he　british　and　the　americans　from　displaying　their　might。　and　how！　of　course；　the　germans　have　launched　their　wonder　weapon；　but　a　little　firecracker　like　that　wont　hardly　make　a　dent；　except　maybe　minor　damage　in　england　and　screaming　headlines　in　the　kraut　newspapers。
  anyway；　when　they　realize　in　〃krautland〃　that　the　bolsheviks　really　are　getting　closer；　theyll　be　shaking　in　their　boots。
  all　german　women　who　arent　working　for　the　military　are　being　evacuated；　together　with　their　children；　from　the　coastal　regions　to　the　provinces　of　groningen；　friesland　and　gelderland。　mussert*　＇*　the　leader　of　the　dutch　national　socialist　（nazi）　party＇　has　announced　that　if　the　invasion　reaches　holland；　hell　enlist。　is　that　fat　pig　planning　to　fight？　he　could　have　done　that　in　russia　long　before　now。　finland　turned　down　a　peace　offer　some　time　ago；　and　now　the　negotiations　have　been　broken　off　again。
  those　numbskulls；　theyll　be　sorry！
  how　far　do　you　think　well　be　on　july　27？
  yours；　anne
  m。　frank
  friday；　june　30；　1944
  dearest　kitty；
  bad　weather　from　one　at　a　stretch　to　the　thirty　june*　＇annes　english。＇　dont　i　say　that　well？　oh　yes；　i　already　know　a　little　english；　just　to　prove　it　im　reading　an　ideal　husband　with　the　help　of　a　dictionary！　wars　going　wonderfully：　bobruysk；　mogilev　and　orsha　have　fallen；　lots　of　prisoners。
  everythings　all　right　here。　spirits　are　improving；　our　superoptimists　are　triumphant；　the　van　daans　are　doing　disappearing　acts　with　the　sugar；　bep　s　changed　her　hair；　and　miep　has　a　week　off。　thats　the　latest　news！
  ive　been　having　really　ghastly　root…canal　work　done　on　one　of　my　front　teeth。　its　been　terribly　painful。　it　was　so　bad　dussel　thought　i　was　going　to　faint；　and　i　nearly　did。　mrs。　van　d。　promptly　got　a　toothache　as　well！
  yours；　anne
  m。　frank
  p。s。　weve　heard　from　basel　that　bernd*　＇cousin　bernhard　（buddy）　elias＇。　played　the　part　of　the　innkeeper　in　minna　von　barnhelm。　he　has　〃artistic　leanings；〃　says　mother。
  w　w　w/xiao　shu　otx　t
  JULY；　1944
  銆€灏忥伎璇磘？xt锛垮ぉ鍫?br />
  thursday；　july　6；　1944
  dearest　kitty；
  my　blood　runs　cold　when　peter　talks　about　being　a　criminal　or　a　speculator；　of　course；　hes　joking；　but　i　still　have　the　feeling　hes　afraid　of　his　own　weakness。
  margot　and　peter　are　always　saying　to　me；　〃if　i　had　your　spunk　and　your　strength；　if　i　had　your　drive　and　unflagging　energy；　could。　。　。
  is　it　really　such　an　admirable　trait　not　to　let　myself　be　influenced　by　others？　am　i　right　in　following　my　own　conscience？
  to　be　honest；　i　cant　imagine　how　anyone　could　say　〃im　weak〃　and　then　stay　that　way。　if　you　know　that　about　yourself；　why　not　fight　it；　why　not　develop　your　character？　their　answer　has　always　been：　〃because　its　much　easier　not　to！〃　this　reply　leaves　me　feeling　rather　discouraged。　easy？　does　that　mean　a　life　of　deceit　and　laziness　is　easy　too？　oh　no；　that　cant　be　true。　it　cant　be　true　that　people　are　so　readily　tempted　by　ease。　。　。　and　money。　ive　given　a　lot　of　thought　to　what　my　answer　should　be；　to　how　i　should　get　peter　to　believe　in　himself　and；　most　of　all；　to　change　himself　for　the　better。　i　dont　know　whether　im　on　the　right　track。
  ive　often　imagined　how　nice　it　would　be　if　someone　were　to　confide　everything　to　me。　but　now　that　its　reached　that　point；　i　realize　how　difficult　it　is　to　put　yourself　in　someope　elses　shoes　and　find　the　right　answer。　especially　since　〃easy〃　and　〃money鈥?br />
  are　new　and　…　pletely　alien　concepts　to　me。
  peters　beginning　to　lean　on　me　and　i　dont　want　that；　not　under　any　circumstances。
  its　hard　enough　standing　on　your　own　two　feet；　but　when　you　also　have　to　remain　true　to　your　character　and　soul；　its　harder　still。
  ive　been　drifting　around　at　sea；　have　spent　days　searching　for　an　effective　antidote　to　that　terrible　word　〃easy。〃　how　can　i　make　it　clear　to　him　that；　while　it　may　seem　easy　and　wonderful；　it　will　drag　him　down　to　the　depths；　to　a　place　where　hell　no　longer　find　friends；　support　or　beauty；　so　far　down　that　he　may　never　rise　to　the　surface　again？
  were　all　alive；　but　we　dont　know　why　or　what　for；　were　all　searching　for　happiness；
  were　all　leading　lives　that　are　different　and　yet　the　same。　we　three　have　been　raised　in　good　famthes；　we　have　the　opportunity　to　get　an　education　and　make　something　of　ourselves。　we　have　many　reasons　to　hope　for　great　happiness；　but。　。　。　we　have　to　earn　it。　and　thats　something　you　cant　achieve　by　taking　the　easy　way　out。　earning　happiness　means　doing　good　and　working；　not　speculating　and　being　lazy。　laziness　may　look　inviting；　but　only　work　gives　you　true　satisfaction。
  i　cant　understand　people　who　dont　like　to　work；　but　that　isnt　peters　problem　either。
  he　just　doesnt　have　a　goal；　plus　he　thinks　hes　too　stupid　and　inferior　to　ever　achieve　anything。　poor　boy；　hes　never　known　how　it　feels　to　make　someone　else　happy；　and　im　afraid　i　cant　teach　him。　he　isnt　religious；　scoffs　at　jesus　christ　and　takes　the　lords　name　in　vain；　and　though　im　not　orthodox　either；　it　hurts　me　every　time　to　see　him　so　lonely；　so　scornful；　so　wretched。
  people　who　are　religious　should　be　glad；　since　not　everyone　is　blessed　with　the　ability　to　believe　in　a　higher　order。　you　dont　even　have　to　live　in　fear　of　eternal　punishment；
  the　concepts　of　purgatory；　heaven　and　hell　are　difficult　for　many　people　to　accept；　yet　religion　itself；　any　religion；　keeps　a　person　on　the　right　path。　not　the　fear　of　god；　but　upholding　your　own　sense　of　honor　and　obeying　your　own　conscience。　how　noble　and　good　everyone　could　be　if；　at　the　end　of　each　day；　they　were　to　review　their　own　behavior　and　weigh　up　the　rights　and　wrongs。　they　would　automatically　try　to　do　better　at　the　start　of　each　new　day　and；　after　a　while；　would　certainly　acplish　a　great　deal。　everyone　is　wele　to　this　prescription；　it　costs　nothing　and　is　definitely　useful。　those　who　dont　know　will　have　to　find　out　by　experience　that　〃a　quiet　conscience　gives　you　strength！〃
  yours；　anne
  m。　frank
  saturday；　july　8；　1944
  dearest　kitty；
  mr。　broks　was　in　beverwijk　and　managed　to　get　hold　of　strawberries　at　the　produce　auction。　they　arrived　here　dusty　and　full　of　sand；　but　in　large　quantities。　no　less　than　twenty…four　crates　for　the　office　and　us。　that　very　same　evening　we　canned　the　first　six　jars　and　made　eight　jars　of　jam。　the　next　morning　miep　started　making　jam　for　the　office。
  at　twelve…thirty　the　outside　door　was　locked；　crates　were　lugged　into　the　kitchen；　with　peter；　father　and　mr。　van　daan　stumbling　up　the　stairs。　anne　got　hot　water　from　the　water　heater；　margot〃〃；went　for　a　bucket；　all　hands　on　deck！　with　a　funny　feeling　in　my　stomach；　i　entered　the　overcrowded　office　kitchen。　miep；　bep；　mr。　kleiman；　jan；　father；　peter：　the　annex　contingent　and　the　supply　corps　all　mixed　up　together；　and　that　in　the　middle　of　the　day！　curtains　and　windows　open；　loud　voices；　banging　doors　　i　was　trembling　with　excitement。　i　kept　thinking；　〃are　we　really　in　hiding？〃　this　must　be　how　it　feels　when　you　can　finally　go　out　into　the　world　again。　the　pan　was　full；　so　i　dashed　upstairs；　where　the　rest　of　the　family　was　hulling　strawberries　around　the　kitchen　table。　at　least　thats　what　they　were　supposed　to　be　doing；　but　more　was　going　into　their　mouths　than　into　the　buckets。　they　were　bound　to　need　another　bucket　soon。　peter　went　back　downstairs；　but　then　the　doorbell　rang　twice。　leaving　the　bucket　where　it　was；　peter　raced　upstairs　and　shut　the　bookcase　behind　him。　we　sat　kicking　our　heels　impatiently；　the　strawberries　were　waiting　to　be　rinsed；　but　we　stuck　to　the　house　rule：　〃no　running　water　when　strangers　are　downstairs　　they　might　hear　the　drains。鈥?br />
  jan　came　up　at　one　to　tell　us　it　had　been　the　mail…　man。　peter　hurried　downstairs　again。　ding…dong。　。　。　the　doorbell；　about…face。　i　listened　to　hear　if　anyone　was　ing；　standing　first　at　the　bookcase；　then　at　the　top　of　the　stairs。　finally　peter　and　i　leaned　over　the　banister；　straining　our　ears　like　a　couple　of　burglars　to　hear　the　sounds　from　downstairs。　no　unfamthar　voices。　peter　tip…　toed　halfway　down　the　stairs　and　called　out；　〃bep！鈥?br />
  once　more：　〃bep！〃　his　voice　was　drowned　out　by　the　racket　in　the　kitchen。　so　he　ran　down　to　the　kitchen　while　i　nervously　kept　watch　from　above。　〃go　upstairs　at　once；　peter；　the　accountants　here；　youve　got　to　leave！〃　it　was　mr。　kuglers　voice。　sighing；　peter　came　upstairs　and　closed　the　bookcase。
  mr。　kugler　finally　came　up　at　one…thirty。　〃my　gosh；　the　whole　worlds　turned　to　strawberries。　i　had　strawber…　ries　for　breakfast；　jans　having　diem　for　lunch；　kleimans　eating　them　as　a　snack；　mieps　bothng　them；　beps　hulling　them；　and　i　can　smell　them　everywhere　i　go。　i　e　upstairs　to　get　away　from　all　that　red　and　what　do　i　see？　people　washing　strawberries！鈥?br />
  the　rest　of　the　strawberries　were　canned。　that　evening：　two　jars　came　unsealed。
  father　quickly　turned　them　into　jam。　the　next　morning：　two　more　lids　popped　up；　and　that　afternoon：　four　lids。　mr。　van　daan　hadnt　gotten　the　jars　hot　enough　when　he　was　sterthzing　them；　so　father　ended　up　making　jam　every　evening。　we　ate　hot　cereal　with　strawberries；　buttermilk　with　strawberries；　bread　with　strawberries；　strawberries　for　dessert；　straw…　berries　with　sugar；　strawberries　with　sand。　for　two　days　there　was　nothing