Page 161 - The Book Thief

Stupid Scheisskopf. Rudy grinned, and they looked through the spoils. Bread,
broken eggs, and the big one, Speck. Rudy held the fatty ham to his nose and
breathed it gloriously in. Beautiful.

As tempting as it was to keep the victory to themselves, they were overpowered
by a sense of loyalty to Arthur Berg. They made their way to his impoverished
lodging on Kempf Strasse and showed him the produce. Arthur couldnt hold
back his approval.

Who did you steal this from?

It was Rudy who answered. Otto Sturm.

Well, he nodded, whoever that is, Im grateful to him. He walked inside and
returned with a bread knife, a frying pan, and a jacket, and the three thieves
walked the hallway of apartments. Well get the others, Arthur Berg stated as

they made it outside. We might be criminals, but were not totally immoral. Much
like the book thief, he at least drew the line somewhere.

A few more doors were knocked on. Names were called out to apartments from
streets below, and soon, the whole conglomerate of Arthur Bergs fruit-stealing
troop was on its way to the Amper. In the clearing on the other side, a fire was lit
and what was left of the eggs was salvaged and fried. The bread and Speck were
cut. With hands and knives, every last piece of Otto Sturms delivery was eaten.
No priest in sight.

It was only at the end that an argument developed, regarding the basket. The
majority of boys wanted to burn it. Fritz Hammer and Andy Schmeikl wanted to
keep it, but Arthur Berg, showing his incongruous moral aptitude, had a better

idea.

You two, he said to Rudy and Liesel. Maybe you should take it back to that
Sturm character. Id say that poor bastard probably deserves that much.

Oh, come on, Arthur.

I dont want to hear it, Andy.