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Cobwebs and Cables
Cobwebs and Cables

Chapter XIII

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Context Illustration Reading 1/45 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE DEAD ARE FORGIVEN.
Roland Sefton's pocket-book, containing his passport and the papers and photographs, had reached Mr. Clifford the day before, with an official intimation of his death from the consulate at Berne.
The identification was complete, and the inquiry into the fatal accident had resulted in blame to no one, as the traveller had declined the services of a trustworthy guide from Meirengen to Engelberg.
This was precisely what Roland would have done, the whole country being as familiar to him as to any native.
No doubt crossed Mr. Clifford's mind that his old friend's son had met his untimely end while a fugitive from his country, from dread chiefly of his own implacable sense of justice.
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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.

Cobwebs and Cables

Chapter XIII

Reading 1/45 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE DEAD ARE FORGIVEN.
Line 2
Roland Sefton's pocket-book, containing his passport and the papers and photographs, had reached Mr. Clifford the day before, with an official intimation of his death from the consulate at Berne.
Line 3
The identification was complete, and the inquiry into the fatal accident had resulted in blame to no one, as the traveller had declined the services of a trustworthy guide from Meirengen to Engelberg.
Line 4
This was precisely what Roland would have done, the whole country being as familiar to him as to any native.
Line 5
No doubt crossed Mr. Clifford's mind that his old friend's son had met his untimely end while a fugitive from his country, from dread chiefly of his own implacable sense of justice.

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

Before preposition US /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading “Roland Sefton's pocket-book, containing his passport and the papers and photographs, had reached Mr. Clifford the day before, with an official intimation of his death from the consulate at Berne.”

Being auxiliary verb US /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading “This was precisely what Roland would have done, the whole country being as familiar to him as to any native.”

Complete noun US /complete/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The identification was complete, and the inquiry into the fatal accident had resulted in blame to no one, as the traveller had declined the services of a trustworthy guide from Meirengen to Engelberg.”

DEAD noun US /dead/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “THE DEAD ARE FORGIVEN.”

Done noun US /done/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “This was precisely what Roland would have done, the whole country being as familiar to him as to any native.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “This was precisely what Roland would have done, the whole country being as familiar to him as to any native.”

Mind noun US /mind/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “No doubt crossed Mr. Clifford's mind that his old friend's son had met his untimely end while a fugitive from his country, from dread chiefly of his own implacable sense of justice.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “The identification was complete, and the inquiry into the fatal accident had resulted in blame to no one, as the traveller had declined the services of a trustworthy guide from Meirengen to Engelberg.”

While conjunction US /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading “No doubt crossed Mr. Clifford's mind that his old friend's son had met his untimely end while a fugitive from his country, from dread chiefly of his own implacable sense of justice.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading “This was precisely what Roland would have done, the whole country being as familiar to him as to any native.”

All words in this reading · 83

Every word is available to listen to. 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 identification was complete, and the inquiry into the fatal accident had resulted in blame to no one, as the traveller had declined the services of a trustworthy guide from Meirengen to Engelberg.

accident

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

From this reading The identification was complete, and the inquiry into the fatal accident had resulted in blame to no one, as the traveller had declined the services of a trustworthy guide from Meirengen to Engelberg.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading Roland Sefton's pocket-book, containing his passport and the papers and photographs, had reached Mr. Clifford the day before, with an official intimation of his death from the consulate at Berne.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Roland Sefton's pocket-book, containing his passport and the papers and photographs, had reached Mr. Clifford the day before, with an official intimation of his death from the consulate at Berne.

any

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

From this reading This was precisely what Roland would have done, the whole country being as familiar to him as to any native.

AREauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading THE DEAD ARE FORGIVEN.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading The identification was complete, and the inquiry into the fatal accident had resulted in blame to no one, as the traveller had declined the services of a trustworthy guide from Meirengen to Engelberg.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Roland Sefton's pocket-book, containing his passport and the papers and photographs, had reached Mr. Clifford the day before, with an official intimation of his death from the consulate at Berne.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading Roland Sefton's pocket-book, containing his passport and the papers and photographs, had reached Mr. Clifford the day before, with an official intimation of his death from the consulate at Berne.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading This was precisely what Roland would have done, the whole country being as familiar to him as to any native.

Berne

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

From this reading Roland Sefton's pocket-book, containing his passport and the papers and photographs, had reached Mr. Clifford the day before, with an official intimation of his death from the consulate at Berne.

blame

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

From this reading The identification was complete, and the inquiry into the fatal accident had resulted in blame to no one, as the traveller had declined the services of a trustworthy guide from Meirengen to Engelberg.

chiefly

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

From this reading No doubt crossed Mr. Clifford's mind that his old friend's son had met his untimely end while a fugitive from his country, from dread chiefly of his own implacable sense of justice.

Clifford

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

From this reading Roland Sefton's pocket-book, containing his passport and the papers and photographs, had reached Mr. Clifford the day before, with an official intimation of his death from the consulate at Berne.

Clifford's

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

From this reading No doubt crossed Mr. Clifford's mind that his old friend's son had met his untimely end while a fugitive from his country, from dread chiefly of his own implacable sense of justice.

completenounUS /complete/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The identification was complete, and the inquiry into the fatal accident had resulted in blame to no one, as the traveller had declined the services of a trustworthy guide from Meirengen to Engelberg.

consulate

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

From this reading Roland Sefton's pocket-book, containing his passport and the papers and photographs, had reached Mr. Clifford the day before, with an official intimation of his death from the consulate at Berne.

containing

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

From this reading Roland Sefton's pocket-book, containing his passport and the papers and photographs, had reached Mr. Clifford the day before, with an official intimation of his death from the consulate at Berne.

country

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

From this reading This was precisely what Roland would have done, the whole country being as familiar to him as to any native.

crossed

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

From this reading No doubt crossed Mr. Clifford's mind that his old friend's son had met his untimely end while a fugitive from his country, from dread chiefly of his own implacable sense of justice.

day

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

From this reading Roland Sefton's pocket-book, containing his passport and the papers and photographs, had reached Mr. Clifford the day before, with an official intimation of his death from the consulate at Berne.

DEADnounUS /dead/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading THE DEAD ARE FORGIVEN.

death

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

From this reading Roland Sefton's pocket-book, containing his passport and the papers and photographs, had reached Mr. Clifford the day before, with an official intimation of his death from the consulate at Berne.

declined

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

From this reading The identification was complete, and the inquiry into the fatal accident had resulted in blame to no one, as the traveller had declined the services of a trustworthy guide from Meirengen to Engelberg.

donenounUS /done/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading This was precisely what Roland would have done, the whole country being as familiar to him as to any native.

doubt

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

From this reading No doubt crossed Mr. Clifford's mind that his old friend's son had met his untimely end while a fugitive from his country, from dread chiefly of his own implacable sense of justice.

dread

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

From this reading No doubt crossed Mr. Clifford's mind that his old friend's son had met his untimely end while a fugitive from his country, from dread chiefly of his own implacable sense of justice.

end

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

From this reading No doubt crossed Mr. Clifford's mind that his old friend's son had met his untimely end while a fugitive from his country, from dread chiefly of his own implacable sense of justice.

Engelberg

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

From this reading The identification was complete, and the inquiry into the fatal accident had resulted in blame to no one, as the traveller had declined the services of a trustworthy guide from Meirengen to Engelberg.

familiar

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

From this reading This was precisely what Roland would have done, the whole country being as familiar to him as to any native.

fatal

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

From this reading The identification was complete, and the inquiry into the fatal accident had resulted in blame to no one, as the traveller had declined the services of a trustworthy guide from Meirengen to Engelberg.

FORGIVEN

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

From this reading THE DEAD ARE FORGIVEN.

friend's

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

From this reading No doubt crossed Mr. Clifford's mind that his old friend's son had met his untimely end while a fugitive from his country, from dread chiefly of his own implacable sense of justice.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Roland Sefton's pocket-book, containing his passport and the papers and photographs, had reached Mr. Clifford the day before, with an official intimation of his death from the consulate at Berne.

fugitive

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

From this reading No doubt crossed Mr. Clifford's mind that his old friend's son had met his untimely end while a fugitive from his country, from dread chiefly of his own implacable sense of justice.

guide

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

From this reading The identification was complete, and the inquiry into the fatal accident had resulted in blame to no one, as the traveller had declined the services of a trustworthy guide from Meirengen to Engelberg.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Roland Sefton's pocket-book, containing his passport and the papers and photographs, had reached Mr. Clifford the day before, with an official intimation of his death from the consulate at Berne.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading This was precisely what Roland would have done, the whole country being as familiar to him as to any native.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading This was precisely what Roland would have done, the whole country being as familiar to him as to any native.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Roland Sefton's pocket-book, containing his passport and the papers and photographs, had reached Mr. Clifford the day before, with an official intimation of his death from the consulate at Berne.

identification

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

From this reading The identification was complete, and the inquiry into the fatal accident had resulted in blame to no one, as the traveller had declined the services of a trustworthy guide from Meirengen to Engelberg.

implacable

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

From this reading No doubt crossed Mr. Clifford's mind that his old friend's son had met his untimely end while a fugitive from his country, from dread chiefly of his own implacable sense of justice.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The identification was complete, and the inquiry into the fatal accident had resulted in blame to no one, as the traveller had declined the services of a trustworthy guide from Meirengen to Engelberg.

inquiry

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

From this reading The identification was complete, and the inquiry into the fatal accident had resulted in blame to no one, as the traveller had declined the services of a trustworthy guide from Meirengen to Engelberg.

intimation

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

From this reading Roland Sefton's pocket-book, containing his passport and the papers and photographs, had reached Mr. Clifford the day before, with an official intimation of his death from the consulate at Berne.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading The identification was complete, and the inquiry into the fatal accident had resulted in blame to no one, as the traveller had declined the services of a trustworthy guide from Meirengen to Engelberg.

justice

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

From this reading No doubt crossed Mr. Clifford's mind that his old friend's son had met his untimely end while a fugitive from his country, from dread chiefly of his own implacable sense of justice.

Meirengen

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

From this reading The identification was complete, and the inquiry into the fatal accident had resulted in blame to no one, as the traveller had declined the services of a trustworthy guide from Meirengen to Engelberg.

met

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

From this reading No doubt crossed Mr. Clifford's mind that his old friend's son had met his untimely end while a fugitive from his country, from dread chiefly of his own implacable sense of justice.

mindnounUS /mind/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading No doubt crossed Mr. Clifford's mind that his old friend's son had met his untimely end while a fugitive from his country, from dread chiefly of his own implacable sense of justice.

Mr

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

From this reading Roland Sefton's pocket-book, containing his passport and the papers and photographs, had reached Mr. Clifford the day before, with an official intimation of his death from the consulate at Berne.

native

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

From this reading This was precisely what Roland would have done, the whole country being as familiar to him as to any native.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading The identification was complete, and the inquiry into the fatal accident had resulted in blame to no one, as the traveller had declined the services of a trustworthy guide from Meirengen to Engelberg.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Roland Sefton's pocket-book, containing his passport and the papers and photographs, had reached Mr. Clifford the day before, with an official intimation of his death from the consulate at Berne.

official

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

From this reading Roland Sefton's pocket-book, containing his passport and the papers and photographs, had reached Mr. Clifford the day before, with an official intimation of his death from the consulate at Berne.

old

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

From this reading No doubt crossed Mr. Clifford's mind that his old friend's son had met his untimely end while a fugitive from his country, from dread chiefly of his own implacable sense of justice.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading The identification was complete, and the inquiry into the fatal accident had resulted in blame to no one, as the traveller had declined the services of a trustworthy guide from Meirengen to Engelberg.

own

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

From this reading No doubt crossed Mr. Clifford's mind that his old friend's son had met his untimely end while a fugitive from his country, from dread chiefly of his own implacable sense of justice.

papers

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

From this reading Roland Sefton's pocket-book, containing his passport and the papers and photographs, had reached Mr. Clifford the day before, with an official intimation of his death from the consulate at Berne.

passport

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

From this reading Roland Sefton's pocket-book, containing his passport and the papers and photographs, had reached Mr. Clifford the day before, with an official intimation of his death from the consulate at Berne.

photographs

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

From this reading Roland Sefton's pocket-book, containing his passport and the papers and photographs, had reached Mr. Clifford the day before, with an official intimation of his death from the consulate at Berne.

pocket-book

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

From this reading Roland Sefton's pocket-book, containing his passport and the papers and photographs, had reached Mr. Clifford the day before, with an official intimation of his death from the consulate at Berne.

precisely

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

From this reading This was precisely what Roland would have done, the whole country being as familiar to him as to any native.

reached

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

From this reading Roland Sefton's pocket-book, containing his passport and the papers and photographs, had reached Mr. Clifford the day before, with an official intimation of his death from the consulate at Berne.

resulted

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

From this reading The identification was complete, and the inquiry into the fatal accident had resulted in blame to no one, as the traveller had declined the services of a trustworthy guide from Meirengen to Engelberg.

Roland

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

From this reading Roland Sefton's pocket-book, containing his passport and the papers and photographs, had reached Mr. Clifford the day before, with an official intimation of his death from the consulate at Berne.

Sefton's

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

From this reading Roland Sefton's pocket-book, containing his passport and the papers and photographs, had reached Mr. Clifford the day before, with an official intimation of his death from the consulate at Berne.

sense

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

From this reading No doubt crossed Mr. Clifford's mind that his old friend's son had met his untimely end while a fugitive from his country, from dread chiefly of his own implacable sense of justice.

services

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

From this reading The identification was complete, and the inquiry into the fatal accident had resulted in blame to no one, as the traveller had declined the services of a trustworthy guide from Meirengen to Engelberg.

son

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

From this reading No doubt crossed Mr. Clifford's mind that his old friend's son had met his untimely end while a fugitive from his country, from dread chiefly of his own implacable sense of justice.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading No doubt crossed Mr. Clifford's mind that his old friend's son had met his untimely end while a fugitive from his country, from dread chiefly of his own implacable sense of justice.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE DEAD ARE FORGIVEN.

ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading This was precisely what Roland would have done, the whole country being as familiar to him as to any native.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The identification was complete, and the inquiry into the fatal accident had resulted in blame to no one, as the traveller had declined the services of a trustworthy guide from Meirengen to Engelberg.

traveller

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

From this reading The identification was complete, and the inquiry into the fatal accident had resulted in blame to no one, as the traveller had declined the services of a trustworthy guide from Meirengen to Engelberg.

trustworthy

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

From this reading The identification was complete, and the inquiry into the fatal accident had resulted in blame to no one, as the traveller had declined the services of a trustworthy guide from Meirengen to Engelberg.

untimely

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

From this reading No doubt crossed Mr. Clifford's mind that his old friend's son had met his untimely end while a fugitive from his country, from dread chiefly of his own implacable sense of justice.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The identification was complete, and the inquiry into the fatal accident had resulted in blame to no one, as the traveller had declined the services of a trustworthy guide from Meirengen to Engelberg.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading This was precisely what Roland would have done, the whole country being as familiar to him as to any native.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading No doubt crossed Mr. Clifford's mind that his old friend's son had met his untimely end while a fugitive from his country, from dread chiefly of his own implacable sense of justice.

whole

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

From this reading This was precisely what Roland would have done, the whole country being as familiar to him as to any native.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Roland Sefton's pocket-book, containing his passport and the papers and photographs, had reached Mr. Clifford the day before, with an official intimation of his death from the consulate at Berne.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading This was precisely what Roland would have done, the whole country being as familiar to him as to any native.