sed　to　call　〃mother。鈥?br />
  i　tell　myself　time　and　again　to　overlook　mothers　bad　example。　i　only　want　to　see　her　good　points；　and　to　look　inside　myself　for　whats　lacking　in　her。　but　it　doesnt　work；　and　the　worst　part　is　that　father　and　mother　dont　realize　their　own　inadequacies　and　how　much　i　blame　them　for　letting　me　down。　are　there　any　parents　who　can　make
  their　children　pletely　happy？
  sometimes　i　think　god　is　trying　to　test　me；　both　now　and　in　the　future。　ill　have　to　bee　a　good　person　on　my　own；　without　anyone　to　serve　as　a　model　or　advise　me；　but　itll　make　me　stronger　in　the　end。
  who　else　but　me　is　ever　going　to　read　these　letters？　who　else　but　me　can　i　turn　to　for　fort？　im　frequently　in　need　of　consolation；　i　often　feel　weak；　and　more　often　than　not；　i　fail　to　meet　expectations。　i　know　this；　and　every　day　i　resolve　to　do　better。
  they　arent　consistent　in　their　treatment　of　me。　one　day　they　say　that　annes　a　sensible　girl　and　entitled　to　know　everything；　and　the　next　that　annes　a　silly　goose　who　doesnt　know　a　thing　and　yet　imagines　shes　learned　all　she　needs　to　know　from　books！　im　no　longer　the　baby　and　spoiled　little　darling　whose　every　deed　can　be　laughed　at。　i　have　my　own　ideas；　plans　and　ideals；　but　am　unable　to　articulate　them　yet。
  oh　well。　so　much　es　into　my　head　at　night　when　im　alone；　or　during　the　day　when　im　obliged　to　put　up　with　people　i　cant　abide　or　who　invariably　misinterpret　my　intentions。　thats　why　i　always　wind　up　ing　back　to　my　diary　　i　start　there　and　end　there　because　kittys　always　patient。　i　promise　her　that；　despite　everything；　ill　keep　going；　that　ill　find　my　own　way　and　choke　back　my　tears。　i　only　wish　i　could　see　some　results　or；　just　once；　receive　encouragement　from　someone　who　loves　me。
  dont　condemn　me；　but　think　of　me　as　a　person　who　sometimes　reaches　the　bursting　point！
  yours；　anne
  monday；　november　9；1942
  dearest　kitty；
  yesterday　was　peters　birthday；　his　sixteenth。　i　was　upstairs　by　eight；　and　peter　and　i　looked　at　his　presents。　he　received　a　game　of　monopoly；　a　razor　and　a　cigarette　lighter。　not　that　he　smokes　so　much；　not　at　all；　it　just　looks　so　distinguished。
  the　biggest　surprise　came　from　mr。　van　daan；　who　reported　at　one　that　the　english　had　landed　in　tunis；　algiers；　casablanca　and　oran。
  〃this　is　the　beginning　of　the　end；〃　everyone　was　saying；　but　churchill；　the　british　prime　minister；　who　must　have　heard　the　same　thing　being　repeated　in　england；　declared；　〃this　is　not　the　end。　it　is　not　even　the　beginning　of　the　end。　but　it　is；　perhaps；　the　end　of　the　beginning。〃　do　you　see　the　difference？　however；　theres　reason　for　optimism。　stalingrad；　the　russian　city　that　has　been　under　attack　for　three　months；　still　hasnt　fallen　into　german　hands。
  in　the　true　spirit　of　the　annex；　i　should　talk　to　you　about　food。　（i　should　explain　that　theyre　real　gluttons　up　on　the　top　floor。）
  bread　is　delivered　daily　by　a　very　nice　baker；　a　friend　of　mr。　kleimans。　of　course；　we　dont　have　as　much　as　we　did　at　home；　but　its　enough。　we　also　purchase　ration　books　on　the　black　market。　the　price　keeps　going　up；　its　already　risen　from　27　to　33　guilders。　and　that　for　mere　sheets　of　printed　paper！
  to　provide　ourselves　with　a　source　of　nutrition　that　will　keep；　aside　from　the　hundred　cans　of　food　weve　stored　here；　we　bought　three　hundred　pounds　of　beans。　not　just　for　us；　but　for　the　office　staff　as　well。　wed　hung　the　sacks　of　beans　on　hooks　in　the　hallway；　just　inside　our　secret　entrance；　but　a　few　seams　split　under　the　weight。　so　we　decided　to　move　them　to　the　attic；　and　peter　was　entrusted　with　the　heavy　lifting。
  he　managed　to　get　five　of　the　six　sacks　upstairs　intact　and　was　busy　with　the　last　one　when　the　sack　broke　and　a　flood；　or　rather　a　hailstorm；　of　brown　beans　went　flying　through　the　air　and　down　the　stairs。　since　there　were　about　fifty　pounds　of　beans　in　that　sack；　it　made　enough　noise　to　raise　the　dead。　downstairs　they　were　sure　the　house　was　falling　down　around　their　heads。　peter　was　stunned；　but　then　burst　into　peals　of　laughter　when　he　saw　me　standing　at　the　bottom　of　the　stairs；　like　an　island　in　a　sea　of　brown；　with　waves　of　beans　lapping　at　my　ankles。　we　promptly　began　picking　them　up；　but　beans　are　so　small　and　slippery　that　they　roll　into　every　conceivable　corner　and　hole。　now　each　time　we　go　upstairs；　we　bend　over　and　hunt　around　so　we　can　present　mrs。　van　daan　with　a　handful　of　beans。
  i　almost　forgot　to　mention　that　father　has　recovered　from　his　illness。
  yours；　anne
  p。s。　the　radio　has　just　announced　that　algiers　has　fallen。　morocco；　casablanca　and　oran　have　been　in　english　hands　for　several　days。　were　now　waiting　for　tunis。
  tuesday；　november　10；　1942
  dearest　kitty；
  great　news！　were　planning　to　take　an　eighth　person　into　hiding　with　us！
  yes；　really。　we　always　thought　there　was　enough　room　and　food　for　one　more　person；　but　we　were　afraid　of　placing　an　even　greater　burden　on　mr。　kugler　and　mr。　kleiman。
  but　since　reports　of　the　dreadful　things　being　done　to　the　jews　are　getting　worse　by　the　day；　father　decided　to　sound　out　these　two　gentlemen；　and　they　thought　it　was　an　excellent　plan。　〃its　just　as　dangerous；　whether　there　are　seven　or　eight；〃　they　noted　rightly。　once　this　was　settled；　we　sat　down　and　mentally　went　through　our　circle　of　acquaintances；　trying　to　e　up　with　a　single　person　who　would　blend　in　well　with　our　extended　family。　this　wasnt　difficult。　after　father　had　rejected　all　the　van　daan　relatives；　we　chose　a　dentist　named　alfred　dussel。　he　lives　with　a　charming　christian　lady　whos　quite　a　bit　younger　than　he　is。　theyre　probably　not　married；　but　thats　beside　the　point。　hes　known　to　be　quiet　and　refined；　and　he　seemed；　from　our　superficial　acquaintance　with　him；　to　be　nice。　miep　knows　him　as　well；　so　shell　be　able　to　make　the　necessary　arrangements。　if　he　es；　mr。　dussel　will　have　to　sleep　in　my　room　instead　of　margot；　who　will　have　to　make　do　with　the　folding　bed。*　＇*after　dussel　arrived；　margot　slept　in　her　parents　bedroom。＇　well　ask　him　to　bring　along　something　to　fill　cavities　with。
  yours；　anne
  thursday；　november　12；　1942
  dearest　kitty；
  miep　came　to　tell　us　that　shed　been　to　see　dr。　dussel。　he　asked　her　the　moment　she　entered　the　room　if　she　knew　of　a　hiding　place　and　was　enormously　pleased　when　miep　said　she　had　something　in　mind。　she　added　〃that　hed　need　to　go　into　hiding　as　soon　as　possible；　preferably　saturday；　but　he　thought　this　was　highly　improbable；　since　he　wanted　to　bring　his　records　up　to　date；　settle　his　accounts　and　attend　to　a　couple　of　patients。　miep　relayed　the　message　to　us　this　morning。　we　didnt　think　it　was　wise　to　wait　so　long。　all　these　preparations　require　explanations　to　various　people　who　we　feel　ought　to　be　kept　in　the　dark。　miep　went　to　ask　if　dr。　dussel　couldnt　manage　to　e　on　saturday　after　all；　but　he　said　no；　and　now　hes　scheduled　to　arrive　on　monday。
  i　think　its　odd　that　he　doesnt　jump　at　our　proposal。　if　they　pick　him　up　on　the　street；　it　wont　help　either　his　records　or　his　patients；　so　why　the　delay？　if　you　ask
  me；　its　stupid　of　father　to　humor　him。
  otherwise；　no　news。
  yours；　anne
  tuesday；　november　17；　1942
  dearest　kitty！
  mr。　dussel　has　arrived。　everything　went　smoothly。　miep　told　him　to　be　at　a　certain　place　in　front　of　the　post　office　at　11　a。m。；　when　a　man　would　meet　him；　and　he　was　at　the　appointed　place　at　the　appointed　time。　mr。　kleiman　went　up　to　him；　announced　that　the　man　he　was　expecting　to　meet　was　unable　to　e　and　asked　him　to　drop　by　the　office　to　see　miep。　mr。　kleiman　took　a　streetcar　back　to　the　office　while　mr。
  dussel　followed　on　foot。
  it　was　eleven…twenty　when　mr。　dussel　tapped　on　the　office　door。　miep　asked　him　to　remove　his　coat；　so　the　yellow　star　couldnt　be　seen；　and　brought　him　to　the　private　office；　where　mr。　kleiman　kept　him　occupied　until　the　cleaning　lady　had　gone。　on　the　pretext　that　the　private　office　was　needed　for　something　else；　miep　took　mr。　dussel　upstairs；　opened　the　bookcase　and　stepped　inside；　while　mr。　dussellooked　on　in　amazement。
  in　the　meantime；　the　seven　of　us　had　seated　ourselves　around　the　dining　table　to　await　the　latest　addition　to　our　family　with　coffee　and　cognac。　miep　first　led　him　into　the　frank　familys　room。　he　immediately　recognized　our　furniture；　but　had　no　idea　we　were　upstairs；　just　above　his　head。　when　miep　told　him；　he　was　so　astonished　he　nearly　fainted。　thank　goodness　she　didnt　leave　him　in　suspense　any　longer；　but　brought　him　upstairs。　mr。　dussel　sank　into　a　chair　and　stared　at　us　in　dumbstruck　silence；　as　though　he　thought　he　could　read　the　truth　on　our　faces。　then　he　stuttered；　〃aber　。　。　。　but　are　you　nicht　in　belgium？　the　officer；　the　auto；　they　were　not　ing？
  your　escape　was　not　working？鈥?br />
  we　explained　the　whole　thing　to　him；　about　how　wed　deliberately　spread　the　rumor　of　the　officer　and　the　car　to　throw　the　germans　and　anyone　else　who　might　e　looking　for　us　off　the　track。　mr。　dussel　was　speechless　in　the　face　of　such　ingenuity；　and　could　do　nothing　but　gaze　around　in　surprise　as　he　explored　the　rest　of　our　lovely　and　ultrapractical　annex。　we　all　had　lunch　together。　then　he　took　a　short　nap；　joined　us　for　tea；　put　away　the　few　belongings　miep　had　been　able　to　bring　here　in　advance　and　began　to