WhileSirWalterandElizabethwereassiduouslypushingtheirgoodfortuneinLauraPlace,Annewasrenewinganacquaintanceofaverydifferentdescription.
Shehadcalledonherformergoverness,andhadheardfromheroftherebeinganoldschool-fellowinBath,whohadthetwostrongclaimsonherattentionofpastkindnessandpresentsuffering.MissHamilton,nowMrsSmith,hadshewnherkindnessinoneofthoseperiodsofherlifewhenithadbeenmostvaluable.Annehadgoneunhappytoschool,grievingforthelossofamotherwhomshehaddearlyloved,feelingherseparationfromhome,andsufferingasagirloffourteen,ofstrongsensibilityandnothighspirits,mustsufferatsuchatimeandMissHamilton,threeyearsolderthanherself,butstillfromthewantofnearrelationsandasettledhome,remaininganotheryearatschool,hadbeenusefulandgoodtoherinawaywhichhadconsiderablylessenedhermisery,andcouldneverberememberedwithindifference.
MissHamiltonhadleftschool,hadmarriednotlongafterwards,wassaidtohavemarriedamanoffortune,andthiswasallthatAnnehadknownofher,tillnowthattheirgoverness’saccountbroughthersituationforwardinamoredecidedbutverydifferentform.
Shewasawidowandpoor.Herhusbandhadbeenextravagantandathisdeath,abouttwoyearsbefore,hadlefthisaffairsdreadfullyinvolved.Shehadhaddifficultiesofeverysorttocontendwith,andinadditiontothesedistresseshadbeenafflictedwithasevererheumaticfever,which,finallysettlinginherlegs,hadmadeherforthepresentacripple.ShehadcometoBathonthataccount,andwasnowinlodgingsnearthehotbaths,livinginaveryhumbleway,unableeventoaffordherselfthecomfortofaservant,andofcoursealmostexcludedfromsociety.
TheirmutualfriendansweredforthesatisfactionwhichavisitfromMissElliotwouldgiveMrsSmith,andAnnethereforelostnotimeingoing.Shementionednothingofwhatshehadheard,orwhatsheintended,athome.Itwouldexcitenoproperinterestthere.SheonlyconsultedLadyRussell,whoenteredthoroughlyintohersentiments,andw