《安妮日记》第78章

and　then　mouschi；　who　by　that　time　had　finished　peeing；　took　off　downstairs。　in　search　of　something　similar　to　her　box；　mouschi　had　found　herself　a　pile　of　wood　shavings；　right　over　a　crack　in　the　floor。　the　puddle　immediately　trickled　down　to　the　attic　and；　as　luck　would　have　it；　landed　in　and　next　to　the　potato　barrel。　the　cethng　was　dripping；　and　since　the　attic　floor　has　also　got　its　share　of　cracks；　little　yellow　drops　were　leaking　through　the　ceiling　and　onto　the　dining　table；　between　a　pile　of　stockings　and　books。
i　was　doubled　up　with　laughter；　it　was　such　a　funny　sight。　there　was　mouschi　crouched　under　a　chair；　peter　armed　with　water；　powdered　bleach　and　a　cloth；　and　mr。
van　daan　trying　to　calm　everyone　down。　the　room　was　soon　set　to　rights；　but　its　a　well…known　fact　that　cat　puddles　stink　to　high　heaven。　the　potatoes　proved　that　all　too　well；　as　did　the　wood　shavings；　which　father　collected　in　a　bucket　and　brought　downstairs　to　burn。
poor　mouschi！　how　were　you　to　know　its　impossible　to　get　peat　for　your　box？
anne　thursday；　may　11；　1944
dearest　kitty；
a　new　sketch　to　make　you　laugh：
peters　hair　had　to　be　cut；　and　as　usual　his　mother　was　to　be　the　hairdresser。　at　seven　twenty…five　peter　vanished　into　his　room；　and　reappeared　at　the　stroke　of　seven…thirty；　stripped　down　to　his　blue　swimming　trunks　and　a　pair　of　tennis　shoes。
〃are　you　ing？〃　he　asked　his　mother。
〃yes；　ill　be　up　in　a　minute；　but　i　cant　find　the　scissors！”
peter　helped　her　look；　rummaging　around　in　her　cosmetics　drawer。　〃dont　make　such　a　mess；　peter；〃　she　grumbled。
i　didnt　catch　peters　reply；　but　it　must　have　been　insolent；　because　she　cuffed　him　on　the　arm。　he　cuffed　her　back；　she　punched　him　with　all　her　might；　and　peter　pulled　his　arm　away　with　a　look　of　mock　horror　on　his　face。　〃e　on；　old　girl！〃
mrs。　van　d。　stayed　put。　peter　grabbed　her　by　the　wrists　and　pulled　her　all　around　the　room。　she　laughed；　cried；　scolded　and　kicked；　but　nothing　helped。　peter　led　his　prisoner　as　far　as　the　attic　stairs；　where　he　was　obliged　to　let　go　of　her。　mrs。　van　d。
came　back　to　the　room　and　collapsed　into　a　chair　with　a　loud　sigh。
〃die　enifu〃hruna　der　mutter；〃。　i　joked。　＇　the　abduction　of　mother；　a　possible　reference　to　mozarts　opera　the　abduction　from　the　seraglio。＇　〃yes；　but　he　hurt　me。”
i　went　to　have　a　look　and　cooled　her　hot；　red　wrists　with　water。　peter；　still　by　the　stairs　and　growing　impa…　tient　again；　strode　into　the　room　with　his　belt　in　his　hand；　like　a　lion　tamer。　mrs。　van　d。　didnt　move；　but　stayed　by　her　writing　desk；　looking　for　a　handkerchief。　〃youve　got　to　apologize　first。”
〃all　right；　i　hereby　offer　my　apologies；　but　only　because　if　i　dont；　well　be　here　till　midnight。”
mrs。　van　d。　had　to　laugh　in　spite　of　herself。　she　got　up　and　went　toward　the　door；　where　she　felt　obliged　to　give　us　an　explanation。　（by　us　i　mean　father；　mother　and　me；　we　were　busy　doing　the　dishes。）　〃he　wasnt　like　this　at　home；〃　she　said。　〃id　have　belted　him　so　hard　hed　have　gone　flying　down　the　stairs　＇！＇。　hes　never　been　so　insolent。　this　isnt　the　first　time　hes　deserved　a　good　hiding。　thats　what　you　get　with　a　modern　upbringing；　modern　children。　id　never　have　grabbed　my　mother　like　that。　did　you　treat　your　mother　that　way；　mr。　frank？〃　she　was　very　upset；　pacing　back　and　forth；　saying　whatever　came　into　her　head；　and　she　still　hadnt　gone　upstairs。
finally；　at　long　last；　she　made　her　exit。
less　than　five　minutes　later　she　stormed　back　down　the　stairs；　with　her　cheeks　all　puffed　out；　and　flung　her　apron　on　a　chair。　when　i　asked　if　she　was　through；　she　replied　that　she　was　going　downstairs。　she　tore　down　the　stairs　like　a　tornado；　probably　straight　into　the　arms　of　her　putti。
she　didnt　e　up　again　until　eight；　this　time　with　her　husband。　peter　was　dragged　from　the　attic；　given　a　merciless　scolding　and　showered　with　abuse：　ill…mannered　brat；　no…good　bum；　bad　example；　anne　this；　margot　that；　i　couldnt　hear　the　rest。
everything　seems　to　have　calmed　down　again　today！
yours；　anne　
m。　frank
p。s。　tuesday　and　wednesday　evening　our　beloved　queen　addressed　the　country。　shes　taking　a　vacation　so　shell　be　in　good　health　for　her　return　to　the　netherlands。
she　used　words　like　〃soon；　when　im　back　in　holland；〃　〃a　swift　liberation；〃　〃heroism”
and　〃heavy　burdens。”
this　was　followed　by　a　speech　by　prime　minister　gerbrandy。　he　has　such　a　squeaky　little　childs　voice　that　mother　instinctively　said；　〃oooh。〃　a　clergyman；　who　must　have　borrowed　his　voice　from　mr。　edel；　concluded　by　asking　god　to　take　care　of　the　jews；　all　those　in　concentration　camps　and　prisons　and　everyone　working　in　germany。
thursday；　may　11；　1944
dearest　kitty；
since　ive　left　my　entire　〃junk　box〃　……　including　my　fountain　pen　……　upstairs　and　im　not　allowed　to　disturb　the　grown…ups　during　their　nap　time　（until　two…thirty）；　youll　have　to　make　do　with　a　letter　in　pencil。
im　terribly　busy　at　the　moment；　and　strange　as　it　may　sound；　i　dont　have　enough　time　to　get　through　my　pile　of　work。　shall　i　tell　you　briefly　what　ive　got　to　do？　well　then；　before　tomorrow　i　have　to　finish　reading　the　first　volume　of　a　biography　of　galileo　galilei；　since　it　has　to　be　returned　to　the　library。　i　started　reading　it　yesterday　and　have　gotten　up　to　page　220　out　of　320　pages；　so　ill　manage　it。　next　week　i　have　to　read　palestine　at　the　cross…　roads　and　the　second　volume　of　galilei。　besides　that；　i　finished　the　first　volume　of　a　biography　of　emperor　charles　v　yesterday；　and　i　still　have　to　work　out　the　many　genealogical　charts　ive　collected　and　the　notes　ive　taken。
next　i　have　three　pages　of　foreign　words　from　my　various　books；　all　of　which　have　to　be　written　down；　memorized　and　read　aloud。　number　four：　my　movie　stars　are　in　a　terrible　disarray　and　are　dying　to　be　straightened　out；　but　since　itll　take　several　days　to　do　that　and　professor　anne　is；　as　shes　already　said；　up　to　her　ears　in　work；　theyll　have　to　put　up　with　the　chaos　a　while　longer。　then　therere　theseus；　oedipus；　peleus；　orpheus；　jason　and　hercules　all　waiting　to　be　untangled；　since　their　various　deeds　are　running　crisscross　through　my　mind　like　mul…　ticolored　threads　in　a　dress。　myron　and　phidias　are　also　urgent