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L'Abbe Constantin — Volume 1
L'Abbe Constantin — Volume 1

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of L'Abbe Constantin — Volume 1 is here in full — 262 sentences across 53 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for L'Abbe Constantin — Volume 1
Context Illustration Reading 1/52 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE NEW CHATELAINE This sub-lieutenant of artillery was called Jean Reynaud.
He was the son of a country doctor who slept in the churchyard of Longueval.
In 1846, when the Abbe' Constantin took possession of his little living, the grandfather of Jean was residing in a pleasant cottage on the road to Souvigny, between the picturesque old castles of Longueval and Lavardens.
Marcel, the son of that Dr. Reynaud, was finishing his medical studies in Paris.
He possessed great industry, and an elevation of sentiment and mind extremely rare.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

L'Abbe Constantin — Volume 1

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of L'Abbe Constantin — Volume 1 is here in full — 262 sentences across 53 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/52 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE NEW CHATELAINE This sub-lieutenant of artillery was called Jean Reynaud.
Line 2
He was the son of a country doctor who slept in the churchyard of Longueval.
Line 3
In 1846, when the Abbe' Constantin took possession of his little living, the grandfather of Jean was residing in a pleasant cottage on the road to Souvigny, between the picturesque old castles of Longueval and Lavardens.
Line 4
Marcel, the son of that Dr. Reynaud, was finishing his medical studies in Paris.
Line 5
He possessed great industry, and an elevation of sentiment and mind extremely rare.
/hiː pəˈzest ɡreɪt ˈɪndəstri ənd æn ˌeləˈveɪʃən ʌv ˈsentəmənt ənd maɪnd ekˈstriːmli rer/

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.

artillery noun US /ɑːrˈtɪləri/

large but transportable armament

From this reading “THE NEW CHATELAINE This sub-lieutenant of artillery was called Jean Reynaud.”

castles noun US /ˈkæsəlz/

plural of “castle” — a large and stately mansion

From this reading “In 1846, when the Abbe' Constantin took possession of his little living, the grandfather of Jean was residing in a pleasant cottage on the road to Souvigny, between the picturesque old castles of Longueval and Lavardens.”

churchyard noun US /ˈtʃɜːrtʃjɑːrd/

the yard associated with a church

From this reading “He was the son of a country doctor who slept in the churchyard of Longueval.”

elevation noun US /ˌeləˈveɪʃən/

the event of something being raised upward

From this reading “He possessed great industry, and an elevation of sentiment and mind extremely rare.”

finishing noun US /ˈfɪnɪʃɪŋ/

a decorative texture or appearance of a surface (or the substance that gives it that appearance)

From this reading “Marcel, the son of that Dr. Reynaud, was finishing his medical studies in Paris.”

industry noun US /ˈɪndəstri/

the people or companies engaged in a particular kind of commercial enterprise

From this reading “He possessed great industry, and an elevation of sentiment and mind extremely rare.”

Marcel noun US /mɑːrˈsel/

a hairdo characterized by deep regular waves that are made by a heated curling iron

From this reading “Marcel, the son of that Dr. Reynaud, was finishing his medical studies in Paris.”

residing verb US /rɪˈzaɪdɪŋ/

-ing form of “reside” — make one's home in a particular place or community

From this reading “In 1846, when the Abbe' Constantin took possession of his little living, the grandfather of Jean was residing in a pleasant cottage on the road to Souvigny, between the picturesque old castles of Longueval and Lavardens.”

All words in this reading · 60

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.

1846

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

From this reading In 1846, when the Abbe' Constantin took possession of his little living, the grandfather of Jean was residing in a pleasant cottage on the road to Souvigny, between the picturesque old castles of Longueval and Lavardens.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading He was the son of a country doctor who slept in the churchyard of Longueval.

AbbenounUS /ˈæbi/

a French abbot

From this reading In 1846, when the Abbe' Constantin took possession of his little living, the grandfather of Jean was residing in a pleasant cottage on the road to Souvigny, between the picturesque old castles of Longueval and Lavardens.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading He possessed great industry, and an elevation of sentiment and mind extremely rare.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading In 1846, when the Abbe' Constantin took possession of his little living, the grandfather of Jean was residing in a pleasant cottage on the road to Souvigny, between the picturesque old castles of Longueval and Lavardens.

artillerynounUS /ɑːrˈtɪləri/

large but transportable armament

From this reading THE NEW CHATELAINE This sub-lieutenant of artillery was called Jean Reynaud.

betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading In 1846, when the Abbe' Constantin took possession of his little living, the grandfather of Jean was residing in a pleasant cottage on the road to Souvigny, between the picturesque old castles of Longueval and Lavardens.

calledverbUS /kɔːld/

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading THE NEW CHATELAINE This sub-lieutenant of artillery was called Jean Reynaud.

castlesnounUS /ˈkæsəlz/

plural of “castle” — a large and stately mansion

From this reading In 1846, when the Abbe' Constantin took possession of his little living, the grandfather of Jean was residing in a pleasant cottage on the road to Souvigny, between the picturesque old castles of Longueval and Lavardens.

CHATELAINEnoun

the mistress of a chateau or large country house

From this reading THE NEW CHATELAINE This sub-lieutenant of artillery was called Jean Reynaud.

churchyardnounUS /ˈtʃɜːrtʃjɑːrd/

the yard associated with a church

From this reading He was the son of a country doctor who slept in the churchyard of Longueval.

Constantin

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

From this reading In 1846, when the Abbe' Constantin took possession of his little living, the grandfather of Jean was residing in a pleasant cottage on the road to Souvigny, between the picturesque old castles of Longueval and Lavardens.

cottagenounUS /ˈkɑːtədʒ/

a small house with a single story

From this reading In 1846, when the Abbe' Constantin took possession of his little living, the grandfather of Jean was residing in a pleasant cottage on the road to Souvigny, between the picturesque old castles of Longueval and Lavardens.

countrynounUS /ˈkʌntri/

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading He was the son of a country doctor who slept in the churchyard of Longueval.

doctornounUS /ˈdɑːktər/

a licensed medical practitioner

From this reading He was the son of a country doctor who slept in the churchyard of Longueval.

Dr

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

From this reading Marcel, the son of that Dr. Reynaud, was finishing his medical studies in Paris.

elevationnounUS /ˌeləˈveɪʃən/

the event of something being raised upward

From this reading He possessed great industry, and an elevation of sentiment and mind extremely rare.

extremelyadverbUS /ekˈstriːmli/

to a high degree or extent; favorably or with much respect

From this reading He possessed great industry, and an elevation of sentiment and mind extremely rare.

finishingnounUS /ˈfɪnɪʃɪŋ/

a decorative texture or appearance of a surface (or the substance that gives it that appearance)

From this reading Marcel, the son of that Dr. Reynaud, was finishing his medical studies in Paris.

grandfathernounUS /ˈɡrændfɑːðər/

the father of your father or mother

From this reading In 1846, when the Abbe' Constantin took possession of his little living, the grandfather of Jean was residing in a pleasant cottage on the road to Souvigny, between the picturesque old castles of Longueval and Lavardens.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading He possessed great industry, and an elevation of sentiment and mind extremely rare.

HepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading He was the son of a country doctor who slept in the churchyard of Longueval.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading In 1846, when the Abbe' Constantin took possession of his little living, the grandfather of Jean was residing in a pleasant cottage on the road to Souvigny, between the picturesque old castles of Longueval and Lavardens.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading He was the son of a country doctor who slept in the churchyard of Longueval.

industrynounUS /ˈɪndəstri/

the people or companies engaged in a particular kind of commercial enterprise

From this reading He possessed great industry, and an elevation of sentiment and mind extremely rare.

JeannounUS /dʒiːn/

a coarse durable twill-weave cotton fabric

From this reading THE NEW CHATELAINE This sub-lieutenant of artillery was called Jean Reynaud.

Lavardens

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

From this reading In 1846, when the Abbe' Constantin took possession of his little living, the grandfather of Jean was residing in a pleasant cottage on the road to Souvigny, between the picturesque old castles of Longueval and Lavardens.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading In 1846, when the Abbe' Constantin took possession of his little living, the grandfather of Jean was residing in a pleasant cottage on the road to Souvigny, between the picturesque old castles of Longueval and Lavardens.

livingnounUS /ˈlɪvɪŋ/

the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities

From this reading In 1846, when the Abbe' Constantin took possession of his little living, the grandfather of Jean was residing in a pleasant cottage on the road to Souvigny, between the picturesque old castles of Longueval and Lavardens.

Longueval

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

From this reading He was the son of a country doctor who slept in the churchyard of Longueval.

MarcelnounUS /mɑːrˈsel/

a hairdo characterized by deep regular waves that are made by a heated curling iron

From this reading Marcel, the son of that Dr. Reynaud, was finishing his medical studies in Paris.

medicaladjectiveUS /ˈmedəkəl/

relating to the study or practice of medicine

From this reading Marcel, the son of that Dr. Reynaud, was finishing his medical studies in Paris.

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading He possessed great industry, and an elevation of sentiment and mind extremely rare.

NEWadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading THE NEW CHATELAINE This sub-lieutenant of artillery was called Jean Reynaud.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE NEW CHATELAINE This sub-lieutenant of artillery was called Jean Reynaud.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading In 1846, when the Abbe' Constantin took possession of his little living, the grandfather of Jean was residing in a pleasant cottage on the road to Souvigny, between the picturesque old castles of Longueval and Lavardens.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading In 1846, when the Abbe' Constantin took possession of his little living, the grandfather of Jean was residing in a pleasant cottage on the road to Souvigny, between the picturesque old castles of Longueval and Lavardens.

ParisnounUS /ˈperɪs/

the capital and largest city of France; and international center of culture and commerce

From this reading Marcel, the son of that Dr. Reynaud, was finishing his medical studies in Paris.

picturesqueadjectiveUS /ˈpɪktʃərəsk/

suggesting or suitable for a picture; pretty as a picture

From this reading In 1846, when the Abbe' Constantin took possession of his little living, the grandfather of Jean was residing in a pleasant cottage on the road to Souvigny, between the picturesque old castles of Longueval and Lavardens.

pleasantadjectiveUS /ˈplezənt/

affording pleasure; being in harmony with your taste or likings

From this reading In 1846, when the Abbe' Constantin took possession of his little living, the grandfather of Jean was residing in a pleasant cottage on the road to Souvigny, between the picturesque old castles of Longueval and Lavardens.

possessedadjectiveUS /pəˈzest/

influenced or controlled by a powerful force such as a strong emotion

From this reading He possessed great industry, and an elevation of sentiment and mind extremely rare.

possessionnounUS /pəˈzeʃən/

the act of having and controlling property

From this reading In 1846, when the Abbe' Constantin took possession of his little living, the grandfather of Jean was residing in a pleasant cottage on the road to Souvigny, between the picturesque old castles of Longueval and Lavardens.

rareadjectiveUS /rer/

not widely known; especially valued for its uncommonness

From this reading He possessed great industry, and an elevation of sentiment and mind extremely rare.

residingverbUS /rɪˈzaɪdɪŋ/

-ing form of “reside” — make one's home in a particular place or community

From this reading In 1846, when the Abbe' Constantin took possession of his little living, the grandfather of Jean was residing in a pleasant cottage on the road to Souvigny, between the picturesque old castles of Longueval and Lavardens.

Reynaud

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

From this reading THE NEW CHATELAINE This sub-lieutenant of artillery was called Jean Reynaud.

roadnounUS /roʊd/

an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation

From this reading In 1846, when the Abbe' Constantin took possession of his little living, the grandfather of Jean was residing in a pleasant cottage on the road to Souvigny, between the picturesque old castles of Longueval and Lavardens.

sentimentnounUS /ˈsentəmənt/

tender, romantic, or nostalgic feeling or emotion

From this reading He possessed great industry, and an elevation of sentiment and mind extremely rare.

sleptverbUS /slept/

inflected form of “sleep” — be asleep

From this reading He was the son of a country doctor who slept in the churchyard of Longueval.

sonnounUS /sʌn/

a male human offspring

From this reading He was the son of a country doctor who slept in the churchyard of Longueval.

Souvigny

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

From this reading In 1846, when the Abbe' Constantin took possession of his little living, the grandfather of Jean was residing in a pleasant cottage on the road to Souvigny, between the picturesque old castles of Longueval and Lavardens.

studiesnounUS /ˈstʌdiz/

plural of “study” — a detailed critical inspection

From this reading Marcel, the son of that Dr. Reynaud, was finishing his medical studies in Paris.

sub-lieutenant

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

From this reading THE NEW CHATELAINE This sub-lieutenant of artillery was called Jean Reynaud.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Marcel, the son of that Dr. Reynaud, was finishing his medical studies in Paris.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE NEW CHATELAINE This sub-lieutenant of artillery was called Jean Reynaud.

ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading THE NEW CHATELAINE This sub-lieutenant of artillery was called Jean Reynaud.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading In 1846, when the Abbe' Constantin took possession of his little living, the grandfather of Jean was residing in a pleasant cottage on the road to Souvigny, between the picturesque old castles of Longueval and Lavardens.

tookverbUS /tʊk/

inflected form of “take” — carry out

From this reading In 1846, when the Abbe' Constantin took possession of his little living, the grandfather of Jean was residing in a pleasant cottage on the road to Souvigny, between the picturesque old castles of Longueval and Lavardens.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading THE NEW CHATELAINE This sub-lieutenant of artillery was called Jean Reynaud.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading In 1846, when the Abbe' Constantin took possession of his little living, the grandfather of Jean was residing in a pleasant cottage on the road to Souvigny, between the picturesque old castles of Longueval and Lavardens.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading He was the son of a country doctor who slept in the churchyard of Longueval.

Chapter 2 of L'Abbe Constantin — Volume 1 by Ludovic Halévy holds 262 sentences, grouped into 53 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 2 of L'Abbe Constantin — Volume 1 contain?

Chapter 2 holds 262 sentences of L'Abbe Constantin — Volume 1, unabridged, divided into 53 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of L'Abbe Constantin — Volume 1 by Ludovic Halévy exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 262 sentences, grouped into 53 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 2 of L'Abbe Constantin — Volume 1?

Work through the 53 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 53 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 2 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 2 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 L'Abbe Constantin — Volume 1

Common questions about reading L'Abbe Constantin — Volume 1 by Ludovic Halévy on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of L'Abbe Constantin — Volume 1?

Yes. All 982 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #3954 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of L'Abbe Constantin — Volume 1 is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #3954, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does L'Abbe Constantin — Volume 1 take to read?

About 81 minutes of reading across 197 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read L'Abbe Constantin — Volume 1 section by section

How to work through L'Abbe Constantin — Volume 1 section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 3 chapters of L'Abbe Constantin — Volume 1 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 L'Abbe Constantin — Volume 1

Words and structures a reader meets early in L'Abbe Constantin — Volume 1, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Still
A word that appears in the opening chapter of L'Abbe Constantin — Volume 1; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Valiant
A word that appears in the opening chapter of L'Abbe Constantin — Volume 1; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Priest
A word that appears in the opening chapter of L'Abbe Constantin — Volume 1; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Walked
A word that appears in the opening chapter of L'Abbe Constantin — Volume 1; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.