Gilbert Blythe spelled her down in class and left her clear out of sight in mental arithmetic . Anne 's consequent humiliation was less than it might have been , however , in view of the concert and the spare-room bed . She and Diana talked so constantly about it all day that with a stricter teacher than Mr. Phillips dire disgrace must inevitably have been their portion . Anne felt that she could not have borne it if she had not been going to the concert , for nothing else was discussed that day in school . The Avonlea Debating Club , which met fortnightly all winter , had had several smaller free entertainments ; but this was to be a big affair , admission ten cents , in aid of the library . The Avonlea young people had been practicing for weeks , and all the scholars were especially interested in it by reason of older brothers and sisters who were going to take part . Everybody in school over nine years of age expected to go , except Carrie Sloane , whose father shared Marilla 's opinions about small girls going out to night concerts . Carrie Sloane cried into her grammar all the afternoon and felt that life was not worth living . For Anne the real excitement began with the dismissal of school and increased therefrom in crescendo until it reached to a crash of positive ecstasy in the concert itself . They had a `` perfectly elegant tea ; '' and then came the delicious occupation of dressing in Diana 's little room upstairs . Diana did Anne 's front hair in the new pompadour style and Anne tied Diana 's bows with the especial knack she possessed ; and they experimented with at least half a dozen different ways of arranging their back hair . At last they were ready , cheeks scarlet and eyes glowing with excitement . True , Anne could not help a little pang when she contrasted her plain black tam and shapeless , tight-sleeved , homemade gray-cloth coat with Diana 's jaunty fur cap and smart little jacket . But she remembered in time that she had an imagination and could use it . Then Diana 's cousins , the Murrays from Newbridge , came ; they all crowded into the big pung sleigh , among straw and furry robes . Anne reveled in the drive to the hall , slipping along over the satin-smooth roads with the snow crisping under the runners . There was a magnificent sunset , and the snowy hills and deep-blue water of the St. Lawrence Gulf seemed to rim in the splendor like a huge bowl of pearl and sapphire brimmed with wine and fire . Tinkles of sleigh bells and distant laughter , that seemed like the mirth of wood elves , came from every quarter . `` Oh , Diana , '' breathed Anne , squeezing Diana 's mittened hand under the fur robe , `` is n't it all like a beautiful dream ? Do I really look the same as usual ?
I feel so different that it seems to me it must show XXXXX my looks . ''
At about as for in into of than that to