A Roving Commission

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of A Roving Commission is here in full — 282 sentences across 57 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By G. A. (George Alfred) Henty • Curated US English Learning Edition

Cover illustration for A Roving Commission

English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.

Nat's room was on the ground floor, and with wide windows opening to the ground.

The chair was brought in.

Nat was still shaky on his legs, but he was able to get from the bed into the chair without assistance.

"I shall come over to see you to-morrow," Madame Demaine said, as he thanked her and her husband for their great kindness to him, "and I hope I shall find that the journey has done you no harm."

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 II Reading 1/56

A Roving Commission G. A. (George Alfred) Henty

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of A Roving Commission is here in full — 282 sentences across 57 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed. Nat's room was on the ground floor, and with wide windows opening to the ground. The chair was brought in. Nat was still shaky on his legs, but he was able to get from the bed into the chair without assistance. "I shall come over to see you to-morrow," Madame Demaine said, as he thanked her and her husband for their great kindness to him, "and I hope I shall find that the journey has done you no harm."

A Roving Commission

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of A Roving Commission is here in full — 282 sentences across 57 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/56 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.

Line 2

Nat's room was on the ground floor, and with wide windows opening to the ground.

Line 3

The chair was brought in.

/ðə tʃer wɑːz brɔːt ɪn/

Line 4

Nat was still shaky on his legs, but he was able to get from the bed into the chair without assistance.

Line 5

"I shall come over to see you to-morrow," Madame Demaine said, as he thanked her and her husband for their great kindness to him, "and I hope I shall find that the journey has done you no harm."

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 “REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.”

lashed verb US /læʃt/

past form of “lash” — beat severely with a whip or rod

From this reading “REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.”

lounging verb US /ˈlaʊndʒɪŋ/

-ing form of “lounge” — sit or recline comfortably

From this reading “REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.”

negroes noun US /ˈniːɡroʊz/

plural of “negro” — a person with African ancestry, "Negro" and "Negroid" are archaic and pejorative today

From this reading “REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.”

pole noun US /poʊl/

a long (usually round) rod of wood or metal or plastic

From this reading “REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.”

securely adverb US /sɪˈkjʊrli/

in a secure manner; in a manner free from danger

From this reading “REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.”

shaky adjective US /ˈʃeɪki/

inclined to shake as from weakness or defect

From this reading “Nat was still shaky on his legs, but he was able to get from the bed into the chair without assistance.”

thanked verb US /θæŋkt/

past form of “thank” — express gratitude or show appreciation to

From this reading “"I shall come over to see you to-morrow," Madame Demaine said, as he thanked her and her husband for their great kindness to him, "and I hope I shall find that the journey has done you no harm."”

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.

lounging chair verb + noun counted as “lounge chair”

a comfortable upholstered armchair

In this reading “REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.”

ground floor noun + noun

the floor of a building that is at or nearest to the level of the ground around the building

In this reading “Nat's room was on the ground floor, and with wide windows opening to the ground.”

Four days noun + noun

In this reading “REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.”

windows opening noun + noun

In this reading “Nat's room was on the ground floor, and with wide windows opening to the ground.”

long pole adjective + noun

In this reading “REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.”

on the ground preposition + article + noun counted as “on … ground”

In this reading “Nat's room was on the ground floor, and with wide windows opening to the ground.”

without assistance preposition + noun

In this reading “Nat was still shaky on his legs, but he was able to get from the bed into the chair without assistance.”

great kindness adjective + noun

In this reading “"I shall come over to see you to-morrow," Madame Demaine said, as he thanked her and her husband for their great kindness to him, "and I hope I shall find that the journey has done you no harm."”

All words in this reading · 80

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.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.

ableadjectiveUS /ˈeɪbəl/

(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something

From this reading Nat was still shaky on his legs, but he was able to get from the bed into the chair without assistance.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading "I shall come over to see you to-morrow," Madame Demaine said, as he thanked her and her husband for their great kindness to him, "and I hope I shall find that the journey has done you no harm."

assistancenounUS /əˈsɪstəns/

the activity of contributing to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose

From this reading Nat was still shaky on his legs, but he was able to get from the bed into the chair without assistance.

bednounUS /bed/

a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep

From this reading Nat was still shaky on his legs, but he was able to get from the bed into the chair without assistance.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.

broughtverbUS /brɔːt/

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading The chair was brought in.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Nat was still shaky on his legs, but he was able to get from the bed into the chair without assistance.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.

canenounUS /keɪn/

a stick that people can lean on to help them walk

From this reading REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.

chairnounUS /tʃer/

a seat for one person, with a support for the back

From this reading REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

daysnounUS /deɪz/

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.

Demaine

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

doneadjectiveUS /dʌn/

having finished or arrived at completion

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.

Duchesne

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

From this reading REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.

eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

floornounUS /flɔːr/

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

From this reading Nat's room was on the ground floor, and with wide windows opening to the ground.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

FournounUS /fɔːr/

the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one

From this reading REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Nat was still shaky on his legs, but he was able to get from the bed into the chair without assistance.

getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading Nat was still shaky on his legs, but he was able to get from the bed into the chair without assistance.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

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

groundnounUS /ɡraʊnd/

the solid part of the earth's surface

From this reading Nat's room was on the ground floor, and with wide windows opening to the ground.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.

harmnounUS /hɑːrm/

any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Nat was still shaky on his legs, but he was able to get from the bed into the chair without assistance.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Nat was still shaky on his legs, but he was able to get from the bed into the chair without assistance.

hopenounUS /hoʊp/

a specific instance of feeling hopeful

husbandnounUS /ˈhʌzbənd/

a married man; a woman's partner in marriage

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The chair was brought in.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Nat was still shaky on his legs, but he was able to get from the bed into the chair without assistance.

journeyverbUS /ˈdʒɜːrni/

undertake a journey or trip

kindnessnounUS /ˈkaɪndnəs/

the quality of being warmhearted and considerate and humane and sympathetic

lashedverbUS /læʃt/

past form of “lash” — beat severely with a whip or rod

From this reading REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.

lateradverbUS /ˈleɪtər/

happening at a time subsequent to a reference time

From this reading REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.

legsnounUS /leɡz/

staying power

From this reading Nat was still shaky on his legs, but he was able to get from the bed into the chair without assistance.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.

loungingverbUS /ˈlaʊndʒɪŋ/

-ing form of “lounge” — sit or recline comfortably

From this reading REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.

MadamenounUS /ˈmædəm/

title used for a married Frenchwoman

MonsieurnounUS /məˈsjɜːr/

used as a French courtesy title; equivalent to English “Mr”

From this reading REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.

Nat

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

From this reading Nat was still shaky on his legs, but he was able to get from the bed into the chair without assistance.

Nat's

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

From this reading Nat's room was on the ground floor, and with wide windows opening to the ground.

negroesnounUS /ˈniːɡroʊz/

plural of “negro” — a person with African ancestry, "Negro" and "Negroid" are archaic and pejorative today

From this reading REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.

openingnounUS /ˈoʊpənɪŋ/

an open or empty space in or between things

From this reading Nat's room was on the ground floor, and with wide windows opening to the ground.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

polenounUS /poʊl/

a long (usually round) rod of wood or metal or plastic

From this reading REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.

REJOINEDverbUS /riˈdʒɔɪnd/

past form of “rejoin” — join again

From this reading REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.

roomnounUS /ruːm/

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading Nat's room was on the ground floor, and with wide windows opening to the ground.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

securelyadverbUS /sɪˈkjʊrli/

in a secure manner; in a manner free from danger

From this reading REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

shakyadjectiveUS /ˈʃeɪki/

inclined to shake as from weakness or defect

From this reading Nat was still shaky on his legs, but he was able to get from the bed into the chair without assistance.

shallmodal verbUS /ʃæl/

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

sidenounUS /saɪd/

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.

sixnounUS /sɪks/

the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one

From this reading REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading Nat was still shaky on his legs, but he was able to get from the bed into the chair without assistance.

thankedverbUS /θæŋkt/

past form of “thank” — express gratitude or show appreciation to

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Nat's room was on the ground floor, and with wide windows opening to the ground.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Nat's room was on the ground floor, and with wide windows opening to the ground.

to-morrow

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 Nat's room was on the ground floor, and with wide windows opening to the ground.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.

wideadjectiveUS /waɪd/

having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other

From this reading Nat's room was on the ground floor, and with wide windows opening to the ground.

windowsnounUS /ˈwɪndoʊz/

(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface

From this reading Nat's room was on the ground floor, and with wide windows opening to the ground.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading REJOINED Four days later Monsieur Duchesne came down with six negroes and a cane lounging chair, on each side of which a long pole had been securely lashed.

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading Nat was still shaky on his legs, but he was able to get from the bed into the chair without assistance.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

Chapter 2 of A Roving Commission by G. A. (George Alfred) Henty holds 282 sentences, grouped into 57 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 2 of A Roving Commission contain?

Chapter 2 holds 282 sentences of A Roving Commission, unabridged, divided into 57 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of A Roving Commission by G. A. (George Alfred) Henty exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 282 sentences, grouped into 57 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 2 of A Roving Commission?

Work through the 57 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 57 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 2 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 2 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 Roving Commission

Common questions about reading A Roving Commission by G. A. (George Alfred) Henty on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of A Roving Commission?

Yes. All 6455 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #38764 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of A Roving Commission is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #38764, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does A Roving Commission take to read?

About 537 minutes of reading across 1291 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read A Roving Commission section by section

How to work through A Roving Commission section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

Open a chapter

Choose one of the 19 chapters of A Roving Commission to begin.
Read one section

Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Listen and tap

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

Vocabulary met early in A Roving Commission

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

Author: A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Roving Commission; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Frederick: A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Roving Commission; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Great: A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Roving Commission; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Khartoum: A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Roving Commission; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.

Chapter II

What does chapter 2 of A Roving Commission contain?

How do I study chapter 2 of A Roving Commission?

Can chapter 2 be read aloud to me?

Questions about reading A Roving Commission

How to read A Roving Commission section by section

Open a chapter

Read one section

Listen and tap

Vocabulary met early in A Roving Commission