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uiet。 the clock struck quarter to ten。 the color had drained from our faces； but we remained calm； even though we were afraid。 where were the men？ what was that bang？ were they fighting with the burglars？ we were too scared to think； all we could do was wait。
ten oclock； footsteps on the stairs。 father； pale and nervous； came inside； followed by mr。 van daan。 〃lights out； tiptoe upstairs； were expecting the police！〃 there wasnt time to be scared。 the lights were switched off； i grabbed a jacket； and we sat down upstairs。
〃what happened？ tell us quickly！鈥�
there was no one to tell us； the men had gone back downstairs。 the four of them didnt e back up until ten past ten。 two of them kept watch at peters open window。 the door to the landing was locked； the book… case shut。 we draped a sweater over our night…light； and then they told us what had happened：
peter was on the landing when he heard two loud bangs。 he went downstairs and saw that a large panel was missing from the left half of the warehouse door。 he dashed upstairs； alerted the 〃home guard；〃 and the four of them went downstairs。 when they entered the warehouse； the burglars were going about their business。 without thinking； mr。 van daan yelled 〃police！〃 hur… ried footsteps outside； the burglars had fled。 the board was put back in the door so the police wouldnt notice the gap； but then a swift kick from outside sent it flying to the floor。 the men were amazed at the burglars audacity。 both peter and mr。 van daan felt a murderous rage e over them。 mr。 van daan slammed an ax against the floor； and all was quiet again。 once more the panel was re… placed； and once more the attempt was foiled。 outside； a man and a woman shone a glaring flashlight through the opening； lighting up the entire warehouse。 〃what the 。 。 。〃 mumbled one of the men； but now their roles had been reversed。 instead of policemen； they were now burglars。 all four of them raced upstairs。 dussel and mr。
van daan snatched up dussels books； peter opened the doors and windows in the kitchen and private office； hurled the phone to the ground； and the four of them finally ended up behind the bookcase。
end of part one in all probability the man and woman with the flashlight had alerted the police。 it was sunday night； easter sunday。 the next day； easter monday； the office was going to be closed； which meant we wouldnt be able to move around until tuesday morning。
think of it； having to sit in such terror for a day and two nights！ we thought of nothing； but simply sat there in pitch darkness in her fear； mrs。 van d。 had switched off the lamp。 we whispered； and every time we heard a creak； someone said； 〃shh； shh。鈥�
it was ten…thirty； then eleven。 not a sound。 father and mr。 van daan took turns ing upstairs to us。 then； at eleven…fifteen； a noise below。 up above you could hear the whole family breathing。 for the rest； no one moved a muscle。 footsteps in the house； the private office； the kitchen； then。 。 。 on the staircase。 all sounds of breathing stopped； eight hearts pounded。 foot… 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