Page 86 - The Book Thief

chapter of The Grave Diggers Handbook. Just past three oclock, they finished it,

and only the final chapter, Respecting the Graveyard, remained. Papa, his silver
eyes swollen in their tiredness and his face awash with whiskers, shut the book
and expected the leftovers of his sleep. He didnt get them.

The light was out for barely a minute when Liesel spoke to him across the dark.

Papa?

He made only a noise, somewhere in his throat.

Are you awake, Papa?

Ja.

Up on one elbow. Can we finish the book, please?

There was a long breath, the scratchery of hand on whiskers, and then the light.
He opened the book and began. Chapter Twelve: Respecting the Graveyard.

They read through the early hours of morning, circling and writing the words she
did not comprehend and turning the pages toward daylight. A few times, Papa
nearly slept, succumbing to the itchy fatigue in his eyes and the wilting of his
head. Liesel caught him out on each occasion, but she had neither the
selflessness to allow him to sleep nor the hide to be offended. She was a girl
with a mountain to climb.

Eventually, as the darkness outside began to break up a little, they finished. The
last passage looked like this:

We at the Bayern Cemetery Association hope that we have informedand
entertained you in the workings, safety measures, and duties of grave digging.
We wish you every success with your career in the funerary arts and hope this
book has helped in some way.

When the book closed, they shared a sideways glance. Papa spoke.

We made it, huh?