Page 358 - The Book Thief

DUDEN DICTIONARY MEANING #2

Verzeihung Forgiveness:
To stop feeling anger,
animosity, or resentment.
Related words: absolution,
acquittal, mercy.

On the way home, they stopped at the bridge and inspected the heavy black
book. As Rudy flipped through the pages, he arrived at a letter. He picked it up
and looked slowly toward the book thief. Its got your name on it.

The river ran.

Liesel took hold of the paper.

THE LETTER

Dear Liesel,

I know you find me pathetic and loathsome (look that word up if you dont
know it), but I must tell you that I am not so stupid as to not see your
footprints in the library. When I noticed the first book missing, I thought I had
sim ply misplaced it, but then I saw the outlines of some feet on the floor in

certain patches of the light.

It made me smile.

I was glad that you took what was rightfully yours. I then made the mistake of
thinking that would be the end of it.

When you came back, I should have been angry, but I wasnt. I could hear you
the last time, but I decided to leave you alone. You only ever take one book,
and it will take a thousand visits till all of them are gone. My only hope is that