Page 85 - The Book Thief
P. 85
THE JOY OF CIGARETTES
Toward the end of 1939, Liesel had settled into life in Molching pretty well. She
still had nightmares about her brother and missed her mother, but there were
comforts now, too.
She loved her papa, Hans Hubermann, and even her foster mother, despite the
abusages and verbal assaults. She loved and hated her best friend, Rudy Steiner,
which was perfectly normal. And she loved the fact that despite her failure in the
classroom, her reading and writing were definitely improving and would soon be
on the verge of something respectable. All of this resulted in at least some form
of contentment and would soon be built upon to approach the concept of Being
Happy.
THE KEYS TO HAPPINESS
Finishing The Grave Diggers Handbook.
Escaping the ire of Sister Maria.
Receiving two books for Christmas.
December 17.
She remembered the date well, as it was exactly a week before Christmas.
As usual, her nightly nightmare interrupted her sleep and she was woken by
Hans Hubermann. His hand held the sweaty fabric of her pajamas. The train? he
whispered.
Liesel confirmed. The train.
She gulped the air until she was ready, and they began reading from the eleventh
