Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Harold's Bride: A Tale
Harold's Bride: A Tale

Chapter XV

Chapter 15 of Harold's Bride: A Tale is here in full — 221 sentences across 45 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Harold's Bride: A Tale
Context Illustration Reading 1/44 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE BLACK CHARM.
HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.
I am certain that I should not be admitted into the fort were I to attempt to go there this morning.
The women paid me little attention yesterday, and Darobti was offended at my question regarding Premi.
I do not like to visit where I am not welcome; I cannot go to the fort to-day.”
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.

Harold's Bride: A Tale

Chapter XV

Chapter 15 of Harold's Bride: A Tale is here in full — 221 sentences across 45 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/44 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE BLACK CHARM.
/ðə blæk tʃɑːrm/
Line 2
HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.
Line 3
I am certain that I should not be admitted into the fort were I to attempt to go there this morning.
/aɪ æm ˈsɜːrtən ðæt aɪ ʃʊd nɑːt biː ədˈmɪtɪd ˈɪntuː ðə fɔːrt wɜːr aɪ tuː əˈtempt tuː ɡoʊ ðer ðɪs ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/
Line 4
The women paid me little attention yesterday, and Darobti was offended at my question regarding Premi.
Line 5
I do not like to visit where I am not welcome; I cannot go to the fort to-day.”

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.

charm noun US /tʃɑːrm/

attractiveness that interests or pleases or stimulates

From this reading “THE BLACK CHARM.”

fort noun US /fɔːrt/

a fortified military post where troops are stationed

From this reading ““I am certain that I should not be admitted into the fort were I to attempt to go there this morning.”

gain verb US /ɡeɪn/

obtain

From this reading ““HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.”

offended adjective US /əˈfendəd/

emotionally hurt or upset or annoyed

From this reading “The women paid me little attention yesterday, and Darobti was offended at my question regarding Premi.”

preferring verb US /prɪˈfɜːrɪŋ/

inflected form of “prefer” — like better; value more highly

From this reading ““HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.”

regarding verb US /rɪˈɡɑːrdɪŋ/

-ing form of “regard” — deem to be

From this reading ““HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.”

Robin noun US /ˈrɑːbən/

small Old World songbird with a reddish breast

From this reading ““HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.”

sadly adverb US /ˈsædli/

in an unfortunate way

From this reading ““HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.”

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.

breakfast table verb + noun

a table where breakfast is eaten

In this reading ““HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.”

information regarding noun + noun counted as “information regard”

In this reading ““HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.”

on the floor preposition + article + noun counted as “on … floor”

In this reading ““HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.”

little attention adjective + noun

In this reading “The women paid me little attention yesterday, and Darobti was offended at my question regarding Premi.”

admitted into verb + particle counted as “admit into”

In this reading ““I am certain that I should not be admitted into the fort were I to attempt to go there this morning.”

All words in this reading · 70

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.

admittedverbUS /ədˈmɪtɪd/

inflected form of “admit” — declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of

From this reading “I am certain that I should not be admitted into the fort were I to attempt to go there this morning.

Alicia

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

From this reading “HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.

aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading “HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading “I am certain that I should not be admitted into the fort were I to attempt to go there this morning.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The women paid me little attention yesterday, and Darobti was offended at my question regarding Premi.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading “HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.

askedverbUS /æskt/

past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading “HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading “HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.

attemptnounUS /əˈtempt/

earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something

From this reading “I am certain that I should not be admitted into the fort were I to attempt to go there this morning.

attentionnounUS /əˈtenʃən/

the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others

From this reading The women paid me little attention yesterday, and Darobti was offended at my question regarding Premi.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading “I am certain that I should not be admitted into the fort were I to attempt to go there this morning.

BLACKadjectiveUS /blæk/

being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light

From this reading THE BLACK CHARM.

breakfastverbUS /ˈbrekfəst/

eat an early morning meal

From this reading “HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.

cannot

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

From this reading I do not like to visit where I am not welcome; I cannot go to the fort to-day.”

certainadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrtən/

definite but not specified or identified

From this reading “I am certain that I should not be admitted into the fort were I to attempt to go there this morning.

CHARMnounUS /tʃɑːrm/

attractiveness that interests or pleases or stimulates

From this reading THE BLACK CHARM.

cross-leggedadverb

with the legs crossed

From this reading “HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.

Darobti

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

From this reading The women paid me little attention yesterday, and Darobti was offended at my question regarding Premi.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading I do not like to visit where I am not welcome; I cannot go to the fort to-day.”

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

From this reading “HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.

eatverbUS /iːt/

take in solid food

From this reading “HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.

floornounUS /flɔːr/

the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)

From this reading “HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.

foodnounUS /fuːd/

any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue

From this reading “HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.

fortnounUS /fɔːrt/

a fortified military post where troops are stationed

From this reading “I am certain that I should not be admitted into the fort were I to attempt to go there this morning.

gainverbUS /ɡeɪn/

obtain

From this reading “HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading “I am certain that I should not be admitted into the fort were I to attempt to go there this morning.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading “HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.

HOW

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

From this reading “HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading “HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.

informationnounUS /ˌɪnfərˈmeɪʃən/

a message received and understood

From this reading “HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading “I am certain that I should not be admitted into the fort were I to attempt to go there this morning.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading “HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading “HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.

Kripá

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

From this reading “HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading I do not like to visit where I am not welcome; I cannot go to the fort to-day.”

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading The women paid me little attention yesterday, and Darobti was offended at my question regarding Premi.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading The women paid me little attention yesterday, and Darobti was offended at my question regarding Premi.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading “HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading “I am certain that I should not be admitted into the fort were I to attempt to go there this morning.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading The women paid me little attention yesterday, and Darobti was offended at my question regarding Premi.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading “I am certain that I should not be admitted into the fort were I to attempt to go there this morning.

offendedadjectiveUS /əˈfendəd/

emotionally hurt or upset or annoyed

From this reading The women paid me little attention yesterday, and Darobti was offended at my question regarding Premi.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading “HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.

paidadjectiveUS /peɪd/

marked by the reception of pay

From this reading The women paid me little attention yesterday, and Darobti was offended at my question regarding Premi.

possibleadjectiveUS /ˈpɑːsəbəl/

capable of happening or existing

From this reading “HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.

preferringverbUS /prɪˈfɜːrɪŋ/

inflected form of “prefer” — like better; value more highly

From this reading “HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.

Premi

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

From this reading “HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.

questionverbUS /ˈkwestʃən/

challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of

From this reading The women paid me little attention yesterday, and Darobti was offended at my question regarding Premi.

regardingverbUS /rɪˈɡɑːrdɪŋ/

-ing form of “regard” — deem to be

From this reading “HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.

RobinnounUS /ˈrɑːbən/

small Old World songbird with a reddish breast

From this reading “HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.

sadlyadverbUS /ˈsædli/

in an unfortunate way

From this reading “HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.

satnounUS /sæt/

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading “HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading “HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading “HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.

sittingnounUS /ˈsɪtɪŋ/

(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)

From this reading “HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.

tablenounUS /ˈteɪbəl/

a set of data arranged in rows and columns

From this reading “HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading “HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE BLACK CHARM.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading “I am certain that I should not be admitted into the fort were I to attempt to go there this morning.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading “I am certain that I should not be admitted into the fort were I to attempt to go there this morning.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading “HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.

to-day

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

From this reading I do not like to visit where I am not welcome; I cannot go to the fort to-day.”

visitverbUS /ˈvɪzɪt/

go to see a place, as for entertainment

From this reading I do not like to visit where I am not welcome; I cannot go to the fort to-day.”

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The women paid me little attention yesterday, and Darobti was offended at my question regarding Premi.

welcomeverbUS /ˈwelkəm/

accept gladly

From this reading I do not like to visit where I am not welcome; I cannot go to the fort to-day.”

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading “I am certain that I should not be admitted into the fort were I to attempt to go there this morning.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading I do not like to visit where I am not welcome; I cannot go to the fort to-day.”

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading “HOW is it possible that I should gain more information regarding Premi?” asked Alicia sadly, as she sat alone with Robin at the breakfast table, Kripá Dé preferring to eat his food sitting cross-legged on the floor.

womennounUS /ˈwɪmən/

plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading The women paid me little attention yesterday, and Darobti was offended at my question regarding Premi.

yesterdaynounUS /ˈjestərdeɪ/

the day immediately before today

From this reading The women paid me little attention yesterday, and Darobti was offended at my question regarding Premi.

Chapter 15 of Harold's Bride: A Tale by A. L. O. E. holds 221 sentences, grouped into 45 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 15 of Harold's Bride: A Tale contain?

Chapter 15 holds 221 sentences of Harold's Bride: A Tale, unabridged, divided into 45 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 15 of Harold's Bride: A Tale by A. L. O. E. exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 221 sentences, grouped into 45 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 15 of Harold's Bride: A Tale?

Work through the 45 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 45 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 15 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 15 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 Harold's Bride: A Tale

Common questions about reading Harold's Bride: A Tale by A. L. O. E. on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Harold's Bride: A Tale?

Yes. All 2553 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #59333 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Harold's Bride: A Tale is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #59333, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Harold's Bride: A Tale take to read?

About 212 minutes of reading across 511 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Harold's Bride: A Tale section by section

How to work through Harold's Bride: A Tale section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 23 chapters of Harold's Bride: A Tale 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 Harold's Bride: A Tale

Words and structures a reader meets early in Harold's Bride: A Tale, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Harold's Bride: A Tale; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Driven
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Harold's Bride: A Tale; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Exile
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Harold's Bride: A Tale; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Pictures
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Harold's Bride: A Tale; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.