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Kirsteen
Kirsteen

Chapter XXXI

Chapter 31 of Kirsteen is here in full — 372 sentences across 75 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/74 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
“What will ye do now?” said Anne.
Once more Kirsteen had left her carriage in the village where so short a time before she had paused on a different mission.
Every detail of that journey had been brought back to her by this.
The six months had softened a little the burning of that first bitter wound.
The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Kirsteen

Chapter XXXI

Chapter 31 of Kirsteen is here in full — 372 sentences across 75 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/74 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
“What will ye do now?” said Anne.
/wʌt wɪl jiː duː naʊ sed æn/
Line 2
Once more Kirsteen had left her carriage in the village where so short a time before she had paused on a different mission.
Line 3
Every detail of that journey had been brought back to her by this.
/ˈevəri dɪˈteɪl ʌv ðæt ˈdʒɜːrni hæd bɪn brɔːt bæk tuː hɜːr baɪ ðɪs/
Line 4
The six months had softened a little the burning of that first bitter wound.
/ðə sɪks mʌnθs hæd ˈsɔːfənd ə ˈlɪtəl ðə ˈbɜːrnɪŋ ʌv ðæt fɜːrst ˈbɪtər waʊnd/
Line 5
The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

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.

acknowledged adjective US /ækˈnɑːlɪdʒd/

recognized or made known or admitted

From this reading “The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.”

anticipation noun US /ænˌtɪsəˈpeɪʃən/

an expectation

From this reading “The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.”

intolerable adjective US /ˌɪnˈtɑːlərəbəl/

incapable of being tolerated or endured

From this reading “The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.”

murderous adjective US /ˈmɜːrdərəs/

characteristic of or capable of or having a tendency toward killing another human being

From this reading “The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.”

quest noun US /kwest/

a search for an alternative that meets cognitive criteria

From this reading “The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.”

relic noun US /ˈrelɪk/

an antiquity that has survived from the distant past

From this reading “The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.”

retraced verb US /riˈtreɪst/

past form of “retrace” — to go back over again

From this reading “The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.”

softened adjective US /ˈsɔːfənd/

toned down

From this reading “The six months had softened a little the burning of that first bitter wound.”

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.

six months noun + noun counted as “six month”

In this reading “The six months had softened a little the burning of that first bitter wound.”

almost intolerable adverb + adjective

In this reading “The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.”

Once more adverb + adjective

anew

In this reading “Once more Kirsteen had left her carriage in the village where so short a time before she had paused on a different mission.”

brought back verb + particle counted as “bring back”

bring back to the point of departure

In this reading “Every detail of that journey had been brought back to her by this.”

in anticipation preposition + noun

In this reading “The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.”

in the village preposition + article + noun counted as “in … village”

In this reading “Once more Kirsteen had left her carriage in the village where so short a time before she had paused on a different mission.”

All words in this reading · 97

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 Once more Kirsteen had left her carriage in the village where so short a time before she had paused on a different mission.

acknowledgedadjectiveUS /ækˈnɑːlɪdʒd/

recognized or made known or admitted

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

almostadverbUS /ˈɔːlmoʊst/

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

AnnenounUS /æn/

Queen of England and Scotland and Ireland; daughter if James II and the last of the Stuart monarchs; in 1707 she was the last English ruler to exercise the royal veto over parliament (1665-1714)

From this reading “What will ye do now?” said Anne.

anticipationnounUS /ænˌtɪsəˈpeɪʃən/

an expectation

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

assurancenounUS /əˈʃʊrəns/

freedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading Every detail of that journey had been brought back to her by this.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Every detail of that journey had been brought back to her by this.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading Once more Kirsteen had left her carriage in the village where so short a time before she had paused on a different mission.

bitteradjectiveUS /ˈbɪtər/

marked by strong resentment or cynicism

From this reading The six months had softened a little the burning of that first bitter wound.

breastnounUS /brest/

the front of the trunk from the neck to the abdomen

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

breathlessadjectiveUS /ˈbreθləs/

not breathing or able to breathe except with difficulty

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

broughtverbUS /brɔːt/

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading Every detail of that journey had been brought back to her by this.

burningnounUS /ˈbɜːrnɪŋ/

the act of burning something

From this reading The six months had softened a little the burning of that first bitter wound.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Every detail of that journey had been brought back to her by this.

calmverbUS /kɑːm/

make calm or still

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

carriagenounUS /ˈkærɪdʒ/

a railcar where passengers ride

From this reading Once more Kirsteen had left her carriage in the village where so short a time before she had paused on a different mission.

deepadjectiveUS /diːp/

relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

detailnounUS /dɪˈteɪl/

an isolated fact that is considered separately from the whole

From this reading Every detail of that journey had been brought back to her by this.

differentadjectiveUS /ˈdɪfərənt/

unlike in nature or quality or form or degree

From this reading Once more Kirsteen had left her carriage in the village where so short a time before she had paused on a different mission.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading “What will ye do now?” said Anne.

doubleverbUS /ˈdʌbəl/

increase twofold

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

EverydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading Every detail of that journey had been brought back to her by this.

excitements

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

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

feltverbUS /felt/

mat together and make felt-like

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading The six months had softened a little the burning of that first bitter wound.

forcenounUS /fɔːrs/

a powerful effect or influence

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/

acknowledged as a supposition

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Once more Kirsteen had left her carriage in the village where so short a time before she had paused on a different mission.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Once more Kirsteen had left her carriage in the village where so short a time before she had paused on a different mission.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Once more Kirsteen had left her carriage in the village where so short a time before she had paused on a different mission.

intolerableadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈtɑːlərəbəl/

incapable of being tolerated or endured

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

journeyverbUS /ˈdʒɜːrni/

undertake a journey or trip

From this reading Every detail of that journey had been brought back to her by this.

Kirsteen

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

From this reading Once more Kirsteen had left her carriage in the village where so short a time before she had paused on a different mission.

knewverbUS /nuː/

inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

leftnounUS /left/

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading Once more Kirsteen had left her carriage in the village where so short a time before she had paused on a different mission.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading The six months had softened a little the burning of that first bitter wound.

lossnounUS /lɔːs/

something that is lost

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

missionnounUS /ˈmɪʃən/

an organization of missionaries in a foreign land sent to carry on religious work

From this reading Once more Kirsteen had left her carriage in the village where so short a time before she had paused on a different mission.

monthsnounUS /mʌnθs/

plural of “month” — one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year

From this reading The six months had softened a little the burning of that first bitter wound.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

From this reading Once more Kirsteen had left her carriage in the village where so short a time before she had paused on a different mission.

murderousadjectiveUS /ˈmɜːrdərəs/

characteristic of or capable of or having a tendency toward killing another human being

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading “What will ye do now?” said Anne.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Every detail of that journey had been brought back to her by this.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Once more Kirsteen had left her carriage in the village where so short a time before she had paused on a different mission.

OnceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading Once more Kirsteen had left her carriage in the village where so short a time before she had paused on a different mission.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

pausedverbUS /pɔːzd/

past form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing

From this reading Once more Kirsteen had left her carriage in the village where so short a time before she had paused on a different mission.

possibleadjectiveUS /ˈpɑːsəbəl/

capable of happening or existing

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

previousadjectiveUS /ˈpriːviəs/

just preceding something else in time or order

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

questnounUS /kwest/

a search for an alternative that meets cognitive criteria

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

relicnounUS /ˈrelɪk/

an antiquity that has survived from the distant past

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

retracedverbUS /riˈtreɪst/

past form of “retrace” — to go back over again

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

returnedverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrnd/

past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

roadnounUS /roʊd/

an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading “What will ye do now?” said Anne.

sameadjectiveUS /seɪm/

Identical; not different.

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

satisfactionnounUS /ˌsætəˈsfækʃən/

the contentment one feels when one has fulfilled a desire, need, or expectation

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

sawverbUS /sɔː/

cut with a saw

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

settledadjectiveUS /ˈsetəld/

established or decided beyond dispute or doubt

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading Once more Kirsteen had left her carriage in the village where so short a time before she had paused on a different mission.

shortadjectiveUS /ʃɔːrt/

primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration

From this reading Once more Kirsteen had left her carriage in the village where so short a time before she had paused on a different mission.

sixnounUS /sɪks/

the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one

From this reading The six months had softened a little the burning of that first bitter wound.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Once more Kirsteen had left her carriage in the village where so short a time before she had paused on a different mission.

softenedadjectiveUS /ˈsɔːfənd/

toned down

From this reading The six months had softened a little the burning of that first bitter wound.

soulnounUS /soʊl/

the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

steelnounUS /stiːl/

an alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon; widely used in construction; mechanical properties can be varied over a wide range

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

sureadjectiveUS /ʃʊr/

having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Every detail of that journey had been brought back to her by this.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Once more Kirsteen had left her carriage in the village where so short a time before she had paused on a different mission.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

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

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading Every detail of that journey had been brought back to her by this.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading Once more Kirsteen had left her carriage in the village where so short a time before she had paused on a different mission.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Every detail of that journey had been brought back to her by this.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

villagenounUS /ˈvɪlədʒ/

a community of people smaller than a town

From this reading Once more Kirsteen had left her carriage in the village where so short a time before she had paused on a different mission.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

WhatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading “What will ye do now?” said Anne.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading Once more Kirsteen had left her carriage in the village where so short a time before she had paused on a different mission.

whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/

used to introduce two or more possibilities

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading “What will ye do now?” said Anne.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The calm of acknowledged loss had settled down, deep and still upon her life--but all the breathless excitements of the previous quest, when she knew not whether the only satisfaction possible to her now might be given or not, and saw in anticipation the relic that was to make assurance sure, and felt in her breast the burning of the murderous steel--all these returned to her soul with double and almost intolerable force as she retraced the same road.

woundnounUS /waʊnd/

an injury to living tissue (especially an injury involving a cut or break in the skin)

From this reading The six months had softened a little the burning of that first bitter wound.

yepronounUS /jiː/

an old word for “you”, speaking to more than one person

From this reading “What will ye do now?” said Anne.

Chapter 31 of Kirsteen by Mrs. (Margaret) Oliphant holds 372 sentences, grouped into 75 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 31 of Kirsteen contain?

Chapter 31 holds 372 sentences of Kirsteen, unabridged, divided into 75 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 31 of Kirsteen by Mrs. (Margaret) Oliphant exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 372 sentences, grouped into 75 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 31 of Kirsteen?

Work through the 75 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 75 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 31 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 31 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 Kirsteen

Common questions about reading Kirsteen by Mrs. (Margaret) Oliphant on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Kirsteen?

Yes. All 7031 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #58707 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Kirsteen is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #58707, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Kirsteen take to read?

About 585 minutes of reading across 1407 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Kirsteen section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 39 chapters of Kirsteen 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 Kirsteen

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

Where
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Kirsteen; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Kirsteen
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Kirsteen; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Canna
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Kirsteen; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Guided
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Kirsteen; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.