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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！”
〃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！”
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！”
〃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 n