FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1943Dearest Kitty,Every time I write to you, something special has happened, usually unpleasant rather than pleasant. This time, however, something wonderful is going on.On Wednesday, September 8, we were listening to the seven ocloews when we heard an annou: "Here is some of the best news of the war so far: Italy has capituted." Italy has unditionally surrehe Dutch broadcast from Engnd began at eight-fifteen with the news: "Listeners, an hour and fifteen minutes ago, just as I finished writing my daily report, we received the wonderful news of Italys capitution. I tell you, I ossed my notes into the aper basket with more delight than I did today!”"God Save the King," the Ameriational anthem and the Russian Iionale”were pyed. As always, the Dutch program lifting without being too optimistic.The British have nded in Naples. Northern Italy is occupied by the Germans. The truce was signed on Friday, September 3, the day the British nded in Italy. The Germans are ranting and raving in all the neers at the treachery of Badoglio and the Italian king.Still, theres bad news as well. Its about Mr. Kleiman. As you know, we all like him very much. Hes unfailingly cheerful and amazingly brave, despite the fact that hes always sid in pain and t eat much or do a lot of walking. "When Mr. Kleimaers a room, the sun begins to shine," Mother said retly, and shes absolutely right.Now it seems he has to go to the hospital for a very difficult operation on his stomach, and will have to stay there for at least four weeks. You should have seen him wheold us good-bye. He acted so normally, as though he were just off to do an errand.Yours, AHURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1943Dearest Kitty,Retionships here in the Annex are getting worse all the time. We dont dare open our mouths at mealtime (except to slip in a bite of food), because no matter what we say, someone is bound to resent it or take it the wrong way. Mr. Voskuijl occasionally es to visit us. Unfortunately, hes not doing very well. He isnt making it any easier for his family, because his attitude seems to be: what do I care, Im going to die anyway! When I think how touchy everyone is here, I just imagine what it must be like at the Voskuijls.Ive been taking valerian every day to fight the ay and depression, but it doesnt stop me from being even more miserable the day. A good hearty ugh would help better than ten valerian drops, but weve almost fotten how to ugh.Sometimes Im afraid my face is going to sag with all this sorrow and that my mouth is going to permaly droop at the ers. The others arent doing aer.Everyone here is dreading the great terror known as winter.Another fact that doesly brighten up our days is that Mr. van Maaren, the man who works in the warehouse, is getting suspicious about the Annex. A person with any brains must have noticed by now that Miep sometimes says shes going to the b, Bep to the file room and Mr. Kleiman to the Opekta supplies, while Mr.Kugler cims the Annex doesnt belong to this building at all, but to the o door.We wouldnt care what Mr. van Maaren thought of the situation except that hes known to be unreliable and to possess a high degree of curiosity. Hes not one who be put off with a flimsy excuse.One day Mr. Kugler wao be extra cautious, so at twenty past twelve he put on his coat ao the drugstore around the er. Less than five mier he was back, and he sneaked up the stairs like a thief to visit us. At one-fifteearted to leave, but Bep met him on the nding and warned him that van Maaren wasin the office. Mr. Kugler did an about-fad stayed with us until ohirty. Theook off his shoes a in his stoged feet (despite his cold) to the front attid dowher stairway, taking oep at a time to avoid the creaks. It took him fifteen mio iate the stairs, but he wound up safely in the office after haviered from the outside.In the meantime, Bep had gotten rid of van Maaren and e to get Mr. Kugler from the Annex. But hed already left and at that moment was still tiptoeing dowairs. What must the passersby have thought when they saw the manager putting on his shoes outside? Hey, you there, in the socks!Yours, AnneWEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1943Dearest Kitty,Its Mrs. van Daans birthday. Other thaion stamp each for cheese, meat and bread, all she received from us was a jar of jam. Her husband, Dussel and the office staff gave her nothing but flowers and also food. Such are the times we live in!Bep had a nervous fit st week because she had so many errands to do. Ten times a day people were sending her out for something, each time insisting she ght away o again or that shed do all wrong. And when you think that she has her regur office work to do, that Mr. Kleiman is sick, that Miep is home with a cold and that Bep herself has a sprained ankle, boyfriend troubles and a grouchy father, its no wonder shes at the end of her tether. We forted her and told ?99ｌｉｂ.hat if shed put her foot down once or twid say she didnt have the time, the shopping lists would shrink of their own accord.Saturday there was a big drama, the likes of which have never been seen here before.It started with a discussion of van Maaren and ended in a general argument and tears.Dussel pio Mother that he was being treated like a leper, that no one was friendly to him and that, after all, he hadnt done anything to deserve it. This was followed by a lot of sweet talk, which luckily Mother didnt fall for this time. She told him we were disappointed in him and that, on more than one occasion, hed been a source of great annoyance. Dussel promised her the moon, but, as usual, we havent seen so much as a beam.Theres trouble brewing with the van Daans, I tell! Fathers furious because theyre cheating us: theyve been holding back meat and other things. Oh, what kind ofbombshell is about to burst now? If only I werent so involved in all these skirmishes!If only I could leave here! Theyre driving us crazy!Yours, Anne