CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Wednesday, 16 February 1944

I had to go up into the attic, through Peter’s room, to get some potatoes today. When I was going up the stairs, he stood up and took my arm.

‘I’ll go,’ he said. But I told him that it wasn’t necessary.

On my way down, I asked him, ‘What are you studying?’

‘French,’ he replied. I asked if I could look at his lessons. Then I sat down on the sofa, and began to explain some French to him. We went on talking pleasantly about other things too, and finally he spoke about the picture of film actors on his wall. It’s the one that I gave him, and he likes it very much.

‘Shall I give you a few more?’ I asked him.

‘No,’ he replied. ‘I prefer this one. I look at it every day, and all the people in it have become my friends.’

Peter needs love too. That’s why he holds Mouschi the cat so tightly.

Friday, 18 February 1944

Whenever I go upstairs, it’s always so that I can see him. I have something to look forward to now, and life here is better.

Mother doesn’t like me going up there. She says that I should leave Peter alone. She always looks at me oddly when I go to Peter’s room. When I come down again, she asks me where I’ve been.