The Boy at the Top of the Mountain by John Boyne Read Free Book Online

anger inside him now, and unfortunately that’s something that manifests itself in his treatment of the other orphans. But you mustn’t be too hard on him, Pierrot. Perhaps he picks on you the most because you are the one with whom he has the most in common.’
    Pierrot thought about this and tried to feel sympathy for Hugo, but it wasn’t easy. After all, as Simone had pointed out, their fathers had gone through similar experiences, but
he
didn’t go around making life miserable for everyone else.
    ‘At least it came to an end,’ he said finally. ‘The war, I mean. There won’t be another one, will there?’
    ‘I hope not,’ replied Simone as the door to the office swung open and Adèle entered, brandishing a letter in her hand.
    ‘There you are!’ she said, looking from one to the other. ‘I’ve been looking for you both. What on earth happened to you?’ she asked, leaning down and examining the bruises on Pierrot’s face.
    ‘I was in a fight,’ he said.
    ‘Did you win?’
    ‘No.’
    ‘Ah,’ she replied. ‘Hard luck. But I think this will cheer you up. You’ve had some good news. You’re going to be leaving us soon.’
    Pierrot looked from one sister to the other in surprise. ‘A family wants me?’ he asked.
    ‘Not just
any
family,’ said Adèle, smiling. ‘
Your
family. Your
own
family, I mean.’
    ‘Adèle, will you please explain what’s going on?’ asked Simone, reaching across to take the letter from her sister’s hands and running her eyes across the envelope. ‘Austria?’ she said in surprise, noticing the postmark.
    ‘It’s from your aunt Beatrix,’ said Adèle, looking at Pierrot.
    ‘But I’ve never even met her!’
    ‘Well, she knows all about you. You can read it. She’s only recently found out about what happened to your mother. She wants you to come and live with her.’

C HAPTER F OUR
Three Train Journeys
    Before waving him off at Orleans, Adèle handed Pierrot a parcel of sandwiches and told him to eat them only when he was very hungry as they had to last for the entire trip, which would take more than ten hours.
    ‘Now, I’ve pinned the names of all three stops to your lapel,’ she added, fussing around him as she made sure that each scrap of paper was securely fastened to his coat. ‘And every time you arrive at a station whose name matches one of these, make sure you get off and change on to the next train.’
    ‘Here,’ said Simone, reaching into her bag and passing a small gift across, neatly wrapped in brown paper. ‘We thought this might help to pass the time. It will remind you of the months you spent with us.’
    Pierrot kissed them both on the cheek, thanked them for all they had done for him and boarded the train, choosing a carriage where a woman and a young boy were already seated. The lady stared at him irritably as he sat down, as if she and the boy had hoped to have the carriage entirely to themselves, but said nothing as she returned to her newspaper while the boy picked up a packet of sweets from the seat next to him and put them in his pocket. Pierrot sat by the window as the train pulled out, and waved at Simone and Adèle before looking down at the first note attached to his lapel. He read the word carefully to himself:
    Mannheim.
    He had said goodbye to his friends the previous night, and Josette had been the only one who seemed sorry to see him go.
    ‘Are you sure you haven’t a found a family to adopt you?’ she asked. ‘You’re not just trying to make the rest of us feel better?’
    ‘No,’ said Pierrot. ‘I can show you my aunt’s letter if you like.’
    ‘So how did she track you down?’
    ‘Anshel’s mother was sorting through some of my mother’s things and she found the address. She wrote to tell Aunt Beatrix what had happened and gave her the details of the orphanage.’
    ‘And now she wants you to go to live with her?’
    ‘Yes,’ said Pierrot.
    Josette shook her head. ‘Is she married?’ she said.
    ‘I