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Historical Romances
Historical Romances

Chapter XXV

Chapter 25 of Historical Romances is here in full — 513 sentences across 103 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/102 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
BOOT AND SADDLE.
As was natural, I meditated deeply and far into the night on the difficulties of the task entrusted to me.
I saw that it fell into two parts: the release of the lady, and her safe conduct to Blois, a distance of sixty leagues.
The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.
To get these together at a few hours' notice promised to be no easy task; although the presence of the Court of Navarre had filled St. Jean with a crowd of adventurers.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Historical Romances

Chapter XXV

Chapter 25 of Historical Romances is here in full — 513 sentences across 103 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/102 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
BOOT AND SADDLE.
/buːt ənd ˈsædəl/
Line 2
As was natural, I meditated deeply and far into the night on the difficulties of the task entrusted to me.
Line 3
I saw that it fell into two parts: the release of the lady, and her safe conduct to Blois, a distance of sixty leagues.
Line 4
The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.
Line 5
To get these together at a few hours' notice promised to be no easy task; although the presence of the Court of Navarre had filled St. Jean with a crowd of adventurers.

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.

adventurers noun US /ædˈventʃərərz/

plural of “adventurer” — a person who enjoys taking risks

From this reading “To get these together at a few hours' notice promised to be no easy task; although the presence of the Court of Navarre had filled St. Jean with a crowd of adventurers.”

boot noun US /buːt/

footwear that covers the whole foot and lower leg

From this reading “BOOT AND SADDLE.”

ensure verb US /enˈʃʊr/

make certain of

From this reading “The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.”

entrusted verb US /enˈtrʌstɪd/

past form of “entrust” — confer a trust upon

From this reading “As was natural, I meditated deeply and far into the night on the difficulties of the task entrusted to me.”

leagues noun US /liːɡz/

plural of “league” — an association of sports teams that organizes matches for its members

From this reading “I saw that it fell into two parts: the release of the lady, and her safe conduct to Blois, a distance of sixty leagues.”

Loire noun US /lɔɪr/

the longest French river; rises in the Massif Central and flows north and west to the Atlantic Ocean

From this reading “The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.”

single-handed adjective US /ˈsɪŋɡəlˈhændɪd/

unsupported by other people

From this reading “The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.”

swords noun US /sɔːrdz/

plural of “sword” — a cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guard

From this reading “The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.”

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.

easy task adjective + noun

In this reading “To get these together at a few hours' notice promised to be no easy task; although the presence of the Court of Navarre had filled St. Jean with a crowd of adventurers.”

fell into verb + particle

In this reading “I saw that it fell into two parts: the release of the lady, and her safe conduct to Blois, a distance of sixty leagues.”

two parts noun + noun

In this reading “I saw that it fell into two parts: the release of the lady, and her safe conduct to Blois, a distance of sixty leagues.”

least five adjective + noun

In this reading “The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.”

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

travelling about

In this reading “The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.”

crowd of verb + particle

In this reading “To get these together at a few hours' notice promised to be no easy task; although the presence of the Court of Navarre had filled St. Jean with a crowd of adventurers.”

All words in this reading · 90

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 I saw that it fell into two parts: the release of the lady, and her safe conduct to Blois, a distance of sixty leagues.

adventurersnounUS /ædˈventʃərərz/

plural of “adventurer” — a person who enjoys taking risks

From this reading To get these together at a few hours' notice promised to be no easy task; although the presence of the Court of Navarre had filled St. Jean with a crowd of adventurers.

althoughconjunctionUS /ˌɔːlˈðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading To get these together at a few hours' notice promised to be no easy task; although the presence of the Court of Navarre had filled St. Jean with a crowd of adventurers.

ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading BOOT AND SADDLE.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading As was natural, I meditated deeply and far into the night on the difficulties of the task entrusted to me.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading To get these together at a few hours' notice promised to be no easy task; although the presence of the Court of Navarre had filled St. Jean with a crowd of adventurers.

Blois

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

From this reading I saw that it fell into two parts: the release of the lady, and her safe conduct to Blois, a distance of sixty leagues.

BOOTnounUS /buːt/

footwear that covers the whole foot and lower leg

From this reading BOOT AND SADDLE.

bothdeterminerUS /boʊθ/

the two together, not just one

From this reading The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.

companionnounUS /kəmˈpænjən/

a friend who is frequently in the company of another

From this reading The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.

conditionnounUS /kənˈdɪʃən/

a state at a particular time

From this reading The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.

conductverbUS /ˈkɑːndəkt/

direct the course of; manage or control

From this reading I saw that it fell into two parts: the release of the lady, and her safe conduct to Blois, a distance of sixty leagues.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.

countrynounUS /ˈkʌntri/

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.

CourtnounUS /kɔːrt/

an assembly (including one or more judges) to conduct judicial business

From this reading To get these together at a few hours' notice promised to be no easy task; although the presence of the Court of Navarre had filled St. Jean with a crowd of adventurers.

crowdverbUS /kraʊd/

cause to herd, drive, or crowd together

From this reading To get these together at a few hours' notice promised to be no easy task; although the presence of the Court of Navarre had filled St. Jean with a crowd of adventurers.

deeplyadverbUS /ˈdiːpli/

to a great depth psychologically or emotionally

From this reading As was natural, I meditated deeply and far into the night on the difficulties of the task entrusted to me.

difficultiesnounUS /ˈdɪfəkəltiz/

plural of “difficulty” — an effort that is inconvenient

From this reading As was natural, I meditated deeply and far into the night on the difficulties of the task entrusted to me.

distancenounUS /ˈdɪstəns/

the property created by the space between two objects or points

From this reading I saw that it fell into two parts: the release of the lady, and her safe conduct to Blois, a distance of sixty leagues.

easyadjectiveUS /ˈiːzi/

posing no difficulty; requiring little effort

From this reading To get these together at a few hours' notice promised to be no easy task; although the presence of the Court of Navarre had filled St. Jean with a crowd of adventurers.

effectnounUS /ɪˈfekt/

a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon

From this reading The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.

ensureverbUS /enˈʃʊr/

make certain of

From this reading The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.

entrustedverbUS /enˈtrʌstɪd/

past form of “entrust” — confer a trust upon

From this reading As was natural, I meditated deeply and far into the night on the difficulties of the task entrusted to me.

faradverbUS /fɑːr/

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading As was natural, I meditated deeply and far into the night on the difficulties of the task entrusted to me.

fellverbUS /fel/

cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow

From this reading I saw that it fell into two parts: the release of the lady, and her safe conduct to Blois, a distance of sixty leagues.

fewadjectiveUS /fjuː/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading To get these together at a few hours' notice promised to be no easy task; although the presence of the Court of Navarre had filled St. Jean with a crowd of adventurers.

filledadjectiveUS /fɪld/

(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with

From this reading To get these together at a few hours' notice promised to be no easy task; although the presence of the Court of Navarre had filled St. Jean with a crowd of adventurers.

fivenounUS /faɪv/

the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one

From this reading The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.

getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading To get these together at a few hours' notice promised to be no easy task; although the presence of the Court of Navarre had filled St. Jean with a crowd of adventurers.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading I saw that it fell into two parts: the release of the lady, and her safe conduct to Blois, a distance of sixty leagues.

hoursnounUS /ˈaʊərz/

a period of time assigned for work

From this reading To get these together at a few hours' notice promised to be no easy task; although the presence of the Court of Navarre had filled St. Jean with a crowd of adventurers.

how

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

From this reading The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading As was natural, I meditated deeply and far into the night on the difficulties of the task entrusted to me.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading As was natural, I meditated deeply and far into the night on the difficulties of the task entrusted to me.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading I saw that it fell into two parts: the release of the lady, and her safe conduct to Blois, a distance of sixty leagues.

JeannounUS /dʒiːn/

a coarse durable twill-weave cotton fabric

From this reading To get these together at a few hours' notice promised to be no easy task; although the presence of the Court of Navarre had filled St. Jean with a crowd of adventurers.

ladynounUS /ˈleɪdi/

a polite name for any woman

From this reading I saw that it fell into two parts: the release of the lady, and her safe conduct to Blois, a distance of sixty leagues.

lady'snounUS /ˈleɪdiz/

possessive form of “lady” — a polite name for any woman

From this reading The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.

leaguesnounUS /liːɡz/

plural of “league” — an association of sports teams that organizes matches for its members

From this reading I saw that it fell into two parts: the release of the lady, and her safe conduct to Blois, a distance of sixty leagues.

leastadjectiveUS /liːst/

the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree

From this reading The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.

LoirenounUS /lɔɪr/

the longest French river; rises in the Massif Central and flows north and west to the Atlantic Ocean

From this reading The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading As was natural, I meditated deeply and far into the night on the difficulties of the task entrusted to me.

meditated

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

From this reading As was natural, I meditated deeply and far into the night on the difficulties of the task entrusted to me.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

From this reading The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.

naturaladjectiveUS /ˈnætʃərəl/

in accordance with nature; relating to or concerning nature

From this reading As was natural, I meditated deeply and far into the night on the difficulties of the task entrusted to me.

Navarre

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

From this reading To get these together at a few hours' notice promised to be no easy task; although the presence of the Court of Navarre had filled St. Jean with a crowd of adventurers.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading As was natural, I meditated deeply and far into the night on the difficulties of the task entrusted to me.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading To get these together at a few hours' notice promised to be no easy task; although the presence of the Court of Navarre had filled St. Jean with a crowd of adventurers.

northwardsadverb

in a northern direction

From this reading The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.

noticenounUS /ˈnoʊtəs/

an announcement containing information about an event

From this reading To get these together at a few hours' notice promised to be no easy task; although the presence of the Court of Navarre had filled St. Jean with a crowd of adventurers.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading As was natural, I meditated deeply and far into the night on the difficulties of the task entrusted to me.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading As was natural, I meditated deeply and far into the night on the difficulties of the task entrusted to me.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.

particularlyadverbUS /ˌpɑːrˈtɪkjələrli/

to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common

From this reading The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.

partsnounUS /pɑːrts/

the local environment

From this reading I saw that it fell into two parts: the release of the lady, and her safe conduct to Blois, a distance of sixty leagues.

presencenounUS /ˈprezəns/

the state of being present; current existence

From this reading To get these together at a few hours' notice promised to be no easy task; although the presence of the Court of Navarre had filled St. Jean with a crowd of adventurers.

probableadjectiveUS /ˈprɑːbəbəl/

likely but not certain to be or become true or real

From this reading The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.

promisedverbUS /ˈprɑːməst/

past form of “promise” — make a promise or commitment

From this reading To get these together at a few hours' notice promised to be no easy task; although the presence of the Court of Navarre had filled St. Jean with a crowd of adventurers.

releaseverbUS /riˈliːs/

release, as from one's grip

From this reading I saw that it fell into two parts: the release of the lady, and her safe conduct to Blois, a distance of sixty leagues.

roadnounUS /roʊd/

an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation

From this reading The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.

SADDLEverbUS /ˈsædəl/

put a saddle on

From this reading BOOT AND SADDLE.

safeadjectiveUS /seɪf/

free from danger or the risk of harm

From this reading I saw that it fell into two parts: the release of the lady, and her safe conduct to Blois, a distance of sixty leagues.

safetynounUS /ˈseɪfti/

the state of being certain that adverse effects will not be caused by some agent under defined conditions

From this reading The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.

sawverbUS /sɔː/

cut with a saw

From this reading I saw that it fell into two parts: the release of the lady, and her safe conduct to Blois, a distance of sixty leagues.

scarcelyadverbUS /ˈskersli/

only a very short time before

From this reading The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.

sidesnounUS /saɪdz/

plural of “side” — a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.

single-handedadjectiveUS /ˈsɪŋɡəlˈhændɪd/

unsupported by other people

From this reading The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.

sixtyadjectiveUS /ˈsɪksti/

being ten more than fifty

From this reading I saw that it fell into two parts: the release of the lady, and her safe conduct to Blois, a distance of sixty leagues.

St

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

From this reading To get these together at a few hours' notice promised to be no easy task; although the presence of the Court of Navarre had filled St. Jean with a crowd of adventurers.

swordsnounUS /sɔːrdz/

plural of “sword” — a cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guard

From this reading The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.

tasknounUS /tæsk/

any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted

From this reading As was natural, I meditated deeply and far into the night on the difficulties of the task entrusted to me.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading I saw that it fell into two parts: the release of the lady, and her safe conduct to Blois, a distance of sixty leagues.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading As was natural, I meditated deeply and far into the night on the difficulties of the task entrusted to me.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

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

From this reading To get these together at a few hours' notice promised to be no easy task; although the presence of the Court of Navarre had filled St. Jean with a crowd of adventurers.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.

thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading As was natural, I meditated deeply and far into the night on the difficulties of the task entrusted to me.

togetheradverbUS /təˈɡeðər/

in contact with each other or in proximity

From this reading To get these together at a few hours' notice promised to be no easy task; although the presence of the Court of Navarre had filled St. Jean with a crowd of adventurers.

troubledadjectiveUS /ˈtrʌbəld/

characterized by or indicative of distress or affliction or danger or need

From this reading The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.

twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading I saw that it fell into two parts: the release of the lady, and her safe conduct to Blois, a distance of sixty leagues.

unlessconjunctionUS /ənˈles/

except if; if not

From this reading The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading As was natural, I meditated deeply and far into the night on the difficulties of the task entrusted to me.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The release I thought it probable I could effect single-handed, or with one companion only; but in the troubled condition of the country at this time, more particularly on both sides of the Loire, I scarcely saw how I could ensure a lady's safety on the road northwards unless I had with me at least five swords.

Chapter 25 of Historical Romances by Stanley John Weyman holds 513 sentences, grouped into 103 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 25 of Historical Romances contain?

Chapter 25 holds 513 sentences of Historical Romances, unabridged, divided into 103 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 25 of Historical Romances by Stanley John Weyman exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 513 sentences, grouped into 103 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 25 of Historical Romances?

Work through the 103 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 103 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 25 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 25 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 Historical Romances

Common questions about reading Historical Romances by Stanley John Weyman on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Historical Romances?

Yes. All 19958 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #39136 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Historical Romances is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #39136, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Historical Romances take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 3992 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Historical Romances section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of Historical Romances 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 Historical Romances

Words and structures a reader meets early in Historical Romances, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Diphthong
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Historical Romances; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Represented
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Historical Romances; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Marked
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Historical Romances; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Cards
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Historical Romances; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.