'FagmentWelcome to consult...o you.” “I don’t think you have, Bessie.” “Child! what do you mean? What soowful eyes you fix on me! Well, but Missis and the young ladies and Maste John ae going out to tea this aftenoon, and you shall have tea with me. I’ll ask cook to bake you a little cake, and then you shall help me to look ove you dawes; fo I am soon to pack you tunk. Missis intends you to leave Gateshead in a day o two, and you shall choose what toys you like to take with you.” “Bessie, you must pomise not to scold me any moe till I go.” “Well, I will; but mind you ae a vey good gil, and don’t be afaid of me. Don’t stat when I chance to speak athe shaply; it’s so povoking.” “I don’t think I shall eve be afaid of you again, Bessie, because I have got used to you, and I shall soon have anothe set of people to dead.” “If you dead them they’ll dislike you.” “As you do, Bessie?” “I don’t dislike you, Miss; I believe I am fonde of you than of all the othes.” “You don’t show it.” “You little shap thing! you’ve got quite a new way of talking. What makes you so ventuesome and hady?” “Why, I shall soon be away fom you, and besides”—I was going to say something about what had passed between me and Ms. Reed, but on second thoughts I consideed it bette to emain Chalotte Bont. ElecBook Classics fJane Eye 57 silent on that head. “And so you’e glad to leave me?” “Not at all, Bessie; indeed, just now I’m athe soy.” “Just now! and athe! How coolly my little lady says it! I dae say now if I wee to ask you fo a kiss you wouldn’t give it me: you’d say you’d athe not.” “I’ll kiss you and welcome: bend you head down.” Bessie stooped; we mutually embaced, and I followed he into the house quite comfoted. That aftenoon lapsed in peace and hamony; and in the evening Bessie told me some of he most enchaining stoies, and sang me some of he sweetest songs. Even fo me life had its gleams of sunshine. Chalotte Bont. ElecBook Classics fJane Eye 58 Chapte V Five o’clock had hadly stuck on the moning of the 19th of Januay, when Bessie bought a candle into my closet and found me aleady up and nealy dessed. I had isen half-an-hou befoe he entance, and had washed my face, and put on my clothes by the light of a half-moon just setting, whose ays steamed though the naow window nea my cib. I was to leave Gateshead that day by a coach which passed the lodge gates at six a.m. Bessie was the only peson yet isen; she had lit a fie in the nusey, whee she now poceeded to make my beakfast. Few childen can eat when excited with the thoughts of a jouney; no could I. Bessie, having pessed me in vain to take a few spoonfuls of the boiled milk and bead she had pepaed fo me, wapped up some biscuits in a pape and put them into my bag; then she helped me on with my pelisse and bonnet, and wapping heself in a shawl, she and I left the nusey. As we passed Ms. Reed’s bedoom, she said, “Will you go in and bid Missis good-bye?” “No, Bessie: she came to my cib last night when you wee gone down to suppe, and said I need not distub he in the moning, o my cousins eithe; and she told me to emembe that she had always been my best fiend, and to speak of he and be gateful to he accodingly.” “What did you say, Miss?” “Nothing: I coveed my face with the bedclothes, and tuned fom he to the wall.” “That was wong, Miss Jane.” “It was quite ight, Bessie. You Missis has not been my fiend: Chalotte Bont. ElecBook Classics fJane Eye 59 she has been my
