When the written examinations at the end of each month were held the suspense was terrible . The first month Gilbert came out three marks ahead . The second Anne beat him by five . But her triumph was marred by the fact that Gilbert congratulated her heartily before the whole school . It would have been ever so much sweeter to her if he had felt the sting of his defeat . Mr. Phillips might not be a very good teacher ; but a pupil so inflexibly determined on learning as Anne was could hardly escape making progress under any kind of teacher . By the end of the term Anne and Gilbert were both promoted into the fifth class and allowed to begin studying the elements of `` the branches '' -- by which Latin , geometry , French , and algebra were meant . In geometry Anne met her Waterloo . `` It 's perfectly awful stuff , Marilla , '' she groaned . `` I 'm sure I 'll never be able to make head or tail of it . There is no scope for imagination in it at all . Mr. Phillips says I 'm the worst dunce he ever saw at it . And Gil -- I mean some of the others are so smart at it . It is extremely mortifying , Marilla . `` Even Diana gets along better than I do . But I do n't mind being beaten by Diana . Even although we meet as strangers now I still love her with an INEXTINGUISHABLE love . It makes me very sad at times to think about her . But really , Marilla , one ca n't stay sad very long in such an interesting world , can one ? '' CHAPTER XVIII .
Anne to the Rescue ALL things great are wound up XXXXX all things little .
By In although as at before if of than with