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A Book of Remarkable Criminals
A Book of Remarkable Criminals

Chapter XV · Chapter 15

Chapter 15 of A Book of Remarkable Criminals is here in full — 148 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for A Book of Remarkable Criminals
Context Illustration Reading 1/29 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.
I have the greatest need of it.
Destroy my letter, and reply at once.
M. Sandrie will, I am sure, accommodate me.
I am at my poor brother's house, from which I am writing."
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

A Book of Remarkable Criminals

Chapter XV · Chapter 15

Chapter 15 of A Book of Remarkable Criminals is here in full — 148 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/29 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.
Line 2
I have the greatest need of it.
/aɪ hæv ðə ˈɡreɪtəst niːd ʌv ɪt/
Line 3
Destroy my letter, and reply at once.
/dɪˈstrɔɪ maɪ ˈletər ənd rɪˈplaɪ æt wʌns/
Line 4
M. Sandrie will, I am sure, accommodate me.
Line 5
I am at my poor brother's house, from which I am writing."
/aɪ æm æt maɪ puːr ˈbrʌðərz haʊs frʌm wɪtʃ aɪ æm ˈraɪtɪŋ/

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

accommodate verb US /əˈkɑːmədeɪt/

be agreeable or acceptable to

From this reading “M. Sandrie will, I am sure, accommodate me.”

Ballet noun US /bæˈleɪ/

a theatrical representation of a story that is performed to music by trained dancers

From this reading “On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.”

brother's noun US /ˈbrʌðərz/

possessive form of “brother” — a male with the same parents as someone else

From this reading “On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.”

Destroy verb US /dɪˈstrɔɪ/

do away with, cause the destruction or undoing of

From this reading “Destroy my letter, and reply at once.”

francs noun US /fræŋks/

plural of “franc” — the basic monetary unit in many countries; equal to 100 centimes

From this reading “On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.”

greatest adjective US /ˈɡreɪtəst/

highest in quality

From this reading “I have the greatest need of it.”

grief noun US /ɡriːf/

intense sorrow caused by loss of a loved one (especially by death)

From this reading “On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.”

writing noun US /ˈraɪtɪŋ/

the act of creating written works

From this reading “I am at my poor brother's house, from which I am writing."”

All words in this reading · 57

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

100,000

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

accommodateverbUS /əˈkɑːmədeɪt/

be agreeable or acceptable to

From this reading M. Sandrie will, I am sure, accommodate me.

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading M. Sandrie will, I am sure, accommodate me.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading Destroy my letter, and reply at once.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

Auguste

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

BalletnounUS /bæˈleɪ/

a theatrical representation of a story that is performed to music by trained dancers

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

brothernounUS /ˈbrʌðər/

a male with the same parents as someone else

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

brother'snounUS /ˈbrʌðərz/

possessive form of “brother” — a male with the same parents as someone else

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

deathnounUS /deθ/

the event of dying or departure from life

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

DestroyverbUS /dɪˈstrɔɪ/

do away with, cause the destruction or undoing of

From this reading Destroy my letter, and reply at once.

francsnounUS /fræŋks/

plural of “franc” — the basic monetary unit in many countries; equal to 100 centimes

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

greatestadjectiveUS /ˈɡreɪtəst/

highest in quality

From this reading I have the greatest need of it.

griefnounUS /ɡriːf/

intense sorrow caused by loss of a loved one (especially by death)

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

Hippolyte's

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

housenounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading I have the greatest need of it.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

letternounUS /ˈletər/

a written message addressed to a person or organization

From this reading Destroy my letter, and reply at once.

lostadjectiveUS /lɔːst/

no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

MnounUS /em/

the basic unit of length adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites (approximately 1.094 yards)

From this reading M. Sandrie will, I am sure, accommodate me.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading M. Sandrie will, I am sure, accommodate me.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

neednounUS /niːd/

a condition requiring relief

From this reading I have the greatest need of it.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading Destroy my letter, and reply at once.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

pooradjectiveUS /puːr/

deserving or inciting pity

From this reading I am at my poor brother's house, from which I am writing."

possibleadjectiveUS /ˈpɑːsəbəl/

capable of happening or existing

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

Prignon

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

replynounUS /rɪˈplaɪ/

a statement (either spoken or written) that is made to reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation

From this reading Destroy my letter, and reply at once.

sameadjectiveUS /seɪm/

Identical; not different.

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

Sandrie

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading M. Sandrie will, I am sure, accommodate me.

sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

sureadjectiveUS /ʃʊr/

having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured

From this reading M. Sandrie will, I am sure, accommodate me.

tellverbUS /tel/

express in words

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

to-day

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading I am at my poor brother's house, from which I am writing."

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading M. Sandrie will, I am sure, accommodate me.

WithprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

writeverbUS /raɪt/

produce a literary work

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

writingnounUS /ˈraɪtɪŋ/

the act of creating written works

From this reading I am at my poor brother's house, from which I am writing."

wroteverbUS /roʊt/

inflected form of “write” — produce a literary work

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading On the day of Hippolyte's death Auguste Ballet wrote from his brother's house to one Prignon: "With great grief I have to tell you that I have just lost my brother; I write at the same time to say that I must have 100,000 francs to-day if possible.

Chapter 15 of A Book of Remarkable Criminals by H. B. (Henry Brodribb) Irving holds 148 sentences, grouped into 30 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 15 of A Book of Remarkable Criminals contain?

Chapter 15 holds 148 sentences of A Book of Remarkable Criminals, unabridged, divided into 30 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 15 of A Book of Remarkable Criminals by H. B. (Henry Brodribb) Irving exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 148 sentences, grouped into 30 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 15 of A Book of Remarkable Criminals?

Work through the 30 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 30 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 15 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 15 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading A Book of Remarkable Criminals

Common questions about reading A Book of Remarkable Criminals by H. B. (Henry Brodribb) Irving on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of A Book of Remarkable Criminals?

Yes. All 4280 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #446 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of A Book of Remarkable Criminals is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #446, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does A Book of Remarkable Criminals take to read?

About 356 minutes of reading across 856 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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How to work through A Book of Remarkable Criminals section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

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  3. Listen and tap

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Vocabulary met early in A Book of Remarkable Criminals

Words and structures a reader meets early in A Book of Remarkable Criminals, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Violence
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Book of Remarkable Criminals; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Tangle
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Book of Remarkable Criminals; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Every
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Book of Remarkable Criminals; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Toils
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Book of Remarkable Criminals; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.