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Condensed Novels
Condensed Novels

Chapter XXV · Chapter 25

Chapter 25 of Condensed Novels is here in full — 69 sentences across 14 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Condensed Novels
Context Illustration Reading 1/13 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"He carries weight, he rides a race, 'Tis for a thousand pound."
"There is Flora Billingsgate, the greatest coquette and hardest rider in the country," said my companion, Ralph Mortmain, as we stood upon Dingleby Common before the meet.
I looked up and beheld Guy Heavystone bending haughtily over the saddle, as he addressed a beautiful brunette.
She was indeed a splendidly groomed and high-spirited woman.
We were near enough to overhear the following conversation, which any high-toned reader will recognize as the common and natural expression of the higher classes.
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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 XXV · Chapter 25

Chapter 25 of Condensed Novels is here in full — 69 sentences across 14 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/13 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"He carries weight, he rides a race, 'Tis for a thousand pound."
/hiː ˈkæriz weɪt hiː raɪdz ə reɪs tɪz fɔːr ə ˈθaʊzənd paʊnd/
Line 2
"There is Flora Billingsgate, the greatest coquette and hardest rider in the country," said my companion, Ralph Mortmain, as we stood upon Dingleby Common before the meet.
Line 3
I looked up and beheld Guy Heavystone bending haughtily over the saddle, as he addressed a beautiful brunette.
Line 4
She was indeed a splendidly groomed and high-spirited woman.
/ʃiː wɑːz ˌɪnˈdiːd ə ˈsplendədli ɡruːmd ənd ˌhaɪˈspɪrɪdɪd ˈwʊmən/
Line 5
We were near enough to overhear the following conversation, which any high-toned reader will recognize as the common and natural expression of the higher classes.

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.

brunette noun US /bruːˈnet/

a person with dark (brown) hair

From this reading “I looked up and beheld Guy Heavystone bending haughtily over the saddle, as he addressed a beautiful brunette.”

groomed adjective US /ɡruːmd/

neat and smart in appearance; well cared for

From this reading “She was indeed a splendidly groomed and high-spirited woman.”

hardest adverb US /ˈhɑːrdəst/

superlative of “hard” — with effort or force or vigor

From this reading “"There is Flora Billingsgate, the greatest coquette and hardest rider in the country," said my companion, Ralph Mortmain, as we stood upon Dingleby Common before the meet.”

haughtily adverb US /ˈhɔːtɪli/

in a haughty manner

From this reading “I looked up and beheld Guy Heavystone bending haughtily over the saddle, as he addressed a beautiful brunette.”

high-spirited adjective US /ˌhaɪˈspɪrɪdɪd/

joyously unrestrained

From this reading “She was indeed a splendidly groomed and high-spirited woman.”

overhear verb US /ˈoʊvərˈhiːr/

hear, usually without the knowledge of the speakers

From this reading “We were near enough to overhear the following conversation, which any high-toned reader will recognize as the common and natural expression of the higher classes.”

rides noun US /raɪdz/

plural of “ride” — a journey in a vehicle (usually an automobile)

From this reading “"He carries weight, he rides a race, 'Tis for a thousand pound."”

splendidly adverb US /ˈsplendədli/

extremely well

From this reading “She was indeed a splendidly groomed and high-spirited woman.”

All words in this reading · 73

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 "He carries weight, he rides a race, 'Tis for a thousand pound."

addressedadjectiveUS /əˈdrest/

(of mail) marked with a destination

From this reading I looked up and beheld Guy Heavystone bending haughtily over the saddle, as he addressed a beautiful brunette.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading "There is Flora Billingsgate, the greatest coquette and hardest rider in the country," said my companion, Ralph Mortmain, as we stood upon Dingleby Common before the meet.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading We were near enough to overhear the following conversation, which any high-toned reader will recognize as the common and natural expression of the higher classes.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading "There is Flora Billingsgate, the greatest coquette and hardest rider in the country," said my companion, Ralph Mortmain, as we stood upon Dingleby Common before the meet.

beautifuladjectiveUS /ˈbjuːtəfəl/

delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration

From this reading I looked up and beheld Guy Heavystone bending haughtily over the saddle, as he addressed a beautiful brunette.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading "There is Flora Billingsgate, the greatest coquette and hardest rider in the country," said my companion, Ralph Mortmain, as we stood upon Dingleby Common before the meet.

beheldverbUS /biˈheld/

inflected form of “behold” — see with attention

From this reading I looked up and beheld Guy Heavystone bending haughtily over the saddle, as he addressed a beautiful brunette.

bendingnounUS /ˈbendɪŋ/

movement that causes the formation of a curve

From this reading I looked up and beheld Guy Heavystone bending haughtily over the saddle, as he addressed a beautiful brunette.

Billingsgatenoun

foul-mouthed or obscene abuse

From this reading "There is Flora Billingsgate, the greatest coquette and hardest rider in the country," said my companion, Ralph Mortmain, as we stood upon Dingleby Common before the meet.

brunettenounUS /bruːˈnet/

a person with dark (brown) hair

From this reading I looked up and beheld Guy Heavystone bending haughtily over the saddle, as he addressed a beautiful brunette.

carriesnounUS /ˈkæriz/

plural of “carry” — the act of carrying something

From this reading "He carries weight, he rides a race, 'Tis for a thousand pound."

classesnounUS /ˈklæsəz/

plural of “class” — a collection of things sharing a common attribute

From this reading We were near enough to overhear the following conversation, which any high-toned reader will recognize as the common and natural expression of the higher classes.

CommonadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːmən/

belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public

From this reading "There is Flora Billingsgate, the greatest coquette and hardest rider in the country," said my companion, Ralph Mortmain, as we stood upon Dingleby Common before the meet.

companionnounUS /kəmˈpænjən/

a friend who is frequently in the company of another

From this reading "There is Flora Billingsgate, the greatest coquette and hardest rider in the country," said my companion, Ralph Mortmain, as we stood upon Dingleby Common before the meet.

conversationnounUS /ˌkɑːnvərˈseɪʃən/

the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.

From this reading We were near enough to overhear the following conversation, which any high-toned reader will recognize as the common and natural expression of the higher classes.

coquettenoun

a seductive woman who uses her sex appeal to exploit men

From this reading "There is Flora Billingsgate, the greatest coquette and hardest rider in the country," said my companion, Ralph Mortmain, as we stood upon Dingleby Common before the meet.

countrynounUS /ˈkʌntri/

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading "There is Flora Billingsgate, the greatest coquette and hardest rider in the country," said my companion, Ralph Mortmain, as we stood upon Dingleby Common before the meet.

Dingleby

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

From this reading "There is Flora Billingsgate, the greatest coquette and hardest rider in the country," said my companion, Ralph Mortmain, as we stood upon Dingleby Common before the meet.

enoughnounUS /ɪˈnʌf/

an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose

From this reading We were near enough to overhear the following conversation, which any high-toned reader will recognize as the common and natural expression of the higher classes.

expressionnounUS /ɪkˈspreʃən/

the feelings expressed on a person's face

From this reading We were near enough to overhear the following conversation, which any high-toned reader will recognize as the common and natural expression of the higher classes.

FloranounUS /ˈflɔːrə/

all the plant life in a particular region or period

From this reading "There is Flora Billingsgate, the greatest coquette and hardest rider in the country," said my companion, Ralph Mortmain, as we stood upon Dingleby Common before the meet.

followingadjectiveUS /ˈfɑːloʊɪŋ/

about to be mentioned or specified

From this reading We were near enough to overhear the following conversation, which any high-toned reader will recognize as the common and natural expression of the higher classes.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading "He carries weight, he rides a race, 'Tis for a thousand pound."

greatestadjectiveUS /ˈɡreɪtəst/

highest in quality

From this reading "There is Flora Billingsgate, the greatest coquette and hardest rider in the country," said my companion, Ralph Mortmain, as we stood upon Dingleby Common before the meet.

groomedadjectiveUS /ɡruːmd/

neat and smart in appearance; well cared for

From this reading She was indeed a splendidly groomed and high-spirited woman.

GuynounUS /ɡaɪ/

an informal term for a youth or man

From this reading I looked up and beheld Guy Heavystone bending haughtily over the saddle, as he addressed a beautiful brunette.

hardestadverbUS /ˈhɑːrdəst/

superlative of “hard” — with effort or force or vigor

From this reading "There is Flora Billingsgate, the greatest coquette and hardest rider in the country," said my companion, Ralph Mortmain, as we stood upon Dingleby Common before the meet.

haughtilyadverbUS /ˈhɔːtɪli/

in a haughty manner

From this reading I looked up and beheld Guy Heavystone bending haughtily over the saddle, as he addressed a beautiful brunette.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading "He carries weight, he rides a race, 'Tis for a thousand pound."

Heavystone

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

From this reading I looked up and beheld Guy Heavystone bending haughtily over the saddle, as he addressed a beautiful brunette.

high-spiritedadjectiveUS /ˌhaɪˈspɪrɪdɪd/

joyously unrestrained

From this reading She was indeed a splendidly groomed and high-spirited woman.

high-tonedadjective

pretentiously elegant

From this reading We were near enough to overhear the following conversation, which any high-toned reader will recognize as the common and natural expression of the higher classes.

higheradjectiveUS /ˈhaɪər/

advanced in complexity or elaboration

From this reading We were near enough to overhear the following conversation, which any high-toned reader will recognize as the common and natural expression of the higher classes.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I looked up and beheld Guy Heavystone bending haughtily over the saddle, as he addressed a beautiful brunette.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading "There is Flora Billingsgate, the greatest coquette and hardest rider in the country," said my companion, Ralph Mortmain, as we stood upon Dingleby Common before the meet.

indeedadverbUS /ˌɪnˈdiːd/

in truth (often tends to intensify)

From this reading She was indeed a splendidly groomed and high-spirited woman.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading "There is Flora Billingsgate, the greatest coquette and hardest rider in the country," said my companion, Ralph Mortmain, as we stood upon Dingleby Common before the meet.

lookedverbUS /lʊkt/

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

From this reading I looked up and beheld Guy Heavystone bending haughtily over the saddle, as he addressed a beautiful brunette.

meetverbUS /miːt/

come together

From this reading "There is Flora Billingsgate, the greatest coquette and hardest rider in the country," said my companion, Ralph Mortmain, as we stood upon Dingleby Common before the meet.

Mortmainnoun

real property held inalienably (as by an ecclesiastical corporation)

From this reading "There is Flora Billingsgate, the greatest coquette and hardest rider in the country," said my companion, Ralph Mortmain, as we stood upon Dingleby Common before the meet.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading "There is Flora Billingsgate, the greatest coquette and hardest rider in the country," said my companion, Ralph Mortmain, as we stood upon Dingleby Common before the meet.

naturaladjectiveUS /ˈnætʃərəl/

in accordance with nature; relating to or concerning nature

From this reading We were near enough to overhear the following conversation, which any high-toned reader will recognize as the common and natural expression of the higher classes.

nearadverbUS /nɪr/

near in time or place or relationship

From this reading We were near enough to overhear the following conversation, which any high-toned reader will recognize as the common and natural expression of the higher classes.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading We were near enough to overhear the following conversation, which any high-toned reader will recognize as the common and natural expression of the higher classes.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading I looked up and beheld Guy Heavystone bending haughtily over the saddle, as he addressed a beautiful brunette.

overhearverbUS /ˈoʊvərˈhiːr/

hear, usually without the knowledge of the speakers

From this reading We were near enough to overhear the following conversation, which any high-toned reader will recognize as the common and natural expression of the higher classes.

poundverbUS /paʊnd/

hit hard with the hand, fist, or some heavy instrument

From this reading "He carries weight, he rides a race, 'Tis for a thousand pound."

racenounUS /reɪs/

any competition

From this reading "He carries weight, he rides a race, 'Tis for a thousand pound."

Ralph

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

From this reading "There is Flora Billingsgate, the greatest coquette and hardest rider in the country," said my companion, Ralph Mortmain, as we stood upon Dingleby Common before the meet.

readernounUS /ˈriːdər/

a person who enjoys reading

From this reading We were near enough to overhear the following conversation, which any high-toned reader will recognize as the common and natural expression of the higher classes.

recognizeverbUS /ˈrekəɡnaɪz/

accept (someone) to be what is claimed or accept his power and authority

From this reading We were near enough to overhear the following conversation, which any high-toned reader will recognize as the common and natural expression of the higher classes.

ridernounUS /ˈraɪdər/

a traveler who actively rides an animal (as a horse or camel)

From this reading "There is Flora Billingsgate, the greatest coquette and hardest rider in the country," said my companion, Ralph Mortmain, as we stood upon Dingleby Common before the meet.

ridesnounUS /raɪdz/

plural of “ride” — a journey in a vehicle (usually an automobile)

From this reading "He carries weight, he rides a race, 'Tis for a thousand pound."

saddleverbUS /ˈsædəl/

put a saddle on

From this reading I looked up and beheld Guy Heavystone bending haughtily over the saddle, as he addressed a beautiful brunette.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading "There is Flora Billingsgate, the greatest coquette and hardest rider in the country," said my companion, Ralph Mortmain, as we stood upon Dingleby Common before the meet.

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading She was indeed a splendidly groomed and high-spirited woman.

splendidlyadverbUS /ˈsplendədli/

extremely well

From this reading She was indeed a splendidly groomed and high-spirited woman.

stoodverbUS /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading "There is Flora Billingsgate, the greatest coquette and hardest rider in the country," said my companion, Ralph Mortmain, as we stood upon Dingleby Common before the meet.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading "There is Flora Billingsgate, the greatest coquette and hardest rider in the country," said my companion, Ralph Mortmain, as we stood upon Dingleby Common before the meet.

ThereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading "There is Flora Billingsgate, the greatest coquette and hardest rider in the country," said my companion, Ralph Mortmain, as we stood upon Dingleby Common before the meet.

thousandnounUS /ˈθaʊzənd/

the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100

From this reading "He carries weight, he rides a race, 'Tis for a thousand pound."

TisnounUS /tɪz/

plural of “ti” — a light strong grey lustrous corrosion-resistant metallic element used in strong lightweight alloys (as for airplane parts); the main sources are rutile and ilmenite

From this reading "He carries weight, he rides a race, 'Tis for a thousand pound."

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading We were near enough to overhear the following conversation, which any high-toned reader will recognize as the common and natural expression of the higher classes.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading I looked up and beheld Guy Heavystone bending haughtily over the saddle, as he addressed a beautiful brunette.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading "There is Flora Billingsgate, the greatest coquette and hardest rider in the country," said my companion, Ralph Mortmain, as we stood upon Dingleby Common before the meet.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading She was indeed a splendidly groomed and high-spirited woman.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading "There is Flora Billingsgate, the greatest coquette and hardest rider in the country," said my companion, Ralph Mortmain, as we stood upon Dingleby Common before the meet.

weightnounUS /weɪt/

the vertical force exerted by a mass as a result of gravity

From this reading "He carries weight, he rides a race, 'Tis for a thousand pound."

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading We were near enough to overhear the following conversation, which any high-toned reader will recognize as the common and natural expression of the higher classes.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading We were near enough to overhear the following conversation, which any high-toned reader will recognize as the common and natural expression of the higher classes.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading We were near enough to overhear the following conversation, which any high-toned reader will recognize as the common and natural expression of the higher classes.

womannounUS /ˈwʊmən/

an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading She was indeed a splendidly groomed and high-spirited woman.

Chapter 25 of Condensed Novels by Bret Harte holds 69 sentences, grouped into 14 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 25 of Condensed Novels contain?

Chapter 25 holds 69 sentences of Condensed Novels, unabridged, divided into 14 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 25 of Condensed Novels by Bret Harte exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 69 sentences, grouped into 14 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 25 of Condensed Novels?

Work through the 14 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 14 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 25 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 25 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, unabridged. 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.