Chapter 18 of Flames is here in full — 236 sentences across 48 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XVIII
Chapter 18 of Flames is here in full — 236 sentences across 48 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
VALENTINE SINGS When Valentine heard of the scene in Marylebone Road he smiled. "How extraordinary women are," he said. "A man might give his life to them, I suppose, yet never understand them." "It would be rather jolly--making that gift, I mean," said Julian. "You think so?
Chapter 18 of Flames is here in full — 236 sentences across 48 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/47 · 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.
beyond what is ordinary or usual; highly unusual or exceptional or remarkable
From this reading “"How extraordinary women are," he said.”
something acquired without compensation
From this reading “"It would be rather jolly--making that gift, I mean," said Julian.”
full of or showing high-spirited merriment
From this reading “"It would be rather jolly--making that gift, I mean," said Julian.”
Roman Emperor and nephew of Constantine; he restored paganism as the official religion of the Roman Empire and destroyed Christian temples but his decision was reversed after his death (331?-363)
From this reading “"It would be rather jolly--making that gift, I mean," said Julian.”
the place where some action occurs
From this reading “VALENTINE SINGS When Valentine heard of the scene in Marylebone Road he smiled.”
third-person singular of “sing” — deliver by singing
From this reading “VALENTINE SINGS When Valentine heard of the scene in Marylebone Road he smiled.”
past form of “smile” — change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading “VALENTINE SINGS When Valentine heard of the scene in Marylebone Road he smiled.”
a sweetheart chosen to receive a greeting on Saint Valentine's Day
From this reading “VALENTINE SINGS When Valentine heard of the scene in Marylebone Road he smiled.”
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 "A man might give his life to them, I suppose, yet never understand them."
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "How extraordinary women are," he said.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "It would be rather jolly--making that gift, I mean," said Julian.
beyond what is ordinary or usual; highly unusual or exceptional or remarkable
From this reading "How extraordinary women are," he said.
something acquired without compensation
From this reading "It would be rather jolly--making that gift, I mean," said Julian.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading "A man might give his life to them, I suppose, yet never understand them."
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading VALENTINE SINGS When Valentine heard of the scene in Marylebone Road he smiled.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading VALENTINE SINGS When Valentine heard of the scene in Marylebone Road he smiled.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "A man might give his life to them, I suppose, yet never understand them."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "How extraordinary women are," he said.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "A man might give his life to them, I suppose, yet never understand them."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading VALENTINE SINGS When Valentine heard of the scene in Marylebone Road he smiled.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "It would be rather jolly--making that gift, I mean," said Julian.
full of or showing high-spirited merriment
From this reading "It would be rather jolly--making that gift, I mean," said Julian.
Roman Emperor and nephew of Constantine; he restored paganism as the official religion of the Roman Empire and destroyed Christian temples but his decision was reversed after his death (331?-363)
From this reading "It would be rather jolly--making that gift, I mean," said Julian.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading "A man might give his life to them, I suppose, yet never understand them."
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading "It would be rather jolly--making that gift, I mean," said Julian.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading "A man might give his life to them, I suppose, yet never understand them."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading VALENTINE SINGS When Valentine heard of the scene in Marylebone Road he smiled.
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading "It would be rather jolly--making that gift, I mean," said Julian.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading "A man might give his life to them, I suppose, yet never understand them."
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading "A man might give his life to them, I suppose, yet never understand them."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading VALENTINE SINGS When Valentine heard of the scene in Marylebone Road he smiled.
on the contrary
From this reading "It would be rather jolly--making that gift, I mean," said Julian.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading VALENTINE SINGS When Valentine heard of the scene in Marylebone Road he smiled.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "How extraordinary women are," he said.
the place where some action occurs
From this reading VALENTINE SINGS When Valentine heard of the scene in Marylebone Road he smiled.
third-person singular of “sing” — deliver by singing
From this reading VALENTINE SINGS When Valentine heard of the scene in Marylebone Road he smiled.
past form of “smile” — change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading VALENTINE SINGS When Valentine heard of the scene in Marylebone Road he smiled.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading "You think so?
express a supposition
From this reading "A man might give his life to them, I suppose, yet never understand them."
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "It would be rather jolly--making that gift, I mean," said Julian.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading VALENTINE SINGS When Valentine heard of the scene in Marylebone Road he smiled.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading "A man might give his life to them, I suppose, yet never understand them."
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading "You think so?
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "A man might give his life to them, I suppose, yet never understand them."
know and comprehend the nature or meaning of
From this reading "A man might give his life to them, I suppose, yet never understand them."
a sweetheart chosen to receive a greeting on Saint Valentine's Day
From this reading VALENTINE SINGS When Valentine heard of the scene in Marylebone Road he smiled.
at the time that
From this reading VALENTINE SINGS When Valentine heard of the scene in Marylebone Road he smiled.
plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading "How extraordinary women are," he said.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading "It would be rather jolly--making that gift, I mean," said Julian.
but in spite of that
From this reading "A man might give his life to them, I suppose, yet never understand them."
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "You think so?
Chapter 18 of Flames by Robert Hichens holds 236 sentences, grouped into 48 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 18 holds 236 sentences of Flames, unabridged, divided into 48 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 18 of Flames by Robert Hichens exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 236 sentences, grouped into 48 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 48 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 48 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 18 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 Flames by Robert Hichens on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 12894 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #14253 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #14253, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 2579 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Flames section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 40 chapters of Flames 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 Flames, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
