Anne was also engaged as governess in the same family, and was thus a miserable witness to her brother's deterioration of character at this period.

Of the causes of this deterioration I cannot speak; but the consequences were these.

He went home for his holidays reluctantly, stayed there as short a time as possible, perplexing and distressing them all by his extraordinary conduct--at one time in the highest spirits, at another, in the deepest depression--accusing himself of blackest guilt and treachery, without specifying what they were; and altogether evincing an irritability of disposition bordering on insanity.
Charlotte and Emily suffered acutely from his mysterious behaviour.

He expressed himself more than satisfied with his situation; he was remaining in it for a longer time than he had ever done in any kind of employment before; so that for some time they could not conjecture that anything there made him so wilful, and restless, and full of both levity and misery.

But a sense of something wrong connected with him, sickened and oppressed them.