CHAPTERIV-LOST
THErobberyattheBankhadnotlanguishedbefore，anddidnotceasetooccupyafrontplaceintheattentionoftheprincipalofthatestablishmentnow。Inboastfulproofofhispromptitudeandactivity，asaremarkableman，andaself-mademan，andacommercialwondermoreadmirablethanVenus，whohadrisenoutofthemudinsteadofthesea，helikedtoshowhowlittlehisdomesticaffairsabatedhisbusinessardour。Consequently，inthefirstfewweeksofhisresumedbachelorhood，heevenadvanceduponhisusualdisplayofbustle，andeverydaymadesucharoutinrenewinghisinvestigationsintotherobbery，thattheofficerswhohaditinhandalmostwishedithadneverbeencommitted。
Theywereatfaulttoo，andoffthescent。Althoughtheyhadbeensoquietsincethefirstoutbreakofthematter，thatmostpeoplereallydidsupposeittohavebeenabandonedashopeless，nothingnewoccurred。Noimplicatedmanorwomantookuntimelycourage，ormadeaself-betrayingstep。Moreremarkableyet，StephenBlackpoolcouldnotbeheardof，andthemysteriousoldwomanremainedamystery。
Thingshavingcometothispass，andshowingnolatentsignsofstirringbeyondit，theupshotofMr。Bounderby\'sinvestigationswas，thatheresolvedtohazardaboldburst。Hedrewupaplacard，offeringTwentyPoundsrewardfortheapprehensionofStephenBlackpool，suspectedofcomplicityintherobberyofCoketownBankonsuchanight；hedescribedthesaidStephenBlackpoolbydress，complexion，estimatedheight，andmanner，asminutelyashecould；herecitedhowhehadleftthetown，andinwhatdirectionhehadbeenlastseengoing；hehadthewholeprintedingreatblacklettersonastaringbroadsheet；andhecausedthewallstobepostedwithitinthedeadofnight，sothatitshouldstrikeuponthesightofthewholepopulationatoneblow。
Thefactory-bellshadneedtoringtheirloudestthatmorningtodispersethegroupsofworkerswhostoodinthetardydaybreak，collectedroundtheplacards，devouringthemwitheagereyes。Nottheleasteageroftheeyesassembled，weretheeyesofthosewhocouldnotread。Thesepeople，astheylistenedtothefriendlyvoicethatreadaloud-therewasalwayssomesuchreadytohelpthem-staredatthecharacterswhichmeantsomuchwithavagueaweandrespectthatwouldhavebeenhalfludicrous，ifanyaspectofpublicignorancecouldeverbeotherwisethanthreateningandfullofevil。Manyearsandeyeswerebusywithavisionofthematteroftheseplacards，amongturningspindles，rattlinglooms，andwhirlingwheels，forhoursafterwards；andwhentheHandsclearedoutagainintothestreets，therewerestillasmanyreadersasbefore。