what we have to do now is find out whether sleegers can be trusted； whether the dogs will bark if they hear someone behind the door； how to make the barricade； all sorts of things。
weve been strongly reminded of the fact that were jews in chains； chained to one spot； without any rights； but with a thousand obligations。 we must put our feelings aside； we must be brave and strong； bear disfort with… out plaint； do whatever is in our power and trust in god。 one day this terrible war will be over。 the time will e when well be people again and not just jews！
who has inflicted this on us？ who has set us apart from all the rest？ who has put us
through such suffering？ its god who has made us the way we are； but its also god who will lift us up again。 in the eyes of the world； were doomed； but if； after all this suffering； there are still jews left； the jewish people will be held up as an example。
who knows； maybe our religion will teach the world and all the people in it about goodness； and thats the reason； the only reason； we have to suffer。 we can never be just dutch； or just english； or whatever； we will always be jews as well。 and well have to keep on being jews； but then； well want to be。
be brave！ lets remember our duty and perform it without plaint。 there will be a way out。 god has never deserted our people。 through the ages jews have had to suffer； but through the ages theyve gone on living； and the centuries of suffering have only made them stronger。 the weak shall fall and the strong shall survive and not be defeated！
that night i really thought i was going to die。 i waited for the police and i was ready for death； like a soldier on a battlefield。 id gladly have given my life for my country。
but now； now that ive be