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ve got； and weve reached the conclusion that they suffer from cancer； smallpox and measles。
honestly； being in hiding during the fourth year of the war is no picnic。 if only the whole stinking mess were over！
to tell you the truth； the food wouldnt matter so much to me if life here were more pleasant in other ways。 but thats just it： this tedious existence is starting to make us all disagreeable。 here are the opinions of the five grown…ups on the present situation （children arent allowed to have opinions； and for once im sticking to the rules）：
mrs。 van daan： 〃id stopped wanting to be queen of the kitchen long ago。 but sitting around doing nothing was boring； so i went back to cooking。 still； i cant help plaining： its impossible to cook without oil； and all those disgusting smells make me sick to my stomach。 besides； what do i get in return for my efforts？ ingratitude and rude remarks。 im always the black sheep； i get blamed for everything。 whats more； its my opinion that the war is making very little progress。 the germans will win in the end。 im terrified that were going to starve； and when im in a bad mood； i snap at everyone who es near。鈥�
mr。 van daan： 〃i just smoke and smoke and smoke。 then the food； the political
situation and kerlis moods dont seem so bad。 kerlis a sweetheart。 if i dont have anything to smoke； i get sick； then i need to eat meat； life bees unbearable； nothings good enough； and theres bound to be a flaming row。 my kerlis an idiot。鈥�
mrs。 frank： 〃foods not very important； but id love a slice of rye bread right now； because im so hungry。 if i were mrs。 van daan； id have put a stop to mr。 van daans smoking long ago。 but i desperately need a cigarette now； because my heads in such a whirl。 the van daans are horrible people； the english may make a lot of mistakes； but the war is progressing。 i should keep my mouth shut and be grateful im not in poland。鈥�
mr。 frank： 〃everythings fine； i dont need a thing。 stay calm； weve got plenty of time。 just give me my potatoes； and ill be quiet。 better set aside some of my rations for bep。 the political situation is improving； im extremely optimistic。鈥�
mr。 dussel： 〃i must plete the task ive set for myself； everything must be finished on time。 the political situation is looking gut； its eempossible for us to get caught。
me； me； me 。 。 。 。鈥�
yours； anne
thursday； march 16； 1944
dearest kitty；
whew！ released from the gloom and doom for a few moments！ all ive been hearing today is： 〃if this and that happens； were in trouble； and if so…and…so gets sick； well be left to fend for ourselves； and if 。 。 。鈥�
well； you know the rest； or at any rate i assume youre famthar enough with the residents of the annex to guess what theyd be talking about。
the reason for all the 〃ifs〃 is that mr。 kugler has been called up for a six…day work detail； bep is down with a bad cold and will probably have to stay home tomorrow； miep hasnt gotten over her flu； and mr。 kleimans stom… ach bled so much he lost consciousness。 what a tale of woe！
we think mr。 kugler should go directly to a reliable doctor for a medical certificate of ill health； which he can present to the city hall in hilversum。 the warehouse employees have been given a day off tomorrow； so bep will be alone in the office。 if （theres another 〃if） bep has to stay home； the door will remain locked and well have
to be as quiet as mice so the keg pany wont hear us。 at one oclock jan will e for half an hour to check on us poor forsaken souls； like a zookeeper。
this afternoon； for the first time in ages； jan gave us some news of the outside world。 you should have seen us gathered around him； it looked exactly like a print：
〃at grandmothers knee。鈥�
he regaled his grateful audience with talk of…what else？…food。 mrs。 p。； a friend of mieps； has been cooking his meals。 the day before yesterday jan ate carrots with green peas； yesterday he had the leftovers； today shes cooking marrowfat peas； and tomorrow shes plan… ning to mash the remaining carrots with potatoes。
we asked about mieps doctor。
〃doctor？〃 said jan。 〃what doctor？ i called him this morning and got his secretary on the line。 i asked for a flu prescription and was told i could e pick it up tomor… row morning between eight and nine。 if youve got a particularly bad case of flu； the doctor himself es to the phone and says； stick out your tongue and say 〃aah。鈥�
oh； i can hear it； your throats infected。 ill write out a prescription and you can bring it to the phar… macy。 good day。 and thats that。 easy job hes got； diagnosis by phone。 but i shouldnt blame the doctors。〃 after all； a person has only two hands； and these days therere too many patients and too few doctors。鈥�
still； we all had a good laugh at jans phone call。 i can just imagine what a doctors waiting room looks like these days。 doctors no longer turn up their noses at the poorer patients； but at those with minor illnesses。 〃hey； what are you doing here？鈥�
they think。 〃go to the end of the line； real patients have priority！鈥�
yours； anne
thursday； march 16； 1944
dearest kitty；
the weather is gorgeous； indescribably beautiful； ill be going up to the attic in a moment。
i now know why im so much more restless than peter。 he has his own room； where he can work； dream； think and sleep。 im constantly being chased from one corner to another。 im never alone in the room i share with dussel； though i long to be so much。 thats another reason i take refuge in the attic。 when im there； or with you； i
can be myself； at least for a little while。 still； i dont want to moan and groan。 on the contrary； i want to be brave！
thank goodness the others notice nothing of my innermost feelings； except that every day im growing cooler and more contemptuous of mother； less affection… ate to father and less willing to share a single thought with margot； im closed up tighter than a drum。 above all； i have to maintain my air of confidence。 no one must know that my heart and mind are constantly at war with each other。 up to now reason has always won the battle； but will my emotions get the upper hand？ sometimes i fear they will； but more often i actually hope they do！
oh； its so terribly hard not to talk to peter about these things； but i know i have to let him begin； its so hard to act during the daytime as if everything ive said and done in my dreams had never taken place！ kitty； anne is crazy； but then these are crazy times and even crazier circumstances。
the nicest part is being able to write down all my thoughts and feelings； otherwise； id absolutely suffocate。 i wonder what peter thinks about all these things？ i keep thinking ill be able to talk to him about them one day。 he must have guessed something about the inner me； since he couldnt possibly love the outer anne hes known so far！ how could someone like peter； who loves peace and quiet； possibly stand my bustle and noise？ will he be the first and only person to see whats beneath my granite mask？ will it take him long？ isnt there some old saying about love being akin to pity？ isnt that whats happening here as well？ because i often pity him as much as i do myself！
i honestly dont know how to begin； i really dont； so how can i expect peter to when talking is so much harder for him？ if only i could write to him； then at least hed know what i was trying to say； since its so hard to say it out loud！
yours； anne
m。 frank
friday； march 17； 1944
my dearest darling； everything turned out all right after all； bep just had a sore throat； not the flu； and mr。 kugler got a medical certificate to excuse him from the work detail。 the entire annex breathed a huge sigh of relief。 everythings fine here！ except that margot and i are rather tired of our parents。
dont get me wrong。 i still love father as much as ever and margot loves both father and mother； but when youre as old as we are； you want to make a few decisions for yourself； get out from under their thumb。 whenever i go upstairs； they ask what im going to do； they wont let me salt my food； mother asks me every evening at eight…fifteen if it isnt time for me to change into my nighty； i and they have to approve every book i read。 i must admit； theyre not at all strict about that and let me read nearly everything； but margot and i are sick and tired of having to listen to their ments and questions all day long。
theres something else that displeases them： i no longer feel like giving them little kisses morning； noon and night。 all those cute nicknames seem so affected； and fathers fondness for talking about farting and going to the bathroom is disgusting。 in short； id like nothing better than to do without their pany for a while； and they dont understand that。 not that margot and i have ever said any of this to them。 what would be the point？ they wouldnt understand anyway。
margot said last night； 〃what really bothers me is that if you happen to put your head in your hands and sigh once or twice； they immediately ask whether you have a headache or dont feel well。鈥�
for both of us； its been quite a blow to suddenly realize that very little remains of the close and harmoni… ous family we used to have at home！ this is mostly because everythi