Pennies For Hitler Read Online Free Page B

England.’
    Papa had promised they weren’t going to England. But somehow he knew that this morning and this afternoon were different worlds. ‘We can’t go to England till Papa is well.’
    ‘Georg, please. For Papa’s sake.’
    Mutti shut her eyes, then opened them again, as though what was inside her head hurt too much to see. ‘For my sake. For Papa’s sake. Miriam was right. She has been right all along. We should have left a year ago. Now,’ she took a breath, ‘we need you to be safe. That’s what your father said —’
    Mutti’s voice stopped, like her clockwork had run down. She clenched her fists again. Georg could see her nails cut into her palms, as though one pain made another easier to bear. When she spoke again her voice was like the wireless, clipped and remote.
    ‘The Nazis won’t let Jews leave Germany without permission these days. We can’t risk trying to get it now, in case they are looking for us after what happened today. Even if I managed to leave Germany the English government might not let me in. They won’t let many Jewish refugees into England. And now I too would be a refugee.’
    ‘But we went there last year —’
    ‘Last year I was with Papa.’ Mutti’s voice almost broke on the word. ‘But you have an English passport. If you can get out of Germany you can go to Aunt Miriam in England. But it will be hard to get you out. If I try to come with you they might catch us both.’
    ‘I have to go without you? Without Papa?’

    ‘We will come when we can.’ Her voice held truth; but it held other things too.
    ‘I want to go home!’ The words burst from him.
    ‘It’s not safe.’
    He stared at her. How could home not be safe? Unless the students were there. They knew where Papa lived.
    ‘Georg? Will you go to England? Please?’
    Mutti had never spoken like that before. Grown-ups said: ‘Do this, do that.’ It was an order, even if they added ‘please’. This was the first thing Mutti had ever asked of him. Her voice pleaded, and her eyes.
    ‘Yes,’ said Georg.
    He felt her relax a little beside him.
    ‘When do I have to go?’
    ‘Soon. Some … friends are coming. I don’t know them well.’
    ‘But you said they are friends?’
    ‘Friends are people who help you.’ Her voice was bitter now. ‘They help people like us. They will get you out of Germany. I phoned them. They said they will be here soon.’ She held him close.
    ‘Mutti? I’m hungry.’
    She almost smiled at that. ‘Tante will give you food.’ Her voice twisted. ‘She will do that, at least.’

Chapter 4
    The ‘friend’ was a woman with fat cheeks, like the good gargoyle’s, and fat ankles too, in thick brown stockings. Mutti opened the door for her. Tante had vanished, for some reason, after bringing him soup and cold pork and bread.
    The woman looked Georg up and down. ‘He’s small. That’s good. But can he lie still for hours? Not make a sound?’
    ‘Georg has great self-control,’ said Mutti. ‘Please, Frau …’ She hesitated. ‘I’m sorry, I do not know your name.’
    ‘You can’t tell the SS or Gestapo what you do not know.’ The fat woman stared at Georg again. ‘There is a chance to get him out of the country on the train tonight. After tonight, I do not know.’
    ‘Tonight then,’ said Mutti. Her voice was iron again, as though every one of her bones was cold.
    For the first time the woman spoke to Georg. She kneeled down and looked him in the eyes. Her breath smelled of caraway seeds. ‘Well, boy? Can you lie still in the dark for many hours? For a whole night? Not move at all? Not speak or cry or make a sound?’

    Not move or make a sound for a whole night? He didn’t know. How could you know if you had never tried? He could stay still for half an hour, when he and his friends played hide and seek. But for a night?
    If he said yes he would have to go to England, to Aunt Miriam, who he hardly knew. Go with strangers, no Mutti and no Papa.
    Mutti’s eyes