Chapter 17

           WhileSirWalterandElizabethwereassiduouslypushingtheirgoodfortuneinLauraPlace,Annewasrenewinganacquaintanceofaverydifferentdescription.

           Shehadcalledonherformergoverness,andhadheardfromheroftherebeinganoldschool-fellowinBath,whohadthetwostrongclaimsonherattentionofpastkindnessandpresentsuffering.MissHamilton,nowMrsSmith,hadshewnherkindnessinoneofthoseperiodsofherlifewhenithadbeenmostvaluable.Annehadgoneunhappytoschool,grievingforthelossofamotherwhomshehaddearlyloved,feelingherseparationfromhome,andsufferingasagirloffourteen,ofstrongsensibilityandnothighspirits,mustsufferatsuchatime;andMissHamilton,threeyearsolderthanherself,butstillfromthewantofnearrelationsandasettledhome,remaininganotheryearatschool,hadbeenusefulandgoodtoherinawaywhichhadconsiderablylessenedhermisery,andcouldneverberememberedwithindifference.

           MissHamiltonhadleftschool,hadmarriednotlongafterwards,wassaidtohavemarriedamanoffortune,andthiswasallthatAnnehadknownofher,tillnowthattheirgoverness’saccountbroughthersituationforwardinamoredecidedbutverydifferentform.

           Shewasawidowandpoor.Herhusbandhadbeenextravagant;andathisdeath,abouttwoyearsbefore,hadlefthisaffairsdreadfullyinvolved.