Anne Shirley Cuthbert... Bylthe - translation

A new friend

When Gilbert had finished his letter, he realized he was late but he was determined to mail it this morning so that it would arrive in Charlottetown as soon as possible. He left in a hurry, forgetting his jacket, and narrowly missed a fall on the stairs because of the speed at which he was going down them and probably also because of the unevenness of the wooden steps.He barely made it to the university on time, having managed to get through to the post office. When he finally sat down and looked out the window he saw big black clouds in the distance and he knew that they would be arriving in Toronto soon and he had nothing to cover himself up.... He smiled, thinking it was Anne who put him in this state, and his thoughts directed at her that made him keep forgetting something. And he loved it. At the end of the day it was raining and Gilbert resolved to get home as soon as possible to study. He was on his way out of the university when a young man from his class called out to him:

"Hey Blythe! Have you seen the weather? Where's your jacket?

- Well, well, well, well. I forgot it this morning, I was in a hurry... he says with an embarrassed smile.

- You're in the same building as me, aren't you? Come with me, I have an umbrella big enough for both of us.

- Thank you."

When they arrived in the entrance hall of the building, the young man asked him what had made him late, knowing Gilbert's usual punctuality.

"Well, well, well, well. I had a letter to write this morning, and it took me longer than I expected and I absolutely wanted to post it this morning...he said with an embarrassed smile.

- oooh so Mr Gilbert Blythe has a girl at home

- but... I just said a letter!- Blythe, I know that look, come on, tell me everything, oh wait, let's go home and I'll make some tea.

- But it's just that I wanted to study tonight...

- Blythe... You've already studied for more hours than our whole class put together. So tonight we'll have a little chat, okay? And you know, it's better to make friends, otherwise three years is a very long time if you just spend your evenings and weekends with your head in a book.So Gilbert, feeling that he was not going to have a choice and that this friend was right, he talked to him about Anne and her life before university. At the same time he learned the young man's first name, a Fred Wright, and that he didn't have a girl to write to, but that he was hoping to find one in Toronto, and that he too was from Prince Edward Island, but that he lived in White Sands, which was further north than Avonlea.They continued talking all evening and Gilbert finally came home, tired from his day, but happy. He now had a friend, and he thought he would soon receive a letter from Anne.

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Anne felt a bit lonely in class, as she was the only one to have advanced her course and to do it over a year, so she didn't know anyone.Since yesterday there was this young man who was always looking at her and that made her feel uncomfortable. He came to talk to her at the end of the afternoon.

"Roy Gardner," he said, reaching out his hand.

- Anne Shirley Cuthbert," she replied with an embarrassed smile.

- Nice to meet you, you live at Blackmore Manor? I live next door, can I walk you home?

- Uh I don't know, I'm not sure, I ... I've got my friends waiting for me to come home," she replied without thinking before realizing that only the second year classes were finishing at that time today.

- Oh, are they in second grade too? asked Roy, who knew that wasn't true and that her friends were in the first year.Anne, feeling that she had no choice and that he would see her leave alone since he would be going the same way as her, finally accepted. But she refused to let him carry her books and hold her arm.

-I want you to know that I can carry my books by myself, and that you are only with me as a friend, nothing more." She wanted to talk to him about Gilbert but she held back thinking that he was away from her and that if Roy knew they weren't, he would still want to go back with her no matter what.It turned out that her conversation was interesting, not as interesting as Gilbert's, but that she could accept him as a friend. And it was with this idea that she ended up talking to him about Gilbert.

"By the way, I already have someone. That's why I said I only wanted you to come with me as a friend.

- I thought that a pretty girl like you must already have someone, that's why I came to talk to you, I need a friend, not a woman.

- Ooh excuse me, then you're engaged already I suppose.

- No, actually I'm not really interested in having a woman. I've never had this deep desire for someone. I know it sounds strange, even impossible, but it's the case.

- No it's not impossible at all! My best friend is like that too, you should meet him.

- I'll think about it, this is the first time I've heard that someone could be like me, so I have to think about it, I'm going to ...

- Don't worry, you have time, tell me at school again."

They greeted each other and Anne went home. She arrived in her room and was surprised to find Diana against the window. She didn't have time to say anything that Diana was coming against her: 

"Who was that young man you were talking to? Why do you get a ride from someone? And Gilbert in all this, have you thought about it? What would he say if he saw you?

- Diana, it's Roy Gardner, he's in my class, and before you get any ideas, I think he's like Cole! He told me he wasn't interested in girls and anyway I told him he could only come with me as a friend.

- Oh, excuse me, I really thought he wanted to seduce you... In the meantime you received a letter.

- Oh Diana, this is really an exquisite day.

"Anne,

Since we are separating, perhaps forever, I need to calm my heart.You are the object of my affection and desire. You and you alone are the guardian of the key to my heart.Do not worry. I do not expect to please you, but I cannot, in all conscience, not feel what I feel.I'm not engaged, and I wouldn't be, unless... It is yours, Anne, my Anne with an "e".It has always been and always will be you.

Lovingly,

Gilbert

P.S. Thanks for the pen, good luck in Queens.

Here it is, Anne, the letter I wrote to you at home that you didn't read and of course I forgive you. And just by rewriting it to you I can see your room again, your world that I was lucky enough to see when I put it on your dresser.I miss you so much my Anne, the lessons are exciting but I miss our competitiveness.When I read your letter and learned about your book, I was overwhelmed with joy, you deserve all the happiness in the world Anne, and you deserve to know who your parents were.I don't know if I'll be able to wait until Christmas to see you again. Maybe I'll take a trip to Charlottetown in October.

Lovingly,

Gilbert"

- Oh Diana, he had written me a beautiful letter and I tore it up, it would have changed everything if I had read it.

- Of course it would have changed everything, but you're still together now aren't you? Then everything is fine.It's true, she was right, everything was fine.