Page 113 - The Book Thief

THE GATES OF THIEVERY

She remained on the steps, waiting for Papa, watching the stray ash and the
corpse of collected books. Everything was sad. Orange and red embers looked
like rejected candy, and most of the crowd had vanished. Shed seen Frau Diller
leave (very satisfied) and Pfiffikus (white hair, a Nazi uniform, the same
dilapidated shoes, and a triumphant whistle). Now there was nothing but
cleaning up, and soon, no one would even imagine it had happened.

But you could smell it.

What are you doing?

Hans Hubermann arrived at the church steps.

Hi, Papa.

You were supposed to be in front of the town hall.

Sorry, Papa.

He sat down next to her, halving his tallness on the concrete and taking a piece
of Liesels hair. His fingers adjusted it gently behind her ear. Liesel, whats

wrong?

For a while, she said nothing. She was making calculations, despite already
knowing. An eleven-year-old girl is many things, but she is not stupid.

A SMALL ADDITION
The word communist + a large bonfire + a collection of dead
letters + the suffering of her mother + the death of her
brother = the Fhrer