Chapter 25 of Lost Illusions is here in full — 415 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXV
Chapter 25 of Lost Illusions is here in full — 415 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Lucien kissed them; for when joy overflows like a torrent flood, we are fain to pour it out into a friend's heart. "When an author is intoxicated with success, he will hug his porter if there is nobody else on hand," according to Bixiou. "Why, darling, why are you crying?" he said, looking into Eve's face. "Ah! I know, you are crying for joy!"
Chapter 25 of Lost Illusions is here in full — 415 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/83 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
having made preparations
From this reading “Lucien kissed them; for when joy overflows like a torrent flood, we are fain to pour it out into a friend's heart.”
possessive form of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading “Lucien kissed them; for when joy overflows like a torrent flood, we are fain to pour it out into a friend's heart.”
hold (someone) tightly in your arms, usually with fondness
From this reading “"When an author is intoxicated with success, he will hug his porter if there is nobody else on hand," according to Bixiou.”
stupefied or excited by a chemical substance (especially alcohol)
From this reading “"When an author is intoxicated with success, he will hug his porter if there is nobody else on hand," according to Bixiou.”
plural of “overflow” — a large flow
From this reading “Lucien kissed them; for when joy overflows like a torrent flood, we are fain to pour it out into a friend's heart.”
a person employed to carry luggage and supplies
From this reading “"When an author is intoxicated with success, he will hug his porter if there is nobody else on hand," according to Bixiou.”
cause to run
From this reading “Lucien kissed them; for when joy overflows like a torrent flood, we are fain to pour it out into a friend's heart.”
a heavy rain
From this reading “Lucien kissed them; for when joy overflows like a torrent flood, we are fain to pour it out into a friend's heart.”
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.
In this reading “I know, you are crying for joy!"”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Lucien kissed them; for when joy overflows like a torrent flood, we are fain to pour it out into a friend's heart.
(followed by “to”) in agreement with or accordant with
From this reading "When an author is intoxicated with success, he will hug his porter if there is nobody else on hand," according to Bixiou.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Ah!
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading "When an author is intoxicated with success, he will hug his porter if there is nobody else on hand," according to Bixiou.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Lucien kissed them; for when joy overflows like a torrent flood, we are fain to pour it out into a friend's heart.
writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)
From this reading "When an author is intoxicated with success, he will hug his porter if there is nobody else on hand," according to Bixiou.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "When an author is intoxicated with success, he will hug his porter if there is nobody else on hand," according to Bixiou.
demanding attention
From this reading "Why, darling, why are you crying?" he said, looking into Eve's face.
a special loved one
From this reading "Why, darling, why are you crying?" he said, looking into Eve's face.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "When an author is intoxicated with success, he will hug his porter if there is nobody else on hand," according to Bixiou.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Why, darling, why are you crying?" he said, looking into Eve's face.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading "Why, darling, why are you crying?" he said, looking into Eve's face.
having made preparations
From this reading Lucien kissed them; for when joy overflows like a torrent flood, we are fain to pour it out into a friend's heart.
the rising of a body of water and its overflowing onto normally dry land
From this reading Lucien kissed them; for when joy overflows like a torrent flood, we are fain to pour it out into a friend's heart.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Lucien kissed them; for when joy overflows like a torrent flood, we are fain to pour it out into a friend's heart.
possessive form of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading Lucien kissed them; for when joy overflows like a torrent flood, we are fain to pour it out into a friend's heart.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading "When an author is intoxicated with success, he will hug his porter if there is nobody else on hand," according to Bixiou.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "When an author is intoxicated with success, he will hug his porter if there is nobody else on hand," according to Bixiou.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading Lucien kissed them; for when joy overflows like a torrent flood, we are fain to pour it out into a friend's heart.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "When an author is intoxicated with success, he will hug his porter if there is nobody else on hand," according to Bixiou.
hold (someone) tightly in your arms, usually with fondness
From this reading "When an author is intoxicated with success, he will hug his porter if there is nobody else on hand," according to Bixiou.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I know, you are crying for joy!"
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "When an author is intoxicated with success, he will hug his porter if there is nobody else on hand," according to Bixiou.
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Lucien kissed them; for when joy overflows like a torrent flood, we are fain to pour it out into a friend's heart.
stupefied or excited by a chemical substance (especially alcohol)
From this reading "When an author is intoxicated with success, he will hug his porter if there is nobody else on hand," according to Bixiou.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "When an author is intoxicated with success, he will hug his porter if there is nobody else on hand," according to Bixiou.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Lucien kissed them; for when joy overflows like a torrent flood, we are fain to pour it out into a friend's heart.
the emotion of great happiness
From this reading Lucien kissed them; for when joy overflows like a torrent flood, we are fain to pour it out into a friend's heart.
past form of “kiss” — touch with the lips or press the lips (against someone's mouth or other body part) as an expression of love, greeting, etc.
From this reading Lucien kissed them; for when joy overflows like a torrent flood, we are fain to pour it out into a friend's heart.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading I know, you are crying for joy!"
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Lucien kissed them; for when joy overflows like a torrent flood, we are fain to pour it out into a friend's heart.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading "Why, darling, why are you crying?" he said, looking into Eve's face.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lucien kissed them; for when joy overflows like a torrent flood, we are fain to pour it out into a friend's heart.
no person; not anyone
From this reading "When an author is intoxicated with success, he will hug his porter if there is nobody else on hand," according to Bixiou.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "When an author is intoxicated with success, he will hug his porter if there is nobody else on hand," according to Bixiou.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Lucien kissed them; for when joy overflows like a torrent flood, we are fain to pour it out into a friend's heart.
plural of “overflow” — a large flow
From this reading Lucien kissed them; for when joy overflows like a torrent flood, we are fain to pour it out into a friend's heart.
a person employed to carry luggage and supplies
From this reading "When an author is intoxicated with success, he will hug his porter if there is nobody else on hand," according to Bixiou.
cause to run
From this reading Lucien kissed them; for when joy overflows like a torrent flood, we are fain to pour it out into a friend's heart.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Why, darling, why are you crying?" he said, looking into Eve's face.
an event that accomplishes its intended purpose
From this reading "When an author is intoxicated with success, he will hug his porter if there is nobody else on hand," according to Bixiou.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Lucien kissed them; for when joy overflows like a torrent flood, we are fain to pour it out into a friend's heart.
in or at that place or location
From this reading "When an author is intoxicated with success, he will hug his porter if there is nobody else on hand," according to Bixiou.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Lucien kissed them; for when joy overflows like a torrent flood, we are fain to pour it out into a friend's heart.
a heavy rain
From this reading Lucien kissed them; for when joy overflows like a torrent flood, we are fain to pour it out into a friend's heart.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading Lucien kissed them; for when joy overflows like a torrent flood, we are fain to pour it out into a friend's heart.
at the time that
From this reading Lucien kissed them; for when joy overflows like a torrent flood, we are fain to pour it out into a friend's heart.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading "Why, darling, why are you crying?" he said, looking into Eve's face.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading "When an author is intoxicated with success, he will hug his porter if there is nobody else on hand," according to Bixiou.
in the company of; together with
From this reading "When an author is intoxicated with success, he will hug his porter if there is nobody else on hand," according to Bixiou.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Why, darling, why are you crying?" he said, looking into Eve's face.
Chapter 25 of Lost Illusions by Honoré de Balzac holds 415 sentences, grouped into 83 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.
Chapter 25 holds 415 sentences of Lost Illusions, unabridged, divided into 83 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 25 of Lost Illusions by Honoré de Balzac exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 415 sentences, grouped into 83 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.
Work through the 83 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 83 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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 25 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.
Common questions about reading Lost Illusions by Honoré de Balzac on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 11797 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #13159 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #13159, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 2360 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Lost Illusions section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 27 chapters of Lost Illusions to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in Lost Illusions, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
