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Capitola's peril
Capitola's peril

Chapter XXVI · Chapter 26

Chapter 26 of Capitola's peril is here in full — 104 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Capitola's peril
Context Illustration Reading 1/20 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE MYSTERIOUS MANIAC.
Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!
--M. G. Lewis.
It was at the close of a beautiful day in early spring that Traverse Rocke, accompanying the old doctor and the old sister, reached the grove on the borders of the beautiful lake upon the banks of which was situated the "Calm Retreat."
A large, low, white building surrounded with piazzas and shaded by fragrant and flowering southern trees, it looked like the luxurious country seat of some wealthy merchant or planter rather than a prison for the insane.
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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.

Capitola's peril

Chapter XXVI · Chapter 26

Chapter 26 of Capitola's peril is here in full — 104 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/20 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE MYSTERIOUS MANIAC.
/ðə mɪˈstɪriəs ˈmeɪniæk/
Line 2
Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!
Line 3
--M. G. Lewis.
/em dʒiː ˈluːɪs/
Line 4
It was at the close of a beautiful day in early spring that Traverse Rocke, accompanying the old doctor and the old sister, reached the grove on the borders of the beautiful lake upon the banks of which was situated the "Calm Retreat."
Line 5
A large, low, white building surrounded with piazzas and shaded by fragrant and flowering southern trees, it looked like the luxurious country seat of some wealthy merchant or planter rather than a prison for the insane.

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.

flowering noun US /ˈflaʊərɪŋ/

the time and process of budding and unfolding of blossoms

From this reading “A large, low, white building surrounded with piazzas and shaded by fragrant and flowering southern trees, it looked like the luxurious country seat of some wealthy merchant or planter rather than a prison for the insane.”

jailer noun US /ˈdʒeɪlər/

someone who guards prisoners

From this reading “Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!”

Lewis noun US /ˈluːɪs/

United States rock star singer and pianist (born in 1935)

From this reading “--M. G. Lewis.”

maniac noun US /ˈmeɪniæk/

an insane person

From this reading “THE MYSTERIOUS MANIAC.”

planter noun US /ˈplæntər/

the owner or manager of a plantation

From this reading “A large, low, white building surrounded with piazzas and shaded by fragrant and flowering southern trees, it looked like the luxurious country seat of some wealthy merchant or planter rather than a prison for the insane.”

rave verb US /reɪv/

participate in an all-night techno dance party

From this reading “Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!”

tho noun US /ðoʊ/

a branch of the Tai languages

From this reading “Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!”

Traverse verb US /ˈtrævərs/

travel across or pass over

From this reading “It was at the close of a beautiful day in early spring that Traverse Rocke, accompanying the old doctor and the old sister, reached the grove on the borders of the beautiful lake upon the banks of which was situated the "Calm Retreat."”

All words in this reading · 100

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 It was at the close of a beautiful day in early spring that Traverse Rocke, accompanying the old doctor and the old sister, reached the grove on the borders of the beautiful lake upon the banks of which was situated the "Calm Retreat."

accompanyingadjectiveUS /əˈkʌmpəniɪŋ/

occurring with or following as a consequence

From this reading It was at the close of a beautiful day in early spring that Traverse Rocke, accompanying the old doctor and the old sister, reached the grove on the borders of the beautiful lake upon the banks of which was situated the "Calm Retreat."

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading It was at the close of a beautiful day in early spring that Traverse Rocke, accompanying the old doctor and the old sister, reached the grove on the borders of the beautiful lake upon the banks of which was situated the "Calm Retreat."

banksnounUS /bæŋks/

English botanist who accompanied Captain Cook on his first voyage to the Pacific Ocean (1743-1820)

From this reading It was at the close of a beautiful day in early spring that Traverse Rocke, accompanying the old doctor and the old sister, reached the grove on the borders of the beautiful lake upon the banks of which was situated the "Calm Retreat."

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

beautifuladjectiveUS /ˈbjuːtəfəl/

delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration

From this reading It was at the close of a beautiful day in early spring that Traverse Rocke, accompanying the old doctor and the old sister, reached the grove on the borders of the beautiful lake upon the banks of which was situated the "Calm Retreat."

bordersnounUS /ˈbɔːrdərz/

plural of “border” — a line that indicates a boundary

From this reading It was at the close of a beautiful day in early spring that Traverse Rocke, accompanying the old doctor and the old sister, reached the grove on the borders of the beautiful lake upon the banks of which was situated the "Calm Retreat."

buildingnounUS /ˈbɪldɪŋ/

a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place

From this reading A large, low, white building surrounded with piazzas and shaded by fragrant and flowering southern trees, it looked like the luxurious country seat of some wealthy merchant or planter rather than a prison for the insane.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading A large, low, white building surrounded with piazzas and shaded by fragrant and flowering southern trees, it looked like the luxurious country seat of some wealthy merchant or planter rather than a prison for the insane.

calmverbUS /kɑːm/

make calm or still

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

closeadjectiveUS /kloʊs/

at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other

From this reading It was at the close of a beautiful day in early spring that Traverse Rocke, accompanying the old doctor and the old sister, reached the grove on the borders of the beautiful lake upon the banks of which was situated the "Calm Retreat."

countrynounUS /ˈkʌntri/

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading A large, low, white building surrounded with piazzas and shaded by fragrant and flowering southern trees, it looked like the luxurious country seat of some wealthy merchant or planter rather than a prison for the insane.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading It was at the close of a beautiful day in early spring that Traverse Rocke, accompanying the old doctor and the old sister, reached the grove on the borders of the beautiful lake upon the banks of which was situated the "Calm Retreat."

despairnounUS /dɪˈsper/

a state in which all hope is lost or absent

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

doctornounUS /ˈdɑːktər/

a licensed medical practitioner

From this reading It was at the close of a beautiful day in early spring that Traverse Rocke, accompanying the old doctor and the old sister, reached the grove on the borders of the beautiful lake upon the banks of which was situated the "Calm Retreat."

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 It was at the close of a beautiful day in early spring that Traverse Rocke, accompanying the old doctor and the old sister, reached the grove on the borders of the beautiful lake upon the banks of which was situated the "Calm Retreat."

firmlyadverbUS /ˈfɜːrmli/

with resolute determination

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

floweringnounUS /ˈflaʊərɪŋ/

the time and process of budding and unfolding of blossoms

From this reading A large, low, white building surrounded with piazzas and shaded by fragrant and flowering southern trees, it looked like the luxurious country seat of some wealthy merchant or planter rather than a prison for the insane.

ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

fragrantadjectiveUS /ˈfreɪɡrənt/

pleasant-smelling

From this reading A large, low, white building surrounded with piazzas and shaded by fragrant and flowering southern trees, it looked like the luxurious country seat of some wealthy merchant or planter rather than a prison for the insane.

fulladjectiveUS /fʊl/

containing as much or as many as is possible or normal

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

GnounUS /dʒiː/

a metric unit of weight equal to one thousandth of a kilogram

From this reading --M. G. Lewis.

grovenounUS /ɡroʊv/

a small growth of trees without underbrush

From this reading It was at the close of a beautiful day in early spring that Traverse Rocke, accompanying the old doctor and the old sister, reached the grove on the borders of the beautiful lake upon the banks of which was situated the "Calm Retreat."

hearverbUS /hiːr/

perceive (sound) via the auditory sense

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

I'll

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

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

insaneadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈseɪn/

afflicted with or characteristic of mental derangement

From this reading A large, low, white building surrounded with piazzas and shaded by fragrant and flowering southern trees, it looked like the luxurious country seat of some wealthy merchant or planter rather than a prison for the insane.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was at the close of a beautiful day in early spring that Traverse Rocke, accompanying the old doctor and the old sister, reached the grove on the borders of the beautiful lake upon the banks of which was situated the "Calm Retreat."

jailernounUS /ˈdʒeɪlər/

someone who guards prisoners

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

kneels

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

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

lakenounUS /leɪk/

a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land

From this reading It was at the close of a beautiful day in early spring that Traverse Rocke, accompanying the old doctor and the old sister, reached the grove on the borders of the beautiful lake upon the banks of which was situated the "Calm Retreat."

languagenounUS /ˈlæŋɡwədʒ/

a systematic means of communicating by the use of sounds or conventional symbols

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading A large, low, white building surrounded with piazzas and shaded by fragrant and flowering southern trees, it looked like the luxurious country seat of some wealthy merchant or planter rather than a prison for the insane.

LewisnounUS /ˈluːɪs/

United States rock star singer and pianist (born in 1935)

From this reading --M. G. Lewis.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading A large, low, white building surrounded with piazzas and shaded by fragrant and flowering southern trees, it looked like the luxurious country seat of some wealthy merchant or planter rather than a prison for the insane.

lookedverbUS /lʊkt/

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading A large, low, white building surrounded with piazzas and shaded by fragrant and flowering southern trees, it looked like the luxurious country seat of some wealthy merchant or planter rather than a prison for the insane.

lowadjectiveUS /loʊ/

less than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading A large, low, white building surrounded with piazzas and shaded by fragrant and flowering southern trees, it looked like the luxurious country seat of some wealthy merchant or planter rather than a prison for the insane.

luxuriousadjectiveUS /ləɡˈʒɜːriəs/

displaying luxury and furnishing gratification to the senses

From this reading A large, low, white building surrounded with piazzas and shaded by fragrant and flowering southern trees, it looked like the luxurious country seat of some wealthy merchant or planter rather than a prison for the insane.

MnounUS /em/

the basic unit of length adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites (approximately 1.094 yards)

From this reading --M. G. Lewis.

madadjectiveUS /mæd/

roused to anger

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

MANIACnounUS /ˈmeɪniæk/

an insane person

From this reading THE MYSTERIOUS MANIAC.

merchantnounUS /ˈmɜːr.tʃənt/

A person or company involved in wholesale trade, especially with foreign countries.

From this reading A large, low, white building surrounded with piazzas and shaded by fragrant and flowering southern trees, it looked like the luxurious country seat of some wealthy merchant or planter rather than a prison for the insane.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

MYSTERIOUSadjectiveUS /mɪˈstɪriəs/

of an obscure nature

From this reading THE MYSTERIOUS MANIAC.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It was at the close of a beautiful day in early spring that Traverse Rocke, accompanying the old doctor and the old sister, reached the grove on the borders of the beautiful lake upon the banks of which was situated the "Calm Retreat."

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading It was at the close of a beautiful day in early spring that Traverse Rocke, accompanying the old doctor and the old sister, reached the grove on the borders of the beautiful lake upon the banks of which was situated the "Calm Retreat."

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading It was at the close of a beautiful day in early spring that Traverse Rocke, accompanying the old doctor and the old sister, reached the grove on the borders of the beautiful lake upon the banks of which was situated the "Calm Retreat."

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading A large, low, white building surrounded with piazzas and shaded by fragrant and flowering southern trees, it looked like the luxurious country seat of some wealthy merchant or planter rather than a prison for the insane.

piazzas

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

From this reading A large, low, white building surrounded with piazzas and shaded by fragrant and flowering southern trees, it looked like the luxurious country seat of some wealthy merchant or planter rather than a prison for the insane.

planternounUS /ˈplæntər/

the owner or manager of a plantation

From this reading A large, low, white building surrounded with piazzas and shaded by fragrant and flowering southern trees, it looked like the luxurious country seat of some wealthy merchant or planter rather than a prison for the insane.

prisonnounUS /ˈprɪzən/

a correctional institution where persons are confined while on trial or for punishment

From this reading A large, low, white building surrounded with piazzas and shaded by fragrant and flowering southern trees, it looked like the luxurious country seat of some wealthy merchant or planter rather than a prison for the insane.

proudadjectiveUS /praʊd/

feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

ratheradverbUS /ˈræðər/

on the contrary

From this reading A large, low, white building surrounded with piazzas and shaded by fragrant and flowering southern trees, it looked like the luxurious country seat of some wealthy merchant or planter rather than a prison for the insane.

raveverbUS /reɪv/

participate in an all-night techno dance party

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

reachedverbUS /riːtʃt/

past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract

From this reading It was at the close of a beautiful day in early spring that Traverse Rocke, accompanying the old doctor and the old sister, reached the grove on the borders of the beautiful lake upon the banks of which was situated the "Calm Retreat."

RetreatnounUS /riˈtriːt/

(military) withdrawal of troops to a more favorable position to escape the enemy's superior forces or after a defeat

From this reading It was at the close of a beautiful day in early spring that Traverse Rocke, accompanying the old doctor and the old sister, reached the grove on the borders of the beautiful lake upon the banks of which was situated the "Calm Retreat."

Rocke

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

From this reading It was at the close of a beautiful day in early spring that Traverse Rocke, accompanying the old doctor and the old sister, reached the grove on the borders of the beautiful lake upon the banks of which was situated the "Calm Retreat."

sadadjectiveUS /sæd/

experiencing or showing sorrow or unhappiness

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

seatnounUS /siːt/

a space reserved for sitting (as in a theater or on a train or airplane)

From this reading A large, low, white building surrounded with piazzas and shaded by fragrant and flowering southern trees, it looked like the luxurious country seat of some wealthy merchant or planter rather than a prison for the insane.

shadedadjectiveUS /ˈʃeɪdɪd/

protected from heat and light with shade or shadow

From this reading A large, low, white building surrounded with piazzas and shaded by fragrant and flowering southern trees, it looked like the luxurious country seat of some wealthy merchant or planter rather than a prison for the insane.

shallmodal verbUS /ʃæl/

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

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

sisternounUS /ˈsɪstər/

a female person who has the same parents as another person

From this reading It was at the close of a beautiful day in early spring that Traverse Rocke, accompanying the old doctor and the old sister, reached the grove on the borders of the beautiful lake upon the banks of which was situated the "Calm Retreat."

situatedadjectiveUS /ˈsɪtʃuːeɪtɪd/

situated in a particular spot or position

From this reading It was at the close of a beautiful day in early spring that Traverse Rocke, accompanying the old doctor and the old sister, reached the grove on the borders of the beautiful lake upon the banks of which was situated the "Calm Retreat."

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading A large, low, white building surrounded with piazzas and shaded by fragrant and flowering southern trees, it looked like the luxurious country seat of some wealthy merchant or planter rather than a prison for the insane.

southernadjectiveUS /ˈsʌðərn/

in or characteristic of a region of the United States south of (approximately) the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading A large, low, white building surrounded with piazzas and shaded by fragrant and flowering southern trees, it looked like the luxurious country seat of some wealthy merchant or planter rather than a prison for the insane.

springnounUS /sprɪŋ/

the season of growth

From this reading It was at the close of a beautiful day in early spring that Traverse Rocke, accompanying the old doctor and the old sister, reached the grove on the borders of the beautiful lake upon the banks of which was situated the "Calm Retreat."

StayverbUS /steɪ/

stay the same; remain in a certain state

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

surroundedadjectiveUS /sərˈaʊndɪd/

confined on all sides

From this reading A large, low, white building surrounded with piazzas and shaded by fragrant and flowering southern trees, it looked like the luxurious country seat of some wealthy merchant or planter rather than a prison for the insane.

swearverbUS /swer/

utter obscenities or profanities

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading A large, low, white building surrounded with piazzas and shaded by fragrant and flowering southern trees, it looked like the luxurious country seat of some wealthy merchant or planter rather than a prison for the insane.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It was at the close of a beautiful day in early spring that Traverse Rocke, accompanying the old doctor and the old sister, reached the grove on the borders of the beautiful lake upon the banks of which was situated the "Calm Retreat."

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE MYSTERIOUS MANIAC.

theepronounUS /ðiː/

an old word for “you”, as the object, speaking to one person

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

thonounUS /ðoʊ/

a branch of the Tai languages

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

TraverseverbUS /ˈtrævərs/

travel across or pass over

From this reading It was at the close of a beautiful day in early spring that Traverse Rocke, accompanying the old doctor and the old sister, reached the grove on the borders of the beautiful lake upon the banks of which was situated the "Calm Retreat."

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 A large, low, white building surrounded with piazzas and shaded by fragrant and flowering southern trees, it looked like the luxurious country seat of some wealthy merchant or planter rather than a prison for the insane.

trulyadverbUS /ˈtruːli/

in accordance with truth or fact or reality

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading It was at the close of a beautiful day in early spring that Traverse Rocke, accompanying the old doctor and the old sister, reached the grove on the borders of the beautiful lake upon the banks of which was situated the "Calm Retreat."

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

wealthyadjectiveUS /ˈwelθi/

having an abundant supply of money or possessions of value

From this reading A large, low, white building surrounded with piazzas and shaded by fragrant and flowering southern trees, it looked like the luxurious country seat of some wealthy merchant or planter rather than a prison for the insane.

welladverbUS /wel/

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading It was at the close of a beautiful day in early spring that Traverse Rocke, accompanying the old doctor and the old sister, reached the grove on the borders of the beautiful lake upon the banks of which was situated the "Calm Retreat."

whitenounUS /waɪt/

a Caucasian

From this reading A large, low, white building surrounded with piazzas and shaded by fragrant and flowering southern trees, it looked like the luxurious country seat of some wealthy merchant or planter rather than a prison for the insane.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading A large, low, white building surrounded with piazzas and shaded by fragrant and flowering southern trees, it looked like the luxurious country seat of some wealthy merchant or planter rather than a prison for the insane.

woenounUS /woʊ/

misery resulting from affliction

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading Stay, jailer, stay, and hear my woe; She is not mad, who kneels to thee, For what I am, full well I know, And what I was, and what should be; I'll rave no more in proud despair-- My language shall be calm tho' sad; But yet I'll truly, firmly swear, I am not mad! no, no, not mad!

Chapter 26 of Capitola's peril by Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte Southworth holds 104 sentences, grouped into 21 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 26 of Capitola's peril contain?

Chapter 26 holds 104 sentences of Capitola's peril, unabridged, divided into 21 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 26 of Capitola's peril by Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte Southworth exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 104 sentences, grouped into 21 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 26 of Capitola's peril?

Work through the 21 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 21 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 26 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 26 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 Capitola's peril

Common questions about reading Capitola's peril by Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte Southworth on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Capitola's peril?

Yes. All 5344 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #24337 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Capitola's peril is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #24337, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Capitola's peril take to read?

About 445 minutes of reading across 1069 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Capitola's peril section by section

How to work through Capitola's peril section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 31 chapters of Capitola's peril 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 Capitola's peril

Words and structures a reader meets early in Capitola's peril, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Sequel
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Capitola's peril; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Hidden
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Capitola's peril; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Ishmael
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Capitola's peril; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Self-raised
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Capitola's peril; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.