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

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of Greville Fane is here in full — 144 sentences across 29 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Greville Fane
Context Illustration Reading 1/28 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
It would have been droll if it had not been so exemplary to see her tracing the loves of the duchesses beside the innocent cribs of her children.
The immoral and the maternal lived together in her diligent days on the most comfortable terms, and she stopped curling the mustaches of her Guardsmen to pat the heads of her babes.
She was haunted by solemn spinsters who came to tea from continental _pensions_, and by unsophisticated Americans who told her she was just loved in _their_ country.
I had rather be just paid there,” she usually replied; for this tribute of transatlantic opinion was the only thing that galled her.
The Americans went away thinking her coarse; though as the author of so many beautiful love-stories she was disappointing to most of these pilgrims, who had not expected to find a shy, stout, ruddy lady in a cap like a crumbled pyramid.
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.

Greville Fane

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of Greville Fane is here in full — 144 sentences across 29 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/28 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
It would have been droll if it had not been so exemplary to see her tracing the loves of the duchesses beside the innocent cribs of her children.
Line 2
The immoral and the maternal lived together in her diligent days on the most comfortable terms, and she stopped curling the mustaches of her Guardsmen to pat the heads of her babes.
/ðə ˌɪˈmɔːrəl ənd ðə məˈtɜːrnəl lɪvd təˈɡeðər ɪn hɜːr ˈdɪlɪdʒənt deɪz ɑːn ðə moʊst ˈkʌmfərtəbəl tɜːrmz ənd ʃiː stɑːpt ˈkɜːrlɪŋ ðə ˈmʌstæʃɪz ʌv hɜːr ˈɡɑːrdzmɪn tuː pæt ðə hedz ʌv hɜːr beɪbz/
Line 3
She was haunted by solemn spinsters who came to tea from continental _pensions_, and by unsophisticated Americans who told her she was just loved in _their_ country.
Line 4
I had rather be just paid there,” she usually replied; for this tribute of transatlantic opinion was the only thing that galled her.
Line 5
The Americans went away thinking her coarse; though as the author of so many beautiful love-stories she was disappointing to most of these pilgrims, who had not expected to find a shy, stout, ruddy lady in a cap like a crumbled pyramid.

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.

cribs noun US /krɪbz/

plural of “crib” — baby bed with high sides made of slats

From this reading “It would have been droll if it had not been so exemplary to see her tracing the loves of the duchesses beside the innocent cribs of her children.”

disappointing adjective US /ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪntɪŋ/

not up to expectations

From this reading “The Americans went away thinking her coarse; though as the author of so many beautiful love-stories she was disappointing to most of these pilgrims, who had not expected to find a shy, stout, ruddy lady in a cap like a crumbled pyramid.”

exemplary adjective US /ɪɡˈzempləri/

worthy of imitation

From this reading “It would have been droll if it had not been so exemplary to see her tracing the loves of the duchesses beside the innocent cribs of her children.”

Guardsmen noun US /ˈɡɑːrdzmɪn/

plural of “guardsman” — a soldier who is a member of a unit called “the guard” or “guards”

From this reading “The immoral and the maternal lived together in her diligent days on the most comfortable terms, and she stopped curling the mustaches of her Guardsmen to pat the heads of her babes.”

mustaches noun US /ˈmʌstæʃɪz/

plural of “mustache” — an unshaved growth of hair on the upper lip

From this reading “The immoral and the maternal lived together in her diligent days on the most comfortable terms, and she stopped curling the mustaches of her Guardsmen to pat the heads of her babes.”

pensions noun US /ˈpenʃənz/

plural of “pension” — a regular payment to a person that is intended to allow them to subsist without working

transatlantic adjective US /ˌtrænzətˈlæntɪk/

crossing the Atlantic Ocean

From this reading ““I had rather be just paid there,” she usually replied; for this tribute of transatlantic opinion was the only thing that galled her.”

unsophisticated adjective US /ˌʌnsəˈfɪstɪkeɪtɪd/

not wise in the ways of the world

From this reading “She was haunted by solemn spinsters who came to tea from continental _pensions_, and by unsophisticated Americans who told her she was just loved in _their_ country.”

All words in this reading · 100

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 Americans went away thinking her coarse; though as the author of so many beautiful love-stories she was disappointing to most of these pilgrims, who had not expected to find a shy, stout, ruddy lady in a cap like a crumbled pyramid.

AmericansnounUS /əˈmerəkənz/

plural of “american” — a native or inhabitant of the United States

From this reading She was haunted by solemn spinsters who came to tea from continental _pensions_, and by unsophisticated Americans who told her she was just loved in _their_ country.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The immoral and the maternal lived together in her diligent days on the most comfortable terms, and she stopped curling the mustaches of her Guardsmen to pat the heads of her babes.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading The Americans went away thinking her coarse; though as the author of so many beautiful love-stories she was disappointing to most of these pilgrims, who had not expected to find a shy, stout, ruddy lady in a cap like a crumbled pyramid.

authornounUS /ˈɔːθər/

writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)

From this reading The Americans went away thinking her coarse; though as the author of so many beautiful love-stories she was disappointing to most of these pilgrims, who had not expected to find a shy, stout, ruddy lady in a cap like a crumbled pyramid.

awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading The Americans went away thinking her coarse; though as the author of so many beautiful love-stories she was disappointing to most of these pilgrims, who had not expected to find a shy, stout, ruddy lady in a cap like a crumbled pyramid.

babesnounUS /beɪbz/

plural of “babe” — a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk

From this reading The immoral and the maternal lived together in her diligent days on the most comfortable terms, and she stopped curling the mustaches of her Guardsmen to pat the heads of her babes.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading “I had rather be just paid there,” she usually replied; for this tribute of transatlantic opinion was the only thing that galled her.

beautifuladjectiveUS /ˈbjuːtəfəl/

delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration

From this reading The Americans went away thinking her coarse; though as the author of so many beautiful love-stories she was disappointing to most of these pilgrims, who had not expected to find a shy, stout, ruddy lady in a cap like a crumbled pyramid.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading It would have been droll if it had not been so exemplary to see her tracing the loves of the duchesses beside the innocent cribs of her children.

besideprepositionUS /bɪˈsaɪd/

next to; at the side of

From this reading It would have been droll if it had not been so exemplary to see her tracing the loves of the duchesses beside the innocent cribs of her children.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading She was haunted by solemn spinsters who came to tea from continental _pensions_, and by unsophisticated Americans who told her she was just loved in _their_ country.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading She was haunted by solemn spinsters who came to tea from continental _pensions_, and by unsophisticated Americans who told her she was just loved in _their_ country.

capnounUS /kæp/

a tight-fitting headdress

From this reading The Americans went away thinking her coarse; though as the author of so many beautiful love-stories she was disappointing to most of these pilgrims, who had not expected to find a shy, stout, ruddy lady in a cap like a crumbled pyramid.

childrennounUS /ˈtʃɪldrən/

plural of “child” — a young person of either sex

From this reading It would have been droll if it had not been so exemplary to see her tracing the loves of the duchesses beside the innocent cribs of her children.

coarseadjectiveUS /kɔːrs/

of textures that are rough to the touch or substances consisting of relatively large particles

From this reading The Americans went away thinking her coarse; though as the author of so many beautiful love-stories she was disappointing to most of these pilgrims, who had not expected to find a shy, stout, ruddy lady in a cap like a crumbled pyramid.

comfortableadjectiveUS /ˈkʌmfərtəbəl/

providing or experiencing physical well-being or relief (“comfy” is informal)

From this reading The immoral and the maternal lived together in her diligent days on the most comfortable terms, and she stopped curling the mustaches of her Guardsmen to pat the heads of her babes.

continentaladjectiveUS /ˌkɑːntəˈnentəl/

of or pertaining to or typical of Europe

From this reading She was haunted by solemn spinsters who came to tea from continental _pensions_, and by unsophisticated Americans who told her she was just loved in _their_ country.

countrynounUS /ˈkʌntri/

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading She was haunted by solemn spinsters who came to tea from continental _pensions_, and by unsophisticated Americans who told her she was just loved in _their_ country.

cribsnounUS /krɪbz/

plural of “crib” — baby bed with high sides made of slats

From this reading It would have been droll if it had not been so exemplary to see her tracing the loves of the duchesses beside the innocent cribs of her children.

crumbledverbUS /ˈkrʌmbəld/

past form of “crumble” — fall apart

From this reading The Americans went away thinking her coarse; though as the author of so many beautiful love-stories she was disappointing to most of these pilgrims, who had not expected to find a shy, stout, ruddy lady in a cap like a crumbled pyramid.

curlingnounUS /ˈkɜːrlɪŋ/

a game played on ice in which heavy stones with handles are slid toward a target

From this reading The immoral and the maternal lived together in her diligent days on the most comfortable terms, and she stopped curling the mustaches of her Guardsmen to pat the heads of her babes.

daysnounUS /deɪz/

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading The immoral and the maternal lived together in her diligent days on the most comfortable terms, and she stopped curling the mustaches of her Guardsmen to pat the heads of her babes.

diligentadjectiveUS /ˈdɪlɪdʒənt/

quietly and steadily persevering especially in detail or exactness

From this reading The immoral and the maternal lived together in her diligent days on the most comfortable terms, and she stopped curling the mustaches of her Guardsmen to pat the heads of her babes.

disappointingadjectiveUS /ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪntɪŋ/

not up to expectations

From this reading The Americans went away thinking her coarse; though as the author of so many beautiful love-stories she was disappointing to most of these pilgrims, who had not expected to find a shy, stout, ruddy lady in a cap like a crumbled pyramid.

drolladjectiveUS /droʊl/

comical in an odd or whimsical manner

From this reading It would have been droll if it had not been so exemplary to see her tracing the loves of the duchesses beside the innocent cribs of her children.

duchesses

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

From this reading It would have been droll if it had not been so exemplary to see her tracing the loves of the duchesses beside the innocent cribs of her children.

exemplaryadjectiveUS /ɪɡˈzempləri/

worthy of imitation

From this reading It would have been droll if it had not been so exemplary to see her tracing the loves of the duchesses beside the innocent cribs of her children.

expectedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈspektəd/

considered likely or probable to happen or arrive

From this reading The Americans went away thinking her coarse; though as the author of so many beautiful love-stories she was disappointing to most of these pilgrims, who had not expected to find a shy, stout, ruddy lady in a cap like a crumbled pyramid.

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading The Americans went away thinking her coarse; though as the author of so many beautiful love-stories she was disappointing to most of these pilgrims, who had not expected to find a shy, stout, ruddy lady in a cap like a crumbled pyramid.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading “I had rather be just paid there,” she usually replied; for this tribute of transatlantic opinion was the only thing that galled her.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading She was haunted by solemn spinsters who came to tea from continental _pensions_, and by unsophisticated Americans who told her she was just loved in _their_ country.

galledadjective

painful from having the skin abraded

From this reading “I had rather be just paid there,” she usually replied; for this tribute of transatlantic opinion was the only thing that galled her.

GuardsmennounUS /ˈɡɑːrdzmɪn/

plural of “guardsman” — a soldier who is a member of a unit called “the guard” or “guards”

From this reading The immoral and the maternal lived together in her diligent days on the most comfortable terms, and she stopped curling the mustaches of her Guardsmen to pat the heads of her babes.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading It would have been droll if it had not been so exemplary to see her tracing the loves of the duchesses beside the innocent cribs of her children.

hauntedadjectiveUS /ˈhɔːntɪd/

having or showing excessive or compulsive concern with something

From this reading She was haunted by solemn spinsters who came to tea from continental _pensions_, and by unsophisticated Americans who told her she was just loved in _their_ country.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading It would have been droll if it had not been so exemplary to see her tracing the loves of the duchesses beside the innocent cribs of her children.

headsnounUS /hedz/

plural of “head” — the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading The immoral and the maternal lived together in her diligent days on the most comfortable terms, and she stopped curling the mustaches of her Guardsmen to pat the heads of her babes.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading It would have been droll if it had not been so exemplary to see her tracing the loves of the duchesses beside the innocent cribs of her children.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading “I had rather be just paid there,” she usually replied; for this tribute of transatlantic opinion was the only thing that galled her.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading It would have been droll if it had not been so exemplary to see her tracing the loves of the duchesses beside the innocent cribs of her children.

immoraladjectiveUS /ˌɪˈmɔːrəl/

deliberately violating accepted principles of right and wrong

From this reading The immoral and the maternal lived together in her diligent days on the most comfortable terms, and she stopped curling the mustaches of her Guardsmen to pat the heads of her babes.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The immoral and the maternal lived together in her diligent days on the most comfortable terms, and she stopped curling the mustaches of her Guardsmen to pat the heads of her babes.

innocentadjectiveUS /ˈɪnəsənt/

free from evil or guilt

From this reading It would have been droll if it had not been so exemplary to see her tracing the loves of the duchesses beside the innocent cribs of her children.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It would have been droll if it had not been so exemplary to see her tracing the loves of the duchesses beside the innocent cribs of her children.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading She was haunted by solemn spinsters who came to tea from continental _pensions_, and by unsophisticated Americans who told her she was just loved in _their_ country.

ladynounUS /ˈleɪdi/

a polite name for any woman

From this reading The Americans went away thinking her coarse; though as the author of so many beautiful love-stories she was disappointing to most of these pilgrims, who had not expected to find a shy, stout, ruddy lady in a cap like a crumbled pyramid.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading The Americans went away thinking her coarse; though as the author of so many beautiful love-stories she was disappointing to most of these pilgrims, who had not expected to find a shy, stout, ruddy lady in a cap like a crumbled pyramid.

livedverbUS /lɪvd/

past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading The immoral and the maternal lived together in her diligent days on the most comfortable terms, and she stopped curling the mustaches of her Guardsmen to pat the heads of her babes.

love-stories

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

From this reading The Americans went away thinking her coarse; though as the author of so many beautiful love-stories she was disappointing to most of these pilgrims, who had not expected to find a shy, stout, ruddy lady in a cap like a crumbled pyramid.

lovedadjectiveUS /lʌvd/

held dear

From this reading She was haunted by solemn spinsters who came to tea from continental _pensions_, and by unsophisticated Americans who told her she was just loved in _their_ country.

lovesnounUS /lʌvz/

plural of “love” — a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading It would have been droll if it had not been so exemplary to see her tracing the loves of the duchesses beside the innocent cribs of her children.

manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading The Americans went away thinking her coarse; though as the author of so many beautiful love-stories she was disappointing to most of these pilgrims, who had not expected to find a shy, stout, ruddy lady in a cap like a crumbled pyramid.

maternaladjectiveUS /məˈtɜːrnəl/

characteristic of a mother

From this reading The immoral and the maternal lived together in her diligent days on the most comfortable terms, and she stopped curling the mustaches of her Guardsmen to pat the heads of her babes.

mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading The immoral and the maternal lived together in her diligent days on the most comfortable terms, and she stopped curling the mustaches of her Guardsmen to pat the heads of her babes.

mustachesnounUS /ˈmʌstæʃɪz/

plural of “mustache” — an unshaved growth of hair on the upper lip

From this reading The immoral and the maternal lived together in her diligent days on the most comfortable terms, and she stopped curling the mustaches of her Guardsmen to pat the heads of her babes.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading It would have been droll if it had not been so exemplary to see her tracing the loves of the duchesses beside the innocent cribs of her children.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It would have been droll if it had not been so exemplary to see her tracing the loves of the duchesses beside the innocent cribs of her children.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The immoral and the maternal lived together in her diligent days on the most comfortable terms, and she stopped curling the mustaches of her Guardsmen to pat the heads of her babes.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading “I had rather be just paid there,” she usually replied; for this tribute of transatlantic opinion was the only thing that galled her.

opinionnounUS /əˈpɪnjən/

a personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty

From this reading “I had rather be just paid there,” she usually replied; for this tribute of transatlantic opinion was the only thing that galled her.

paidadjectiveUS /peɪd/

marked by the reception of pay

From this reading “I had rather be just paid there,” she usually replied; for this tribute of transatlantic opinion was the only thing that galled her.

patverbUS /pæt/

pat or squeeze fondly or playfully, especially under the chin

From this reading The immoral and the maternal lived together in her diligent days on the most comfortable terms, and she stopped curling the mustaches of her Guardsmen to pat the heads of her babes.

pensionsnounUS /ˈpenʃənz/

plural of “pension” — a regular payment to a person that is intended to allow them to subsist without working

From this reading She was haunted by solemn spinsters who came to tea from continental _pensions_, and by unsophisticated Americans who told her she was just loved in _their_ country.

pilgrimsnounUS /ˈpɪlɡrəmz/

plural of “pilgrim” — someone who journeys in foreign lands

From this reading The Americans went away thinking her coarse; though as the author of so many beautiful love-stories she was disappointing to most of these pilgrims, who had not expected to find a shy, stout, ruddy lady in a cap like a crumbled pyramid.

pyramidverbUS /ˈpɪrəmɪd/

enlarge one's holdings on an exchange on a continued rise by using paper profits as margin to buy additional amounts

From this reading The Americans went away thinking her coarse; though as the author of so many beautiful love-stories she was disappointing to most of these pilgrims, who had not expected to find a shy, stout, ruddy lady in a cap like a crumbled pyramid.

ratheradverbUS /ˈræðər/

on the contrary

From this reading “I had rather be just paid there,” she usually replied; for this tribute of transatlantic opinion was the only thing that galled her.

repliedverbUS /rɪˈplaɪd/

inflected form of “reply” — react verbally

From this reading “I had rather be just paid there,” she usually replied; for this tribute of transatlantic opinion was the only thing that galled her.

ruddyadjectiveUS /ˈrʌdi/

inclined to a healthy reddish color often associated with outdoor life

From this reading The Americans went away thinking her coarse; though as the author of so many beautiful love-stories she was disappointing to most of these pilgrims, who had not expected to find a shy, stout, ruddy lady in a cap like a crumbled pyramid.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading It would have been droll if it had not been so exemplary to see her tracing the loves of the duchesses beside the innocent cribs of her children.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading The immoral and the maternal lived together in her diligent days on the most comfortable terms, and she stopped curling the mustaches of her Guardsmen to pat the heads of her babes.

shyverbUS /ʃaɪ/

start suddenly, as from fright

From this reading The Americans went away thinking her coarse; though as the author of so many beautiful love-stories she was disappointing to most of these pilgrims, who had not expected to find a shy, stout, ruddy lady in a cap like a crumbled pyramid.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading It would have been droll if it had not been so exemplary to see her tracing the loves of the duchesses beside the innocent cribs of her children.

solemnadjectiveUS /ˈsɑːləm/

dignified and somber in manner or character and committed to keeping promises

From this reading She was haunted by solemn spinsters who came to tea from continental _pensions_, and by unsophisticated Americans who told her she was just loved in _their_ country.

spinsters

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

From this reading She was haunted by solemn spinsters who came to tea from continental _pensions_, and by unsophisticated Americans who told her she was just loved in _their_ country.

stoppedadjectiveUS /stɑːpt/

(of a nose) blocked

From this reading The immoral and the maternal lived together in her diligent days on the most comfortable terms, and she stopped curling the mustaches of her Guardsmen to pat the heads of her babes.

stoutadjectiveUS /staʊt/

dependable

From this reading The Americans went away thinking her coarse; though as the author of so many beautiful love-stories she was disappointing to most of these pilgrims, who had not expected to find a shy, stout, ruddy lady in a cap like a crumbled pyramid.

teanounUS /tiː/

a beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water

From this reading She was haunted by solemn spinsters who came to tea from continental _pensions_, and by unsophisticated Americans who told her she was just loved in _their_ country.

termsnounUS /tɜːrmz/

status with respect to the relations between people or groups

From this reading The immoral and the maternal lived together in her diligent days on the most comfortable terms, and she stopped curling the mustaches of her Guardsmen to pat the heads of her babes.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading “I had rather be just paid there,” she usually replied; for this tribute of transatlantic opinion was the only thing that galled her.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading It would have been droll if it had not been so exemplary to see her tracing the loves of the duchesses beside the innocent cribs of her children.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading She was haunted by solemn spinsters who came to tea from continental _pensions_, and by unsophisticated Americans who told her she was just loved in _their_ country.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading “I had rather be just paid there,” she usually replied; for this tribute of transatlantic opinion was the only thing that galled her.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

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

From this reading The Americans went away thinking her coarse; though as the author of so many beautiful love-stories she was disappointing to most of these pilgrims, who had not expected to find a shy, stout, ruddy lady in a cap like a crumbled pyramid.

thingnounUS /θɪŋ/

a special situation

From this reading “I had rather be just paid there,” she usually replied; for this tribute of transatlantic opinion was the only thing that galled her.

thinkingnounUS /ˈθɪŋkɪŋ/

the process of using your mind to consider something carefully

From this reading The Americans went away thinking her coarse; though as the author of so many beautiful love-stories she was disappointing to most of these pilgrims, who had not expected to find a shy, stout, ruddy lady in a cap like a crumbled pyramid.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading “I had rather be just paid there,” she usually replied; for this tribute of transatlantic opinion was the only thing that galled her.

thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading The Americans went away thinking her coarse; though as the author of so many beautiful love-stories she was disappointing to most of these pilgrims, who had not expected to find a shy, stout, ruddy lady in a cap like a crumbled pyramid.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It would have been droll if it had not been so exemplary to see her tracing the loves of the duchesses beside the innocent cribs of her children.

togetheradverbUS /təˈɡeðər/

in contact with each other or in proximity

From this reading The immoral and the maternal lived together in her diligent days on the most comfortable terms, and she stopped curling the mustaches of her Guardsmen to pat the heads of her babes.

toldverbUS /toʊld/

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading She was haunted by solemn spinsters who came to tea from continental _pensions_, and by unsophisticated Americans who told her she was just loved in _their_ country.

tracingnounUS /ˈtreɪsɪŋ/

the act of drawing a plan or diagram or outline

From this reading It would have been droll if it had not been so exemplary to see her tracing the loves of the duchesses beside the innocent cribs of her children.

transatlanticadjectiveUS /ˌtrænzətˈlæntɪk/

crossing the Atlantic Ocean

From this reading “I had rather be just paid there,” she usually replied; for this tribute of transatlantic opinion was the only thing that galled her.

tributenounUS /ˈtrɪbjuːt/

something given or done as an expression of esteem

From this reading “I had rather be just paid there,” she usually replied; for this tribute of transatlantic opinion was the only thing that galled her.

unsophisticatedadjectiveUS /ˌʌnsəˈfɪstɪkeɪtɪd/

not wise in the ways of the world

From this reading She was haunted by solemn spinsters who came to tea from continental _pensions_, and by unsophisticated Americans who told her she was just loved in _their_ country.

usuallyadverbUS /ˈjuːʒəwəli/

under normal conditions

From this reading “I had rather be just paid there,” she usually replied; for this tribute of transatlantic opinion was the only thing that galled her.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading She was haunted by solemn spinsters who came to tea from continental _pensions_, and by unsophisticated Americans who told her she was just loved in _their_ country.

wentverbUS /went/

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading The Americans went away thinking her coarse; though as the author of so many beautiful love-stories she was disappointing to most of these pilgrims, who had not expected to find a shy, stout, ruddy lady in a cap like a crumbled pyramid.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading She was haunted by solemn spinsters who came to tea from continental _pensions_, and by unsophisticated Americans who told her she was just loved in _their_ country.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading It would have been droll if it had not been so exemplary to see her tracing the loves of the duchesses beside the innocent cribs of her children.

Chapter 2 of Greville Fane by Henry James holds 144 sentences, grouped into 29 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 2 of Greville Fane contain?

Chapter 2 holds 144 sentences of Greville Fane, unabridged, divided into 29 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of Greville Fane by Henry James exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 144 sentences, grouped into 29 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 2 of Greville Fane?

Work through the 29 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 29 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 2 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 2 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 Greville Fane

Common questions about reading Greville Fane by Henry James on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Greville Fane?

Yes. All 302 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2719 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Greville Fane is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #2719, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Greville Fane take to read?

About 25 minutes of reading across 61 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Greville Fane section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 2 chapters of Greville Fane 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 Greville Fane

Words and structures a reader meets early in Greville Fane, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Greville
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Greville Fane; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Coming
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Greville Fane; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Dress
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Greville Fane; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Dinner
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Greville Fane; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.