Chapter 31 of Cousin Betty is here in full — 205 sentences across 41 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXXI
Chapter 31 of Cousin Betty is here in full — 205 sentences across 41 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“What? you, poor old man?--On my honor, you look like a twenty-franc piece that the Jews have sweated and the money-changers refuse.” “Alas, yes,” replied Hulot; “I am snatched from the jaws of death! But you are as lovely as ever. Will you be kind?” “That depends,” said she; “everything is relative.”
Chapter 31 of Cousin Betty is here in full — 205 sentences across 41 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/41 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
used to show sadness, pity, or regret
From this reading ““Alas, yes,” replied Hulot; “I am snatched from the jaws of death!”
third-person singular of “depend” — be contingent upon (something that is elided)
From this reading ““That depends,” said she; “everything is relative.””
plural of “jaw” — the part of the skull of a vertebrate that frames the mouth and holds the teeth
From this reading ““Alas, yes,” replied Hulot; “I am snatched from the jaws of death!”
plural of “jew” — a person belonging to the worldwide group claiming descent from Jacob (or converted to it) and connected by cultural or religious ties
From this reading ““What? you, poor old man?--On my honor, you look like a twenty-franc piece that the Jews have sweated and the money-changers refuse.””
show unwillingness towards
From this reading ““What? you, poor old man?--On my honor, you look like a twenty-franc piece that the Jews have sweated and the money-changers refuse.””
a person related by blood or marriage
From this reading ““That depends,” said she; “everything is relative.””
past form of “snatch” — to grasp hastily or eagerly
From this reading ““Alas, yes,” replied Hulot; “I am snatched from the jaws of death!”
past form of “sweat” — excrete perspiration through the pores in the skin
From this reading ““What? you, poor old man?--On my honor, you look like a twenty-franc piece that the Jews have sweated and the money-changers refuse.””
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “What? you, poor old man?--On my honor, you look like a twenty-franc piece that the Jews have sweated and the money-changers refuse.”
used to show sadness, pity, or regret
From this reading “Alas, yes,” replied Hulot; “I am snatched from the jaws of death!
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading “Alas, yes,” replied Hulot; “I am snatched from the jaws of death!
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “What? you, poor old man?--On my honor, you look like a twenty-franc piece that the Jews have sweated and the money-changers refuse.”
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading But you are as lovely as ever.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading But you are as lovely as ever.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Will you be kind?”
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But you are as lovely as ever.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading “Alas, yes,” replied Hulot; “I am snatched from the jaws of death!
third-person singular of “depend” — be contingent upon (something that is elided)
From this reading “That depends,” said she; “everything is relative.”
at any time
From this reading But you are as lovely as ever.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading “That depends,” said she; “everything is relative.”
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading “Alas, yes,” replied Hulot; “I am snatched from the jaws of death!
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “What? you, poor old man?--On my honor, you look like a twenty-franc piece that the Jews have sweated and the money-changers refuse.”
a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction
From this reading “What? you, poor old man?--On my honor, you look like a twenty-franc piece that the Jews have sweated and the money-changers refuse.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Alas, yes,” replied Hulot; “I am snatched from the jaws of death!
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “Alas, yes,” replied Hulot; “I am snatched from the jaws of death!
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “That depends,” said she; “everything is relative.”
plural of “jaw” — the part of the skull of a vertebrate that frames the mouth and holds the teeth
From this reading “Alas, yes,” replied Hulot; “I am snatched from the jaws of death!
plural of “jew” — a person belonging to the worldwide group claiming descent from Jacob (or converted to it) and connected by cultural or religious ties
From this reading “What? you, poor old man?--On my honor, you look like a twenty-franc piece that the Jews have sweated and the money-changers refuse.”
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading Will you be kind?”
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading “What? you, poor old man?--On my honor, you look like a twenty-franc piece that the Jews have sweated and the money-changers refuse.”
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading “What? you, poor old man?--On my honor, you look like a twenty-franc piece that the Jews have sweated and the money-changers refuse.”
appealing to the emotions as well as the eye
From this reading But you are as lovely as ever.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading “What? you, poor old man?--On my honor, you look like a twenty-franc piece that the Jews have sweated and the money-changers refuse.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What? you, poor old man?--On my honor, you look like a twenty-franc piece that the Jews have sweated and the money-changers refuse.”
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “What? you, poor old man?--On my honor, you look like a twenty-franc piece that the Jews have sweated and the money-changers refuse.”
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “Alas, yes,” replied Hulot; “I am snatched from the jaws of death!
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading “What? you, poor old man?--On my honor, you look like a twenty-franc piece that the Jews have sweated and the money-changers refuse.”
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading “What? you, poor old man?--On my honor, you look like a twenty-franc piece that the Jews have sweated and the money-changers refuse.”
a separate part of a whole
From this reading “What? you, poor old man?--On my honor, you look like a twenty-franc piece that the Jews have sweated and the money-changers refuse.”
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading “What? you, poor old man?--On my honor, you look like a twenty-franc piece that the Jews have sweated and the money-changers refuse.”
show unwillingness towards
From this reading “What? you, poor old man?--On my honor, you look like a twenty-franc piece that the Jews have sweated and the money-changers refuse.”
a person related by blood or marriage
From this reading “That depends,” said she; “everything is relative.”
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading “Alas, yes,” replied Hulot; “I am snatched from the jaws of death!
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “That depends,” said she; “everything is relative.”
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “That depends,” said she; “everything is relative.”
past form of “snatch” — to grasp hastily or eagerly
From this reading “Alas, yes,” replied Hulot; “I am snatched from the jaws of death!
past form of “sweat” — excrete perspiration through the pores in the skin
From this reading “What? you, poor old man?--On my honor, you look like a twenty-franc piece that the Jews have sweated and the money-changers refuse.”
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “What? you, poor old man?--On my honor, you look like a twenty-franc piece that the Jews have sweated and the money-changers refuse.”
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “What? you, poor old man?--On my honor, you look like a twenty-franc piece that the Jews have sweated and the money-changers refuse.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What? you, poor old man?--On my honor, you look like a twenty-franc piece that the Jews have sweated and the money-changers refuse.”
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “What? you, poor old man?--On my honor, you look like a twenty-franc piece that the Jews have sweated and the money-changers refuse.”
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading Will you be kind?”
an affirmative
From this reading “Alas, yes,” replied Hulot; “I am snatched from the jaws of death!
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “What? you, poor old man?--On my honor, you look like a twenty-franc piece that the Jews have sweated and the money-changers refuse.”
Chapter 31 of Cousin Betty by Honoré de Balzac holds 205 sentences, grouped into 41 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.
Chapter 31 holds 205 sentences of Cousin Betty, unabridged, divided into 41 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 31 of Cousin Betty by Honoré de Balzac exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 205 sentences, grouped into 41 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.
Work through the 41 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 41 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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 31 can be played aloud in United States English.
Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.
Common questions about reading Cousin Betty by Honoré de Balzac on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 7747 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1749 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #1749, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 1550 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Cousin Betty section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 40 chapters of Cousin Betty to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in Cousin Betty, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
