Page 355 - The Book Thief

lips. She was comfortable enough on this occasion to run her fingers along the

shelvesa short replay of her original visit to the roomand she whispered many of
the titles as she made her way along.

Under the Cherry Tree.

The Tenth Lieutenant.

Typically, many of the titles tempted her, but after a good minute or two in the
room, she settled for A Song in the Dark, most likely because the book was
green, and she did not yet own a book of that color. The engraved writing on the
cover was white, and there was a small insignia of a flute between the title and
the name of the author. She climbed with it from the window, saying thanks on
her way out.

Without Rudy, she felt a good degree of absence, but on that particular morning,
for some reason, the book thief was happiest alone. She went about her work and

read the book next to the Amper River, far enough away from the occasional
headquarters of Viktor Chemmel and the previous gang of Arthur Berg. No one
came, no one interrupted, and Liesel read four of the very short chapters of A
Song in the Dark, and she was happy.

It was the pleasure and satisfaction.

Of good stealing.

A week later, the trilogy of happiness was completed.

In the last days of August, a gift arrived, or in fact, was noticed.

It was late afternoon. Liesel was watching Kristina Mller jumping rope on
Himmel Street. Rudy Steiner skidded to a stop in front of her on his brothers
bike. Do you have some time? he asked.

She shrugged. For what?

I think youd better come. He dumped the bike and went to collect the other one
from home. In front of her, Liesel watched the pedal spin.