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Calvary: A Novel
Calvary: A Novel

Chapter III

Chapter 3 of Calvary: A Novel is here in full — 617 sentences across 124 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Calvary: A Novel
Context Illustration Reading 1/123 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Toc, toc, toc.
And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.
"I am not disturbing you?...
May I come in?"
Lirat, the painter, raised his head.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Calvary: A Novel

Chapter III

Chapter 3 of Calvary: A Novel is here in full — 617 sentences across 124 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/123 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Toc, toc, toc.
Line 2
And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.
/ənd æt ðə seɪm taɪm ə smɔːl drɔːn ˈɑːtər skɪn ˈbɑːnət əˈpɪrd ɪn ðə slaɪt ˈoʊpənɪŋ ʌv ðə dɔːr ˈfɑːloʊd baɪ tuː ˈsmaɪlɪŋ aɪz ˈʌndər ə veɪl ðen ə lɔːŋ fɜːr keɪp wɪtʃ ˈaʊtlaɪnd ðə ˈslendər ˈbɑːdi ʌv ə jʌŋ ˈwʊmən/
Line 3
"I am not disturbing you?...
/aɪ æm nɑːt dɪˈstɜːrbɪŋ juː/
Line 4
May I come in?"
/meɪ aɪ kʌm ɪn/
Line 5
Lirat, the painter, raised his head.

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.

bonnet noun US /ˈbɑːnət/

a hat tied under the chin

From this reading “And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.”

cape noun US /keɪp/

a strip of land projecting into a body of water

From this reading “And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.”

disturbing adjective US /dɪˈstɜːrbɪŋ/

causing distress or worry or anxiety

From this reading “"I am not disturbing you?...”

otter noun US /ˈɑːtər/

the fur of an otter

From this reading “And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.”

outlined adjective US /ˈaʊtlaɪnd/

showing clearly the outline or profile or boundary

From this reading “And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.”

painter noun US /ˈpeɪntər/

an artist who paints

From this reading “Lirat, the painter, raised his head.”

slender adjective US /ˈslendər/

being of delicate or slender build

From this reading “And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.”

veil noun US /veɪl/

a garment that covers the head and face

From this reading “And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

same time adjective + noun

In this reading “And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.”

slender body adjective + noun

In this reading “And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.”

young woman adjective + noun

a young female

In this reading “And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.”

followed by verb + particle counted as “follow by”

In this reading “And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.”

appeared in verb + particle counted as “appear in”

In this reading “And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.”

All words in this reading · 47

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 And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading "I am not disturbing you?...

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.

appearedverbUS /əˈpɪrd/

past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.

bodynounUS /ˈbɑːdi/

the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)

From this reading And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.

bonnetnounUS /ˈbɑːnət/

a hat tied under the chin

From this reading And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.

capenounUS /keɪp/

a strip of land projecting into a body of water

From this reading And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

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

From this reading May I come in?"

disturbingadjectiveUS /dɪˈstɜːrbɪŋ/

causing distress or worry or anxiety

From this reading "I am not disturbing you?...

doornounUS /dɔːr/

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.

drawnadjectiveUS /drɔːn/

showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering

From this reading And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.

eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.

followedverbUS /ˈfɑːloʊd/

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

From this reading And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.

furnounUS /fɜːr/

the dressed hairy coat of a mammal

From this reading And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.

headnounUS /hed/

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading Lirat, the painter, raised his head.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Lirat, the painter, raised his head.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading "I am not disturbing you?...

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.

Lirat

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

From this reading Lirat, the painter, raised his head.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

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

From this reading And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.

Maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading May I come in?"

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading "I am not disturbing you?...

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.

openingnounUS /ˈoʊpənɪŋ/

an open or empty space in or between things

From this reading And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.

otternounUS /ˈɑːtər/

the fur of an otter

From this reading And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.

outlinedadjectiveUS /ˈaʊtlaɪnd/

showing clearly the outline or profile or boundary

From this reading And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.

painternounUS /ˈpeɪntər/

an artist who paints

From this reading Lirat, the painter, raised his head.

raisedadjectiveUS /reɪzd/

located or moved above the surround or above the normal position

From this reading Lirat, the painter, raised his head.

sameadjectiveUS /seɪm/

Identical; not different.

From this reading And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.

skinnounUS /skɪn/

a natural protective body covering and site of the sense of touch

From this reading And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.

slenderadjectiveUS /ˈslendər/

being of delicate or slender build

From this reading And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.

slightnounUS /slaɪt/

a deliberate discourteous act (usually as an expression of anger or disapproval)

From this reading And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.

smalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.

smilingnounUS /ˈsmaɪlɪŋ/

a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement

From this reading And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.

Toc

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

From this reading Toc, toc, toc.

twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.

veilnounUS /veɪl/

a garment that covers the head and face

From this reading And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.

womannounUS /ˈwʊmən/

an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "I am not disturbing you?...

youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading And at the same time a small drawn otter skin bonnet appeared in the slight opening of the door, followed by two smiling eyes under a veil, then a long fur cape which outlined the slender body of a young woman.

Chapter 3 of Calvary: A Novel by Octave Mirbeau holds 617 sentences, grouped into 124 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 3 of Calvary: A Novel contain?

Chapter 3 holds 617 sentences of Calvary: A Novel, unabridged, divided into 124 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 3 of Calvary: A Novel by Octave Mirbeau exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 617 sentences, grouped into 124 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 3 of Calvary: A Novel?

Work through the 124 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 124 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 3 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 3 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 Calvary: A Novel

Common questions about reading Calvary: A Novel by Octave Mirbeau on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Calvary: A Novel?

Yes. All 5244 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #48773 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Calvary: A Novel is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #48773, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Calvary: A Novel take to read?

About 437 minutes of reading across 1049 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Calvary: A Novel section by section

How to work through Calvary: A Novel section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  2. Read one section

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  3. Listen and tap

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

Vocabulary met early in Calvary: A Novel

Words and structures a reader meets early in Calvary: A Novel, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Original
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Calvary: A Novel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
French
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Calvary: A Novel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Calvaire
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Calvary: A Novel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Evening
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Calvary: A Novel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.