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A Spirit in Prison
A Spirit in Prison

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of A Spirit in Prison is here in full — 277 sentences across 56 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/55 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
At the Antico Giuseppone, Artois left the boat from the islet and, taking another, was rowed towards the public gardens of Naples, whose trees were faintly visible far off across the Bay.
Usually he talked familiarly to any Neapolitan with whom he found himself, but to-day he was taciturn, and sat in the stern of the broad-bottomed craft looking towards the city in silence while the boatman plied his oars.
The memory of his conversation with Hermione in the Grotto of Virgil, of her manner, the look in her eyes, the sound of her voice there, gave him food for thought that was deep and serious.
Although Artois had an authoritative, and often an ironical manner that frightened timid people, he was a man capable of much emotion and of great loyalty.
He did not easily trust or easily love, but in those whose worth he had thoroughly proved he had a confidence as complete as that of a child.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

A Spirit in Prison

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of A Spirit in Prison is here in full — 277 sentences across 56 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/55 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
At the Antico Giuseppone, Artois left the boat from the islet and, taking another, was rowed towards the public gardens of Naples, whose trees were faintly visible far off across the Bay.
Line 2
Usually he talked familiarly to any Neapolitan with whom he found himself, but to-day he was taciturn, and sat in the stern of the broad-bottomed craft looking towards the city in silence while the boatman plied his oars.
Line 3
The memory of his conversation with Hermione in the Grotto of Virgil, of her manner, the look in her eyes, the sound of her voice there, gave him food for thought that was deep and serious.
Line 4
Although Artois had an authoritative, and often an ironical manner that frightened timid people, he was a man capable of much emotion and of great loyalty.
/ˌɔːlˈðoʊ ɑːrˈtwɑː hæd æn əˈθɔːrəteɪtɪv ənd ˈɔːfən æn aɪˈrɑːnɪkəl ˈmænər ðæt ˈfraɪtənd ˈtɪmɪd ˈpiːpəl hiː wɑːz ə mæn ˈkeɪpəbəl ʌv mʌtʃ ɪˈmoʊʃən ənd ʌv ɡreɪt ˈlɔɪəlti/
Line 5
He did not easily trust or easily love, but in those whose worth he had thoroughly proved he had a confidence as complete as that of a child.
/hiː dɪd nɑːt ˈiːzəli trʌst ɔːr ˈiːzəli lʌv bʌt ɪn ðoʊz huːz wɜːrθ hiː hæd ˈθɜːroʊli pruːvd hiː hæd ə ˈkɑːnfədəns æz kəmˈpliːt æz ðæt ʌv ə tʃaɪld/

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.

Artois noun US /ɑːrˈtwɑː/

a former province of northern France near the English Channel (between Picardy and Flanders)

From this reading “At the Antico Giuseppone, Artois left the boat from the islet and, taking another, was rowed towards the public gardens of Naples, whose trees were faintly visible far off across the Bay.”

authoritative adjective US /əˈθɔːrəteɪtɪv/

having authority or ascendancy or influence

From this reading “Although Artois had an authoritative, and often an ironical manner that frightened timid people, he was a man capable of much emotion and of great loyalty.”

boatman noun US /ˈboʊtmən/

someone who drives or rides in a boat

From this reading “Usually he talked familiarly to any Neapolitan with whom he found himself, but to-day he was taciturn, and sat in the stern of the broad-bottomed craft looking towards the city in silence while the boatman plied his oars.”

Grotto noun US /ˈɡrɑːtoʊ/

a small cave (usually with attractive features)

From this reading “The memory of his conversation with Hermione in the Grotto of Virgil, of her manner, the look in her eyes, the sound of her voice there, gave him food for thought that was deep and serious.”

islet noun US /ˈaɪlɪt/

a small island

From this reading “At the Antico Giuseppone, Artois left the boat from the islet and, taking another, was rowed towards the public gardens of Naples, whose trees were faintly visible far off across the Bay.”

Neapolitan noun US /ˌniːəˈpɑːlətən/

a native or inhabitant of Naples

From this reading “Usually he talked familiarly to any Neapolitan with whom he found himself, but to-day he was taciturn, and sat in the stern of the broad-bottomed craft looking towards the city in silence while the boatman plied his oars.”

plied verb US /plaɪd/

inflected form of “ply” — give what is desired or needed, especially support, food or sustenance

From this reading “Usually he talked familiarly to any Neapolitan with whom he found himself, but to-day he was taciturn, and sat in the stern of the broad-bottomed craft looking towards the city in silence while the boatman plied his oars.”

taciturn adjective US /ˈtæsɪtɜːrn/

habitually reserved and uncommunicative

From this reading “Usually he talked familiarly to any Neapolitan with whom he found himself, but to-day he was taciturn, and sat in the stern of the broad-bottomed craft looking towards the city in silence while the boatman plied his oars.”

All words in this reading · 105

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 Although Artois had an authoritative, and often an ironical manner that frightened timid people, he was a man capable of much emotion and of great loyalty.

acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading At the Antico Giuseppone, Artois left the boat from the islet and, taking another, was rowed towards the public gardens of Naples, whose trees were faintly visible far off across the Bay.

AlthoughconjunctionUS /ˌɔːlˈðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading Although Artois had an authoritative, and often an ironical manner that frightened timid people, he was a man capable of much emotion and of great loyalty.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading Although Artois had an authoritative, and often an ironical manner that frightened timid people, he was a man capable of much emotion and of great loyalty.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading At the Antico Giuseppone, Artois left the boat from the islet and, taking another, was rowed towards the public gardens of Naples, whose trees were faintly visible far off across the Bay.

anotherdeterminerUS /əˈnʌðər/

one more of the same kind, or a different one

From this reading At the Antico Giuseppone, Artois left the boat from the islet and, taking another, was rowed towards the public gardens of Naples, whose trees were faintly visible far off across the Bay.

Antico

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

From this reading At the Antico Giuseppone, Artois left the boat from the islet and, taking another, was rowed towards the public gardens of Naples, whose trees were faintly visible far off across the Bay.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading Usually he talked familiarly to any Neapolitan with whom he found himself, but to-day he was taciturn, and sat in the stern of the broad-bottomed craft looking towards the city in silence while the boatman plied his oars.

ArtoisnounUS /ɑːrˈtwɑː/

a former province of northern France near the English Channel (between Picardy and Flanders)

From this reading At the Antico Giuseppone, Artois left the boat from the islet and, taking another, was rowed towards the public gardens of Naples, whose trees were faintly visible far off across the Bay.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading He did not easily trust or easily love, but in those whose worth he had thoroughly proved he had a confidence as complete as that of a child.

AtprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading At the Antico Giuseppone, Artois left the boat from the islet and, taking another, was rowed towards the public gardens of Naples, whose trees were faintly visible far off across the Bay.

authoritativeadjectiveUS /əˈθɔːrəteɪtɪv/

having authority or ascendancy or influence

From this reading Although Artois had an authoritative, and often an ironical manner that frightened timid people, he was a man capable of much emotion and of great loyalty.

BaynounUS /beɪ/

an indentation of a shoreline larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf

From this reading At the Antico Giuseppone, Artois left the boat from the islet and, taking another, was rowed towards the public gardens of Naples, whose trees were faintly visible far off across the Bay.

boatnounUS /boʊt/

a small vessel for travel on water

From this reading At the Antico Giuseppone, Artois left the boat from the islet and, taking another, was rowed towards the public gardens of Naples, whose trees were faintly visible far off across the Bay.

boatmannounUS /ˈboʊtmən/

someone who drives or rides in a boat

From this reading Usually he talked familiarly to any Neapolitan with whom he found himself, but to-day he was taciturn, and sat in the stern of the broad-bottomed craft looking towards the city in silence while the boatman plied his oars.

broad-bottomed

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

From this reading Usually he talked familiarly to any Neapolitan with whom he found himself, but to-day he was taciturn, and sat in the stern of the broad-bottomed craft looking towards the city in silence while the boatman plied his oars.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Usually he talked familiarly to any Neapolitan with whom he found himself, but to-day he was taciturn, and sat in the stern of the broad-bottomed craft looking towards the city in silence while the boatman plied his oars.

capableadjectiveUS /ˈkeɪpəbəl/

(usually followed by “of”) having capacity or ability

From this reading Although Artois had an authoritative, and often an ironical manner that frightened timid people, he was a man capable of much emotion and of great loyalty.

childnounUS /tʃaɪld/

a young person of either sex

From this reading He did not easily trust or easily love, but in those whose worth he had thoroughly proved he had a confidence as complete as that of a child.

citynounUS /ˈsɪti/

a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts

From this reading Usually he talked familiarly to any Neapolitan with whom he found himself, but to-day he was taciturn, and sat in the stern of the broad-bottomed craft looking towards the city in silence while the boatman plied his oars.

completeverbUS /kəmˈpliːt/

come or bring to a finish or an end

From this reading He did not easily trust or easily love, but in those whose worth he had thoroughly proved he had a confidence as complete as that of a child.

confidencenounUS /ˈkɑːnfədəns/

freedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities

From this reading He did not easily trust or easily love, but in those whose worth he had thoroughly proved he had a confidence as complete as that of a child.

conversationnounUS /ˌkɑːnvərˈseɪʃən/

the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.

From this reading The memory of his conversation with Hermione in the Grotto of Virgil, of her manner, the look in her eyes, the sound of her voice there, gave him food for thought that was deep and serious.

craftnounUS /kræft/

the skilled practice of a practical occupation

From this reading Usually he talked familiarly to any Neapolitan with whom he found himself, but to-day he was taciturn, and sat in the stern of the broad-bottomed craft looking towards the city in silence while the boatman plied his oars.

deepadjectiveUS /diːp/

relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply

From this reading The memory of his conversation with Hermione in the Grotto of Virgil, of her manner, the look in her eyes, the sound of her voice there, gave him food for thought that was deep and serious.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading He did not easily trust or easily love, but in those whose worth he had thoroughly proved he had a confidence as complete as that of a child.

easilyadverbUS /ˈiːzəli/

with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)

From this reading He did not easily trust or easily love, but in those whose worth he had thoroughly proved he had a confidence as complete as that of a child.

emotionnounUS /ɪˈmoʊʃən/

any strong feeling

From this reading Although Artois had an authoritative, and often an ironical manner that frightened timid people, he was a man capable of much emotion and of great loyalty.

eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading The memory of his conversation with Hermione in the Grotto of Virgil, of her manner, the look in her eyes, the sound of her voice there, gave him food for thought that was deep and serious.

faintlyadverbUS /ˈfeɪntli/

to a faint degree or weakly perceived

From this reading At the Antico Giuseppone, Artois left the boat from the islet and, taking another, was rowed towards the public gardens of Naples, whose trees were faintly visible far off across the Bay.

familiarlyadverb

in an intimately familiar manner

From this reading Usually he talked familiarly to any Neapolitan with whom he found himself, but to-day he was taciturn, and sat in the stern of the broad-bottomed craft looking towards the city in silence while the boatman plied his oars.

faradverbUS /fɑːr/

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading At the Antico Giuseppone, Artois left the boat from the islet and, taking another, was rowed towards the public gardens of Naples, whose trees were faintly visible far off across the Bay.

foodnounUS /fuːd/

any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue

From this reading The memory of his conversation with Hermione in the Grotto of Virgil, of her manner, the look in her eyes, the sound of her voice there, gave him food for thought that was deep and serious.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The memory of his conversation with Hermione in the Grotto of Virgil, of her manner, the look in her eyes, the sound of her voice there, gave him food for thought that was deep and serious.

foundverbUS /faʊnd/

set up or found

From this reading Usually he talked familiarly to any Neapolitan with whom he found himself, but to-day he was taciturn, and sat in the stern of the broad-bottomed craft looking towards the city in silence while the boatman plied his oars.

frightenedadjectiveUS /ˈfraɪtənd/

made afraid

From this reading Although Artois had an authoritative, and often an ironical manner that frightened timid people, he was a man capable of much emotion and of great loyalty.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading At the Antico Giuseppone, Artois left the boat from the islet and, taking another, was rowed towards the public gardens of Naples, whose trees were faintly visible far off across the Bay.

gardensnounUS /ˈɡɑːrdənz/

plural of “garden” — a plot of ground where plants are cultivated

From this reading At the Antico Giuseppone, Artois left the boat from the islet and, taking another, was rowed towards the public gardens of Naples, whose trees were faintly visible far off across the Bay.

gaveverbUS /ɡeɪv/

inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading The memory of his conversation with Hermione in the Grotto of Virgil, of her manner, the look in her eyes, the sound of her voice there, gave him food for thought that was deep and serious.

Giuseppone

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

From this reading At the Antico Giuseppone, Artois left the boat from the islet and, taking another, was rowed towards the public gardens of Naples, whose trees were faintly visible far off across the Bay.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

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

From this reading Although Artois had an authoritative, and often an ironical manner that frightened timid people, he was a man capable of much emotion and of great loyalty.

GrottonounUS /ˈɡrɑːtoʊ/

a small cave (usually with attractive features)

From this reading The memory of his conversation with Hermione in the Grotto of Virgil, of her manner, the look in her eyes, the sound of her voice there, gave him food for thought that was deep and serious.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Although Artois had an authoritative, and often an ironical manner that frightened timid people, he was a man capable of much emotion and of great loyalty.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Usually he talked familiarly to any Neapolitan with whom he found himself, but to-day he was taciturn, and sat in the stern of the broad-bottomed craft looking towards the city in silence while the boatman plied his oars.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading The memory of his conversation with Hermione in the Grotto of Virgil, of her manner, the look in her eyes, the sound of her voice there, gave him food for thought that was deep and serious.

Hermione

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

From this reading The memory of his conversation with Hermione in the Grotto of Virgil, of her manner, the look in her eyes, the sound of her voice there, gave him food for thought that was deep and serious.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading The memory of his conversation with Hermione in the Grotto of Virgil, of her manner, the look in her eyes, the sound of her voice there, gave him food for thought that was deep and serious.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading Usually he talked familiarly to any Neapolitan with whom he found himself, but to-day he was taciturn, and sat in the stern of the broad-bottomed craft looking towards the city in silence while the boatman plied his oars.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Usually he talked familiarly to any Neapolitan with whom he found himself, but to-day he was taciturn, and sat in the stern of the broad-bottomed craft looking towards the city in silence while the boatman plied his oars.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Usually he talked familiarly to any Neapolitan with whom he found himself, but to-day he was taciturn, and sat in the stern of the broad-bottomed craft looking towards the city in silence while the boatman plied his oars.

ironicaladjectiveUS /aɪˈrɑːnɪkəl/

characterized by often poignant difference or incongruity between what is expected and what actually is

From this reading Although Artois had an authoritative, and often an ironical manner that frightened timid people, he was a man capable of much emotion and of great loyalty.

isletnounUS /ˈaɪlɪt/

a small island

From this reading At the Antico Giuseppone, Artois left the boat from the islet and, taking another, was rowed towards the public gardens of Naples, whose trees were faintly visible far off across the Bay.

leftnounUS /left/

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading At the Antico Giuseppone, Artois left the boat from the islet and, taking another, was rowed towards the public gardens of Naples, whose trees were faintly visible far off across the Bay.

lookverbUS /lʊk/

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading The memory of his conversation with Hermione in the Grotto of Virgil, of her manner, the look in her eyes, the sound of her voice there, gave him food for thought that was deep and serious.

lookingnounUS /ˈlʊkɪŋ/

the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually

From this reading Usually he talked familiarly to any Neapolitan with whom he found himself, but to-day he was taciturn, and sat in the stern of the broad-bottomed craft looking towards the city in silence while the boatman plied his oars.

lovenounUS /lʌv/

a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading He did not easily trust or easily love, but in those whose worth he had thoroughly proved he had a confidence as complete as that of a child.

loyaltynounUS /ˈlɔɪəlti/

the quality of being loyal

From this reading Although Artois had an authoritative, and often an ironical manner that frightened timid people, he was a man capable of much emotion and of great loyalty.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading Although Artois had an authoritative, and often an ironical manner that frightened timid people, he was a man capable of much emotion and of great loyalty.

mannernounUS /ˈmænər/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading The memory of his conversation with Hermione in the Grotto of Virgil, of her manner, the look in her eyes, the sound of her voice there, gave him food for thought that was deep and serious.

memorynounUS /ˈmem.ər.i/

The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information and knowledge.

From this reading The memory of his conversation with Hermione in the Grotto of Virgil, of her manner, the look in her eyes, the sound of her voice there, gave him food for thought that was deep and serious.

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading Although Artois had an authoritative, and often an ironical manner that frightened timid people, he was a man capable of much emotion and of great loyalty.

NaplesnounUS /ˈneɪpəlz/

a port and tourist center in southwestern Italy; capital of the Campania region

From this reading At the Antico Giuseppone, Artois left the boat from the islet and, taking another, was rowed towards the public gardens of Naples, whose trees were faintly visible far off across the Bay.

NeapolitannounUS /ˌniːəˈpɑːlətən/

a native or inhabitant of Naples

From this reading Usually he talked familiarly to any Neapolitan with whom he found himself, but to-day he was taciturn, and sat in the stern of the broad-bottomed craft looking towards the city in silence while the boatman plied his oars.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading He did not easily trust or easily love, but in those whose worth he had thoroughly proved he had a confidence as complete as that of a child.

oarsnounUS /ɔːrz/

plural of “oar” — an implement used to propel or steer a boat

From this reading Usually he talked familiarly to any Neapolitan with whom he found himself, but to-day he was taciturn, and sat in the stern of the broad-bottomed craft looking towards the city in silence while the boatman plied his oars.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading At the Antico Giuseppone, Artois left the boat from the islet and, taking another, was rowed towards the public gardens of Naples, whose trees were faintly visible far off across the Bay.

offadverbUS /ɔːf/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading At the Antico Giuseppone, Artois left the boat from the islet and, taking another, was rowed towards the public gardens of Naples, whose trees were faintly visible far off across the Bay.

oftenadverbUS /ˈɔːfən/

many times at short intervals

From this reading Although Artois had an authoritative, and often an ironical manner that frightened timid people, he was a man capable of much emotion and of great loyalty.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading He did not easily trust or easily love, but in those whose worth he had thoroughly proved he had a confidence as complete as that of a child.

peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading Although Artois had an authoritative, and often an ironical manner that frightened timid people, he was a man capable of much emotion and of great loyalty.

pliedverbUS /plaɪd/

inflected form of “ply” — give what is desired or needed, especially support, food or sustenance

From this reading Usually he talked familiarly to any Neapolitan with whom he found himself, but to-day he was taciturn, and sat in the stern of the broad-bottomed craft looking towards the city in silence while the boatman plied his oars.

provedadjectiveUS /pruːvd/

established beyond doubt

From this reading He did not easily trust or easily love, but in those whose worth he had thoroughly proved he had a confidence as complete as that of a child.

publicnounUS /ˈpʌblɪk/

people in general considered as a whole

From this reading At the Antico Giuseppone, Artois left the boat from the islet and, taking another, was rowed towards the public gardens of Naples, whose trees were faintly visible far off across the Bay.

rowedverbUS /roʊd/

past form of “row” — propel with oars

From this reading At the Antico Giuseppone, Artois left the boat from the islet and, taking another, was rowed towards the public gardens of Naples, whose trees were faintly visible far off across the Bay.

satnounUS /sæt/

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading Usually he talked familiarly to any Neapolitan with whom he found himself, but to-day he was taciturn, and sat in the stern of the broad-bottomed craft looking towards the city in silence while the boatman plied his oars.

seriousadjectiveUS /ˈsɪriəs/

concerned with work or important matters rather than play or trivialities

From this reading The memory of his conversation with Hermione in the Grotto of Virgil, of her manner, the look in her eyes, the sound of her voice there, gave him food for thought that was deep and serious.

silencenounUS /ˈsaɪ.ləns/

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

From this reading Usually he talked familiarly to any Neapolitan with whom he found himself, but to-day he was taciturn, and sat in the stern of the broad-bottomed craft looking towards the city in silence while the boatman plied his oars.

soundnounUS /saʊnd/

the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause

From this reading The memory of his conversation with Hermione in the Grotto of Virgil, of her manner, the look in her eyes, the sound of her voice there, gave him food for thought that was deep and serious.

sternadjectiveUS /stɜːrn/

of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor; forbidding in aspect

From this reading Usually he talked familiarly to any Neapolitan with whom he found himself, but to-day he was taciturn, and sat in the stern of the broad-bottomed craft looking towards the city in silence while the boatman plied his oars.

taciturnadjectiveUS /ˈtæsɪtɜːrn/

habitually reserved and uncommunicative

From this reading Usually he talked familiarly to any Neapolitan with whom he found himself, but to-day he was taciturn, and sat in the stern of the broad-bottomed craft looking towards the city in silence while the boatman plied his oars.

takingnounUS /ˈteɪkɪŋ/

the act of someone who picks up or takes something

From this reading At the Antico Giuseppone, Artois left the boat from the islet and, taking another, was rowed towards the public gardens of Naples, whose trees were faintly visible far off across the Bay.

talkedverbUS /tɔːkt/

past form of “talk” — exchange thoughts; talk with

From this reading Usually he talked familiarly to any Neapolitan with whom he found himself, but to-day he was taciturn, and sat in the stern of the broad-bottomed craft looking towards the city in silence while the boatman plied his oars.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The memory of his conversation with Hermione in the Grotto of Virgil, of her manner, the look in her eyes, the sound of her voice there, gave him food for thought that was deep and serious.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading At the Antico Giuseppone, Artois left the boat from the islet and, taking another, was rowed towards the public gardens of Naples, whose trees were faintly visible far off across the Bay.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading The memory of his conversation with Hermione in the Grotto of Virgil, of her manner, the look in her eyes, the sound of her voice there, gave him food for thought that was deep and serious.

thoroughlyadverbUS /ˈθɜːroʊli/

in an exhaustive manner

From this reading He did not easily trust or easily love, but in those whose worth he had thoroughly proved he had a confidence as complete as that of a child.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading He did not easily trust or easily love, but in those whose worth he had thoroughly proved he had a confidence as complete as that of a child.

thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading The memory of his conversation with Hermione in the Grotto of Virgil, of her manner, the look in her eyes, the sound of her voice there, gave him food for thought that was deep and serious.

timidadjectiveUS /ˈtɪmɪd/

showing fear and lack of confidence

From this reading Although Artois had an authoritative, and often an ironical manner that frightened timid people, he was a man capable of much emotion and of great loyalty.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Usually he talked familiarly to any Neapolitan with whom he found himself, but to-day he was taciturn, and sat in the stern of the broad-bottomed craft looking towards the city in silence while the boatman plied his oars.

to-day

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

From this reading Usually he talked familiarly to any Neapolitan with whom he found himself, but to-day he was taciturn, and sat in the stern of the broad-bottomed craft looking towards the city in silence while the boatman plied his oars.

towardsprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrdz/

in the direction of

From this reading At the Antico Giuseppone, Artois left the boat from the islet and, taking another, was rowed towards the public gardens of Naples, whose trees were faintly visible far off across the Bay.

treesnounUS /triːz/

plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms

From this reading At the Antico Giuseppone, Artois left the boat from the islet and, taking another, was rowed towards the public gardens of Naples, whose trees were faintly visible far off across the Bay.

trustnounUS /trʌst/

something (as property) held by one party (the trustee) for the benefit of another (the beneficiary)

From this reading He did not easily trust or easily love, but in those whose worth he had thoroughly proved he had a confidence as complete as that of a child.

UsuallyadverbUS /ˈjuːʒəwəli/

under normal conditions

From this reading Usually he talked familiarly to any Neapolitan with whom he found himself, but to-day he was taciturn, and sat in the stern of the broad-bottomed craft looking towards the city in silence while the boatman plied his oars.

VirgilnounUS /ˈvɜːrdʒəl/

a Roman poet; author of the epic poem “Aeneid” (70-19 BC)

From this reading The memory of his conversation with Hermione in the Grotto of Virgil, of her manner, the look in her eyes, the sound of her voice there, gave him food for thought that was deep and serious.

visibleadjectiveUS /ˈvɪzəbəl/

capable of being seen; or open to easy view

From this reading At the Antico Giuseppone, Artois left the boat from the islet and, taking another, was rowed towards the public gardens of Naples, whose trees were faintly visible far off across the Bay.

voicenounUS /vɔɪs/

the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech

From this reading The memory of his conversation with Hermione in the Grotto of Virgil, of her manner, the look in her eyes, the sound of her voice there, gave him food for thought that was deep and serious.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading At the Antico Giuseppone, Artois left the boat from the islet and, taking another, was rowed towards the public gardens of Naples, whose trees were faintly visible far off across the Bay.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading At the Antico Giuseppone, Artois left the boat from the islet and, taking another, was rowed towards the public gardens of Naples, whose trees were faintly visible far off across the Bay.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading Usually he talked familiarly to any Neapolitan with whom he found himself, but to-day he was taciturn, and sat in the stern of the broad-bottomed craft looking towards the city in silence while the boatman plied his oars.

whompronounUS /huːm/

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Usually he talked familiarly to any Neapolitan with whom he found himself, but to-day he was taciturn, and sat in the stern of the broad-bottomed craft looking towards the city in silence while the boatman plied his oars.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading At the Antico Giuseppone, Artois left the boat from the islet and, taking another, was rowed towards the public gardens of Naples, whose trees were faintly visible far off across the Bay.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Usually he talked familiarly to any Neapolitan with whom he found himself, but to-day he was taciturn, and sat in the stern of the broad-bottomed craft looking towards the city in silence while the boatman plied his oars.

worthnounUS /wɜːrθ/

an indefinite quantity of something having a specified value

From this reading He did not easily trust or easily love, but in those whose worth he had thoroughly proved he had a confidence as complete as that of a child.

Chapter 4 of A Spirit in Prison by Robert Hichens holds 277 sentences, grouped into 56 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 4 of A Spirit in Prison contain?

Chapter 4 holds 277 sentences of A Spirit in Prison, unabridged, divided into 56 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of A Spirit in Prison by Robert Hichens exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 277 sentences, grouped into 56 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 4 of A Spirit in Prison?

Work through the 56 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 56 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 4 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 4 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 Spirit in Prison

Common questions about reading A Spirit in Prison by Robert Hichens on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of A Spirit in Prison?

Yes. All 15677 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2994 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of A Spirit in Prison is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #2994, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does A Spirit in Prison take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 3136 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read A Spirit in Prison section by section

How to work through A Spirit in Prison section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  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 Spirit in Prison

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

Somewhere
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Spirit in Prison; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Still
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Spirit in Prison; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Islet
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Spirit in Prison; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Embrace
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Spirit in Prison; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.