Chapter 35【1 / 3】

CONTAININGTHEUNSATISFACTORYRESULTOFOLIVER‘SADVENTURE；ANDACONVERSATIONOFSOMEIMPORTANCEBETWEENHARRYMAYLIEANDROSE

Whentheinmatesofthehouse，attractedbyOliver'scries，hurriedtothespotfromwhichtheyproceeded，theyfoundhim，paleandagitated，pointinginthedirectionofthemeadowsbehindthehouse，andscarcelyabletoarticulatethewords，‘TheJew！theJew！’

Mr。Gileswasatalosstocomprehendwhatthisoutcrymeant；butHarryMaylie，whoseperceptionsweresomethingquicker，andwhohadheardOliver'shistoryfromhismother，understooditatonce。

‘Whatdirectiondidhetake？’heasked，catchingupaheavystickwhichwasstandinginacorner。

‘That，’repliedOliver，pointingoutthecoursethemanhadtaken；‘Imissedtheminaninstant。’

‘Then，theyareintheditch！’saidHarry。‘Follow！Andkeepasnearme，asyoucan。’Sosaying，hesprangoverthehedge，anddartedoffwithaspeedwhichrendereditmatterofexceedingdifficultyfortheotherstokeepnearhim。

Gilesfollowedaswellashecould；andOliverfollowedtoo；andinthecourseofaminuteortwo，Mr。Losberne，whohadbeenoutwalking，andjustthenreturned，tumbledoverthehedgeafterthem，andpickinghimselfupwithmoreagilitythanhecouldhavebeensupposedtopossess，struckintothesamecourseatnocontemptiblespeed，shoutingallthewhile，mostprodigiously，toknowwhatwasthematter。

Ontheyallwent；norstoppedtheyoncetobreathe，untiltheleader，strikingoffintoanangleofthefieldindicatedbyOliver，begantosearch，narrowly，theditchandhedgeadjoining；whichaffordedtimefortheremainderofthepartytocomeup；andforOlivertocommunicatetoMr。Losbernethecircumstancesthathadledtosovigorousapursuit。

Thesearchwasallinvain。Therewerenoteventhetracesofrecentfootsteps，tobeseen。Theystoodnow，onthesummitofalittlehill，commandingtheopenfieldsineverydirectionforthreeorfourmiles。Therewasthevillageinthehollowontheleft；but，inordertogainthat，afterpursuingthetrackOliverhadpointedout，themenmusthavemadeacircuitofopenground，whichitwasimpossibletheycouldhaveaccomplishedinsoshortatime。Athickwoodskirtedthemeadow-landinanotherdirection；buttheycouldnothavegainedthatcovertforthesamereason。

‘Itmusthavebeenadream，Oliver，’saidHarryMaylie。

‘Ohno，indeed，sir，’repliedOliver，shudderingattheveryrecollectionoftheoldwretch'scountenance；‘Isawhimtooplainlyforthat。Isawthemboth，asplainlyasIseeyounow。’

‘Whowastheother？’inquiredHarryandMr。Losberne，together。

‘TheverysamemanItoldyouof，whocamesosuddenlyuponmeattheinn，’saidOliver。‘Wehadoureyesfixedfulluponeachother；andIcouldsweartohim。’

‘Theytookthisway？’demandedHarry：‘areyousure？’

‘AsIamthatthemenwereatthewindow，’repliedOliver，pointingdown，ashespoke，tothehedgewhichdividedthecottage-gardenfromthemeadow。‘Thetallmanleapedover，justthere；andtheJew，runningafewpacestotheright，creptthroughthatgap。’

ThetwogentlemenwatchedOliver'searnestface，ashespoke，andlookingfromhimtoeachother，seemedtofeelsatisfiedoftheaccuracyofwhathesaid。Still，innodirectionwerethereanyappearancesofthetramplingofmeninhurriedflight。Thegrasswaslong；butitwastroddendownnowhere，savewheretheirownfeethadcrushedit。Thesidesandbrinksoftheditcheswereofdampclay；butinnooneplacecouldtheydiscerntheprintofmen'sshoes，ortheslightestmarkwhichwouldindicatethatanyfeethadpressedthegroundforhoursbefore。

‘Thisisstrange！’saidHarry。

'Strange？’echoedthedoctor。‘BlathersandDuff，themselves，couldmakenothingofit。’

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