three o'clock in the afternoon
The murderer swung lifeless against the wall ; and the boy , thrusting aside the dangling body which obscured his view , called to the people to come and take him out , for God 's sake . A dog , which had lain concealed till now , ran backwards and forwards on the parapet with a dismal howl , and collecting himself for a spring , jumped for the dead man 's shoulders . Missing his aim , he fell into the ditch , turning completely over as he went ; and striking his head against a stone , dashed out his brains . The events narrated in the last chapter were yet but two days old , when Oliver found himself , at three o'clock in the afternoon , in a travelling-carriage rolling fast towards his native town . Mrs. Maylie , and Rose , and Mrs. Bedwin , and the good doctor were with him : and Mr. Brownlow followed in a post-chaise , accompanied by one other person whose name had not been mentioned . They had not talked much upon the way ; for Oliver was in a flutter of agitation and uncertainty which deprived him of the power of collecting his thoughts , and almost of speech , and appeared to have scarcely less effect on his companions , who shared it , in at least an equal degree . He and the two ladies had been very carefully made acquainted by Mr. Brownlow with the nature of the admissions which had been forced from Monks ; and although they knew that the object of their present journey was to complete the work which had been so well begun , still the whole matter was enveloped in enough of doubt and mystery to leave them in endurance of the most intense suspense .