Chapter 4 of Harlequin and Columbine is here in full — 416 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IV
Chapter 4 of Harlequin and Columbine is here in full — 416 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
And, breathless, he followed the genially waiting Packer. X “Your overcoat, Mr. Potter!” called that faithful servitor as Potter was going out through the theatre with old Tinker and Canby. “You've forgotten your overcoat, sir.” “I don't want it.” “Yes sir; but it's a little raw to-day.”
Chapter 4 of Harlequin and Columbine is here in full — 416 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/83 · 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.
not breathing or able to breathe except with difficulty
From this reading “And, breathless, he followed the genially waiting Packer.”
steadfast in affection or allegiance
From this reading “X “Your overcoat, Mr. Potter!” called that faithful servitor as Potter was going out through the theatre with old Tinker and Canby.”
a heavy coat worn over clothes in winter
From this reading “X “Your overcoat, Mr. Potter!” called that faithful servitor as Potter was going out through the theatre with old Tinker and Canby.”
a workman employed to pack things into containers
From this reading “And, breathless, he followed the genially waiting Packer.”
do random, unplanned work or activities or spend time idly
From this reading “X “Your overcoat, Mr. Potter!” called that faithful servitor as Potter was going out through the theatre with old Tinker and Canby.”
(used especially of commodities) being unprocessed or manufactured using only simple or minimal processes
From this reading ““Yes sir; but it's a little raw to-day.””
a building where theatrical performances or motion-picture shows can be presented
From this reading “X “Your overcoat, Mr. Potter!” called that faithful servitor as Potter was going out through the theatre with old Tinker and Canby.”
do random, unplanned work or activities or spend time idly
From this reading “X “Your overcoat, Mr. Potter!” called that faithful servitor as Potter was going out through the theatre with old Tinker and Canby.”
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 “Yes sir; but it's a little raw to-day.”
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And, breathless, he followed the genially waiting Packer.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading X “Your overcoat, Mr. Potter!” called that faithful servitor as Potter was going out through the theatre with old Tinker and Canby.
not breathing or able to breathe except with difficulty
From this reading And, breathless, he followed the genially waiting Packer.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “Yes sir; but it's a little raw to-day.”
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading X “Your overcoat, Mr. Potter!” called that faithful servitor as Potter was going out through the theatre with old Tinker and Canby.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading X “Your overcoat, Mr. Potter!” called that faithful servitor as Potter was going out through the theatre with old Tinker and Canby.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I don't want it.”
steadfast in affection or allegiance
From this reading X “Your overcoat, Mr. Potter!” called that faithful servitor as Potter was going out through the theatre with old Tinker and Canby.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading And, breathless, he followed the genially waiting Packer.
Not remembered; lapsed from memory.
From this reading “You've forgotten your overcoat, sir.”
in an affable manner
From this reading And, breathless, he followed the genially waiting Packer.
the act of departing
From this reading X “Your overcoat, Mr. Potter!” called that faithful servitor as Potter was going out through the theatre with old Tinker and Canby.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading And, breathless, he followed the genially waiting Packer.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I don't want it.”
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “I don't want it.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Yes sir; but it's a little raw to-day.”
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading “Yes sir; but it's a little raw to-day.”
a form of address for a man
From this reading X “Your overcoat, Mr. Potter!” called that faithful servitor as Potter was going out through the theatre with old Tinker and Canby.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading X “Your overcoat, Mr. Potter!” called that faithful servitor as Potter was going out through the theatre with old Tinker and Canby.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading X “Your overcoat, Mr. Potter!” called that faithful servitor as Potter was going out through the theatre with old Tinker and Canby.
a heavy coat worn over clothes in winter
From this reading X “Your overcoat, Mr. Potter!” called that faithful servitor as Potter was going out through the theatre with old Tinker and Canby.
a workman employed to pack things into containers
From this reading And, breathless, he followed the genially waiting Packer.
do random, unplanned work or activities or spend time idly
From this reading X “Your overcoat, Mr. Potter!” called that faithful servitor as Potter was going out through the theatre with old Tinker and Canby.
(used especially of commodities) being unprocessed or manufactured using only simple or minimal processes
From this reading “Yes sir; but it's a little raw to-day.”
someone who performs the duties of an attendant for someone else
From this reading X “Your overcoat, Mr. Potter!” called that faithful servitor as Potter was going out through the theatre with old Tinker and Canby.
term of address for a man
From this reading “You've forgotten your overcoat, sir.”
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading X “Your overcoat, Mr. Potter!” called that faithful servitor as Potter was going out through the theatre with old Tinker and Canby.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading And, breathless, he followed the genially waiting Packer.
a building where theatrical performances or motion-picture shows can be presented
From this reading X “Your overcoat, Mr. Potter!” called that faithful servitor as Potter was going out through the theatre with old Tinker and Canby.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading X “Your overcoat, Mr. Potter!” called that faithful servitor as Potter was going out through the theatre with old Tinker and Canby.
do random, unplanned work or activities or spend time idly
From this reading X “Your overcoat, Mr. Potter!” called that faithful servitor as Potter was going out through the theatre with old Tinker and Canby.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Yes sir; but it's a little raw to-day.”
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading And, breathless, he followed the genially waiting Packer.
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading “I don't want it.”
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading X “Your overcoat, Mr. Potter!” called that faithful servitor as Potter was going out through the theatre with old Tinker and Canby.
in the company of; together with
From this reading X “Your overcoat, Mr. Potter!” called that faithful servitor as Potter was going out through the theatre with old Tinker and Canby.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading X “Your overcoat, Mr. Potter!” called that faithful servitor as Potter was going out through the theatre with old Tinker and Canby.
an affirmative
From this reading “Yes sir; but it's a little raw to-day.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “You've forgotten your overcoat, sir.”
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading X “Your overcoat, Mr. Potter!” called that faithful servitor as Potter was going out through the theatre with old Tinker and Canby.
Chapter 4 of Harlequin and Columbine by Booth Tarkington holds 416 sentences, grouped into 84 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.
Chapter 4 holds 416 sentences of Harlequin and Columbine, unabridged, divided into 84 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 4 of Harlequin and Columbine by Booth Tarkington exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 416 sentences, grouped into 84 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 84 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 84 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 4 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 Harlequin and Columbine by Booth Tarkington on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 1679 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #6401 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #6401, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 139 minutes of reading across 336 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Harlequin and Columbine section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 4 chapters of Harlequin and Columbine 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 Harlequin and Columbine, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
