A Chance for Himself

Chapter XXXVI

Chapter 36 of A Chance for Himself is here in full — 78 sentences across 16 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By J. T. (John Townsend) Trowbridge • Curated US English Learning Edition

Cover illustration for A Chance for Himself

English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

THE DEACON’S DIPLOMACY.

FIERCELY the squire was limping to and fro, between his office-room and Mrs. Peternot’s kitchen, compressing his lips, and striking the floor every now and then with his cane, as he exclaimed, “He shall lay in jail!

I’ll prosecute him!

State’s prison’s too good for him!” when his wife called from the window, “Squire! squire!

Here’s Deacon Chatford, jest drove up; beckonin’ and hollerin’!”

Narrator

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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.

Chapter XXXVI Reading 1/15

A Chance for Himself

Chapter XXXVI

Chapter 36 of A Chance for Himself is here in full — 78 sentences across 16 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/15 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

THE DEACON’S DIPLOMACY.

Line 2

Line 3

I’ll prosecute him!

Line 4

State’s prison’s too good for him!” when his wife called from the window, “Squire! squire!

/steɪts ˈprɪzənz tuː ɡʊd fɔːr hɪm wen hɪz waɪf kɔːld frʌm ðə ˈwɪndoʊ skwaɪr skwaɪr/

Line 5

Here’s Deacon Chatford, jest drove up; beckonin’ and hollerin’!”

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.

cane noun US /keɪn/

a stick that people can lean on to help them walk

From this reading “FIERCELY the squire was limping to and fro, between his office-room and Mrs. Peternot’s kitchen, compressing his lips, and striking the floor every now and then with his cane, as he exclaimed, “He shall lay in jail!”

compressing noun US /kəmˈpresɪŋ/

applying pressure

Deacon noun US /ˈdiːkən/

a Protestant layman who assists the minister

From this reading “THE DEACON’S DIPLOMACY.”

diplomacy noun US /dɪˈploʊməsi/

negotiation between nations

From this reading “THE DEACON’S DIPLOMACY.”

limping noun US /ˈlɪmpɪŋ/

disability of walking due to crippling of the legs or feet

prison's noun US /ˈprɪzənz/

possessive form of “prison” — a correctional institution where persons are confined while on trial or for punishment

prosecute verb US /ˈprɑːsəkjuːt/

conduct a prosecution in a court of law

From this reading “I’ll prosecute him!”

State's noun US /steɪts/

possessive form of “state” — the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

in jail preposition + noun

In this reading “FIERCELY the squire was limping to and fro, between his office-room and Mrs. Peternot’s kitchen, compressing his lips, and striking the floor every now and then with his cane, as he exclaimed, “He shall lay in jail!”

from the window preposition + article + noun counted as “from … window”

In this reading “State’s prison’s too good for him!” when his wife called from the window, “Squire! squire!”

too good adverb + adjective

In this reading “State’s prison’s too good for him!” when his wife called from the window, “Squire! squire!”

lay in verb + particle

keep or lay aside for future use

All words in this reading · 53

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.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading FIERCELY the squire was limping to and fro, between his office-room and Mrs. Peternot’s kitchen, compressing his lips, and striking the floor every now and then with his cane, as he exclaimed, “He shall lay in jail!

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

beckonin

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

From this reading Here’s Deacon Chatford, jest drove up; beckonin’ and hollerin’!”

betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

calledverbUS /kɔːld/

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading State’s prison’s too good for him!” when his wife called from the window, “Squire! squire!

canenounUS /keɪn/

a stick that people can lean on to help them walk

Chatford

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

From this reading Here’s Deacon Chatford, jest drove up; beckonin’ and hollerin’!”

compressingnounUS /kəmˈpresɪŋ/

applying pressure

DeaconnounUS /ˈdiːkən/

a Protestant layman who assists the minister

From this reading Here’s Deacon Chatford, jest drove up; beckonin’ and hollerin’!”

DEACON'S

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

From this reading THE DEACON’S DIPLOMACY.

DIPLOMACYnounUS /dɪˈploʊməsi/

negotiation between nations

From this reading THE DEACON’S DIPLOMACY.

drovenounUS /droʊv/

a group of animals (a herd or flock) moving together

From this reading Here’s Deacon Chatford, jest drove up; beckonin’ and hollerin’!”

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

exclaimedverbUS /ɪkˈskleɪmd/

past form of “exclaim” — utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy

FIERCELYadverbUS /ˈfɪrsli/

in a physically fierce manner

floornounUS /flɔːr/

the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading State’s prison’s too good for him!” when his wife called from the window, “Squire! squire!

fro

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

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading State’s prison’s too good for him!” when his wife called from the window, “Squire! squire!

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading State’s prison’s too good for him!” when his wife called from the window, “Squire! squire!

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

Here's

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

From this reading Here’s Deacon Chatford, jest drove up; beckonin’ and hollerin’!”

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading I’ll prosecute him!

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

hollerin

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

From this reading Here’s Deacon Chatford, jest drove up; beckonin’ and hollerin’!”

I'll

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

From this reading I’ll prosecute him!

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

jailnounUS /dʒeɪl/

a correctional institution used to detain persons who are in the lawful custody of the government (either accused persons awaiting trial or convicted persons serving a sentence)

jestnounUS /dʒest/

a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter

From this reading Here’s Deacon Chatford, jest drove up; beckonin’ and hollerin’!”

kitchennounUS /ˈkɪtʃən/

a room equipped for preparing meals

layverbUS /leɪ/

put into a certain place or abstract location

limpingnounUS /ˈlɪmpɪŋ/

disability of walking due to crippling of the legs or feet

lipsnounUS /lɪps/

plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking

MrsnounUS /ˈmɪsɪz/

a form of address for a married woman

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

office-room

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

Peternot's

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

prison'snounUS /ˈprɪzənz/

possessive form of “prison” — a correctional institution where persons are confined while on trial or for punishment

From this reading State’s prison’s too good for him!” when his wife called from the window, “Squire! squire!

prosecuteverbUS /ˈprɑːsəkjuːt/

conduct a prosecution in a court of law

From this reading I’ll prosecute him!

shallmodal verbUS /ʃæl/

used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest

squirenounUS /skwaɪr/

young nobleman attendant on a knight

State'snounUS /steɪts/

possessive form of “state” — the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation

From this reading State’s prison’s too good for him!” when his wife called from the window, “Squire! squire!

strikingadjectiveUS /ˈstraɪkɪŋ/

sensational in appearance or thrilling in effect

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE DEACON’S DIPLOMACY.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading State’s prison’s too good for him!” when his wife called from the window, “Squire! squire!

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading Here’s Deacon Chatford, jest drove up; beckonin’ and hollerin’!”

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading State’s prison’s too good for him!” when his wife called from the window, “Squire! squire!

wifenounUS /waɪf/

a married woman; a man's partner in marriage

From this reading State’s prison’s too good for him!” when his wife called from the window, “Squire! squire!

windownounUS /ˈwɪndoʊ/

a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air

From this reading State’s prison’s too good for him!” when his wife called from the window, “Squire! squire!

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

Chapter 36 of A Chance for Himself by J. T. (John Townsend) Trowbridge holds 78 sentences, grouped into 16 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, 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 36 of A Chance for Himself contain?

Chapter 36 holds 78 sentences of A Chance for Himself, unabridged, divided into 16 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 36 of A Chance for Himself by J. T. (John Townsend) Trowbridge exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 78 sentences, grouped into 16 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 36 of A Chance for Himself?

Work through the 16 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 16 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 36 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 36 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 Chance for Himself

Common questions about reading A Chance for Himself by J. T. (John Townsend) Trowbridge on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of A Chance for Himself?

Yes. All 3536 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #56759 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of A Chance for Himself is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #56759, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does A Chance for Himself take to read?

About 294 minutes of reading across 708 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read A Chance for Himself section by section

How to work through A Chance for Himself section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

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Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in A Chance for Himself

Words and structures a reader meets early in A Chance for Himself, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Thunder-squall: A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Chance for Himself; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Hilly: A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Chance for Himself; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Pasture: A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Chance for Himself; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Occupying: A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Chance for Himself; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.

Chapter XXXVI

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Questions about reading A Chance for Himself

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Vocabulary met early in A Chance for Himself