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out； accordingly； in a little carriage which belonged to Mrs。 Maylie。
When they came to Chertsey Bridge； Oliver turned very pale； and
uttered a loud exclamation。
“What’s the matter with the boy？” cried the doctor； as usual； all
in a bustle。 “Do you see anything—hear anything—feel anything—
eh？”
“That； sir；” cried Oliver； pointing out of the carriage window。
“That house！”
“Yes； well； what of it？ Stop； coachman。 Pull up here；” cried the
doctor。 “What of the house； my man； eh？”
“The thieves—the house they took me to！” whispered Oliver。
“The devil it is！” cried the doctor。 “Hallo； there！ let me out！”
But； before the coachman could dismount from his box； he had
tumbled out of the coach； by some means or other； and； running
down to the deserted tenement； began kicking at the door like a
madman。
“Hallo！” said a little； ugly； humpbacked man； opening the door
so suddenly； that the doctor； from the very impetus of his last kick；
nearly fell into the passage。 “What’s the matter here？”
“Matter！” exclaimed the other； collaring him； without a
moment’s reflection。 “A good deal。 Robbery is the matter。”
“There’ll be murder the matter； too；” replied the humpbacked
man； coolly； “if you don’t take your hands off。 Do you hear me？”
“I hear you；” said the doctor； giving his captive a hearty shake。
“Where’s—confound the fellow； what’s his rascally name—Sikes；
that’s it。 Where’s Sikes； you thief？”
The humpbacked man stared； as if in excess of amazement and
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indignation； then； twisting himself； dextrously； from the doctor’s
grasp； growled forth a volley of horrid oaths； and retired into the
house。 Before he could shut the door； however； the doctor had
passed into the parlour； without a word of parley。 He looked
anxiously round； not an article of furniture； not a vestige of
anything； animate or inanimate； not even the position of the
cupboards； answered Oliver’s description？
“Now！” said the humpbacked man； who had watched him
keenly； “what do you mean by coming into my house； in this
violent way？ Do you want to rob me； or to murder me？ Which is
it？”
“Did you ever know a man come out to do either； in a chariot
and pair； you ridiculous old vampire？” said the irritable doctor。
“What do you want； then？” demanded the hunchback。 “Will
you take yourself off； before I do you a mischief？ Curse you！”
“As soon as I think proper；” said Mr。 Losberne； looking into the
other parlour； which； like the first； bore no resemblance whatever
to Oliver’s account of it。 “I shall find you out； some day； my
friend。”
“Will you？” sneered the ill…favoured cripple。 “If you ever want
me； I’m here。 I haven’t lived here mad and all alone； for five…andtwenty years； to be scared by you。 You shall pay for this； you shall
pay for this。” And so saying； the misshapen little demon set up a
yell； and danced upon the ground； as if wild with rage。
“Stupid enough； this；” muttered the doctor to himself； “the boy
must have made a mistake。 Here！ Put that in your pocket； and
shut yourself up again。” With these words he flung the hunchback
a piece of money； and returned to the carriage。
The man followed to the chariot door； uttering the wildest
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imprecations and curses all the way； but as Mr。 Losberne turned
to speak to the driver； he looked into the carriage； and eyed Oliver
for an instant with a glance so sharp and fierce； and at the same
time so furious and vindictive； that； waking or sleeping； he could
not forget it for months afterwards。 He continued to utter the most
fearful imprecations； until the driver had resumed his seat； and
when they were once more on their way； they could see him some
distance behind； beating his feet upon the ground； and tearing his
hair； in transports of real or pretended rage。
“I am an ass！” said the doctor； after a long silence。 “Did you
know that before； Oliver？”
“No； sir。”
“Then don’t forget it another time。”
“An ass；” said the doctor again； after a further silence of some
minutes。 “Even if it had been the right place； and the right fellows
had been there； what could I have done； single…handed？ And if I
had had assistance； I see no good that I should have done； except
leading to my own exposure； and an unavoidable statement of the
manner in which I have hushed up this business。 That would have
served me right； though。 I am always involving myself in some
scrape or other； by acting on impulse。 It might have done me
good。”
Now； the fact was that the excellent doctor had never acted
upon anything but impulse all through his life； and it was no bad
compliment to the nature of the impulses which governed him；
that so far from being involved in any peculiar troubles or
misfortunes； he had the warmest respect and esteem of all who
knew him。 If the truth must be told； he was a little out of temper；
for a minute or two； at being disappointed in procuring
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corroborative evidence of Oliver’s story； on the very first occasion
on which he had a chance of obtaining any。 He soon came round
again； however； and finding that Oliver’s replies to his questions
were still as straightforward and consistent； and still delivered
with as much apparent sincerity and truth； as they had ever been。
he made up his mind to attach full credence to them； from that
time forth。
As Oliver knew the name of the street in which Mr。 Brownlow
resided； they were enabled to drive straight thither。 When the
coach turned into it； his heart beat so violently； that he could
scarcely draw his breath。
“Now； my boy； which house is it？” inquired Mr。 Losberne。
“That！ That！” replied Oliver； pointing eagerly out of the
window。 “The white house。 Oh！ make haste！ Pray make haste！ I
feel as if I should die； it makes me tremble so。”
“Come； come！” said the good doctor； patting him on the
shoulder。 “You will see them directly； and they will be overjoyed
to find you safe and well。”
“Oh！ I hope so！” cried Oliver。 “They were so good to me； so
very； very good to me。”
The coach rolled on。 It stopped。 No； that was the wrong house；
the next door。 It went on a few paces； and stopped again。 Oliver
looked up at the windows； with tears of happy expectation
coursing down his face。
Alas！ the white house was empty and there was a bill in the
window。 “To Let。”
“Knock at the next door；” cried Mr。 Losberne； taking Oliver’s
arm in his。 “What has become of Mr。 Brownlow； who used to live
in the adjoining house； do you know？”
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The servant did not know； but would go and inquire。 She
presently returned； and said； that Mr。 Brownlow had sold off his
goods； and gone to the West Indies； six weeks before。 Oliver
clasped his hands； and sank feebly backward。
“Has his housekeeper gone； too？” inquired Mr。 Losberne； after
a moment’s pause。
“Yes； sir；” replied the servant。 “The old gentleman； the
housekeeper； and a gentleman who was a friend of Mr。
Brownlow’s； all went together。”
“Then turn towards home again；” said Mr。 Losberne to the
driver； “and don’t stop to bait the horses； till you get out of this
confounded London！”
“The book…stall keeper； sir？” said Oliver。 “I know the way there。
See him； pray； sir！ Do see him！”
“My poor boy； this is disappointment enough for one day；” said
the doctor。 “Quite enough for both of us。 If we go to the book…stall
keeper’s； we shall certainly find that he is dead； or has set his
house on fire； or run away。 No； home again； straight！” And in
obedience to the doctor’s impulse； home they went。
This bitter disappointment caused Oliver much sorrow and
grief； even in the midst of his happiness； for he had pleased
himself； many times during his illness； with thinking of all that Mr。
Brownlow and Mrs。 Bedwin would say to him； and what delight it
would be to tell them how many long days and nights he had
passed in reflecting on what they had done for him； and in
bewailing his cruel separation from them。 The hope of eventually
clearing himself with them； too； and explaining how he had been
forced away； had buoyed him up； and sustained him； under many
of his recent trials； and now； the idea that they should have gone
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so far； and carried with them the belief that he was an impostor
and robber—a belief which might remain uncontradicted to his
dying day—was almost more than he could bear。
The circumstance occasioned no alteration； however； in the
behaviour of his benefactors。 After another fortnight； when the
fine warm weather had fairly begun； and every tree and flower
was putting forth its young leaves and rich blossoms； they made
preparations for quitting the house at Chertsey； for some months。
Sending the plate； which had so excited