A Nine Days' Wonder

Chapter XIV

Chapter 14 of A Nine Days' Wonder is here in full — 124 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By B. M. (Bithia Mary) Croker • Curated US English Learning Edition

Chapter 14 of A Nine Days' Wonder by B. M. (Bithia Mary) Croker holds 124 sentences, grouped into 25 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 14 of A Nine Days' Wonder contain?

Chapter 14 holds 124 sentences of A Nine Days' Wonder, unabridged, divided into 25 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 14 of A Nine Days' Wonder by B. M. (Bithia Mary) Croker exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 124 sentences, grouped into 25 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 14 of A Nine Days' Wonder?

Work through the 25 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 25 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 14 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 14 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 Nine Days' Wonder

Common questions about reading A Nine Days' Wonder by B. M. (Bithia Mary) Croker on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of A Nine Days' Wonder?

Yes. All 5274 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #65634 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of A Nine Days' Wonder is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #65634, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does A Nine Days' Wonder take to read?

About 439 minutes of reading across 1055 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read A Nine Days' Wonder section by section

How to work through A Nine Days' Wonder section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

Open a chapter

Choose one of the 29 chapters of A Nine Days' Wonder to begin.
Read one section

Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
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Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in A Nine Days' Wonder

Words and structures a reader meets early in A Nine Days' Wonder, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Grey-haired: A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Nine Days' Wonder; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Soldier: A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Nine Days' Wonder; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Professionally: A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Nine Days' Wonder; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Straight: A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Nine Days' Wonder; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.

Cover illustration for A Nine Days' Wonder

English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

It was a soft and exquisite autumn afternoon.

A delicate blue haze lay over the hills; the dense, dark woods were steeped in breathless silence, and the only sound that caught the ear, was the rattle of a reaping machine.

As Lord Mulgrave and Mr. Usher turned down the long, straight road leading to Foley’s Corner, the earl was livid, his expression was set; evidently he was struggling in the grip of some vehement emotion, and the name of this disturbing element was “suspense.”

Would it be true? or false?

Would it be Joseline’s daughter? or some raw, uncouth stranger?

Narrator

Speed 0.75x

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 XIV Reading 1/25

A Nine Days' Wonder B. M. (Bithia Mary) Croker

Chapter XIV

Chapter 14 of A Nine Days' Wonder is here in full — 124 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

It was a soft and exquisite autumn afternoon. A delicate blue haze lay over the hills; the dense, dark woods were steeped in breathless silence, and the only sound that caught the ear, was the rattle of a reaping machine. As Lord Mulgrave and Mr. Usher turned down the long, straight road leading to Foley’s Corner, the earl was livid, his expression was set; evidently he was struggling in the grip of some vehement emotion, and the name of this disturbing element was “suspense.” Would it be true? or false? Would it be Joseline’s daughter? or some raw, uncouth stranger?

A Nine Days' Wonder

Chapter XIV

Chapter 14 of A Nine Days' Wonder is here in full — 124 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/25 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

It was a soft and exquisite autumn afternoon.

Line 2

A delicate blue haze lay over the hills; the dense, dark woods were steeped in breathless silence, and the only sound that caught the ear, was the rattle of a reaping machine.

Line 3

Line 4

Would it be true? or false?

Line 5

Would it be Joseline’s daughter? or some raw, uncouth stranger?

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, audio, and collocations from this reading.

Over preposition US /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading “A delicate blue haze lay over the hills; the dense, dark woods were steeped in breathless silence, and the only sound that caught the ear, was the rattle of a reaping machine.”

Silence noun US /ˈsaɪ.ləns/

Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.

From this reading “A delicate blue haze lay over the hills; the dense, dark woods were steeped in breathless silence, and the only sound that caught the ear, was the rattle of a reaping machine.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading “Would it be true? or false?”

All words in this reading · 73

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading It was a soft and exquisite autumn afternoon.

afternoon

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

From this reading It was a soft and exquisite autumn afternoon.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading It was a soft and exquisite autumn afternoon.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading As Lord Mulgrave and Mr. Usher turned down the long, straight road leading to Foley’s Corner, the earl was livid, his expression was set; evidently he was struggling in the grip of some vehement emotion, and the name of this disturbing element was “suspense.”

autumn

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

From this reading It was a soft and exquisite autumn afternoon.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading Would it be true? or false?

blue

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

From this reading A delicate blue haze lay over the hills; the dense, dark woods were steeped in breathless silence, and the only sound that caught the ear, was the rattle of a reaping machine.

breathless

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

From this reading A delicate blue haze lay over the hills; the dense, dark woods were steeped in breathless silence, and the only sound that caught the ear, was the rattle of a reaping machine.

caught

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

From this reading A delicate blue haze lay over the hills; the dense, dark woods were steeped in breathless silence, and the only sound that caught the ear, was the rattle of a reaping machine.

Corner

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

dark

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

From this reading A delicate blue haze lay over the hills; the dense, dark woods were steeped in breathless silence, and the only sound that caught the ear, was the rattle of a reaping machine.

daughter

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

From this reading Would it be Joseline’s daughter? or some raw, uncouth stranger?

delicate

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

From this reading A delicate blue haze lay over the hills; the dense, dark woods were steeped in breathless silence, and the only sound that caught the ear, was the rattle of a reaping machine.

dense

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

From this reading A delicate blue haze lay over the hills; the dense, dark woods were steeped in breathless silence, and the only sound that caught the ear, was the rattle of a reaping machine.

disturbing

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

down

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

ear

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

From this reading A delicate blue haze lay over the hills; the dense, dark woods were steeped in breathless silence, and the only sound that caught the ear, was the rattle of a reaping machine.

earl

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

element

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

emotion

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

evidently

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

expression

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

exquisite

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

From this reading It was a soft and exquisite autumn afternoon.

false

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

From this reading Would it be true? or false?

Foley's

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

grip

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

haze

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

From this reading A delicate blue haze lay over the hills; the dense, dark woods were steeped in breathless silence, and the only sound that caught the ear, was the rattle of a reaping machine.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

hills

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

From this reading A delicate blue haze lay over the hills; the dense, dark woods were steeped in breathless silence, and the only sound that caught the ear, was the rattle of a reaping machine.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading A delicate blue haze lay over the hills; the dense, dark woods were steeped in breathless silence, and the only sound that caught the ear, was the rattle of a reaping machine.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was a soft and exquisite autumn afternoon.

Joseline's

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

From this reading Would it be Joseline’s daughter? or some raw, uncouth stranger?

lay

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

From this reading A delicate blue haze lay over the hills; the dense, dark woods were steeped in breathless silence, and the only sound that caught the ear, was the rattle of a reaping machine.

leading

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

livid

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

long

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

Lord

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

machine

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

From this reading A delicate blue haze lay over the hills; the dense, dark woods were steeped in breathless silence, and the only sound that caught the ear, was the rattle of a reaping machine.

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

Mulgrave

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

name

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

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading A delicate blue haze lay over the hills; the dense, dark woods were steeped in breathless silence, and the only sound that caught the ear, was the rattle of a reaping machine.

only

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

From this reading A delicate blue haze lay over the hills; the dense, dark woods were steeped in breathless silence, and the only sound that caught the ear, was the rattle of a reaping machine.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Would it be true? or false?

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading A delicate blue haze lay over the hills; the dense, dark woods were steeped in breathless silence, and the only sound that caught the ear, was the rattle of a reaping machine.

rattle

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

From this reading A delicate blue haze lay over the hills; the dense, dark woods were steeped in breathless silence, and the only sound that caught the ear, was the rattle of a reaping machine.

raw

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

From this reading Would it be Joseline’s daughter? or some raw, uncouth stranger?

reaping

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

From this reading A delicate blue haze lay over the hills; the dense, dark woods were steeped in breathless silence, and the only sound that caught the ear, was the rattle of a reaping machine.

road

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

set

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

silencenounUS /ˈsaɪ.ləns/

Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.

From this reading A delicate blue haze lay over the hills; the dense, dark woods were steeped in breathless silence, and the only sound that caught the ear, was the rattle of a reaping machine.

soft

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

From this reading It was a soft and exquisite autumn afternoon.

some

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

sound

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

From this reading A delicate blue haze lay over the hills; the dense, dark woods were steeped in breathless silence, and the only sound that caught the ear, was the rattle of a reaping machine.

steeped

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

From this reading A delicate blue haze lay over the hills; the dense, dark woods were steeped in breathless silence, and the only sound that caught the ear, was the rattle of a reaping machine.

straight

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

stranger

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

From this reading Would it be Joseline’s daughter? or some raw, uncouth stranger?

struggling

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

suspense

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

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading A delicate blue haze lay over the hills; the dense, dark woods were steeped in breathless silence, and the only sound that caught the ear, was the rattle of a reaping machine.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading A delicate blue haze lay over the hills; the dense, dark woods were steeped in breathless silence, and the only sound that caught the ear, was the rattle of a reaping machine.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

true

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

From this reading Would it be true? or false?

turned

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

uncouth

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

From this reading Would it be Joseline’s daughter? or some raw, uncouth stranger?

Usher

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

vehement

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

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was a soft and exquisite autumn afternoon.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading A delicate blue haze lay over the hills; the dense, dark woods were steeped in breathless silence, and the only sound that caught the ear, was the rattle of a reaping machine.

woods

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

From this reading A delicate blue haze lay over the hills; the dense, dark woods were steeped in breathless silence, and the only sound that caught the ear, was the rattle of a reaping machine.

Wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading Would it be true? or false?

Chapter XIV

What does chapter 14 of A Nine Days' Wonder contain?

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Can chapter 14 be read aloud to me?

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Vocabulary met early in A Nine Days' Wonder