فصل 11

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Friday, 2 April 1943

I’m in trouble again! Last night, I was lying in bed and waiting for Father to come and say my prayers with me. Mother came into the room, and asked gently, ‘Anne, Daddy isn’t ready? Shall I listen to your prayers tonight?’

‘No, Mummy,’ I said.

Mother got up, stood by my bed for a moment, then slowly walked to the door. Suddenly she turned round, and her face was full of pain. She said, ‘I don’t want to be angry with you. I can’t make you love me!’ A few tears fell down her cheeks as she went out of the door.

I lay still. I knew that it was cruel to say that, but I couldn’t give her any other answer. I feel very sorry for her. She’s pushed me away from her with her unkind jokes.

She cried for half the night, and didn’t sleep. Father doesn’t look at me, but I know what he is thinking: ‘How can you be so unkind? How dare you make your mother so sad?’ But I can’t apologize.

Tuesday, 27 April 1943

Everyone in the Annexe is still quarrelling. There are air raids and bombs every night, and nobody can sleep well.

Our food is terrible. We have plain bread and coffee - not real coffee - for breakfast. We have lettuce or green vegetables, and bad potatoes. That’s all.

Saturday, 1 May 1943

Yesterday was Dussel’s birthday. He pretended that he wasn’t interested, but when Miep arrived with a large bag of presents from his friends, he was as excited as a child! He had chocolate, eggs, butter, oranges and books. He arranged them on the table and left them there for three days, the silly old fool!

He already has plenty of food. We found bread, cheese, jam and eggs in his cupboard. He hasn’t given us anything, but we’ve shared everything with him.

Sunday, 13 June 1943

Father wrote something for my birthday - it’s very funny! It’s about me, and my hard life in the Annexe, under the authority of parents who are always telling me what to do! I had some lovely presents too, specially a big book of Greek and Roman stories, and sweets from everyone - people gave me some from the last of their stores.

Tuesday, 15 June 1943

Next month we have to give back our radio to the authorities. It’s an official rule, and all over the country people are trying to find an old radio to give in so that they can keep their real radios in secret. It’s a shame that we have to give in our beautiful big radio, but Mr Kleinian will give us a ‘baby’ radio which he has hidden at home. We’ll put it upstairs. It’s not allowed, of course, but we’re not allowed to be here either! Our radio with its wonderful voice really helps us. We tell ourselves, ‘Let’s try to be brave and cheerful. Things must get better!’