Page 45 - The Book Thief

two hours later. They never spoke about it much. They just held hands and

listened to their feet, and Papa had a cigarette or two.

The only anxiety Papa brought her was the fact that he was constantly leaving.
Many evenings, he would walk into the living room (which doubled as the
Hubermanns bedroom), pull the accordion from the old cupboard, and squeeze
past in the kitchen to the front door.

As he walked up Himmel Street, Mama would open the window and cry out,
Dont be home too late!

Not so loud, he would turn and call back.

Saukerl! Lick my ass! Ill speak as loud as I want!

The echo of her swearing followed him up the street. He never looked back, or at
least, not until he was sure his wife was gone. On those evenings, at the end of

the street, accordion case in hand, he would turn around, just before Frau Dillers
corner shop, and see the figure who had replaced his wife in the window.
Briefly, his long, ghostly hand would rise before he turned again and walked
slowly on. The next time Liesel saw him would be at two in the morning, when
he dragged her gently from her nightmare.

Evenings in the small kitchen were raucous, without fail. Rosa Hubermann was
always talking, and when she was talking, it took the form of schimpfen. She
was constantly arguing and complaining. There was no one to really argue with,
but Mama managed it expertly every chance she had. She could argue with the
entire world in that kitchen, and almost every evening, she did. Once they had
eaten and Papa was gone, Liesel and Rosa would usually remain there, and Rosa
would do the ironing.

A few times a week, Liesel would come home from school and walk the streets
of Molching with her mama, picking up and delivering washing and ironing
from the wealthier parts of town. Knaupt Strasse, Heide Strasse. A few others.
Mama would deliver the ironing or pick up the washing with a dutiful smile, but
as soon as the door was shut and she walked away, she would curse these rich
people, with all their money and laziness.

Too gschtinkerdt to wash their own clothes, she would say, despite her