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Life in the Iron-Mills

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of Life in the Iron-Mills is here in full — 218 sentences across 44 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Rebecca Harding Davis • Curated US English Learning Edition

Cover illustration for Life in the Iron-Mills

English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

The evening came on, slow and calm.

He seated himself at the end of an alley leading into one of the larger streets.

His brain was clear to-night, keen, intent, mastering.

It would not start back, cowardly, from any hellish temptation, but meet it face to face.

Therefore the great temptation of his life came to him veiled by no sophistry, but bold, defiant, owning its own vile name, trusting to one bold blow for victory.

Narrator

Speed 0.75x

AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English

LEARNER DICTIONARY

Archivist

/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/

Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Chapter IV Reading 1/43

Life in the Iron-Mills

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of Life in the Iron-Mills is here in full — 218 sentences across 44 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/43 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

The evening came on, slow and calm.

Line 2

He seated himself at the end of an alley leading into one of the larger streets.

Line 3

His brain was clear to-night, keen, intent, mastering.

Line 4

It would not start back, cowardly, from any hellish temptation, but meet it face to face.

Line 5

Therefore the great temptation of his life came to him veiled by no sophistry, but bold, defiant, owning its own vile name, trusting to one bold blow for victory.

All words in this reading · 61

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.

alley

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

From this reading He seated himself at the end of an alley leading into one of the larger streets.

an

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

From this reading He seated himself at the end of an alley leading into one of the larger streets.

and

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

From this reading The evening came on, slow and calm.

any

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

From this reading It would not start back, cowardly, from any hellish temptation, but meet it face to face.

at

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

From this reading He seated himself at the end of an alley leading into one of the larger streets.

back

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

From this reading It would not start back, cowardly, from any hellish temptation, but meet it face to face.

blow

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

From this reading Therefore the great temptation of his life came to him veiled by no sophistry, but bold, defiant, owning its own vile name, trusting to one bold blow for victory.

bold

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

From this reading Therefore the great temptation of his life came to him veiled by no sophistry, but bold, defiant, owning its own vile name, trusting to one bold blow for victory.

brain

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

From this reading His brain was clear to-night, keen, intent, mastering.

but

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

From this reading It would not start back, cowardly, from any hellish temptation, but meet it face to face.

by

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

From this reading Therefore the great temptation of his life came to him veiled by no sophistry, but bold, defiant, owning its own vile name, trusting to one bold blow for victory.

calm

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

From this reading The evening came on, slow and calm.

came

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

From this reading The evening came on, slow and calm.

clear

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

From this reading His brain was clear to-night, keen, intent, mastering.

cowardly

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

From this reading It would not start back, cowardly, from any hellish temptation, but meet it face to face.

defiant

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

From this reading Therefore the great temptation of his life came to him veiled by no sophistry, but bold, defiant, owning its own vile name, trusting to one bold blow for victory.

end

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

From this reading He seated himself at the end of an alley leading into one of the larger streets.

evening

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

From this reading The evening came on, slow and calm.

face

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

From this reading It would not start back, cowardly, from any hellish temptation, but meet it face to face.

for

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

From this reading Therefore the great temptation of his life came to him veiled by no sophistry, but bold, defiant, owning its own vile name, trusting to one bold blow for victory.

from

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

From this reading It would not start back, cowardly, from any hellish temptation, but meet it face to face.

great

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

From this reading Therefore the great temptation of his life came to him veiled by no sophistry, but bold, defiant, owning its own vile name, trusting to one bold blow for victory.

He

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

From this reading He seated himself at the end of an alley leading into one of the larger streets.

hellish

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

From this reading It would not start back, cowardly, from any hellish temptation, but meet it face to face.

him

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

From this reading Therefore the great temptation of his life came to him veiled by no sophistry, but bold, defiant, owning its own vile name, trusting to one bold blow for victory.

himself

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

From this reading He seated himself at the end of an alley leading into one of the larger streets.

His

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

From this reading His brain was clear to-night, keen, intent, mastering.

intent

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

From this reading His brain was clear to-night, keen, intent, mastering.

into

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

From this reading He seated himself at the end of an alley leading into one of the larger streets.

It

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

From this reading It would not start back, cowardly, from any hellish temptation, but meet it face to face.

its

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

From this reading Therefore the great temptation of his life came to him veiled by no sophistry, but bold, defiant, owning its own vile name, trusting to one bold blow for victory.

keen

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

From this reading His brain was clear to-night, keen, intent, mastering.

larger

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

From this reading He seated himself at the end of an alley leading into one of the larger streets.

leading

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

From this reading He seated himself at the end of an alley leading into one of the larger streets.

life

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

From this reading Therefore the great temptation of his life came to him veiled by no sophistry, but bold, defiant, owning its own vile name, trusting to one bold blow for victory.

mastering

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

From this reading His brain was clear to-night, keen, intent, mastering.

meet

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

From this reading It would not start back, cowardly, from any hellish temptation, but meet it face to face.

name

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

From this reading Therefore the great temptation of his life came to him veiled by no sophistry, but bold, defiant, owning its own vile name, trusting to one bold blow for victory.

no

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

From this reading Therefore the great temptation of his life came to him veiled by no sophistry, but bold, defiant, owning its own vile name, trusting to one bold blow for victory.

not

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

From this reading It would not start back, cowardly, from any hellish temptation, but meet it face to face.

of

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

From this reading He seated himself at the end of an alley leading into one of the larger streets.

on

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

From this reading The evening came on, slow and calm.

one

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

From this reading He seated himself at the end of an alley leading into one of the larger streets.

own

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

From this reading Therefore the great temptation of his life came to him veiled by no sophistry, but bold, defiant, owning its own vile name, trusting to one bold blow for victory.

owning

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

From this reading Therefore the great temptation of his life came to him veiled by no sophistry, but bold, defiant, owning its own vile name, trusting to one bold blow for victory.

seated

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

From this reading He seated himself at the end of an alley leading into one of the larger streets.

slow

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

From this reading The evening came on, slow and calm.

sophistry

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

From this reading Therefore the great temptation of his life came to him veiled by no sophistry, but bold, defiant, owning its own vile name, trusting to one bold blow for victory.

start

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

From this reading It would not start back, cowardly, from any hellish temptation, but meet it face to face.

streets

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

From this reading He seated himself at the end of an alley leading into one of the larger streets.

temptation

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

From this reading It would not start back, cowardly, from any hellish temptation, but meet it face to face.

The

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

From this reading The evening came on, slow and calm.

Therefore

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

From this reading Therefore the great temptation of his life came to him veiled by no sophistry, but bold, defiant, owning its own vile name, trusting to one bold blow for victory.

to

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

From this reading It would not start back, cowardly, from any hellish temptation, but meet it face to face.

to-night

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

From this reading His brain was clear to-night, keen, intent, mastering.

trusting

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

From this reading Therefore the great temptation of his life came to him veiled by no sophistry, but bold, defiant, owning its own vile name, trusting to one bold blow for victory.

veiled

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

From this reading Therefore the great temptation of his life came to him veiled by no sophistry, but bold, defiant, owning its own vile name, trusting to one bold blow for victory.

victory

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

From this reading Therefore the great temptation of his life came to him veiled by no sophistry, but bold, defiant, owning its own vile name, trusting to one bold blow for victory.

vile

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

From this reading Therefore the great temptation of his life came to him veiled by no sophistry, but bold, defiant, owning its own vile name, trusting to one bold blow for victory.

was

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

From this reading His brain was clear to-night, keen, intent, mastering.

would

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

From this reading It would not start back, cowardly, from any hellish temptation, but meet it face to face.

Chapter 4 of Life in the Iron-Mills by Rebecca Harding Davis holds 218 sentences, grouped into 44 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 4 of Life in the Iron-Mills contain?

Chapter 4 holds 218 sentences of Life in the Iron-Mills, unabridged, divided into 44 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of Life in the Iron-Mills by Rebecca Harding Davis exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 218 sentences, grouped into 44 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 4 of Life in the Iron-Mills?

Work through the 44 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 44 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 4 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 4 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 Life in the Iron-Mills

Common questions about reading Life in the Iron-Mills by Rebecca Harding Davis on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Life in the Iron-Mills?

Yes. All 1034 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #876 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Life in the Iron-Mills is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #876, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Life in the Iron-Mills take to read?

About 86 minutes of reading across 207 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Life in the Iron-Mills section by section

How to work through Life in the Iron-Mills section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

Open a chapter

Choose one of the 5 chapters of Life in the Iron-Mills to begin.
Read one section

Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Listen and tap

Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Life in the Iron-Mills

Words and structures a reader meets early in Life in the Iron-Mills, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Futile: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Life in the Iron-Mills; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Frail: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Life in the Iron-Mills; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Answer: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Life in the Iron-Mills; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Redress: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Life in the Iron-Mills; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.