Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Chicot the Jester
Chicot the Jester

Chapter XXXI · Chapter 31

Chapter 31 of Chicot the Jester is here in full — 150 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Chicot the Jester
Context Illustration Reading 1/30 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
HOW THE AMBASSADOR OF THE DUC D’ANJOU ARRIVED AT THE LOUVRE, AND THE RECEPTION HE MET WITH.
As neither Catherine nor the Duc d’Anjou reappeared at the Louvre, the dissension between the brothers became apparently every day more and more certain.
The king thought, No news, bad news.”
The minions added, François, badly counseled, has detained the queen-mother.”
Badly counseled.
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.

Chicot the Jester

Chapter XXXI · Chapter 31

Chapter 31 of Chicot the Jester is here in full — 150 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/30 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
HOW THE AMBASSADOR OF THE DUC D’ANJOU ARRIVED AT THE LOUVRE, AND THE RECEPTION HE MET WITH.
Line 2
As neither Catherine nor the Duc d’Anjou reappeared at the Louvre, the dissension between the brothers became apparently every day more and more certain.
Line 3
The king thought, “No news, bad news.”
/ðə kɪŋ θɔːt noʊ nuːz bæd nuːz/
Line 4
The minions added, “François, badly counseled, has detained the queen-mother.”
Line 5
Badly counseled.
/ˈbædli ˈkaʊnsəld/

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.

ambassador noun US /æmˈbæsədər/

a diplomat of the highest rank; accredited as representative from one country to another

From this reading “HOW THE AMBASSADOR OF THE DUC D’ANJOU ARRIVED AT THE LOUVRE, AND THE RECEPTION HE MET WITH.”

Catherine noun US /ˈkæθərən/

first wife of Henry VIII; Henry VIII's divorce from her was the initial step of the Reformation in England (1485-1536)

From this reading “As neither Catherine nor the Duc d’Anjou reappeared at the Louvre, the dissension between the brothers became apparently every day more and more certain.”

counseled verb US /ˈkaʊnsəld/

past form of “counsel” — give advice to

From this reading “The minions added, “François, badly counseled, has detained the queen-mother.””

detained verb US /dɪˈteɪnd/

past form of “detain” — deprive of freedom; take into confinement

From this reading “The minions added, “François, badly counseled, has detained the queen-mother.””

dissension noun US /dɪˈsenʃən/

disagreement among those expected to cooperate

From this reading “As neither Catherine nor the Duc d’Anjou reappeared at the Louvre, the dissension between the brothers became apparently every day more and more certain.”

louvre noun US /ˈluːvrə/

an art museum that is a famous tourist attraction in Paris

From this reading “HOW THE AMBASSADOR OF THE DUC D’ANJOU ARRIVED AT THE LOUVRE, AND THE RECEPTION HE MET WITH.”

minions noun US /ˈmɪnjənz/

plural of “minion” — a servile or fawning dependant

From this reading “The minions added, “François, badly counseled, has detained the queen-mother.””

reappeared verb US /ˌriːəˈpɪrd/

past form of “reappear” — appear again

From this reading “As neither Catherine nor the Duc d’Anjou reappeared at the Louvre, the dissension between the brothers became apparently every day more and more certain.”

All words in this reading · 41

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.

addedverbUS /ˈædəd/

past form of “add” — make an addition (to); join or combine or unite with others; increase the quality, quantity, size or scope of

From this reading The minions added, “François, badly counseled, has detained the queen-mother.”

AMBASSADORnounUS /æmˈbæsədər/

a diplomat of the highest rank; accredited as representative from one country to another

From this reading HOW THE AMBASSADOR OF THE DUC D’ANJOU ARRIVED AT THE LOUVRE, AND THE RECEPTION HE MET WITH.

ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading HOW THE AMBASSADOR OF THE DUC D’ANJOU ARRIVED AT THE LOUVRE, AND THE RECEPTION HE MET WITH.

apparentlyadverbUS /əˈperəntli/

from appearances alone

From this reading As neither Catherine nor the Duc d’Anjou reappeared at the Louvre, the dissension between the brothers became apparently every day more and more certain.

ARRIVEDverbUS /ərˈaɪvd/

past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress

From this reading HOW THE AMBASSADOR OF THE DUC D’ANJOU ARRIVED AT THE LOUVRE, AND THE RECEPTION HE MET WITH.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading As neither Catherine nor the Duc d’Anjou reappeared at the Louvre, the dissension between the brothers became apparently every day more and more certain.

ATprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading HOW THE AMBASSADOR OF THE DUC D’ANJOU ARRIVED AT THE LOUVRE, AND THE RECEPTION HE MET WITH.

badadjectiveUS /bæd/

having undesirable or negative qualities

From this reading The king thought, “No news, bad news.”

badlyadverbUS /ˈbædli/

to a severe or serious degree

From this reading The minions added, “François, badly counseled, has detained the queen-mother.”

becameverbUS /bɪˈkeɪm/

inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading As neither Catherine nor the Duc d’Anjou reappeared at the Louvre, the dissension between the brothers became apparently every day more and more certain.

betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading As neither Catherine nor the Duc d’Anjou reappeared at the Louvre, the dissension between the brothers became apparently every day more and more certain.

brothersnounUS /ˈbrʌðərz/

plural of “brother” — a male with the same parents as someone else

From this reading As neither Catherine nor the Duc d’Anjou reappeared at the Louvre, the dissension between the brothers became apparently every day more and more certain.

CatherinenounUS /ˈkæθərən/

first wife of Henry VIII; Henry VIII's divorce from her was the initial step of the Reformation in England (1485-1536)

From this reading As neither Catherine nor the Duc d’Anjou reappeared at the Louvre, the dissension between the brothers became apparently every day more and more certain.

certainadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrtən/

definite but not specified or identified

From this reading As neither Catherine nor the Duc d’Anjou reappeared at the Louvre, the dissension between the brothers became apparently every day more and more certain.

counseledverbUS /ˈkaʊnsəld/

past form of “counsel” — give advice to

From this reading The minions added, “François, badly counseled, has detained the queen-mother.”

D'ANJOU

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

From this reading HOW THE AMBASSADOR OF THE DUC D’ANJOU ARRIVED AT THE LOUVRE, AND THE RECEPTION HE MET WITH.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading As neither Catherine nor the Duc d’Anjou reappeared at the Louvre, the dissension between the brothers became apparently every day more and more certain.

detainedverbUS /dɪˈteɪnd/

past form of “detain” — deprive of freedom; take into confinement

From this reading The minions added, “François, badly counseled, has detained the queen-mother.”

dissensionnounUS /dɪˈsenʃən/

disagreement among those expected to cooperate

From this reading As neither Catherine nor the Duc d’Anjou reappeared at the Louvre, the dissension between the brothers became apparently every day more and more certain.

DUC

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

From this reading HOW THE AMBASSADOR OF THE DUC D’ANJOU ARRIVED AT THE LOUVRE, AND THE RECEPTION HE MET WITH.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading As neither Catherine nor the Duc d’Anjou reappeared at the Louvre, the dissension between the brothers became apparently every day more and more certain.

François

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

From this reading The minions added, “François, badly counseled, has detained the queen-mother.”

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading The minions added, “François, badly counseled, has detained the queen-mother.”

HEpronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading HOW THE AMBASSADOR OF THE DUC D’ANJOU ARRIVED AT THE LOUVRE, AND THE RECEPTION HE MET WITH.

HOW

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

From this reading HOW THE AMBASSADOR OF THE DUC D’ANJOU ARRIVED AT THE LOUVRE, AND THE RECEPTION HE MET WITH.

kingnounUS /kɪŋ/

a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom

From this reading The king thought, “No news, bad news.”

LOUVREnounUS /ˈluːvrə/

an art museum that is a famous tourist attraction in Paris

From this reading HOW THE AMBASSADOR OF THE DUC D’ANJOU ARRIVED AT THE LOUVRE, AND THE RECEPTION HE MET WITH.

METverbUS /met/

inflected form of “meet” — come together

From this reading HOW THE AMBASSADOR OF THE DUC D’ANJOU ARRIVED AT THE LOUVRE, AND THE RECEPTION HE MET WITH.

minionsnounUS /ˈmɪnjənz/

plural of “minion” — a servile or fawning dependant

From this reading The minions added, “François, badly counseled, has detained the queen-mother.”

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

From this reading As neither Catherine nor the Duc d’Anjou reappeared at the Louvre, the dissension between the brothers became apparently every day more and more certain.

neitherdeterminerUS /ˈniːðər/

not one and not the other of two

From this reading As neither Catherine nor the Duc d’Anjou reappeared at the Louvre, the dissension between the brothers became apparently every day more and more certain.

newsnounUS /nuːz/

information about recent and important events

From this reading The king thought, “No news, bad news.”

NodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading The king thought, “No news, bad news.”

norconjunctionUS /nɔːr/

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading As neither Catherine nor the Duc d’Anjou reappeared at the Louvre, the dissension between the brothers became apparently every day more and more certain.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading HOW THE AMBASSADOR OF THE DUC D’ANJOU ARRIVED AT THE LOUVRE, AND THE RECEPTION HE MET WITH.

queen-mother

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

From this reading The minions added, “François, badly counseled, has detained the queen-mother.”

reappearedverbUS /ˌriːəˈpɪrd/

past form of “reappear” — appear again

From this reading As neither Catherine nor the Duc d’Anjou reappeared at the Louvre, the dissension between the brothers became apparently every day more and more certain.

RECEPTIONnounUS /rɪˈsepʃən/

the manner in which something is greeted

From this reading HOW THE AMBASSADOR OF THE DUC D’ANJOU ARRIVED AT THE LOUVRE, AND THE RECEPTION HE MET WITH.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading HOW THE AMBASSADOR OF THE DUC D’ANJOU ARRIVED AT THE LOUVRE, AND THE RECEPTION HE MET WITH.

thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

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

From this reading The king thought, “No news, bad news.”

WITHprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading HOW THE AMBASSADOR OF THE DUC D’ANJOU ARRIVED AT THE LOUVRE, AND THE RECEPTION HE MET WITH.

Chapter 31 of Chicot the Jester by Alexandre Dumas holds 150 sentences, grouped into 30 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 31 of Chicot the Jester contain?

Chapter 31 holds 150 sentences of Chicot the Jester, unabridged, divided into 30 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 31 of Chicot the Jester by Alexandre Dumas exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 150 sentences, grouped into 30 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 31 of Chicot the Jester?

Work through the 30 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 30 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 31 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 31 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 Chicot the Jester

Common questions about reading Chicot the Jester by Alexandre Dumas on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Chicot the Jester?

Yes. All 10823 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #7426 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Chicot the Jester is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #7426, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Chicot the Jester take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 2165 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Chicot the Jester section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of Chicot the Jester 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 Chicot the Jester

Words and structures a reader meets early in Chicot the Jester, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Wedding
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Chicot the Jester; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Evening
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Chicot the Jester; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Sunday
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Chicot the Jester; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Splendid
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Chicot the Jester; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.