Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Burlesques
Burlesques

Chapter IX · Chapter 9

Chapter 9 of Burlesques is here in full — 27 sentences across 6 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Burlesques
Context Illustration Reading 1/5 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE ESCAPE.
Loth as they were, these gentlemen had nothing for it but to obey, and they accordingly followed me to the ramparts, where I proceeded to review my men.
The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.
Three of the garrison (one of them a man of the Ahmednuggar Irregulars, my own body-servant, Ghorumsaug above named,) were appointed to watch the captive by turns, and never leave him out of their sight.
The lieutenant was instructed to look to them and to their prisoner, and as Bobbachy was severely injured by the blow which I had given him, and was, moreover, bound hand and foot, and gagged smartly with cords, I considered myself sure of his person.
0:00 / 0:00
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.

Burlesques

Chapter IX · Chapter 9

Chapter 9 of Burlesques is here in full — 27 sentences across 6 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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

Line 1
THE ESCAPE.
/ðə ɪˈskeɪp/
Line 2
Loth as they were, these gentlemen had nothing for it but to obey, and they accordingly followed me to the ramparts, where I proceeded to review my men.
/lɑːθ æz ðeɪ wɜːr ðiːz ˈdʒentəlmɪn hæd ˈnʌθɪŋ fɔːr ɪt bʌt tuː oʊˈbeɪ ənd ðeɪ əˈkɔːrdɪŋli ˈfɑːloʊd miː tuː ðə ˈræmpɑːrts wer aɪ prəˈsiːdɪd tuː ˌriːˈvjuː maɪ men/
Line 3
The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.
Line 4
Three of the garrison (one of them a man of the Ahmednuggar Irregulars, my own body-servant, Ghorumsaug above named,) were appointed to watch the captive by turns, and never leave him out of their sight.
Line 5
The lieutenant was instructed to look to them and to their prisoner, and as Bobbachy was severely injured by the blow which I had given him, and was, moreover, bound hand and foot, and gagged smartly with cords, I considered myself sure of his person.

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.

cords noun US /kɔːrdz/

cotton trousers made of corduroy cloth

From this reading “The lieutenant was instructed to look to them and to their prisoner, and as Bobbachy was severely injured by the blow which I had given him, and was, moreover, bound hand and foot, and gagged smartly with cords, I considered myself sure of his person.”

countryman noun US /ˈkʌntrimən/

a man from your own country

From this reading “The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.”

gagged verb US /ɡæɡd/

inflected form of “gag” — prevent from speaking out

From this reading “The lieutenant was instructed to look to them and to their prisoner, and as Bobbachy was severely injured by the blow which I had given him, and was, moreover, bound hand and foot, and gagged smartly with cords, I considered myself sure of his person.”

Irregulars noun US /ˌɪˈreɡjələrz/

plural of “irregular” — a member of an irregular armed force that fights a stronger force by sabotage and harassment

From this reading “Three of the garrison (one of them a man of the Ahmednuggar Irregulars, my own body-servant, Ghorumsaug above named,) were appointed to watch the captive by turns, and never leave him out of their sight.”

Loth adjective US /lɑːθ/

unwillingness to do something contrary to your custom

From this reading “Loth as they were, these gentlemen had nothing for it but to obey, and they accordingly followed me to the ramparts, where I proceeded to review my men.”

memoirs noun US /ˈmemwɑːrz/

plural of “memoir” — an account of the author's personal experiences

From this reading “The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.”

ramparts noun US /ˈræmpɑːrts/

plural of “rampart” — an embankment built around a space for defensive purposes

From this reading “Loth as they were, these gentlemen had nothing for it but to obey, and they accordingly followed me to the ramparts, where I proceeded to review my men.”

smartly adverb US /ˈsmɑːrtli/

in a clever manner

From this reading “The lieutenant was instructed to look to them and to their prisoner, and as Bobbachy was severely injured by the blow which I had given him, and was, moreover, bound hand and foot, and gagged smartly with cords, I considered myself sure of his person.”

All words in this reading · 101

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 The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.

aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/

higher than, or over, something

From this reading Three of the garrison (one of them a man of the Ahmednuggar Irregulars, my own body-servant, Ghorumsaug above named,) were appointed to watch the captive by turns, and never leave him out of their sight.

absencenounUS /ˈæbsəns/

the state of being absent

From this reading The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.

accordinglyadverbUS /əˈkɔːrdɪŋli/

(sentence connectors) because of the reason given

From this reading Loth as they were, these gentlemen had nothing for it but to obey, and they accordingly followed me to the ramparts, where I proceeded to review my men.

affairnounUS /əˈfer/

a vaguely specified concern

From this reading The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.

Ahmednuggar

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

From this reading Three of the garrison (one of them a man of the Ahmednuggar Irregulars, my own body-servant, Ghorumsaug above named,) were appointed to watch the captive by turns, and never leave him out of their sight.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Loth as they were, these gentlemen had nothing for it but to obey, and they accordingly followed me to the ramparts, where I proceeded to review my men.

appointedadjectiveUS /əˈpɔɪntɪd/

subject to appointment

From this reading Three of the garrison (one of them a man of the Ahmednuggar Irregulars, my own body-servant, Ghorumsaug above named,) were appointed to watch the captive by turns, and never leave him out of their sight.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Loth as they were, these gentlemen had nothing for it but to obey, and they accordingly followed me to the ramparts, where I proceeded to review my men.

Bahawder

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

From this reading The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.

blowverbUS /bloʊ/

exhale hard

From this reading The lieutenant was instructed to look to them and to their prisoner, and as Bobbachy was severely injured by the blow which I had given him, and was, moreover, bound hand and foot, and gagged smartly with cords, I considered myself sure of his person.

Bobbachy

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

From this reading The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.

body-servant

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

From this reading Three of the garrison (one of them a man of the Ahmednuggar Irregulars, my own body-servant, Ghorumsaug above named,) were appointed to watch the captive by turns, and never leave him out of their sight.

boundadjectiveUS /baʊnd/

confined by bonds

From this reading The lieutenant was instructed to look to them and to their prisoner, and as Bobbachy was severely injured by the blow which I had given him, and was, moreover, bound hand and foot, and gagged smartly with cords, I considered myself sure of his person.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Loth as they were, these gentlemen had nothing for it but to obey, and they accordingly followed me to the ramparts, where I proceeded to review my men.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Three of the garrison (one of them a man of the Ahmednuggar Irregulars, my own body-servant, Ghorumsaug above named,) were appointed to watch the captive by turns, and never leave him out of their sight.

captivenounUS /ˈkæptɪv/

a person who is confined; especially a prisoner of war

From this reading Three of the garrison (one of them a man of the Ahmednuggar Irregulars, my own body-servant, Ghorumsaug above named,) were appointed to watch the captive by turns, and never leave him out of their sight.

chapternounUS /ˈtʃæptər/

a subdivision of a written work; usually numbered and titled

From this reading The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.

chargeverbUS /tʃɑːrdʒ/

to make a rush at or sudden attack upon, as in battle

From this reading The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.

commandnounUS /kəˈmænd/

an authoritative direction or instruction to do something

From this reading The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.

consideredadjectiveUS /kənˈsɪdərd/

carefully weighed

From this reading The lieutenant was instructed to look to them and to their prisoner, and as Bobbachy was severely injured by the blow which I had given him, and was, moreover, bound hand and foot, and gagged smartly with cords, I considered myself sure of his person.

cordsnounUS /kɔːrdz/

cotton trousers made of corduroy cloth

From this reading The lieutenant was instructed to look to them and to their prisoner, and as Bobbachy was severely injured by the blow which I had given him, and was, moreover, bound hand and foot, and gagged smartly with cords, I considered myself sure of his person.

countrymannounUS /ˈkʌntrimən/

a man from your own country

From this reading The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.

earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/

at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time

From this reading The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.

ESCAPEnounUS /ɪˈskeɪp/

the act of escaping physically

From this reading THE ESCAPE.

followedverbUS /ˈfɑːloʊd/

past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after

From this reading Loth as they were, these gentlemen had nothing for it but to obey, and they accordingly followed me to the ramparts, where I proceeded to review my men.

footnounUS /fʊt/

the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading The lieutenant was instructed to look to them and to their prisoner, and as Bobbachy was severely injured by the blow which I had given him, and was, moreover, bound hand and foot, and gagged smartly with cords, I considered myself sure of his person.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Loth as they were, these gentlemen had nothing for it but to obey, and they accordingly followed me to the ramparts, where I proceeded to review my men.

fortnounUS /fɔːrt/

a fortified military post where troops are stationed

From this reading The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.

gaggedverbUS /ɡæɡd/

inflected form of “gag” — prevent from speaking out

From this reading The lieutenant was instructed to look to them and to their prisoner, and as Bobbachy was severely injured by the blow which I had given him, and was, moreover, bound hand and foot, and gagged smartly with cords, I considered myself sure of his person.

garrisonnounUS /ˈɡærɪsən/

a fortified military post where troops are stationed

From this reading Three of the garrison (one of them a man of the Ahmednuggar Irregulars, my own body-servant, Ghorumsaug above named,) were appointed to watch the captive by turns, and never leave him out of their sight.

gentlemennounUS /ˈdʒentəlmɪn/

plural of “gentleman” — a man of refinement

From this reading Loth as they were, these gentlemen had nothing for it but to obey, and they accordingly followed me to the ramparts, where I proceeded to review my men.

Ghorumsaug

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

From this reading Three of the garrison (one of them a man of the Ahmednuggar Irregulars, my own body-servant, Ghorumsaug above named,) were appointed to watch the captive by turns, and never leave him out of their sight.

givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/

acknowledged as a supposition

From this reading The lieutenant was instructed to look to them and to their prisoner, and as Bobbachy was severely injured by the blow which I had given him, and was, moreover, bound hand and foot, and gagged smartly with cords, I considered myself sure of his person.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Loth as they were, these gentlemen had nothing for it but to obey, and they accordingly followed me to the ramparts, where I proceeded to review my men.

handnounUS /hænd/

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading The lieutenant was instructed to look to them and to their prisoner, and as Bobbachy was severely injured by the blow which I had given him, and was, moreover, bound hand and foot, and gagged smartly with cords, I considered myself sure of his person.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading The lieutenant was instructed to look to them and to their prisoner, and as Bobbachy was severely injured by the blow which I had given him, and was, moreover, bound hand and foot, and gagged smartly with cords, I considered myself sure of his person.

honornounUS /ˈɑːnər/

a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction

From this reading The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading Loth as they were, these gentlemen had nothing for it but to obey, and they accordingly followed me to the ramparts, where I proceeded to review my men.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.

injuredadjectiveUS /ˈɪndʒərd/

harmed

From this reading The lieutenant was instructed to look to them and to their prisoner, and as Bobbachy was severely injured by the blow which I had given him, and was, moreover, bound hand and foot, and gagged smartly with cords, I considered myself sure of his person.

instructedverbUS /ˌɪnˈstrʌktəd/

past form of “instruct” — impart skills or knowledge to

From this reading The lieutenant was instructed to look to them and to their prisoner, and as Bobbachy was severely injured by the blow which I had given him, and was, moreover, bound hand and foot, and gagged smartly with cords, I considered myself sure of his person.

IrregularsnounUS /ˌɪˈreɡjələrz/

plural of “irregular” — a member of an irregular armed force that fights a stronger force by sabotage and harassment

From this reading Three of the garrison (one of them a man of the Ahmednuggar Irregulars, my own body-servant, Ghorumsaug above named,) were appointed to watch the captive by turns, and never leave him out of their sight.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Loth as they were, these gentlemen had nothing for it but to obey, and they accordingly followed me to the ramparts, where I proceeded to review my men.

killverbUS /kɪl/

cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly

From this reading The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.

leaveverbUS /liːv/

go away from a place

From this reading Three of the garrison (one of them a man of the Ahmednuggar Irregulars, my own body-servant, Ghorumsaug above named,) were appointed to watch the captive by turns, and never leave him out of their sight.

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 The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.

LieutenantnounUS /luːˈtenənt/

a commissioned military officer

From this reading The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.

lookverbUS /lʊk/

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading The lieutenant was instructed to look to them and to their prisoner, and as Bobbachy was severely injured by the blow which I had given him, and was, moreover, bound hand and foot, and gagged smartly with cords, I considered myself sure of his person.

LothadjectiveUS /lɑːθ/

unwillingness to do something contrary to your custom

From this reading Loth as they were, these gentlemen had nothing for it but to obey, and they accordingly followed me to the ramparts, where I proceeded to review my men.

Macgillicuddy

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

From this reading The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.

mannounUS /mæn/

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

From this reading Three of the garrison (one of them a man of the Ahmednuggar Irregulars, my own body-servant, Ghorumsaug above named,) were appointed to watch the captive by turns, and never leave him out of their sight.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Loth as they were, these gentlemen had nothing for it but to obey, and they accordingly followed me to the ramparts, where I proceeded to review my men.

memoirsnounUS /ˈmemwɑːrz/

plural of “memoir” — an account of the author's personal experiences

From this reading The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.

mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading Loth as they were, these gentlemen had nothing for it but to obey, and they accordingly followed me to the ramparts, where I proceeded to review my men.

moreoveradverbUS /mɔːˈroʊvər/

in addition to what has just been said

From this reading The lieutenant was instructed to look to them and to their prisoner, and as Bobbachy was severely injured by the blow which I had given him, and was, moreover, bound hand and foot, and gagged smartly with cords, I considered myself sure of his person.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Loth as they were, these gentlemen had nothing for it but to obey, and they accordingly followed me to the ramparts, where I proceeded to review my men.

myselfpronounUS /ˌmaɪˈself/

used when the speaker is also the object of the action

From this reading The lieutenant was instructed to look to them and to their prisoner, and as Bobbachy was severely injured by the blow which I had given him, and was, moreover, bound hand and foot, and gagged smartly with cords, I considered myself sure of his person.

namedverbUS /neɪmd/

past form of “name” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading Three of the garrison (one of them a man of the Ahmednuggar Irregulars, my own body-servant, Ghorumsaug above named,) were appointed to watch the captive by turns, and never leave him out of their sight.

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading Loth as they were, these gentlemen had nothing for it but to obey, and they accordingly followed me to the ramparts, where I proceeded to review my men.

obeyverbUS /oʊˈbeɪ/

be obedient to

From this reading Loth as they were, these gentlemen had nothing for it but to obey, and they accordingly followed me to the ramparts, where I proceeded to review my men.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.

officernounUS /ˈɔːfəsər/

any person in the armed services who holds a position of authority or command

From this reading The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Three of the garrison (one of them a man of the Ahmednuggar Irregulars, my own body-servant, Ghorumsaug above named,) were appointed to watch the captive by turns, and never leave him out of their sight.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Three of the garrison (one of them a man of the Ahmednuggar Irregulars, my own body-servant, Ghorumsaug above named,) were appointed to watch the captive by turns, and never leave him out of their sight.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.

personnounUS /ˈpɜːrsən/

a human being

From this reading The lieutenant was instructed to look to them and to their prisoner, and as Bobbachy was severely injured by the blow which I had given him, and was, moreover, bound hand and foot, and gagged smartly with cords, I considered myself sure of his person.

prisonernounUS /ˈprɪzənər/

a person who is confined; especially a prisoner of war

From this reading The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.

proceededverbUS /prəˈsiːdɪd/

past form of “proceed” — continue talking

From this reading Loth as they were, these gentlemen had nothing for it but to obey, and they accordingly followed me to the ramparts, where I proceeded to review my men.

rampartsnounUS /ˈræmpɑːrts/

plural of “rampart” — an embankment built around a space for defensive purposes

From this reading Loth as they were, these gentlemen had nothing for it but to obey, and they accordingly followed me to the ramparts, where I proceeded to review my men.

reviewnounUS /ˌriːˈvjuː/

a new appraisal or evaluation

From this reading Loth as they were, these gentlemen had nothing for it but to obey, and they accordingly followed me to the ramparts, where I proceeded to review my men.

seenverbUS /siːn/

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.

severelyadverbUS /səˈvɪrli/

to a severe or serious degree

From this reading The lieutenant was instructed to look to them and to their prisoner, and as Bobbachy was severely injured by the blow which I had given him, and was, moreover, bound hand and foot, and gagged smartly with cords, I considered myself sure of his person.

sightnounUS /saɪt/

an instance of visual perception

From this reading Three of the garrison (one of them a man of the Ahmednuggar Irregulars, my own body-servant, Ghorumsaug above named,) were appointed to watch the captive by turns, and never leave him out of their sight.

smartlyadverbUS /ˈsmɑːrtli/

in a clever manner

From this reading The lieutenant was instructed to look to them and to their prisoner, and as Bobbachy was severely injured by the blow which I had given him, and was, moreover, bound hand and foot, and gagged smartly with cords, I considered myself sure of his person.

stunnedadjectiveUS /stʌnd/

filled with the emotional impact of overwhelming surprise or shock

From this reading The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.

sureadjectiveUS /ʃʊr/

having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured

From this reading The lieutenant was instructed to look to them and to their prisoner, and as Bobbachy was severely injured by the blow which I had given him, and was, moreover, bound hand and foot, and gagged smartly with cords, I considered myself sure of his person.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE ESCAPE.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Three of the garrison (one of them a man of the Ahmednuggar Irregulars, my own body-servant, Ghorumsaug above named,) were appointed to watch the captive by turns, and never leave him out of their sight.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Three of the garrison (one of them a man of the Ahmednuggar Irregulars, my own body-servant, Ghorumsaug above named,) were appointed to watch the captive by turns, and never leave him out of their sight.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading Loth as they were, these gentlemen had nothing for it but to obey, and they accordingly followed me to the ramparts, where I proceeded to review my men.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Loth as they were, these gentlemen had nothing for it but to obey, and they accordingly followed me to the ramparts, where I proceeded to review my men.

ThreenounUS /θriː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading Three of the garrison (one of them a man of the Ahmednuggar Irregulars, my own body-servant, Ghorumsaug above named,) were appointed to watch the captive by turns, and never leave him out of their sight.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Loth as they were, these gentlemen had nothing for it but to obey, and they accordingly followed me to the ramparts, where I proceeded to review my men.

turnsnounUS /tɜːrnz/

plural of “turn” — a circular segment of a curve

From this reading Three of the garrison (one of them a man of the Ahmednuggar Irregulars, my own body-servant, Ghorumsaug above named,) were appointed to watch the captive by turns, and never leave him out of their sight.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The lieutenant was instructed to look to them and to their prisoner, and as Bobbachy was severely injured by the blow which I had given him, and was, moreover, bound hand and foot, and gagged smartly with cords, I considered myself sure of his person.

watchverbUS /wɑːtʃ/

look attentively

From this reading Three of the garrison (one of them a man of the Ahmednuggar Irregulars, my own body-servant, Ghorumsaug above named,) were appointed to watch the captive by turns, and never leave him out of their sight.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Loth as they were, these gentlemen had nothing for it but to obey, and they accordingly followed me to the ramparts, where I proceeded to review my men.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading Loth as they were, these gentlemen had nothing for it but to obey, and they accordingly followed me to the ramparts, where I proceeded to review my men.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading The lieutenant was instructed to look to them and to their prisoner, and as Bobbachy was severely injured by the blow which I had given him, and was, moreover, bound hand and foot, and gagged smartly with cords, I considered myself sure of his person.

whompronounUS /huːm/

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

From this reading The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.

wishingnounUS /ˈwɪʃɪŋ/

a specific feeling of desire

From this reading The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The fort, in my absence, had been left in command of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy, a countryman of my own (with whom, as may be seen in an early chapter of my memoirs, I had an affair of honor); and the prisoner Bobbachy Bahawder, whom I had only stunned, never wishing to kill him, had been left in charge of that officer.

Chapter 9 of Burlesques by William Makepeace Thackeray holds 27 sentences, grouped into 6 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 9 of Burlesques contain?

Chapter 9 holds 27 sentences of Burlesques, unabridged, divided into 6 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 9 of Burlesques by William Makepeace Thackeray exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 27 sentences, grouped into 6 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 9 of Burlesques?

Work through the 6 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 6 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 9 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 9 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 Burlesques

Common questions about reading Burlesques by William Makepeace Thackeray on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Burlesques?

Yes. All 6457 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2675 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Burlesques is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #2675, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Burlesques take to read?

About 538 minutes of reading across 1292 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Burlesques section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of Burlesques 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 Burlesques

Words and structures a reader meets early in Burlesques, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Button's
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Burlesques; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Those
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Burlesques; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Frequent
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Burlesques; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Dismal
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Burlesques; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.