Why wasn't the hound running? Why had the search veered inland? Montag listened. nothing. nothing" Why does Bradbury italicize the word listened? What point is he trying to bring across?

The hound wasn't running because it had lost Montag's scent..... the search veered inland because they didn't know where he was. I believe the word "listened" is italicized to stress the fact that no one was on Montag's trail.