Chapter 7 of A Thief in the Night is here in full — 405 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter VII
Chapter 7 of A Thief in the Night is here in full — 405 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"Think you know him?" asked the sallow secretary, as I stooped and peered with my heart in my boots. "Good Lord, no! I only wanted to see if he was dead," I explained, having satisfied myself that it was really Raffles, and that Raffles was really insensible. "But what on earth has happened?" I asked in my turn.
Chapter 7 of A Thief in the Night is here in full — 405 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/81 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
plural of “boot” — footwear that covers the whole foot and lower leg
From this reading “"Think you know him?" asked the sallow secretary, as I stooped and peered with my heart in my boots.”
past form of “explain” — make plain and comprehensible
From this reading “I only wanted to see if he was dead," I explained, having satisfied myself that it was really Raffles, and that Raffles was really insensible.”
incapable of physical sensation
From this reading “I only wanted to see if he was dead," I explained, having satisfied myself that it was really Raffles, and that Raffles was really insensible.”
past form of “peer” — look searchingly
From this reading “"Think you know him?" asked the sallow secretary, as I stooped and peered with my heart in my boots.”
British colonial administrator who founded Singapore (1781-1826)
From this reading “I only wanted to see if he was dead," I explained, having satisfied myself that it was really Raffles, and that Raffles was really insensible.”
filled with satisfaction
From this reading “I only wanted to see if he was dead," I explained, having satisfied myself that it was really Raffles, and that Raffles was really insensible.”
a person who is head of an administrative department of government
From this reading “"Think you know him?" asked the sallow secretary, as I stooped and peered with my heart in my boots.”
having the back and shoulders rounded; not erect
From this reading “"Think you know him?" asked the sallow secretary, as I stooped and peered with my heart in my boots.”
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.
used with question words to convey surprise
In this reading “"But what on earth has happened?"”
In this reading “I only wanted to see if he was dead," I explained, having satisfied myself that it was really Raffles, and that Raffles was really insensible.”
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.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "Think you know him?" asked the sallow secretary, as I stooped and peered with my heart in my boots.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "Think you know him?" asked the sallow secretary, as I stooped and peered with my heart in my boots.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "Think you know him?" asked the sallow secretary, as I stooped and peered with my heart in my boots.
plural of “boot” — footwear that covers the whole foot and lower leg
From this reading "Think you know him?" asked the sallow secretary, as I stooped and peered with my heart in my boots.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "But what on earth has happened?"
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading I only wanted to see if he was dead," I explained, having satisfied myself that it was really Raffles, and that Raffles was really insensible.
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading "But what on earth has happened?"
past form of “explain” — make plain and comprehensible
From this reading I only wanted to see if he was dead," I explained, having satisfied myself that it was really Raffles, and that Raffles was really insensible.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading "Good Lord, no!
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading "But what on earth has happened?"
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "But what on earth has happened?"
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading I only wanted to see if he was dead," I explained, having satisfied myself that it was really Raffles, and that Raffles was really insensible.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading I only wanted to see if he was dead," I explained, having satisfied myself that it was really Raffles, and that Raffles was really insensible.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading "Think you know him?" asked the sallow secretary, as I stooped and peered with my heart in my boots.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "Think you know him?" asked the sallow secretary, as I stooped and peered with my heart in my boots.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Think you know him?" asked the sallow secretary, as I stooped and peered with my heart in my boots.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading I only wanted to see if he was dead," I explained, having satisfied myself that it was really Raffles, and that Raffles was really insensible.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "Think you know him?" asked the sallow secretary, as I stooped and peered with my heart in my boots.
incapable of physical sensation
From this reading I only wanted to see if he was dead," I explained, having satisfied myself that it was really Raffles, and that Raffles was really insensible.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I only wanted to see if he was dead," I explained, having satisfied myself that it was really Raffles, and that Raffles was really insensible.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading "Think you know him?" asked the sallow secretary, as I stooped and peered with my heart in my boots.
terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading "Good Lord, no!
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "Think you know him?" asked the sallow secretary, as I stooped and peered with my heart in my boots.
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading I only wanted to see if he was dead," I explained, having satisfied myself that it was really Raffles, and that Raffles was really insensible.
not any; not one
From this reading "Good Lord, no!
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "But what on earth has happened?"
and nothing more
From this reading I only wanted to see if he was dead," I explained, having satisfied myself that it was really Raffles, and that Raffles was really insensible.
past form of “peer” — look searchingly
From this reading "Think you know him?" asked the sallow secretary, as I stooped and peered with my heart in my boots.
British colonial administrator who founded Singapore (1781-1826)
From this reading I only wanted to see if he was dead," I explained, having satisfied myself that it was really Raffles, and that Raffles was really insensible.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading I only wanted to see if he was dead," I explained, having satisfied myself that it was really Raffles, and that Raffles was really insensible.
unhealthy looking
From this reading "Think you know him?" asked the sallow secretary, as I stooped and peered with my heart in my boots.
filled with satisfaction
From this reading I only wanted to see if he was dead," I explained, having satisfied myself that it was really Raffles, and that Raffles was really insensible.
a person who is head of an administrative department of government
From this reading "Think you know him?" asked the sallow secretary, as I stooped and peered with my heart in my boots.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading I only wanted to see if he was dead," I explained, having satisfied myself that it was really Raffles, and that Raffles was really insensible.
having the back and shoulders rounded; not erect
From this reading "Think you know him?" asked the sallow secretary, as I stooped and peered with my heart in my boots.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I only wanted to see if he was dead," I explained, having satisfied myself that it was really Raffles, and that Raffles was really insensible.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Think you know him?" asked the sallow secretary, as I stooped and peered with my heart in my boots.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading "Think you know him?" asked the sallow secretary, as I stooped and peered with my heart in my boots.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I only wanted to see if he was dead," I explained, having satisfied myself that it was really Raffles, and that Raffles was really insensible.
change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense
From this reading I asked in my turn.
desired or wished for or sought
From this reading I only wanted to see if he was dead," I explained, having satisfied myself that it was really Raffles, and that Raffles was really insensible.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I only wanted to see if he was dead," I explained, having satisfied myself that it was really Raffles, and that Raffles was really insensible.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "But what on earth has happened?"
in the company of; together with
From this reading "Think you know him?" asked the sallow secretary, as I stooped and peered with my heart in my boots.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Think you know him?" asked the sallow secretary, as I stooped and peered with my heart in my boots.
Chapter 7 of A Thief in the Night by E. W. (Ernest William) Hornung holds 405 sentences, grouped into 81 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.
Chapter 7 holds 405 sentences of A Thief in the Night, unabridged, divided into 81 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 7 of A Thief in the Night by E. W. (Ernest William) Hornung exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 405 sentences, grouped into 81 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.
Work through the 81 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 81 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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 7 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.
Common questions about reading A Thief in the Night by E. W. (Ernest William) Hornung on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3677 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #33173 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #33173, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 306 minutes of reading across 736 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through A Thief in the Night section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 9 chapters of A Thief in the Night to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in A Thief in the Night, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
