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A pair of blue eyes
A pair of blue eyes

Chapter VIII · Chapter 8

Chapter 8 of A pair of blue eyes is here in full — 434 sentences across 87 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for A pair of blue eyes
Context Illustration Reading 1/86 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
No more of me you knew, my love!”
Stephen Smith revisited Endelstow Vicarage, agreeably to his promise.
He had a genuine artistic reason for coming, though no such reason seemed to be required.
Six-and-thirty old seat ends, of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship, were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it became politic to make drawings of their worm-eaten contours ere they were battered past recognition in the turmoil of the so-called restoration.
He entered the house at sunset, and the world was pleasant again to the two fair-haired ones.
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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 pair of blue eyes

Chapter VIII · Chapter 8

Chapter 8 of A pair of blue eyes is here in full — 434 sentences across 87 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/86 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
No more of me you knew, my love!”
Line 2
Stephen Smith revisited Endelstow Vicarage, agreeably to his promise.
Line 3
He had a genuine artistic reason for coming, though no such reason seemed to be required.
Line 4
Six-and-thirty old seat ends, of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship, were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it became politic to make drawings of their worm-eaten contours ere they were battered past recognition in the turmoil of the so-called restoration.
Line 5
He entered the house at sunset, and the world was pleasant again to the two fair-haired ones.

All words in this reading · 73

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.

a

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

From this reading He had a genuine artistic reason for coming, though no such reason seemed to be required.

again

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

From this reading He entered the house at sunset, and the world was pleasant again to the two fair-haired ones.

agreeably

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

From this reading Stephen Smith revisited Endelstow Vicarage, agreeably to his promise.

aisle

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

From this reading Six-and-thirty old seat ends, of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship, were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it became politic to make drawings of their worm-eaten contours ere they were battered past recognition in the turmoil of the so-called restoration.

an

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

From this reading Six-and-thirty old seat ends, of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship, were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it became politic to make drawings of their worm-eaten contours ere they were battered past recognition in the turmoil of the so-called restoration.

and

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

From this reading Six-and-thirty old seat ends, of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship, were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it became politic to make drawings of their worm-eaten contours ere they were battered past recognition in the turmoil of the so-called restoration.

artistic

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

From this reading He had a genuine artistic reason for coming, though no such reason seemed to be required.

at

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

From this reading He entered the house at sunset, and the world was pleasant again to the two fair-haired ones.

battered

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

From this reading Six-and-thirty old seat ends, of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship, were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it became politic to make drawings of their worm-eaten contours ere they were battered past recognition in the turmoil of the so-called restoration.

be

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

From this reading He had a genuine artistic reason for coming, though no such reason seemed to be required.

became

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

From this reading Six-and-thirty old seat ends, of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship, were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it became politic to make drawings of their worm-eaten contours ere they were battered past recognition in the turmoil of the so-called restoration.

church

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

From this reading Six-and-thirty old seat ends, of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship, were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it became politic to make drawings of their worm-eaten contours ere they were battered past recognition in the turmoil of the so-called restoration.

coming

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

From this reading He had a genuine artistic reason for coming, though no such reason seemed to be required.

contours

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

From this reading Six-and-thirty old seat ends, of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship, were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it became politic to make drawings of their worm-eaten contours ere they were battered past recognition in the turmoil of the so-called restoration.

decaying

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

From this reading Six-and-thirty old seat ends, of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship, were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it became politic to make drawings of their worm-eaten contours ere they were battered past recognition in the turmoil of the so-called restoration.

drawings

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

From this reading Six-and-thirty old seat ends, of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship, were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it became politic to make drawings of their worm-eaten contours ere they were battered past recognition in the turmoil of the so-called restoration.

Endelstow

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

From this reading Stephen Smith revisited Endelstow Vicarage, agreeably to his promise.

ends

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

From this reading Six-and-thirty old seat ends, of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship, were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it became politic to make drawings of their worm-eaten contours ere they were battered past recognition in the turmoil of the so-called restoration.

entered

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

From this reading He entered the house at sunset, and the world was pleasant again to the two fair-haired ones.

ere

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

From this reading Six-and-thirty old seat ends, of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship, were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it became politic to make drawings of their worm-eaten contours ere they were battered past recognition in the turmoil of the so-called restoration.

exquisite

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

From this reading Six-and-thirty old seat ends, of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship, were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it became politic to make drawings of their worm-eaten contours ere they were battered past recognition in the turmoil of the so-called restoration.

fair-haired

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

From this reading He entered the house at sunset, and the world was pleasant again to the two fair-haired ones.

fifteenth-century

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

From this reading Six-and-thirty old seat ends, of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship, were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it became politic to make drawings of their worm-eaten contours ere they were battered past recognition in the turmoil of the so-called restoration.

for

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

From this reading He had a genuine artistic reason for coming, though no such reason seemed to be required.

genuine

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

From this reading He had a genuine artistic reason for coming, though no such reason seemed to be required.

had

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

From this reading He had a genuine artistic reason for coming, though no such reason seemed to be required.

He

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

From this reading He had a genuine artistic reason for coming, though no such reason seemed to be required.

his

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

From this reading Stephen Smith revisited Endelstow Vicarage, agreeably to his promise.

house

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

From this reading He entered the house at sunset, and the world was pleasant again to the two fair-haired ones.

in

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

From this reading Six-and-thirty old seat ends, of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship, were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it became politic to make drawings of their worm-eaten contours ere they were battered past recognition in the turmoil of the so-called restoration.

it

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

From this reading Six-and-thirty old seat ends, of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship, were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it became politic to make drawings of their worm-eaten contours ere they were battered past recognition in the turmoil of the so-called restoration.

knew

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

From this reading “No more of me you knew, my love!”

love

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

From this reading “No more of me you knew, my love!”

make

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

From this reading Six-and-thirty old seat ends, of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship, were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it became politic to make drawings of their worm-eaten contours ere they were battered past recognition in the turmoil of the so-called restoration.

me

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

From this reading “No more of me you knew, my love!”

more

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

From this reading “No more of me you knew, my love!”

my

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

From this reading “No more of me you knew, my love!”

No

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

From this reading “No more of me you knew, my love!”

of

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

From this reading “No more of me you knew, my love!”

old

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

From this reading Six-and-thirty old seat ends, of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship, were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it became politic to make drawings of their worm-eaten contours ere they were battered past recognition in the turmoil of the so-called restoration.

ones

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

From this reading He entered the house at sunset, and the world was pleasant again to the two fair-haired ones.

past

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

From this reading Six-and-thirty old seat ends, of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship, were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it became politic to make drawings of their worm-eaten contours ere they were battered past recognition in the turmoil of the so-called restoration.

pleasant

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

From this reading He entered the house at sunset, and the world was pleasant again to the two fair-haired ones.

politic

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

From this reading Six-and-thirty old seat ends, of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship, were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it became politic to make drawings of their worm-eaten contours ere they were battered past recognition in the turmoil of the so-called restoration.

promise

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

From this reading Stephen Smith revisited Endelstow Vicarage, agreeably to his promise.

rapidly

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

From this reading Six-and-thirty old seat ends, of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship, were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it became politic to make drawings of their worm-eaten contours ere they were battered past recognition in the turmoil of the so-called restoration.

reason

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

From this reading He had a genuine artistic reason for coming, though no such reason seemed to be required.

recognition

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

From this reading Six-and-thirty old seat ends, of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship, were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it became politic to make drawings of their worm-eaten contours ere they were battered past recognition in the turmoil of the so-called restoration.

required

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

From this reading He had a genuine artistic reason for coming, though no such reason seemed to be required.

restoration

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

From this reading Six-and-thirty old seat ends, of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship, were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it became politic to make drawings of their worm-eaten contours ere they were battered past recognition in the turmoil of the so-called restoration.

revisited

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

From this reading Stephen Smith revisited Endelstow Vicarage, agreeably to his promise.

seat

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

From this reading Six-and-thirty old seat ends, of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship, were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it became politic to make drawings of their worm-eaten contours ere they were battered past recognition in the turmoil of the so-called restoration.

seemed

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

From this reading He had a genuine artistic reason for coming, though no such reason seemed to be required.

Six-and-thirty

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

From this reading Six-and-thirty old seat ends, of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship, were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it became politic to make drawings of their worm-eaten contours ere they were battered past recognition in the turmoil of the so-called restoration.

Smith

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

From this reading Stephen Smith revisited Endelstow Vicarage, agreeably to his promise.

so-called

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

From this reading Six-and-thirty old seat ends, of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship, were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it became politic to make drawings of their worm-eaten contours ere they were battered past recognition in the turmoil of the so-called restoration.

Stephen

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

From this reading Stephen Smith revisited Endelstow Vicarage, agreeably to his promise.

such

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

From this reading He had a genuine artistic reason for coming, though no such reason seemed to be required.

sunset

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

From this reading He entered the house at sunset, and the world was pleasant again to the two fair-haired ones.

the

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

From this reading Six-and-thirty old seat ends, of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship, were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it became politic to make drawings of their worm-eaten contours ere they were battered past recognition in the turmoil of the so-called restoration.

their

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

From this reading Six-and-thirty old seat ends, of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship, were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it became politic to make drawings of their worm-eaten contours ere they were battered past recognition in the turmoil of the so-called restoration.

they

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

From this reading Six-and-thirty old seat ends, of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship, were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it became politic to make drawings of their worm-eaten contours ere they were battered past recognition in the turmoil of the so-called restoration.

though

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

From this reading He had a genuine artistic reason for coming, though no such reason seemed to be required.

to

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

From this reading Stephen Smith revisited Endelstow Vicarage, agreeably to his promise.

turmoil

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

From this reading Six-and-thirty old seat ends, of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship, were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it became politic to make drawings of their worm-eaten contours ere they were battered past recognition in the turmoil of the so-called restoration.

two

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

From this reading He entered the house at sunset, and the world was pleasant again to the two fair-haired ones.

Vicarage

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

From this reading Stephen Smith revisited Endelstow Vicarage, agreeably to his promise.

was

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

From this reading He entered the house at sunset, and the world was pleasant again to the two fair-haired ones.

were

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

From this reading Six-and-thirty old seat ends, of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship, were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it became politic to make drawings of their worm-eaten contours ere they were battered past recognition in the turmoil of the so-called restoration.

workmanship

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

From this reading Six-and-thirty old seat ends, of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship, were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it became politic to make drawings of their worm-eaten contours ere they were battered past recognition in the turmoil of the so-called restoration.

world

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

From this reading He entered the house at sunset, and the world was pleasant again to the two fair-haired ones.

worm-eaten

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

From this reading Six-and-thirty old seat ends, of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship, were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it became politic to make drawings of their worm-eaten contours ere they were battered past recognition in the turmoil of the so-called restoration.

you

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

From this reading “No more of me you knew, my love!”

Chapter 8 of A pair of blue eyes by Thomas Hardy holds 434 sentences, grouped into 87 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 8 of A pair of blue eyes contain?

Chapter 8 holds 434 sentences of A pair of blue eyes, unabridged, divided into 87 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 8 of A pair of blue eyes by Thomas Hardy exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 434 sentences, grouped into 87 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 8 of A pair of blue eyes?

Work through the 87 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 87 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 8 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 8 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 pair of blue eyes

Common questions about reading A pair of blue eyes by Thomas Hardy on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of A pair of blue eyes?

Yes. All 8173 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #224 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of A pair of blue eyes is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #224, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does A pair of blue eyes take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1635 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read A pair of blue eyes section by section

How to work through A pair of blue eyes section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of A pair of blue eyes to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

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

Vocabulary met early in A pair of blue eyes

Words and structures a reader meets early in A pair of blue eyes, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Following
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A pair of blue eyes; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Chapters
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A pair of blue eyes; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Written
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A pair of blue eyes; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Craze
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A pair of blue eyes; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.