Chapter 28 of Heart and Science is here in full — 276 sentences across 56 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXVIII
Chapter 28 of Heart and Science is here in full — 276 sentences across 56 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Mrs. Gallilee’s page (attending to the house-door, in the footman’s absence) had just shown Benjulia into the library, when there was another ring at the bell. The new visitor was Mr. Le Frank. He appeared to be in a hurry. Without any preliminary questions, he said, “Take my card to Mrs. Gallilee.” “My mistress is out, sir.”
Chapter 28 of Heart and Science is here in full — 276 sentences across 56 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/55 · 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.
the state of being absent
From this reading “Mrs. Gallilee’s page (attending to the house-door, in the footman’s absence) had just shown Benjulia into the library, when there was another ring at the bell.”
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading “Mrs. Gallilee’s page (attending to the house-door, in the footman’s absence) had just shown Benjulia into the library, when there was another ring at the bell.”
one of a set of small pieces of stiff paper marked in various ways and used for playing games or for telling fortunes
From this reading “Without any preliminary questions, he said, “Take my card to Mrs. Gallilee.””
a condition of urgency making it necessary to hurry
From this reading “He appeared to be in a hurry.”
a room where books are kept
From this reading “Mrs. Gallilee’s page (attending to the house-door, in the footman’s absence) had just shown Benjulia into the library, when there was another ring at the bell.”
one side of one leaf (of a book or magazine or newspaper or letter etc.) or the written or pictorial matter it contains
From this reading “Mrs. Gallilee’s page (attending to the house-door, in the footman’s absence) had just shown Benjulia into the library, when there was another ring at the bell.”
denoting an action or event preceding or in preparation for something more important
From this reading “Without any preliminary questions, he said, “Take my card to Mrs. Gallilee.””
someone who visits
From this reading “The new visitor was Mr. Le Frank.”
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 He appeared to be in a hurry.
the state of being absent
From this reading Mrs. Gallilee’s page (attending to the house-door, in the footman’s absence) had just shown Benjulia into the library, when there was another ring at the bell.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading Mrs. Gallilee’s page (attending to the house-door, in the footman’s absence) had just shown Benjulia into the library, when there was another ring at the bell.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Without any preliminary questions, he said, “Take my card to Mrs. Gallilee.”
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading He appeared to be in a hurry.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Mrs. Gallilee’s page (attending to the house-door, in the footman’s absence) had just shown Benjulia into the library, when there was another ring at the bell.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading Mrs. Gallilee’s page (attending to the house-door, in the footman’s absence) had just shown Benjulia into the library, when there was another ring at the bell.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He appeared to be in a hurry.
a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck
From this reading Mrs. Gallilee’s page (attending to the house-door, in the footman’s absence) had just shown Benjulia into the library, when there was another ring at the bell.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Gallilee’s page (attending to the house-door, in the footman’s absence) had just shown Benjulia into the library, when there was another ring at the bell.
one of a set of small pieces of stiff paper marked in various ways and used for playing games or for telling fortunes
From this reading Without any preliminary questions, he said, “Take my card to Mrs. Gallilee.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Gallilee’s page (attending to the house-door, in the footman’s absence) had just shown Benjulia into the library, when there was another ring at the bell.
characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion
From this reading The new visitor was Mr. Le Frank.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Without any preliminary questions, he said, “Take my card to Mrs. Gallilee.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Gallilee’s page (attending to the house-door, in the footman’s absence) had just shown Benjulia into the library, when there was another ring at the bell.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Mrs. Gallilee’s page (attending to the house-door, in the footman’s absence) had just shown Benjulia into the library, when there was another ring at the bell.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He appeared to be in a hurry.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Gallilee’s page (attending to the house-door, in the footman’s absence) had just shown Benjulia into the library, when there was another ring at the bell.
a condition of urgency making it necessary to hurry
From this reading He appeared to be in a hurry.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Mrs. Gallilee’s page (attending to the house-door, in the footman’s absence) had just shown Benjulia into the library, when there was another ring at the bell.
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Mrs. Gallilee’s page (attending to the house-door, in the footman’s absence) had just shown Benjulia into the library, when there was another ring at the bell.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “My mistress is out, sir.”
and nothing more
From this reading Mrs. Gallilee’s page (attending to the house-door, in the footman’s absence) had just shown Benjulia into the library, when there was another ring at the bell.
a chronic inflammatory collagen disease affecting connective tissue (skin or joints)
From this reading The new visitor was Mr. Le Frank.
a room where books are kept
From this reading Mrs. Gallilee’s page (attending to the house-door, in the footman’s absence) had just shown Benjulia into the library, when there was another ring at the bell.
an adulterous woman; a woman who has an ongoing extramarital sexual relationship with a man
From this reading “My mistress is out, sir.”
a form of address for a man
From this reading The new visitor was Mr. Le Frank.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Mrs. Gallilee’s page (attending to the house-door, in the footman’s absence) had just shown Benjulia into the library, when there was another ring at the bell.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Without any preliminary questions, he said, “Take my card to Mrs. Gallilee.”
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading The new visitor was Mr. Le Frank.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading “My mistress is out, sir.”
one side of one leaf (of a book or magazine or newspaper or letter etc.) or the written or pictorial matter it contains
From this reading Mrs. Gallilee’s page (attending to the house-door, in the footman’s absence) had just shown Benjulia into the library, when there was another ring at the bell.
denoting an action or event preceding or in preparation for something more important
From this reading Without any preliminary questions, he said, “Take my card to Mrs. Gallilee.”
plural of “question” — an instance of questioning
From this reading Without any preliminary questions, he said, “Take my card to Mrs. Gallilee.”
sound loudly and sonorously
From this reading Mrs. Gallilee’s page (attending to the house-door, in the footman’s absence) had just shown Benjulia into the library, when there was another ring at the bell.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading Without any preliminary questions, he said, “Take my card to Mrs. Gallilee.”
inflected form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading Mrs. Gallilee’s page (attending to the house-door, in the footman’s absence) had just shown Benjulia into the library, when there was another ring at the bell.
term of address for a man
From this reading “My mistress is out, sir.”
carry out
From this reading Without any preliminary questions, he said, “Take my card to Mrs. Gallilee.”
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Mrs. Gallilee’s page (attending to the house-door, in the footman’s absence) had just shown Benjulia into the library, when there was another ring at the bell.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Mrs. Gallilee’s page (attending to the house-door, in the footman’s absence) had just shown Benjulia into the library, when there was another ring at the bell.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Mrs. Gallilee’s page (attending to the house-door, in the footman’s absence) had just shown Benjulia into the library, when there was another ring at the bell.
someone who visits
From this reading The new visitor was Mr. Le Frank.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Mrs. Gallilee’s page (attending to the house-door, in the footman’s absence) had just shown Benjulia into the library, when there was another ring at the bell.
at the time that
From this reading Mrs. Gallilee’s page (attending to the house-door, in the footman’s absence) had just shown Benjulia into the library, when there was another ring at the bell.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Without any preliminary questions, he said, “Take my card to Mrs. Gallilee.”
Chapter 28 of Heart and Science by Wilkie Collins holds 276 sentences, grouped into 56 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 28 holds 276 sentences of Heart and Science, unabridged, divided into 56 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 28 of Heart and Science by Wilkie Collins exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 276 sentences, grouped into 56 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 56 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 56 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 28 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 Heart and Science by Wilkie Collins on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 9743 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #7892 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #7892, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 1949 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Heart and Science section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 40 chapters of Heart and Science 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 Heart and Science, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
