《安妮日记》第57章

losing　your　virtue　doesnt　matter；　as　long　as　you　know　that　for　as　long　as　you　live　youll　have　someone　at　your　side　who　understands　you；　and　who　doesnt　have　to　be　shared　with　anyone　else！
yours；　anne　
m。　frank
at　the　moment；　mothers　grouching　at　me　again；　shes　clearly　jealous　because　i　talk　to　mrs。　van　daan　more　than　to　her。　what　do　i　care！
i　managed　to　get　hold　of　peter　this　afternoon；　and　we　talked　for　at　least　forty…five　minutes。　he　wanted　to　tell　me　something　about　himself；　but　didnt　find　it　easy。　he　finally　got　it　out；　though　it　took　a　long　time。　i　honestly　didnt　know　whether　it　was　better　for　me　to　stay　or　to　go。　but　i　wanted　so　much　to　help　him！　i　told　him　about　bep　and　how　tactless　our　mothers　are。　he　told　me　that　his　parents　fight　constantly；　about　politics　and　cigarettes　and　all　kinds　of　things。　as　ive　told　you　before；　peters　very　shy；　but　not　too　shy　to　admit　that　hed　be　perfectly　happy　not　to　see　his　parents　for　a　year　or　two。　〃my　father　isnt　as　nice　as　he　looks；〃　he　said。　〃but　in　the　matter　of　the　cigarettes；　mothers　absolutely　right。〃
i　also　told　him　about　my　mother。　but　he　came　to　fathers　defense。　he　thought　he　was　a　〃terrific　guy。”
tonight　when　i　was　hanging　up　my　apron　after　doing　the　dishes；　he　called　me　over　and　asked　me　not　to　say　anything　downstairs　about　his　parents　having　had　another　argument　and　not　being　on　speaking　terms。　i　promised；　though　id　already　told　margot。
but　im　sure　margot　wont　pass　it　on。
〃oh　no；　peter；〃　i　said；　you　dont　have　to　worry　about　me。　ive　learned　not　to　blab　everything　i　hear。　i　never　repeat　what　you　tell　me。”
he　was　glad　to　hear　that。　i　also　told　him　what　terrible　gossips　we　are；　and　said；　〃margots　quite　right；　of　course；　when　she　says　im　not　being　honest；　because　as　much　as　i　want　to　stop　gossiping；　theres　nothing　i　like　better　than　discussing　mr。　dussel。”
〃its　good　that　you　admit　it；〃　he　said。　he　blushed；　and　his　sincere　pliment　almost　embarrassed　me　too。
then　we　talked　about　〃upstairs〃　and　〃downstairs〃　some　more。　peter　was　really　rather　surprised　to　hear　that　dont　like　his　parents。　〃peter；〃　i　said；　〃you　know　im　always　honest；　so　why　shouldnt　i　tell　you　this　as　well？　we　can　see　their　faults　too。”
i　added；　〃peter；　id　really　like　to　help　you。　will　you　let　me？　youre　caught　in　an　awkward　position；　and　i　know；　even　though　you　dont　say　anything；　that　it　upsets　you。”
〃oh；　your　help　is　always　wele！”
〃maybe　itd　be　better　for　you　to　talk　to　father。　you　can　tell　him　anything；　he　wont　pass　it　on。”
〃i　know；　hes　a　real　pal。”
〃you　like　him　a　lot；　dont　you？”
peter　nodded；　and　i　continued；　〃well；　he　likes　you　too；　you　know！”
he　looked　up　quickly　and　blushed。　it　was　really　touching　to　see　how　happy　these　few　words　made　him。
〃you　think　so？〃　he　asked。
〃yes；〃　i　said。　〃you　can　tell　from　the　little　things　he　lets　slip　now　and　then。”
then　mr。　van　daan　came　in　to　do　some　dictating。
peters　a　〃terrific　guy；〃　just　like　father！
yours；　anne　
m。　frank
friday；　march　3；1944
my　dearest　kitty；
when　i　looked　into　the　candle　tonight；　i　felt　calm　and　happy　again。　it　seems　grandma　is　in　that　candle；　and　its　grandma　who　watches　over　and　protects　me　and　makes　me　feel　happy　again。　but。　。　。　theres　someone　else　who　governs　all　my　moods　and　thats。　。
。　peter。　i　went　to　get　the　potatoes　today；　and　while　i　was　standing　on　the　stairway　with　my　pan　full；　he　asked；　〃what　did　you　do　during　the　lunch　break？”
i　sat　down　on　the　stairs；　and　we　began　to　talk。　the　potatoes　didnt　make　it　to　the　kitchen　until　five…fifteen　（an　hour　after　id　gone　to　get　them）。　peter　didnt　say　anything　more　about　his　parents；　we　just　talked　about　books　and　about　the　past。　oh；　he　gazes　at　me　with　such　warmth　in　his　eyes；　i　dont　think　it　will　take　much　for　me　to　fall　in　love　with　him。
he　brought　the　subject　up　this　evening。　i　went　to　his　room　after　peeling　potatoes　and　remarked　on　how　hot　it　was。　〃you　can　tell　the　temperature　by　looking　at　margot　and　me；　because　we　turn　white　when　its　cold　and　red　when　its　hot。〃　i　said。
〃in　love？〃　he　asked。
〃why　should　i　be　in　love？〃　it　was　a　pretty　silly　answer　（or；　rather；　question）。
〃why　not？〃　he　said；　and　then　it　was　time　for　dinner。
what　did　he　mean？　today　i　finally　managed　to　ask　him　whether　my　chatter　bothered　him。　all　he　said　was；　〃oh；　its　fine　with　me！〃　i　cant　tell　how　much　of　his　reply　was　due　to　shyness。
kitty；　i　sound　like　someone　whos　in　love　and　can　talk　about　nothing　but　her　dearest
darling。　and　peter　is　a　darling。　will　i　ever　be　able　to　tell　him　that？　only　if　he　thinks　the　same　of　me；　but　im　the　kind　of　person　you　have　to　treat　with　kid　gloves；　i　know　that　all　too　well。
and　he　likes　to　be　left　alone；　so　i　dont　know　how　much　he　likes　me。　in　any　case；　were　getting　to　know　each　other　a　little　better。　i　wish　we　dared　to　say　more。　but　who　knows；　maybe　that　time　will　e　sooner　than　i　think！
once　or　twice　a　day　he　gives　me　a　knowing　glance；　i　wink　back；　and　were　both　happy。　it　seems　crazy　to　talk　about　his　being　happy；　and　yet　i　have　the　overwhelming　feeling　he　thinks　the　same　way　i　do。
yours；　anne　
m。　frank
saturday；　march　4；　1944
dear　kitty；
this　is　the　first　saturday　in　months　that　hasnt　been　tiresome；　dreary　and　boring。　the　reason　is　peter。　this　morning　as　i　was　on　my　way　to　the　attic　to　hang　up　my　apron；　father　asked　whether　i　wanted　to　stay　and　practice　my　french；　and　i　said　yes。　we　spoke　french　together　for　a　while　and　i　explained　something　to　peter；　and　then　we　worked　on　our　english。　father　read　aloud　from　dickens；　and　i　was　in　seventh　heaven；　since　i　was　sitting　on　fathers　chair；　close　to　peter。
i　went　downstairs　at　quarter　to　eleven。　when　i　went　back　up　at　eleven…thirty；　peter　was　already　waiting　for　me　on　the　stairs。　we　talked　until　quarter　to　one。　whenever　i　leave　the　room；　for　example　after　a　meal；　and　peter　has　a　chance　and　no　one　else　can　hear；　he　says；　〃bye；　anne；　see　you　later。”
oh；　im　so　happy！　i　wonder　if　hes　going　to　fall　in　love　with　me　after　all？　in　any　case；　hes　a　nice　boy；　and　you　have　no　idea　how　good　it　is　to　talk　to　him！
mrs。　van　d。　thinks　its　all　right　for　me　to　talk　to　peter；　but　today　she　asked　me　teasingly；　〃can　i　trust　you　two　up　there？