FIVE o'clock had hardly struck on the morning of the 19th of January，when Bessie brought a candle into my closet and found me already up and nearly dressed. I had risen half an hour before her entrance，and had washed my face，and put on my clothes by the light of a half-moon just setting，whose rays streamed through the narrow window near my crib. I was to leave Gateshead that day by a coach which passed the lodge gates at six A.M. Bessie was the only person yet risen; she had lit a fire in the nursery，where she now proceeded to make my breakfast. Few children can eat when excited with the thoughts of a journey; nor could I. Bessie，having pressed me in vain to take a few spoonfuls of the boiled milk and bread she had prepared for me，wrapped up some biscuits in a paper and put them into my bag; then she helped me on with my pelisse and bonnet，and wrapping herself in a shawl，she and I left the nursery. As we passed Mrs. Reed's bedroom，she said，'Will you go in and bid Missis good-bye?'

'No，Bessie: she came to my crib last night when you were gone down to supper，and said I need not disturb her in the morning，or my cousins either; and she told me to remember that she had always been my best friend，and to speak of her and be grateful to her accordingly.'

'What did you say，Miss?'

'Nothing: I covered my face with the bedclothes，and turned from her to the wall.'

'That was wrong，Miss Jane.'

'It was quite right，Bessie. Your Missis has not been my friend: she has been my foe.'

'O Miss Jane! don't say so!'

'Good-bye to Gateshead!' cried I，as we passed through the hall and went out at the front door.

The moon was set，and it was very dark; Bessie carried a lantern，whose light glanced on wet steps and gravel road sodden by a recent thaw. Raw and chill was the winter morning: my teeth chattered as I hastened down the drive. There was a light in the porter's lodge: when we reached it，we found the porter's wife just kindling her fire: my trunk，which had been carried down the evening before，stood corded at the door. It wanted but a few minutes of six，and shortly after that hour had struck，the distant roll of wheels announced the ing coach; I went to the door and watched its lamps approach rapidly through the gloom.