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Condensed Novels
Condensed Novels

Chapter XVII · Chapter 17

Chapter 17 of Condensed Novels is here in full — 91 sentences across 19 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/18 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
When the bells again rang on the new parish church of Sloperton it was for the marriage of Sir Rupert Sedilia and his cousin, the only remaining members of the family.
Five more ghosts were added to the supernatural population of Sloperton Grange.
Perhaps this was the reason why Sir Rupert sold the property shortly afterward, and that for many years a dark shadow seemed to hang over the ruins of Sloperton Grange.
THE NINETY-NINE GUARDSMEN.
BY AL--X--D--R D--M--S SHOWING THE QUALITY OF THE CUSTOMERS OF THE INNKEEPER OF PROVINS.
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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.

Condensed Novels

Chapter XVII · Chapter 17

Chapter 17 of Condensed Novels is here in full — 91 sentences across 19 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/18 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
When the bells again rang on the new parish church of Sloperton it was for the marriage of Sir Rupert Sedilia and his cousin, the only remaining members of the family.
Line 2
Five more ghosts were added to the supernatural population of Sloperton Grange.
Line 3
Perhaps this was the reason why Sir Rupert sold the property shortly afterward, and that for many years a dark shadow seemed to hang over the ruins of Sloperton Grange.
Line 4
THE NINETY-NINE GUARDSMEN.
Line 5
BY AL--X--D--R D--M--S SHOWING THE QUALITY OF THE CUSTOMERS OF THE INNKEEPER OF PROVINS.

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.

customers noun US /ˈkʌstəmərz/

plural of “customer” — someone who pays for goods or services

From this reading “BY AL--X--D--R D--M--S SHOWING THE QUALITY OF THE CUSTOMERS OF THE INNKEEPER OF PROVINS.”

ghosts noun US /ɡoʊsts/

plural of “ghost” — a mental representation of some haunting experience

From this reading “Five more ghosts were added to the supernatural population of Sloperton Grange.”

Grange noun US /ɡreɪndʒ/

an outlying farm

From this reading “Five more ghosts were added to the supernatural population of Sloperton Grange.”

guardsmen noun US /ˈɡɑːrdzmɪn/

plural of “guardsman” — a soldier who is a member of a unit called “the guard” or “guards”

From this reading “THE NINETY-NINE GUARDSMEN.”

innkeeper noun US /ˈɪnkiːpər/

the owner or manager of an inn

From this reading “BY AL--X--D--R D--M--S SHOWING THE QUALITY OF THE CUSTOMERS OF THE INNKEEPER OF PROVINS.”

population noun US /ˌpɑːpjəˈleɪʃən/

the people who inhabit a territory or state

From this reading “Five more ghosts were added to the supernatural population of Sloperton Grange.”

Rupert noun US /ˈruːpərt/

English leader (born in Germany) of the Royalist forces during the English Civil War (1619-1682)

From this reading “When the bells again rang on the new parish church of Sloperton it was for the marriage of Sir Rupert Sedilia and his cousin, the only remaining members of the family.”

supernatural noun US /ˌsuːpərˈnætʃərəl/

supernatural forces and events and beings collectively

From this reading “Five more ghosts were added to the supernatural population of Sloperton Grange.”

All words in this reading · 66

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 Perhaps this was the reason why Sir Rupert sold the property shortly afterward, and that for many years a dark shadow seemed to hang over the ruins of Sloperton Grange.

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 Five more ghosts were added to the supernatural population of Sloperton Grange.

afterwardadverbUS /ˈæftərwərd/

happening at a time subsequent to a reference time

From this reading Perhaps this was the reason why Sir Rupert sold the property shortly afterward, and that for many years a dark shadow seemed to hang over the ruins of Sloperton Grange.

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading When the bells again rang on the new parish church of Sloperton it was for the marriage of Sir Rupert Sedilia and his cousin, the only remaining members of the family.

ALnounUS /æl/

a silvery ductile metallic element found primarily in bauxite

From this reading BY AL--X--D--R D--M--S SHOWING THE QUALITY OF THE CUSTOMERS OF THE INNKEEPER OF PROVINS.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading When the bells again rang on the new parish church of Sloperton it was for the marriage of Sir Rupert Sedilia and his cousin, the only remaining members of the family.

bellsnounUS /belz/

plural of “bell” — a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck

From this reading When the bells again rang on the new parish church of Sloperton it was for the marriage of Sir Rupert Sedilia and his cousin, the only remaining members of the family.

BYprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading BY AL--X--D--R D--M--S SHOWING THE QUALITY OF THE CUSTOMERS OF THE INNKEEPER OF PROVINS.

churchnounUS /tʃɜːrtʃ/

one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship

From this reading When the bells again rang on the new parish church of Sloperton it was for the marriage of Sir Rupert Sedilia and his cousin, the only remaining members of the family.

cousinnounUS /ˈkʌzən/

the child of your aunt or uncle

From this reading When the bells again rang on the new parish church of Sloperton it was for the marriage of Sir Rupert Sedilia and his cousin, the only remaining members of the family.

CUSTOMERSnounUS /ˈkʌstəmərz/

plural of “customer” — someone who pays for goods or services

From this reading BY AL--X--D--R D--M--S SHOWING THE QUALITY OF THE CUSTOMERS OF THE INNKEEPER OF PROVINS.

DnounUS /diː/

a fat-soluble vitamin that prevents rickets

From this reading BY AL--X--D--R D--M--S SHOWING THE QUALITY OF THE CUSTOMERS OF THE INNKEEPER OF PROVINS.

darknounUS /dɑːrk/

absence of light or illumination

From this reading Perhaps this was the reason why Sir Rupert sold the property shortly afterward, and that for many years a dark shadow seemed to hang over the ruins of Sloperton Grange.

familynounUS /ˈfæməli/

a social unit living together

From this reading When the bells again rang on the new parish church of Sloperton it was for the marriage of Sir Rupert Sedilia and his cousin, the only remaining members of the family.

FivenounUS /faɪv/

the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one

From this reading Five more ghosts were added to the supernatural population of Sloperton Grange.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading When the bells again rang on the new parish church of Sloperton it was for the marriage of Sir Rupert Sedilia and his cousin, the only remaining members of the family.

ghostsnounUS /ɡoʊsts/

plural of “ghost” — a mental representation of some haunting experience

From this reading Five more ghosts were added to the supernatural population of Sloperton Grange.

GrangenounUS /ɡreɪndʒ/

an outlying farm

From this reading Five more ghosts were added to the supernatural population of Sloperton Grange.

GUARDSMENnounUS /ˈɡɑːrdzmɪn/

plural of “guardsman” — a soldier who is a member of a unit called “the guard” or “guards”

From this reading THE NINETY-NINE GUARDSMEN.

hangverbUS /hæŋ/

be suspended or hanging

From this reading Perhaps this was the reason why Sir Rupert sold the property shortly afterward, and that for many years a dark shadow seemed to hang over the ruins of Sloperton Grange.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading When the bells again rang on the new parish church of Sloperton it was for the marriage of Sir Rupert Sedilia and his cousin, the only remaining members of the family.

INNKEEPERnounUS /ˈɪnkiːpər/

the owner or manager of an inn

From this reading BY AL--X--D--R D--M--S SHOWING THE QUALITY OF THE CUSTOMERS OF THE INNKEEPER OF PROVINS.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading When the bells again rang on the new parish church of Sloperton it was for the marriage of Sir Rupert Sedilia and his cousin, the only remaining members of the family.

MnounUS /em/

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

From this reading BY AL--X--D--R D--M--S SHOWING THE QUALITY OF THE CUSTOMERS OF THE INNKEEPER OF PROVINS.

manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading Perhaps this was the reason why Sir Rupert sold the property shortly afterward, and that for many years a dark shadow seemed to hang over the ruins of Sloperton Grange.

marriagenounUS /ˈmerɪdʒ/

the state of being a married couple voluntarily joined for life (or until divorce)

From this reading When the bells again rang on the new parish church of Sloperton it was for the marriage of Sir Rupert Sedilia and his cousin, the only remaining members of the family.

membersnounUS /ˈmembərz/

plural of “member” — one of the persons who compose a social group (especially individuals who have joined and participate in a group organization)

From this reading When the bells again rang on the new parish church of Sloperton it was for the marriage of Sir Rupert Sedilia and his cousin, the only remaining members of the family.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

From this reading Five more ghosts were added to the supernatural population of Sloperton Grange.

newadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading When the bells again rang on the new parish church of Sloperton it was for the marriage of Sir Rupert Sedilia and his cousin, the only remaining members of the family.

NINETY-NINEadjective

being one less than one hundred and nine more than ninety

From this reading THE NINETY-NINE GUARDSMEN.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading When the bells again rang on the new parish church of Sloperton it was for the marriage of Sir Rupert Sedilia and his cousin, the only remaining members of the family.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading When the bells again rang on the new parish church of Sloperton it was for the marriage of Sir Rupert Sedilia and his cousin, the only remaining members of the family.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading When the bells again rang on the new parish church of Sloperton it was for the marriage of Sir Rupert Sedilia and his cousin, the only remaining members of the family.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading Perhaps this was the reason why Sir Rupert sold the property shortly afterward, and that for many years a dark shadow seemed to hang over the ruins of Sloperton Grange.

parishnounUS /ˈpærɪʃ/

a local church community

From this reading When the bells again rang on the new parish church of Sloperton it was for the marriage of Sir Rupert Sedilia and his cousin, the only remaining members of the family.

PerhapsadverbUS /pərˈhæps/

by chance

From this reading Perhaps this was the reason why Sir Rupert sold the property shortly afterward, and that for many years a dark shadow seemed to hang over the ruins of Sloperton Grange.

populationnounUS /ˌpɑːpjəˈleɪʃən/

the people who inhabit a territory or state

From this reading Five more ghosts were added to the supernatural population of Sloperton Grange.

propertynounUS /ˈprɑːpərti/

something owned; any tangible or intangible possession that is owned by someone

From this reading Perhaps this was the reason why Sir Rupert sold the property shortly afterward, and that for many years a dark shadow seemed to hang over the ruins of Sloperton Grange.

PROVINS

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

From this reading BY AL--X--D--R D--M--S SHOWING THE QUALITY OF THE CUSTOMERS OF THE INNKEEPER OF PROVINS.

QUALITYnounUS /ˈkwɑːləti/

an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone

From this reading BY AL--X--D--R D--M--S SHOWING THE QUALITY OF THE CUSTOMERS OF THE INNKEEPER OF PROVINS.

RnounUS /ɑːr/

a unit of radiation exposure; the dose of ionizing radiation that will produce 1 electrostatic unit of electricity in 1 cc of dry air

From this reading BY AL--X--D--R D--M--S SHOWING THE QUALITY OF THE CUSTOMERS OF THE INNKEEPER OF PROVINS.

rangverbUS /ræŋ/

inflected form of “ring” — sound loudly and sonorously

From this reading When the bells again rang on the new parish church of Sloperton it was for the marriage of Sir Rupert Sedilia and his cousin, the only remaining members of the family.

reasonnounUS /ˈriːzən/

a rational motive for a belief or action

From this reading Perhaps this was the reason why Sir Rupert sold the property shortly afterward, and that for many years a dark shadow seemed to hang over the ruins of Sloperton Grange.

remainingadjectiveUS /rɪˈmeɪnɪŋ/

not used up

From this reading When the bells again rang on the new parish church of Sloperton it was for the marriage of Sir Rupert Sedilia and his cousin, the only remaining members of the family.

ruinsnounUS /ˈruːənz/

plural of “ruin” — an irrecoverable state of devastation and destruction

From this reading Perhaps this was the reason why Sir Rupert sold the property shortly afterward, and that for many years a dark shadow seemed to hang over the ruins of Sloperton Grange.

RupertnounUS /ˈruːpərt/

English leader (born in Germany) of the Royalist forces during the English Civil War (1619-1682)

From this reading When the bells again rang on the new parish church of Sloperton it was for the marriage of Sir Rupert Sedilia and his cousin, the only remaining members of the family.

SnounUS /es/

1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites

From this reading BY AL--X--D--R D--M--S SHOWING THE QUALITY OF THE CUSTOMERS OF THE INNKEEPER OF PROVINS.

Sedilia

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

From this reading When the bells again rang on the new parish church of Sloperton it was for the marriage of Sir Rupert Sedilia and his cousin, the only remaining members of the family.

seemedverbUS /siːmd/

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

From this reading Perhaps this was the reason why Sir Rupert sold the property shortly afterward, and that for many years a dark shadow seemed to hang over the ruins of Sloperton Grange.

shadownounUS /ˈʃæd.oʊ/

A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.

From this reading Perhaps this was the reason why Sir Rupert sold the property shortly afterward, and that for many years a dark shadow seemed to hang over the ruins of Sloperton Grange.

shortlyadverbUS /ˈʃɔːrtli/

for a short time

From this reading Perhaps this was the reason why Sir Rupert sold the property shortly afterward, and that for many years a dark shadow seemed to hang over the ruins of Sloperton Grange.

SHOWINGnounUS /ˈʃoʊɪŋ/

the display of a motion picture

From this reading BY AL--X--D--R D--M--S SHOWING THE QUALITY OF THE CUSTOMERS OF THE INNKEEPER OF PROVINS.

SirnounUS /sɜːr/

term of address for a man

From this reading When the bells again rang on the new parish church of Sloperton it was for the marriage of Sir Rupert Sedilia and his cousin, the only remaining members of the family.

Sloperton

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

From this reading When the bells again rang on the new parish church of Sloperton it was for the marriage of Sir Rupert Sedilia and his cousin, the only remaining members of the family.

soldadjectiveUS /soʊld/

disposed of to a purchaser

From this reading Perhaps this was the reason why Sir Rupert sold the property shortly afterward, and that for many years a dark shadow seemed to hang over the ruins of Sloperton Grange.

supernaturalnounUS /ˌsuːpərˈnætʃərəl/

supernatural forces and events and beings collectively

From this reading Five more ghosts were added to the supernatural population of Sloperton Grange.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Perhaps this was the reason why Sir Rupert sold the property shortly afterward, and that for many years a dark shadow seemed to hang over the ruins of Sloperton Grange.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading When the bells again rang on the new parish church of Sloperton it was for the marriage of Sir Rupert Sedilia and his cousin, the only remaining members of the family.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading Perhaps this was the reason why Sir Rupert sold the property shortly afterward, and that for many years a dark shadow seemed to hang over the ruins of Sloperton Grange.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Five more ghosts were added to the supernatural population of Sloperton Grange.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading When the bells again rang on the new parish church of Sloperton it was for the marriage of Sir Rupert Sedilia and his cousin, the only remaining members of the family.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Five more ghosts were added to the supernatural population of Sloperton Grange.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When the bells again rang on the new parish church of Sloperton it was for the marriage of Sir Rupert Sedilia and his cousin, the only remaining members of the family.

whynounUS /waɪ/

the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”

From this reading Perhaps this was the reason why Sir Rupert sold the property shortly afterward, and that for many years a dark shadow seemed to hang over the ruins of Sloperton Grange.

XnounUS /eks/

the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system

From this reading BY AL--X--D--R D--M--S SHOWING THE QUALITY OF THE CUSTOMERS OF THE INNKEEPER OF PROVINS.

yearsnounUS /jɪrz/

a late time of life

From this reading Perhaps this was the reason why Sir Rupert sold the property shortly afterward, and that for many years a dark shadow seemed to hang over the ruins of Sloperton Grange.

Chapter 17 of Condensed Novels by Bret Harte holds 91 sentences, grouped into 19 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 17 of Condensed Novels contain?

Chapter 17 holds 91 sentences of Condensed Novels, unabridged, divided into 19 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 17 of Condensed Novels by Bret Harte exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 91 sentences, grouped into 19 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 17 of Condensed Novels?

Work through the 19 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 19 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 17 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 17 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 Condensed Novels

Common questions about reading Condensed Novels by Bret Harte on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Condensed Novels?

Yes. All 1918 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2277 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Condensed Novels is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #2277, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Condensed Novels take to read?

About 159 minutes of reading across 384 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Condensed Novels section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 35 chapters of Condensed Novels 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 Condensed Novels

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

Dodds
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Condensed Novels; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Twenty
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Condensed Novels; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Slept
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Condensed Novels; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Under
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Condensed Novels; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.