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Leatherface: A Tale of Old Flanders
Leatherface: A Tale of Old Flanders

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of Leatherface: A Tale of Old Flanders is here in full — 364 sentences across 73 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Leatherface: A Tale of Old Flanders
Context Illustration Reading 1/72 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE BLOOD COUNCIL I Less than a month later, and tyranny is once more triumphant.
Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!
Three whole days!
E’en now we think on those days and shudder--shudder at what we know, at what the chroniclers have told us, the sacking of churches, the pillaging of monasteries, the massacre of peaceful, harmless citizens!
Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Leatherface: A Tale of Old Flanders

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of Leatherface: A Tale of Old Flanders is here in full — 364 sentences across 73 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/72 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE BLOOD COUNCIL I Less than a month later, and tyranny is once more triumphant.
/ðə blʌd ˈkaʊnsəl aɪ les ðæn ə mʌnθ ˈleɪtər ənd ˈtɪrəni ɪz wʌns mɔːr traɪˈʌmfənt/
Line 2
Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!
Line 3
Three whole days!
/θriː hoʊl deɪz/
Line 4
E’en now we think on those days and shudder--shudder at what we know, at what the chroniclers have told us, the sacking of churches, the pillaging of monasteries, the massacre of peaceful, harmless citizens!
Line 5
Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!

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.

capitulated verb US /kəˈpɪtʃəleɪtɪd/

past form of “capitulate” — surrender under agreed conditions

From this reading “Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!”

cathedrals noun US /kəˈθiːdrəlz/

plural of “cathedral” — any large and important church

From this reading “Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!”

chroniclers noun US /ˈkrɑːnɪklərz/

plural of “chronicler” — someone who writes chronicles

From this reading “E’en now we think on those days and shudder--shudder at what we know, at what the chroniclers have told us, the sacking of churches, the pillaging of monasteries, the massacre of peaceful, harmless citizens!”

infest verb US /ˌɪnˈfest/

invade in great numbers

From this reading “Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!”

monasteries noun US /ˈmɑːnəsteriz/

plural of “monastery” — the residence of a religious community

From this reading “E’en now we think on those days and shudder--shudder at what we know, at what the chroniclers have told us, the sacking of churches, the pillaging of monasteries, the massacre of peaceful, harmless citizens!”

mutinous adjective US /ˈmjuːtənəs/

disposed to or in a state of mutiny

From this reading “Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!”

pillaging noun US /ˈpɪlɪdʒɪŋ/

the act of stealing valuable things from a place

From this reading “E’en now we think on those days and shudder--shudder at what we know, at what the chroniclers have told us, the sacking of churches, the pillaging of monasteries, the massacre of peaceful, harmless citizens!”

sacking noun US /ˈsækɪŋ/

coarse fabric used for bags or sacks

From this reading “E’en now we think on those days and shudder--shudder at what we know, at what the chroniclers have told us, the sacking of churches, the pillaging of monasteries, the massacre of peaceful, harmless citizens!”

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.

twenty-four hours adjective + noun

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

In this reading “Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!”

three days noun + noun

In this reading “Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!”

once more adverb + adjective

anew

In this reading “THE BLOOD COUNCIL I Less than a month later, and tyranny is once more triumphant.”

whole days adjective + noun

In this reading “Three whole days!”

for three preposition + noun

In this reading “Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!”

All words in this reading · 110

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 THE BLOOD COUNCIL I Less than a month later, and tyranny is once more triumphant.

againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!

ancientadjectiveUS /ˈeɪn.ʃənt/

Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.

From this reading Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading THE BLOOD COUNCIL I Less than a month later, and tyranny is once more triumphant.

artauxiliary verbUS /ɑːrt/

an old form of “are”, used with “thou”

From this reading Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading E’en now we think on those days and shudder--shudder at what we know, at what the chroniclers have told us, the sacking of churches, the pillaging of monasteries, the massacre of peaceful, harmless citizens!

augustnounUS /ˈɑːɡəst/

the month following July and preceding September

From this reading Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!

beautifuladjectiveUS /ˈbjuːtəfəl/

delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration

From this reading Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!

BLOODnounUS /blʌd/

The red fluid that circulates in the heart and blood vessels.

From this reading THE BLOOD COUNCIL I Less than a month later, and tyranny is once more triumphant.

capitulatedverbUS /kəˈpɪtʃəleɪtɪd/

past form of “capitulate” — surrender under agreed conditions

From this reading Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!

cathedralsnounUS /kəˈθiːdrəlz/

plural of “cathedral” — any large and important church

From this reading Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!

chroniclersnounUS /ˈkrɑːnɪklərz/

plural of “chronicler” — someone who writes chronicles

From this reading E’en now we think on those days and shudder--shudder at what we know, at what the chroniclers have told us, the sacking of churches, the pillaging of monasteries, the massacre of peaceful, harmless citizens!

churchesnounUS /ˈtʃɜːrtʃɪz/

plural of “church” — one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship

From this reading E’en now we think on those days and shudder--shudder at what we know, at what the chroniclers have told us, the sacking of churches, the pillaging of monasteries, the massacre of peaceful, harmless citizens!

citizensnounUS /ˈsɪtəzənz/

plural of “citizen” — a native or naturalized member of a state or other political community

From this reading E’en now we think on those days and shudder--shudder at what we know, at what the chroniclers have told us, the sacking of churches, the pillaging of monasteries, the massacre of peaceful, harmless citizens!

citynounUS /ˈsɪti/

a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts

From this reading Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!

civilisationnoun

the social process whereby societies achieve an advanced stage of development and organization

From this reading Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!

closedadjectiveUS /kloʊzd/

not open or affording passage or access

From this reading Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!

COUNCILnounUS /ˈkaʊnsəl/

a body serving in an administrative capacity

From this reading THE BLOOD COUNCIL I Less than a month later, and tyranny is once more triumphant.

crueltynounUS /ˈkruːlti/

a cruel act; a deliberate infliction of pain and suffering

From this reading Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!

daysnounUS /deɪz/

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!

demonsnounUS /ˈdiːmənz/

plural of “demon” — an evil supernatural being

From this reading Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!

destroyedadjectiveUS /dɪˈstrɔɪd/

spoiled or ruined or demolished

From this reading Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!

duringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/

all through a period, or at some point within it

From this reading Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!

E'enadverb

even

From this reading E’en now we think on those days and shudder--shudder at what we know, at what the chroniclers have told us, the sacking of churches, the pillaging of monasteries, the massacre of peaceful, harmless citizens!

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!

gatesnounUS /ɡeɪts/

United States computer entrepreneur whose software company made him the youngest multi-billionaire in the history of the United States (born in 1955)

From this reading Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!

givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/

acknowledged as a supposition

From this reading Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!

graciousadjectiveUS /ˈɡreɪʃəs/

characterized by charm, good taste, and generosity of spirit

From this reading Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!

greednounUS /ɡriːd/

excessive desire to acquire or possess more (especially more material wealth) than one needs or deserves

From this reading Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!

handfulnounUS /ˈhændfʊl/

a small number or amount

From this reading Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!

harboured

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

From this reading Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!

harmlessadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːrmləs/

not causing or capable of causing harm

From this reading E’en now we think on those days and shudder--shudder at what we know, at what the chroniclers have told us, the sacking of churches, the pillaging of monasteries, the massacre of peaceful, harmless citizens!

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading E’en now we think on those days and shudder--shudder at what we know, at what the chroniclers have told us, the sacking of churches, the pillaging of monasteries, the massacre of peaceful, harmless citizens!

hellnounUS /hel/

any place of pain and turmoil

From this reading Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!

hideousadjectiveUS /ˈhɪdiəs/

grossly offensive to decency or morality; causing horror

From this reading Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!

HollandnounUS /ˈhɑːlənd/

a constitutional monarchy in western Europe on the North Sea; half the country lies below sea level

From this reading Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!

hoursnounUS /ˈaʊərz/

a period of time assigned for work

From this reading Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading THE BLOOD COUNCIL I Less than a month later, and tyranny is once more triumphant.

infestverbUS /ˌɪnˈfest/

invade in great numbers

From this reading Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!

inspireverbUS /ˌɪnˈspaɪr/

heighten or intensify

From this reading Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading THE BLOOD COUNCIL I Less than a month later, and tyranny is once more triumphant.

itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading E’en now we think on those days and shudder--shudder at what we know, at what the chroniclers have told us, the sacking of churches, the pillaging of monasteries, the massacre of peaceful, harmless citizens!

lateradverbUS /ˈleɪtər/

happening at a time subsequent to a reference time

From this reading THE BLOOD COUNCIL I Less than a month later, and tyranny is once more triumphant.

LessadverbUS /les/

used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs

From this reading THE BLOOD COUNCIL I Less than a month later, and tyranny is once more triumphant.

letauxiliary verbUS /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!

looseadjectiveUS /luːs/

not compact or dense in structure or arrangement

From this reading Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!

lustnounUS /lʌst/

a strong sexual desire

From this reading Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!

massacreverbUS /ˈmæsəkər/

kill a large number of people indiscriminately

From this reading E’en now we think on those days and shudder--shudder at what we know, at what the chroniclers have told us, the sacking of churches, the pillaging of monasteries, the massacre of peaceful, harmless citizens!

Mechlin

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

From this reading Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!

mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!

monasteriesnounUS /ˈmɑːnəsteriz/

plural of “monastery” — the residence of a religious community

From this reading E’en now we think on those days and shudder--shudder at what we know, at what the chroniclers have told us, the sacking of churches, the pillaging of monasteries, the massacre of peaceful, harmless citizens!

Monsnoun

a mound of fatty tissue covering the pubic area in women

From this reading Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!

monthnounUS /mʌnθ/

one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year

From this reading THE BLOOD COUNCIL I Less than a month later, and tyranny is once more triumphant.

monumentsnounUS /ˈmɑːnjəmənts/

plural of “monument” — a structure erected to commemorate persons or events

From this reading Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!

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 BLOOD COUNCIL I Less than a month later, and tyranny is once more triumphant.

mutinousadjectiveUS /ˈmjuːtənəs/

disposed to or in a state of mutiny

From this reading Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

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

From this reading E’en now we think on those days and shudder--shudder at what we know, at what the chroniclers have told us, the sacking of churches, the pillaging of monasteries, the massacre of peaceful, harmless citizens!

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!

offencenoun

the action of attacking an enemy

From this reading Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading E’en now we think on those days and shudder--shudder at what we know, at what the chroniclers have told us, the sacking of churches, the pillaging of monasteries, the massacre of peaceful, harmless citizens!

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading THE BLOOD COUNCIL I Less than a month later, and tyranny is once more triumphant.

OrangenounUS /ˈɔːrəndʒ/

round yellow to orange fruit of any of several citrus trees

From this reading Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!

passionsnounUS /ˈpæʃənz/

plural of “passion” — a strong feeling or emotion

From this reading Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!

peacefuladjectiveUS /ˈpiːsfəl/

not disturbed by strife or turmoil or war

From this reading E’en now we think on those days and shudder--shudder at what we know, at what the chroniclers have told us, the sacking of churches, the pillaging of monasteries, the massacre of peaceful, harmless citizens!

pillagingnounUS /ˈpɪlɪdʒɪŋ/

the act of stealing valuable things from a place

From this reading E’en now we think on those days and shudder--shudder at what we know, at what the chroniclers have told us, the sacking of churches, the pillaging of monasteries, the massacre of peaceful, harmless citizens!

rapinenoun

the act of despoiling a country in warfare

From this reading Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!

revengenounUS /riˈvendʒ/

action taken in return for an injury or offense

From this reading Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!

sackingnounUS /ˈsækɪŋ/

coarse fabric used for bags or sacks

From this reading E’en now we think on those days and shudder--shudder at what we know, at what the chroniclers have told us, the sacking of churches, the pillaging of monasteries, the massacre of peaceful, harmless citizens!

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!

shudderverbUS /ˈʃʌdər/

shake, as from cold

From this reading E’en now we think on those days and shudder--shudder at what we know, at what the chroniclers have told us, the sacking of churches, the pillaging of monasteries, the massacre of peaceful, harmless citizens!

soldierynoun

soldiers collectively

From this reading Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!

solenounUS /soʊl/

the underside of footwear or a golf club

From this reading Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!

SpanishnounUS /ˈspænɪʃ/

the Romance language spoken in most of Spain and the countries colonized by Spain

From this reading Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!

statelyadjectiveUS /ˈsteɪtli/

impressive in appearance

From this reading Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading THE BLOOD COUNCIL I Less than a month later, and tyranny is once more triumphant.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE BLOOD COUNCIL I Less than a month later, and tyranny is once more triumphant.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!

thinkverbUS /θɪŋk/

judge or regard; look upon; judge

From this reading E’en now we think on those days and shudder--shudder at what we know, at what the chroniclers have told us, the sacking of churches, the pillaging of monasteries, the massacre of peaceful, harmless citizens!

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading E’en now we think on those days and shudder--shudder at what we know, at what the chroniclers have told us, the sacking of churches, the pillaging of monasteries, the massacre of peaceful, harmless citizens!

threenounUS /θriː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!

toldverbUS /toʊld/

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading E’en now we think on those days and shudder--shudder at what we know, at what the chroniclers have told us, the sacking of churches, the pillaging of monasteries, the massacre of peaceful, harmless citizens!

trade-halls

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

From this reading Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!

triumphantadjectiveUS /traɪˈʌmfənt/

joyful and proud especially because of triumph or success

From this reading THE BLOOD COUNCIL I Less than a month later, and tyranny is once more triumphant.

troopsnounUS /truːps/

soldiers collectively

From this reading Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!

twenty-fouradjectiveUS /ˈtwentifɔːr/

being four more than twenty

From this reading Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!

tyrannynounUS /ˈtɪrəni/

a form of government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator (not restricted by a constitution or laws or opposition etc.)

From this reading THE BLOOD COUNCIL I Less than a month later, and tyranny is once more triumphant.

tyrant's

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

From this reading Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading E’en now we think on those days and shudder--shudder at what we know, at what the chroniclers have told us, the sacking of churches, the pillaging of monasteries, the massacre of peaceful, harmless citizens!

Valenciennesnoun

a town in northeastern France long noted for its lace industry

From this reading Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading E’en now we think on those days and shudder--shudder at what we know, at what the chroniclers have told us, the sacking of churches, the pillaging of monasteries, the massacre of peaceful, harmless citizens!

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading E’en now we think on those days and shudder--shudder at what we know, at what the chroniclers have told us, the sacking of churches, the pillaging of monasteries, the massacre of peaceful, harmless citizens!

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!

wholeadjectiveUS /hoʊl/

including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete

From this reading Three whole days!

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!

withdrawnadjectiveUS /wɪθˈdrɔːn/

withdrawn from society; seeking solitude

From this reading Mons has capitulated, Orange has withdrawn his handful of mutinous troops into Holland, Valenciennes has been destroyed and Mechlin--beautiful, gracious, august Mechlin--with her cathedrals and her trade-halls, her ancient monuments of art and civilisation has been given over for three days to the lust and rapine of Spanish soldiery!

withinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!

worstnounUS /wɜːrst/

the least favorable outcome

From this reading Three whole days during which the worst demons that infest hell itself, the worst demons that inspire the hideous passions of men--greed, revenge and cruelty--were let loose upon the stately city whose sole offence had been that she had for twenty-four hours harboured Orange and his troops within her gates and closed them against the tyrant’s soldiery!

Chapter 2 of Leatherface: A Tale of Old Flanders by Emmuska Orczy, Baroness Orczy holds 364 sentences, grouped into 73 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 Leatherface: A Tale of Old Flanders contain?

Chapter 2 holds 364 sentences of Leatherface: A Tale of Old Flanders, unabridged, divided into 73 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of Leatherface: A Tale of Old Flanders by Emmuska Orczy, Baroness Orczy exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 364 sentences, grouped into 73 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 Leatherface: A Tale of Old Flanders?

Work through the 73 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 73 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 Leatherface: A Tale of Old Flanders

Common questions about reading Leatherface: A Tale of Old Flanders by Emmuska Orczy, Baroness Orczy on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Leatherface: A Tale of Old Flanders?

Yes. All 4681 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #40500 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Leatherface: A Tale of Old Flanders is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #40500, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Leatherface: A Tale of Old Flanders take to read?

About 390 minutes of reading across 937 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Leatherface: A Tale of Old Flanders section by section

How to work through Leatherface: A Tale of Old Flanders section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 20 chapters of Leatherface: A Tale of Old Flanders 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 Leatherface: A Tale of Old Flanders

Words and structures a reader meets early in Leatherface: A Tale of Old Flanders, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Several
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Leatherface: A Tale of Old Flanders; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Passages
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Leatherface: A Tale of Old Flanders; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Convey
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Leatherface: A Tale of Old Flanders; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Archaic
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Leatherface: A Tale of Old Flanders; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.