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Letters of Two Brides
Letters of Two Brides

Chapter X · Chapter 10

Chapter 10 of Letters of Two Brides is here in full — 173 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Letters of Two Brides
Context Illustration Reading 1/34 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The opera was _Romeo and Juliet_.
As you don't know the duet of the two lovers, you can't understand the bliss of two neophytes in love, as they listen to this divine outpouring of the heart.
On returning home I went to bed, but only to count the steps which resounded on the sidewalk.
My heart and head, darling, are all on fire now.
What is he doing?
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Letters of Two Brides

Chapter X · Chapter 10

Chapter 10 of Letters of Two Brides is here in full — 173 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/34 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The opera was _Romeo and Juliet_.
Line 2
As you don't know the duet of the two lovers, you can't understand the bliss of two neophytes in love, as they listen to this divine outpouring of the heart.
Line 3
On returning home I went to bed, but only to count the steps which resounded on the sidewalk.
Line 4
My heart and head, darling, are all on fire now.
/maɪ hɑːrt ənd hed ˈdɑːrlɪŋ ɑːr ɔːl ɑːn ˈfaɪər naʊ/
Line 5
What is he doing?
/wʌt ɪz hiː ˈduːɪŋ/

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.

bliss noun US /blɪs/

a state of extreme happiness

From this reading “As you don't know the duet of the two lovers, you can't understand the bliss of two neophytes in love, as they listen to this divine outpouring of the heart.”

duet noun US /duːˈet/

two items of the same kind

From this reading “As you don't know the duet of the two lovers, you can't understand the bliss of two neophytes in love, as they listen to this divine outpouring of the heart.”

lovers noun US /ˈlʌvərz/

plural of “lover” — a person who loves someone or is loved by someone

From this reading “As you don't know the duet of the two lovers, you can't understand the bliss of two neophytes in love, as they listen to this divine outpouring of the heart.”

neophytes noun US /ˈniːəfaɪts/

plural of “neophyte” — a plant that is found in an area where it had not been recorded previously

From this reading “As you don't know the duet of the two lovers, you can't understand the bliss of two neophytes in love, as they listen to this divine outpouring of the heart.”

opera noun US /ˈɑːprə/

a drama set to music; consists of singing with orchestral accompaniment and an orchestral overture and interludes

From this reading “The opera was _Romeo and Juliet_.”

outpouring noun US /ˌaʊtˈpɔːrɪŋ/

a natural flow of ground water

From this reading “As you don't know the duet of the two lovers, you can't understand the bliss of two neophytes in love, as they listen to this divine outpouring of the heart.”

Romeo noun US /ˈroʊmioʊ/

an ardent male lover

sidewalk noun US /ˈsaɪdwɔːk/

walk consisting of a paved area for pedestrians; usually beside a street or roadway

From this reading “On returning home I went to bed, but only to count the steps which resounded on the sidewalk.”

All words in this reading · 51

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.

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 My heart and head, darling, are all on fire now.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The opera was _Romeo and Juliet_.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading My heart and head, darling, are all on fire now.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading As you don't know the duet of the two lovers, you can't understand the bliss of two neophytes in love, as they listen to this divine outpouring of the heart.

bednounUS /bed/

a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep

From this reading On returning home I went to bed, but only to count the steps which resounded on the sidewalk.

blissnounUS /blɪs/

a state of extreme happiness

From this reading As you don't know the duet of the two lovers, you can't understand the bliss of two neophytes in love, as they listen to this divine outpouring of the heart.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading On returning home I went to bed, but only to count the steps which resounded on the sidewalk.

can't

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

From this reading As you don't know the duet of the two lovers, you can't understand the bliss of two neophytes in love, as they listen to this divine outpouring of the heart.

countverbUS /kaʊnt/

determine the number or amount of

From this reading On returning home I went to bed, but only to count the steps which resounded on the sidewalk.

darlingnounUS /ˈdɑːrlɪŋ/

a special loved one

From this reading My heart and head, darling, are all on fire now.

divineadjectiveUS /dɪˈvaɪn/

emanating from God

From this reading As you don't know the duet of the two lovers, you can't understand the bliss of two neophytes in love, as they listen to this divine outpouring of the heart.

doingverbUS /ˈduːɪŋ/

-ing form of “do” — engage in

From this reading What is he doing?

don't

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

From this reading As you don't know the duet of the two lovers, you can't understand the bliss of two neophytes in love, as they listen to this divine outpouring of the heart.

duetnounUS /duːˈet/

two items of the same kind

From this reading As you don't know the duet of the two lovers, you can't understand the bliss of two neophytes in love, as they listen to this divine outpouring of the heart.

fireverbUS /ˈfaɪər/

start firing a weapon

From this reading My heart and head, darling, are all on fire now.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading What is he doing?

headnounUS /hed/

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading My heart and head, darling, are all on fire now.

heartnounUS /hɑːrt/

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading As you don't know the duet of the two lovers, you can't understand the bliss of two neophytes in love, as they listen to this divine outpouring of the heart.

homenounUS /hoʊm/

where you live at a particular time

From this reading On returning home I went to bed, but only to count the steps which resounded on the sidewalk.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading On returning home I went to bed, but only to count the steps which resounded on the sidewalk.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading As you don't know the duet of the two lovers, you can't understand the bliss of two neophytes in love, as they listen to this divine outpouring of the heart.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading What is he doing?

Juliet

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

From this reading The opera was _Romeo and Juliet_.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

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

From this reading As you don't know the duet of the two lovers, you can't understand the bliss of two neophytes in love, as they listen to this divine outpouring of the heart.

listenverbUS /ˈlɪsən/

hear with intention

From this reading As you don't know the duet of the two lovers, you can't understand the bliss of two neophytes in love, as they listen to this divine outpouring of the heart.

lovenounUS /lʌv/

a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading As you don't know the duet of the two lovers, you can't understand the bliss of two neophytes in love, as they listen to this divine outpouring of the heart.

loversnounUS /ˈlʌvərz/

plural of “lover” — a person who loves someone or is loved by someone

From this reading As you don't know the duet of the two lovers, you can't understand the bliss of two neophytes in love, as they listen to this divine outpouring of the heart.

MydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading My heart and head, darling, are all on fire now.

neophytesnounUS /ˈniːəfaɪts/

plural of “neophyte” — a plant that is found in an area where it had not been recorded previously

From this reading As you don't know the duet of the two lovers, you can't understand the bliss of two neophytes in love, as they listen to this divine outpouring of the heart.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

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

From this reading My heart and head, darling, are all on fire now.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading As you don't know the duet of the two lovers, you can't understand the bliss of two neophytes in love, as they listen to this divine outpouring of the heart.

OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading On returning home I went to bed, but only to count the steps which resounded on the sidewalk.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading On returning home I went to bed, but only to count the steps which resounded on the sidewalk.

operanounUS /ˈɑːprə/

a drama set to music; consists of singing with orchestral accompaniment and an orchestral overture and interludes

From this reading The opera was _Romeo and Juliet_.

outpouringnounUS /ˌaʊtˈpɔːrɪŋ/

a natural flow of ground water

From this reading As you don't know the duet of the two lovers, you can't understand the bliss of two neophytes in love, as they listen to this divine outpouring of the heart.

resounded

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

From this reading On returning home I went to bed, but only to count the steps which resounded on the sidewalk.

returningadjectiveUS /rɪˈtɜːrnɪŋ/

tending to return to an earlier state

From this reading On returning home I went to bed, but only to count the steps which resounded on the sidewalk.

RomeonounUS /ˈroʊmioʊ/

an ardent male lover

From this reading The opera was _Romeo and Juliet_.

sidewalknounUS /ˈsaɪdwɔːk/

walk consisting of a paved area for pedestrians; usually beside a street or roadway

From this reading On returning home I went to bed, but only to count the steps which resounded on the sidewalk.

stepsnounUS /steps/

a flight of stairs or a flight of steps

From this reading On returning home I went to bed, but only to count the steps which resounded on the sidewalk.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The opera was _Romeo and Juliet_.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading As you don't know the duet of the two lovers, you can't understand the bliss of two neophytes in love, as they listen to this divine outpouring of the heart.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading As you don't know the duet of the two lovers, you can't understand the bliss of two neophytes in love, as they listen to this divine outpouring of the heart.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading As you don't know the duet of the two lovers, you can't understand the bliss of two neophytes in love, as they listen to this divine outpouring of the heart.

twonounUS /tuː/

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

From this reading As you don't know the duet of the two lovers, you can't understand the bliss of two neophytes in love, as they listen to this divine outpouring of the heart.

understandverbUS /ˌʌndərˈstænd/

know and comprehend the nature or meaning of

From this reading As you don't know the duet of the two lovers, you can't understand the bliss of two neophytes in love, as they listen to this divine outpouring of the heart.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The opera was _Romeo and Juliet_.

wentverbUS /went/

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading On returning home I went to bed, but only to count the steps which resounded on the sidewalk.

WhatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading What is he doing?

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading On returning home I went to bed, but only to count the steps which resounded on the sidewalk.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading As you don't know the duet of the two lovers, you can't understand the bliss of two neophytes in love, as they listen to this divine outpouring of the heart.

Chapter 10 of Letters of Two Brides by Honoré de Balzac holds 173 sentences, grouped into 35 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 10 of Letters of Two Brides contain?

Chapter 10 holds 173 sentences of Letters of Two Brides, unabridged, divided into 35 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 10 of Letters of Two Brides by Honoré de Balzac exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 173 sentences, grouped into 35 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 10 of Letters of Two Brides?

Work through the 35 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 35 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 10 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 10 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 Letters of Two Brides

Common questions about reading Letters of Two Brides by Honoré de Balzac on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Letters of Two Brides?

Yes. All 4507 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1941 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Letters of Two Brides is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #1941, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Letters of Two Brides take to read?

About 375 minutes of reading across 902 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Letters of Two Brides section by section

How to work through Letters of Two Brides section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 26 chapters of Letters of Two Brides 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 Letters of Two Brides

Words and structures a reader meets early in Letters of Two Brides, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

George
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Letters of Two Brides; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
While
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Letters of Two Brides; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Casting
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Letters of Two Brides; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Reflected
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Letters of Two Brides; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.