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Dangerous Ground
Dangerous Ground

Chapter XXIII

Chapter 23 of Dangerous Ground is here in full — 115 sentences across 23 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/23 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
IN THE CONSERVATORY.
Several days have passed since the visit of Mamma Francoise to the Warburton mansion, with all its attendant circumstances; since the flight from the Francoise tenement, and Van Vernet's rescue from a fiery death.
The Warburton Mansion is closed and gloomy.
The splendid drawing-rooms are darkened and tenantless.
The music-room is silent and shut from any ray of light.
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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.

Dangerous Ground

Chapter XXIII

Chapter 23 of Dangerous Ground is here in full — 115 sentences across 23 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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

Line 1
IN THE CONSERVATORY.
/ɪn ðə kənˈsɜːrvətɔːri/
Line 2
Several days have passed since the visit of Mamma Francoise to the Warburton mansion, with all its attendant circumstances; since the flight from the Francoise tenement, and Van Vernet's rescue from a fiery death.
Line 3
The Warburton Mansion is closed and gloomy.
Line 4
The splendid drawing-rooms are darkened and tenantless.
Line 5
The music-room is silent and shut from any ray of light.

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.

attendant noun US /əˈtendənt/

someone who waits on or tends to or attends to the needs of another

From this reading “Several days have passed since the visit of Mamma Francoise to the Warburton mansion, with all its attendant circumstances; since the flight from the Francoise tenement, and Van Vernet's rescue from a fiery death.”

conservatory noun US /kənˈsɜːrvətɔːri/

the faculty and students of a school specializing in one of the fine arts

From this reading “IN THE CONSERVATORY.”

darkened adjective US /ˈdɑːrkənd/

(of fabrics and paper) grown dark in color over time

From this reading “The splendid drawing-rooms are darkened and tenantless.”

fiery adjective US /ˈfaɪəri/

characterized by intense emotion

From this reading “Several days have passed since the visit of Mamma Francoise to the Warburton mansion, with all its attendant circumstances; since the flight from the Francoise tenement, and Van Vernet's rescue from a fiery death.”

mansion noun US /ˈmænʃən/

(astrology) one of 12 equal areas into which the zodiac is divided

From this reading “Several days have passed since the visit of Mamma Francoise to the Warburton mansion, with all its attendant circumstances; since the flight from the Francoise tenement, and Van Vernet's rescue from a fiery death.”

ray noun US /reɪ/

a column of light (as from a beacon)

From this reading “The music-room is silent and shut from any ray of light.”

rescue verb US /ˈreskjuː/

free from harm or evil

From this reading “Several days have passed since the visit of Mamma Francoise to the Warburton mansion, with all its attendant circumstances; since the flight from the Francoise tenement, and Van Vernet's rescue from a fiery death.”

tenement noun US /ˈtenəmənt/

a run-down apartment house barely meeting minimal standards

From this reading “Several days have passed since the visit of Mamma Francoise to the Warburton mansion, with all its attendant circumstances; since the flight from the Francoise tenement, and Van Vernet's rescue from a fiery death.”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

Several days adjective + noun

In this reading “Several days have passed since the visit of Mamma Francoise to the Warburton mansion, with all its attendant circumstances; since the flight from the Francoise tenement, and Van Vernet's rescue from a fiery death.”

passed since verb + particle counted as “pass since”

In this reading “Several days have passed since the visit of Mamma Francoise to the Warburton mansion, with all its attendant circumstances; since the flight from the Francoise tenement, and Van Vernet's rescue from a fiery death.”

IN THE CONSERVATORY preposition + article + noun counted as “in … conservatory”

In this reading “IN THE CONSERVATORY.”

All words in this reading · 44

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 Several days have passed since the visit of Mamma Francoise to the Warburton mansion, with all its attendant circumstances; since the flight from the Francoise tenement, and Van Vernet's rescue from a fiery death.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading Several days have passed since the visit of Mamma Francoise to the Warburton mansion, with all its attendant circumstances; since the flight from the Francoise tenement, and Van Vernet's rescue from a fiery death.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Several days have passed since the visit of Mamma Francoise to the Warburton mansion, with all its attendant circumstances; since the flight from the Francoise tenement, and Van Vernet's rescue from a fiery death.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading The music-room is silent and shut from any ray of light.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading The splendid drawing-rooms are darkened and tenantless.

attendantnounUS /əˈtendənt/

someone who waits on or tends to or attends to the needs of another

From this reading Several days have passed since the visit of Mamma Francoise to the Warburton mansion, with all its attendant circumstances; since the flight from the Francoise tenement, and Van Vernet's rescue from a fiery death.

circumstancesnounUS /ˈsɜːrkəmstænsəz/

your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)

From this reading Several days have passed since the visit of Mamma Francoise to the Warburton mansion, with all its attendant circumstances; since the flight from the Francoise tenement, and Van Vernet's rescue from a fiery death.

closedadjectiveUS /kloʊzd/

not open or affording passage or access

From this reading The Warburton Mansion is closed and gloomy.

CONSERVATORYnounUS /kənˈsɜːrvətɔːri/

the faculty and students of a school specializing in one of the fine arts

From this reading IN THE CONSERVATORY.

darkenedadjectiveUS /ˈdɑːrkənd/

(of fabrics and paper) grown dark in color over time

From this reading The splendid drawing-rooms are darkened and tenantless.

daysnounUS /deɪz/

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading Several days have passed since the visit of Mamma Francoise to the Warburton mansion, with all its attendant circumstances; since the flight from the Francoise tenement, and Van Vernet's rescue from a fiery death.

deathnounUS /deθ/

the event of dying or departure from life

From this reading Several days have passed since the visit of Mamma Francoise to the Warburton mansion, with all its attendant circumstances; since the flight from the Francoise tenement, and Van Vernet's rescue from a fiery death.

drawing-rooms

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

From this reading The splendid drawing-rooms are darkened and tenantless.

fieryadjectiveUS /ˈfaɪəri/

characterized by intense emotion

From this reading Several days have passed since the visit of Mamma Francoise to the Warburton mansion, with all its attendant circumstances; since the flight from the Francoise tenement, and Van Vernet's rescue from a fiery death.

flightnounUS /flaɪt/

a formation of aircraft in flight

From this reading Several days have passed since the visit of Mamma Francoise to the Warburton mansion, with all its attendant circumstances; since the flight from the Francoise tenement, and Van Vernet's rescue from a fiery death.

Francoise

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

From this reading Several days have passed since the visit of Mamma Francoise to the Warburton mansion, with all its attendant circumstances; since the flight from the Francoise tenement, and Van Vernet's rescue from a fiery death.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Several days have passed since the visit of Mamma Francoise to the Warburton mansion, with all its attendant circumstances; since the flight from the Francoise tenement, and Van Vernet's rescue from a fiery death.

gloomyadjectiveUS /ˈɡluːmi/

depressingly dark

From this reading The Warburton Mansion is closed and gloomy.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Several days have passed since the visit of Mamma Francoise to the Warburton mansion, with all its attendant circumstances; since the flight from the Francoise tenement, and Van Vernet's rescue from a fiery death.

INprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading IN THE CONSERVATORY.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading The Warburton Mansion is closed and gloomy.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Several days have passed since the visit of Mamma Francoise to the Warburton mansion, with all its attendant circumstances; since the flight from the Francoise tenement, and Van Vernet's rescue from a fiery death.

lightadjectiveUS /laɪt/

of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading The music-room is silent and shut from any ray of light.

MammanounUS /ˈmɑːmə/

informal terms for a mother

From this reading Several days have passed since the visit of Mamma Francoise to the Warburton mansion, with all its attendant circumstances; since the flight from the Francoise tenement, and Van Vernet's rescue from a fiery death.

mansionnounUS /ˈmænʃən/

(astrology) one of 12 equal areas into which the zodiac is divided

From this reading Several days have passed since the visit of Mamma Francoise to the Warburton mansion, with all its attendant circumstances; since the flight from the Francoise tenement, and Van Vernet's rescue from a fiery death.

music-room

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

From this reading The music-room is silent and shut from any ray of light.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Several days have passed since the visit of Mamma Francoise to the Warburton mansion, with all its attendant circumstances; since the flight from the Francoise tenement, and Van Vernet's rescue from a fiery death.

passedverbUS /pæst/

past form of “pass” — go across or through

From this reading Several days have passed since the visit of Mamma Francoise to the Warburton mansion, with all its attendant circumstances; since the flight from the Francoise tenement, and Van Vernet's rescue from a fiery death.

raynounUS /reɪ/

a column of light (as from a beacon)

From this reading The music-room is silent and shut from any ray of light.

rescueverbUS /ˈreskjuː/

free from harm or evil

From this reading Several days have passed since the visit of Mamma Francoise to the Warburton mansion, with all its attendant circumstances; since the flight from the Francoise tenement, and Van Vernet's rescue from a fiery death.

SeveraladjectiveUS /ˈsevrəl/

(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many

From this reading Several days have passed since the visit of Mamma Francoise to the Warburton mansion, with all its attendant circumstances; since the flight from the Francoise tenement, and Van Vernet's rescue from a fiery death.

shutverbUS /ʃʌt/

move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut

From this reading The music-room is silent and shut from any ray of light.

silentadjectiveUS /ˈsaɪlənt/

marked by absence of sound

From this reading The music-room is silent and shut from any ray of light.

sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading Several days have passed since the visit of Mamma Francoise to the Warburton mansion, with all its attendant circumstances; since the flight from the Francoise tenement, and Van Vernet's rescue from a fiery death.

splendidadjectiveUS /ˈsplendɪd/

having great beauty and splendor

From this reading The splendid drawing-rooms are darkened and tenantless.

tenantless

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

From this reading The splendid drawing-rooms are darkened and tenantless.

tenementnounUS /ˈtenəmənt/

a run-down apartment house barely meeting minimal standards

From this reading Several days have passed since the visit of Mamma Francoise to the Warburton mansion, with all its attendant circumstances; since the flight from the Francoise tenement, and Van Vernet's rescue from a fiery death.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading IN THE CONSERVATORY.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Several days have passed since the visit of Mamma Francoise to the Warburton mansion, with all its attendant circumstances; since the flight from the Francoise tenement, and Van Vernet's rescue from a fiery death.

VannounUS /væn/

any creative group active in the innovation and application of new concepts and techniques in a given field (especially in the arts)

From this reading Several days have passed since the visit of Mamma Francoise to the Warburton mansion, with all its attendant circumstances; since the flight from the Francoise tenement, and Van Vernet's rescue from a fiery death.

Vernet's

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

From this reading Several days have passed since the visit of Mamma Francoise to the Warburton mansion, with all its attendant circumstances; since the flight from the Francoise tenement, and Van Vernet's rescue from a fiery death.

visitverbUS /ˈvɪzɪt/

go to see a place, as for entertainment

From this reading Several days have passed since the visit of Mamma Francoise to the Warburton mansion, with all its attendant circumstances; since the flight from the Francoise tenement, and Van Vernet's rescue from a fiery death.

Warburton

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

From this reading Several days have passed since the visit of Mamma Francoise to the Warburton mansion, with all its attendant circumstances; since the flight from the Francoise tenement, and Van Vernet's rescue from a fiery death.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Several days have passed since the visit of Mamma Francoise to the Warburton mansion, with all its attendant circumstances; since the flight from the Francoise tenement, and Van Vernet's rescue from a fiery death.

Chapter 23 of Dangerous Ground by Lawrence L. Lynch holds 115 sentences, grouped into 23 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 23 of Dangerous Ground contain?

Chapter 23 holds 115 sentences of Dangerous Ground, unabridged, divided into 23 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 23 of Dangerous Ground by Lawrence L. Lynch exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 115 sentences, grouped into 23 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 23 of Dangerous Ground?

Work through the 23 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 23 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 23 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 23 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 Dangerous Ground

Common questions about reading Dangerous Ground by Lawrence L. Lynch on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Dangerous Ground?

Yes. All 7491 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #36366 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Dangerous Ground is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #36366, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Dangerous Ground take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1499 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Dangerous Ground section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of Dangerous Ground 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 Dangerous Ground

Words and structures a reader meets early in Dangerous Ground, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Great
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Dangerous Ground; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Detective
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Dangerous Ground; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Series
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Dangerous Ground; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Rival
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Dangerous Ground; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.