Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Conscience — Volume 2
Conscience — Volume 2

Chapter IX · Chapter 9

Chapter 9 of Conscience — Volume 2 is here in full — 116 sentences across 24 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Conscience — Volume 2
Context Illustration Reading 1/23 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.
The task of the police was therefore difficult, as weak, also, were the chances of success.
As Saniel had said, it was like looking for a needle in a bundle of hay, to go to each tailor in Paris.
But this was not their way of proceeding.
In place of trying to find those who used these buttons, they looked for those who made them or sold them, and suddenly, without going farther than the directory, they found this manufacturer: "A. Pelinotte, manufacturer of metal buttons for trousers; trademark, A.P., crown and cock; Faubourg du Temple."
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.

Conscience — Volume 2

Chapter IX · Chapter 9

Chapter 9 of Conscience — Volume 2 is here in full — 116 sentences across 24 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/23 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.
Line 2
The task of the police was therefore difficult, as weak, also, were the chances of success.
/ðə tæsk ʌv ðə pəˈliːs wɑːz ˈðerfɔːr ˈdɪfəkəlt æz wiːk ˈɔːlsoʊ wɜːr ðə ˈtʃænsəz ʌv səkˈses/
Line 3
As Saniel had said, it was like looking for a needle in a bundle of hay, to go to each tailor in Paris.
Line 4
But this was not their way of proceeding.
/bʌt ðɪs wɑːz nɑːt ðer weɪ ʌv prəˈsiːdɪŋ/
Line 5
In place of trying to find those who used these buttons, they looked for those who made them or sold them, and suddenly, without going farther than the directory, they found this manufacturer: "A. Pelinotte, manufacturer of metal buttons for trousers; trademark, A.P., crown and cock; Faubourg du Temple."

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.

assassin noun US /əˈsæsən/

a murderer (especially one who kills a prominent political figure) who kills by a surprise attack and often is hired to do the deed

From this reading “THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.”

button noun US /ˈbʌtən/

a round fastener sewn to shirts and coats etc to fit through buttonholes

From this reading “THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.”

cock verb US /kɑːk/

tilt or slant to one side

From this reading “In place of trying to find those who used these buttons, they looked for those who made them or sold them, and suddenly, without going farther than the directory, they found this manufacturer: "A. Pelinotte, manufacturer of metal buttons for trousers; trademark, A.P., crown and cock; Faubourg du Temple."”

customers noun US /ˈkʌstəmərz/

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

From this reading “THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.”

directory noun US /dərˈektəri/

an alphabetical list of names and addresses

From this reading “In place of trying to find those who used these buttons, they looked for those who made them or sold them, and suddenly, without going farther than the directory, they found this manufacturer: "A. Pelinotte, manufacturer of metal buttons for trousers; trademark, A.P., crown and cock; Faubourg du Temple."”

manufacturer noun US /ˌmænjəˈfæktʃərər/

a business engaged in manufacturing some product

From this reading “In place of trying to find those who used these buttons, they looked for those who made them or sold them, and suddenly, without going farther than the directory, they found this manufacturer: "A. Pelinotte, manufacturer of metal buttons for trousers; trademark, A.P., crown and cock; Faubourg du Temple."”

Parisian adjective US /pərˈɪʒən/

of or relating to or characteristic of Paris or its inhabitants

From this reading “THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.”

trademark noun US /ˈtreɪdmɑːrk/

a distinctive characteristic or attribute

From this reading “In place of trying to find those who used these buttons, they looked for those who made them or sold them, and suddenly, without going farther than the directory, they found this manufacturer: "A. Pelinotte, manufacturer of metal buttons for trousers; trademark, A.P., crown and cock; Faubourg du Temple."”

All words in this reading · 98

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 THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

alsoadverbUS /ˈɔːlsoʊ/

in addition

From this reading The task of the police was therefore difficult, as weak, also, were the chances of success.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading The task of the police was therefore difficult, as weak, also, were the chances of success.

assassinnounUS /əˈsæsən/

a murderer (especially one who kills a prominent political figure) who kills by a surprise attack and often is hired to do the deed

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

ATprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

bundlenounUS /ˈbʌndəl/

a collection of things wrapped or boxed together

From this reading As Saniel had said, it was like looking for a needle in a bundle of hay, to go to each tailor in Paris.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But this was not their way of proceeding.

buttonnounUS /ˈbʌtən/

a round fastener sewn to shirts and coats etc to fit through buttonholes

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

buttonsnounUS /ˈbʌtənz/

plural of “button” — a round fastener sewn to shirts and coats etc to fit through buttonholes

From this reading In place of trying to find those who used these buttons, they looked for those who made them or sold them, and suddenly, without going farther than the directory, they found this manufacturer: "A. Pelinotte, manufacturer of metal buttons for trousers; trademark, A.P., crown and cock; Faubourg du Temple."

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

Caffies

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

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

chancesnounUS /ˈtʃænsəz/

plural of “chance” — a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances

From this reading The task of the police was therefore difficult, as weak, also, were the chances of success.

clothing-house

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

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

cockverbUS /kɑːk/

tilt or slant to one side

From this reading In place of trying to find those who used these buttons, they looked for those who made them or sold them, and suddenly, without going farther than the directory, they found this manufacturer: "A. Pelinotte, manufacturer of metal buttons for trousers; trademark, A.P., crown and cock; Faubourg du Temple."

comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

crownnounUS /kraʊn/

the Crown (or the reigning monarch) as the symbol of the power and authority of a monarchy

From this reading In place of trying to find those who used these buttons, they looked for those who made them or sold them, and suddenly, without going farther than the directory, they found this manufacturer: "A. Pelinotte, manufacturer of metal buttons for trousers; trademark, A.P., crown and cock; Faubourg du Temple."

customersnounUS /ˈkʌstəmərz/

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

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

difficultadjectiveUS /ˈdɪfəkəlt/

not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure

From this reading The task of the police was therefore difficult, as weak, also, were the chances of success.

directorynounUS /dərˈektəri/

an alphabetical list of names and addresses

From this reading In place of trying to find those who used these buttons, they looked for those who made them or sold them, and suddenly, without going farther than the directory, they found this manufacturer: "A. Pelinotte, manufacturer of metal buttons for trousers; trademark, A.P., crown and cock; Faubourg du Temple."

DOORnounUS /dɔːr/

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

du

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

From this reading In place of trying to find those who used these buttons, they looked for those who made them or sold them, and suddenly, without going farther than the directory, they found this manufacturer: "A. Pelinotte, manufacturer of metal buttons for trousers; trademark, A.P., crown and cock; Faubourg du Temple."

eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading As Saniel had said, it was like looking for a needle in a bundle of hay, to go to each tailor in Paris.

fartheradjectiveUS /ˈfɑːrðər/

more distant in especially space or time

From this reading In place of trying to find those who used these buttons, they looked for those who made them or sold them, and suddenly, without going farther than the directory, they found this manufacturer: "A. Pelinotte, manufacturer of metal buttons for trousers; trademark, A.P., crown and cock; Faubourg du Temple."

Faubourgnoun

a New Orleans district lying outside the original city limits; used in combination with the names of various quarters of the city

From this reading In place of trying to find those who used these buttons, they looked for those who made them or sold them, and suddenly, without going farther than the directory, they found this manufacturer: "A. Pelinotte, manufacturer of metal buttons for trousers; trademark, A.P., crown and cock; Faubourg du Temple."

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading In place of trying to find those who used these buttons, they looked for those who made them or sold them, and suddenly, without going farther than the directory, they found this manufacturer: "A. Pelinotte, manufacturer of metal buttons for trousers; trademark, A.P., crown and cock; Faubourg du Temple."

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading As Saniel had said, it was like looking for a needle in a bundle of hay, to go to each tailor in Paris.

foundverbUS /faʊnd/

set up or found

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

FrenchnounUS /frentʃ/

the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading As Saniel had said, it was like looking for a needle in a bundle of hay, to go to each tailor in Paris.

goingnounUS /ˈɡoʊɪŋ/

the act of departing

From this reading In place of trying to find those who used these buttons, they looked for those who made them or sold them, and suddenly, without going farther than the directory, they found this manufacturer: "A. Pelinotte, manufacturer of metal buttons for trousers; trademark, A.P., crown and cock; Faubourg du Temple."

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

haynounUS /heɪ/

grass mowed and cured for use as fodder

From this reading As Saniel had said, it was like looking for a needle in a bundle of hay, to go to each tailor in Paris.

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

keptadjectiveUS /kept/

(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

KNOCKverbUS /nɑːk/

deliver a sharp blow or push

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

leastadjectiveUS /liːst/

the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading As Saniel had said, it was like looking for a needle in a bundle of hay, to go to each tailor in Paris.

lookedverbUS /lʊkt/

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

From this reading In place of trying to find those who used these buttons, they looked for those who made them or sold them, and suddenly, without going farther than the directory, they found this manufacturer: "A. Pelinotte, manufacturer of metal buttons for trousers; trademark, A.P., crown and cock; Faubourg du Temple."

lookingnounUS /ˈlʊkɪŋ/

the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually

From this reading As Saniel had said, it was like looking for a needle in a bundle of hay, to go to each tailor in Paris.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

manufacturernounUS /ˌmænjəˈfæktʃərər/

a business engaged in manufacturing some product

From this reading In place of trying to find those who used these buttons, they looked for those who made them or sold them, and suddenly, without going farther than the directory, they found this manufacturer: "A. Pelinotte, manufacturer of metal buttons for trousers; trademark, A.P., crown and cock; Faubourg du Temple."

metalnounUS /ˈmetəl/

any of several chemical elements that are usually shiny solids that conduct heat or electricity and can be formed into sheets etc.

From this reading In place of trying to find those who used these buttons, they looked for those who made them or sold them, and suddenly, without going farther than the directory, they found this manufacturer: "A. Pelinotte, manufacturer of metal buttons for trousers; trademark, A.P., crown and cock; Faubourg du Temple."

namesnounUS /neɪmz/

verbal abuse; a crude substitute for argument

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

needlenounUS /ˈniːdəl/

the leaf of a conifer

From this reading As Saniel had said, it was like looking for a needle in a bundle of hay, to go to each tailor in Paris.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

ordernounUS /ˈɔːrdər/

(often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

PnounUS /piː/

a multivalent nonmetallic element of the nitrogen family that occurs commonly in inorganic phosphate rocks and as organic phosphates in all living cells; is highly reactive and occurs in several allotropic forms

From this reading In place of trying to find those who used these buttons, they looked for those who made them or sold them, and suddenly, without going farther than the directory, they found this manufacturer: "A. Pelinotte, manufacturer of metal buttons for trousers; trademark, A.P., crown and cock; Faubourg du Temple."

ParisnounUS /ˈperɪs/

the capital and largest city of France; and international center of culture and commerce

From this reading As Saniel had said, it was like looking for a needle in a bundle of hay, to go to each tailor in Paris.

ParisianadjectiveUS /pərˈɪʒən/

of or relating to or characteristic of Paris or its inhabitants

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

Pelinotte

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

From this reading In place of trying to find those who used these buttons, they looked for those who made them or sold them, and suddenly, without going farther than the directory, they found this manufacturer: "A. Pelinotte, manufacturer of metal buttons for trousers; trademark, A.P., crown and cock; Faubourg du Temple."

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading In place of trying to find those who used these buttons, they looked for those who made them or sold them, and suddenly, without going farther than the directory, they found this manufacturer: "A. Pelinotte, manufacturer of metal buttons for trousers; trademark, A.P., crown and cock; Faubourg du Temple."

policenounUS /pəˈliːs/

the force of policemen and officers

From this reading The task of the police was therefore difficult, as weak, also, were the chances of success.

proceedingnounUS /prəˈsiːdɪŋ/

(law) the institution of a sequence of steps by which legal judgments are invoked

From this reading But this was not their way of proceeding.

putverbUS /pʊt/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

readyadjectiveUS /ˈredi/

completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

requiredadjectiveUS /riˈkwaɪərd/

necessary for relief or supply

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading As Saniel had said, it was like looking for a needle in a bundle of hay, to go to each tailor in Paris.

Saniel

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

From this reading As Saniel had said, it was like looking for a needle in a bundle of hay, to go to each tailor in Paris.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

soldadjectiveUS /soʊld/

disposed of to a purchaser

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

successnounUS /səkˈses/

an event that accomplishes its intended purpose

From this reading The task of the police was therefore difficult, as weak, also, were the chances of success.

suddenlyadverbUS /ˈsʌdənli/

happening unexpectedly

From this reading In place of trying to find those who used these buttons, they looked for those who made them or sold them, and suddenly, without going farther than the directory, they found this manufacturer: "A. Pelinotte, manufacturer of metal buttons for trousers; trademark, A.P., crown and cock; Faubourg du Temple."

tailorverbUS /ˈteɪlər/

adjust to a specific need or market

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

tasknounUS /tæsk/

any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted

From this reading The task of the police was therefore difficult, as weak, also, were the chances of success.

TemplenounUS /ˈtempəl/

place of worship consisting of an edifice for the worship of a deity

From this reading In place of trying to find those who used these buttons, they looked for those who made them or sold them, and suddenly, without going farther than the directory, they found this manufacturer: "A. Pelinotte, manufacturer of metal buttons for trousers; trademark, A.P., crown and cock; Faubourg du Temple."

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading In place of trying to find those who used these buttons, they looked for those who made them or sold them, and suddenly, without going farther than the directory, they found this manufacturer: "A. Pelinotte, manufacturer of metal buttons for trousers; trademark, A.P., crown and cock; Faubourg du Temple."

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading But this was not their way of proceeding.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading In place of trying to find those who used these buttons, they looked for those who made them or sold them, and suddenly, without going farther than the directory, they found this manufacturer: "A. Pelinotte, manufacturer of metal buttons for trousers; trademark, A.P., crown and cock; Faubourg du Temple."

thereforeadverbUS /ˈðerfɔːr/

for that reason; as a result

From this reading The task of the police was therefore difficult, as weak, also, were the chances of success.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading In place of trying to find those who used these buttons, they looked for those who made them or sold them, and suddenly, without going farther than the directory, they found this manufacturer: "A. Pelinotte, manufacturer of metal buttons for trousers; trademark, A.P., crown and cock; Faubourg du Temple."

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading In place of trying to find those who used these buttons, they looked for those who made them or sold them, and suddenly, without going farther than the directory, they found this manufacturer: "A. Pelinotte, manufacturer of metal buttons for trousers; trademark, A.P., crown and cock; Faubourg du Temple."

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading But this was not their way of proceeding.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading In place of trying to find those who used these buttons, they looked for those who made them or sold them, and suddenly, without going farther than the directory, they found this manufacturer: "A. Pelinotte, manufacturer of metal buttons for trousers; trademark, A.P., crown and cock; Faubourg du Temple."

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

tracknounUS /træk/

a line or route along which something travels or moves

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

trademarknounUS /ˈtreɪdmɑːrk/

a distinctive characteristic or attribute

From this reading In place of trying to find those who used these buttons, they looked for those who made them or sold them, and suddenly, without going farther than the directory, they found this manufacturer: "A. Pelinotte, manufacturer of metal buttons for trousers; trademark, A.P., crown and cock; Faubourg du Temple."

trousersnounUS /ˈtraʊzərz/

(usually in the plural) a garment extending from the waist to the knee or ankle, covering each leg separately

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

tryingadjectiveUS /ˈtraɪɪŋ/

hard to endure

From this reading In place of trying to find those who used these buttons, they looked for those who made them or sold them, and suddenly, without going farther than the directory, they found this manufacturer: "A. Pelinotte, manufacturer of metal buttons for trousers; trademark, A.P., crown and cock; Faubourg du Temple."

usedadjectiveUS /juːzd/

employed in accomplishing something

From this reading In place of trying to find those who used these buttons, they looked for those who made them or sold them, and suddenly, without going farther than the directory, they found this manufacturer: "A. Pelinotte, manufacturer of metal buttons for trousers; trademark, A.P., crown and cock; Faubourg du Temple."

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The task of the police was therefore difficult, as weak, also, were the chances of success.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading But this was not their way of proceeding.

weakadjectiveUS /wiːk/

wanting in physical strength

From this reading The task of the police was therefore difficult, as weak, also, were the chances of success.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading The task of the police was therefore difficult, as weak, also, were the chances of success.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR In order to put the button found at Caffies on the track of the assassin, it required that it should have come from a Parisian tailor, or, at least, a French one, and that the trousers had not been sold by a ready- made clothing-house, where the names of customers are not kept.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading In place of trying to find those who used these buttons, they looked for those who made them or sold them, and suddenly, without going farther than the directory, they found this manufacturer: "A. Pelinotte, manufacturer of metal buttons for trousers; trademark, A.P., crown and cock; Faubourg du Temple."

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading In place of trying to find those who used these buttons, they looked for those who made them or sold them, and suddenly, without going farther than the directory, they found this manufacturer: "A. Pelinotte, manufacturer of metal buttons for trousers; trademark, A.P., crown and cock; Faubourg du Temple."

Chapter 9 of Conscience — Volume 2 by Hector Malot holds 116 sentences, grouped into 24 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 9 of Conscience — Volume 2 contain?

Chapter 9 holds 116 sentences of Conscience — Volume 2, unabridged, divided into 24 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 9 of Conscience — Volume 2 by Hector Malot exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 116 sentences, grouped into 24 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 9 of Conscience — Volume 2?

Work through the 24 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 24 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 9 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 9 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 Conscience — Volume 2

Common questions about reading Conscience — Volume 2 by Hector Malot on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Conscience — Volume 2?

Yes. All 1503 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #3987 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Conscience — Volume 2 is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #3987, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Conscience — Volume 2 take to read?

About 125 minutes of reading across 301 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Conscience — Volume 2 section by section

How to work through Conscience — Volume 2 section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 13 chapters of Conscience — Volume 2 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 Conscience — Volume 2

Words and structures a reader meets early in Conscience — Volume 2, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Hours'
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Conscience — Volume 2; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Sleep
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Conscience — Volume 2; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Saniel
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Conscience — Volume 2; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
First
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Conscience — Volume 2; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.