CHAPTER XVII.

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,andwasmosthappytoconveyherasneartoMrsSmith’slodgingsinWestgateBuildings,asAnnechosetobetaken. Thevisitwaspaid,theiracquaintancere-established,theirinterestineachothermorethanre-kindled.Thefirsttenminuteshaditsawkwardnessanditsemotion.Twelveyearsweregonesincetheyhadparted,andeachpresentedasomewhatdifferentpersonfromwhattheotherhadimagined.TwelveyearshadchangedAnnefromtheblooming,silent,unformedgirloffifteen,totheelegantlittlewomanofseven-and-twenty,witheverybeautyexceptbloom,andwithmannersasconsciouslyrightastheywereinvariablygentleandtwelveyearshadtransformedthefine-looking,well-grownMissHamilton,inalltheglowofhealthandconfidenceofsuperiority,intoapoor,infirm,helplesswidow,receivingthevisitofherformerprotegeeasafavourbutallthatwasuncomfortableinthemeetinghadsoonpassedaway,andleftonlytheinterestingcharmofrememberingformerpartialitiesandtalkingoveroldtimes. AnnefoundinMrsSmiththegoodsenseandagreeablemannerswhichshehadalmostventuredtodependon,andadispositiontoconverseandbecheerfulbeyondherexpectation.Neitherthedissipationsofthepast—andshehadlivedverymuchintheworld—northerestrictionsofthepresent,neithersicknessnorsorrowseemedtohaveclosedherheartorruinedherspirits. Inthecourseofasecondvisitshetalkedwithgreatopenness,andAnne’sastonishmentincreased.ShecouldscarcelyimagineamorecheerlesssituationinitselfthanMrsSmith’s.Shehadbeenveryfondofherhusband:shehadburiedhim.Shehadbeenusedtoaffluence:itwasgone.Shehadnochildtoconnectherwit