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Martin Eden
Martin Eden

Chapter XXIV

Cover illustration for Martin Eden
Context Illustration Reading 1/20 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
But success had lost Martin’s address, and her messengers no longer came to his door.
For twenty-five days, working Sundays and holidays, he toiled on “The Shame of the Sun,” a long essay of some thirty thousand words.
It was a deliberate attack on the mysticism of the Maeterlinck school—an attack from the citadel of positive science upon the wonder-dreamers, but an attack nevertheless that retained much of beauty and wonder of the sort compatible with ascertained fact.
It was a little later that he followed up the attack with two short essays, “The Wonder-Dreamers” and “The Yardstick of the Ego.”
And on essays, long and short, he began to pay the travelling expenses from magazine to magazine.
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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.

Martin Eden

Chapter XXIV

Reading 1/20 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
But success had lost Martin’s address, and her messengers no longer came to his door.
Line 2
For twenty-five days, working Sundays and holidays, he toiled on “The Shame of the Sun,” a long essay of some thirty thousand words.
Line 3
It was a deliberate attack on the mysticism of the Maeterlinck school—an attack from the citadel of positive science upon the wonder-dreamers, but an attack nevertheless that retained much of beauty and wonder of the sort compatible with ascertained fact.
Line 4
It was a little later that he followed up the attack with two short essays, “The Wonder-Dreamers” and “The Yardstick of the Ego.”
Line 5
And on essays, long and short, he began to pay the travelling expenses from magazine to magazine.

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

Began noun US /began/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “And on essays, long and short, he began to pay the travelling expenses from magazine to magazine.”

Citadel noun US /ˈsɪt.ə.del/

A fortress protecting a city, metaphorically representing the invincible inner sanctuary of the rational mind.

From this reading “It was a deliberate attack on the mysticism of the Maeterlinck school—an attack from the citadel of positive science upon the wonder-dreamers, but an attack nevertheless that retained much of beauty and wonder of the sort compatible with ascertained fact.”

Little noun US /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It was a little later that he followed up the attack with two short essays, “The Wonder-Dreamers” and “The Yardstick of the Ego.””

Long noun US /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “For twenty-five days, working Sundays and holidays, he toiled on “The Shame of the Sun,” a long essay of some thirty thousand words.”

Nevertheless adverb US /ˌnevərðəˈles/

in spite of what has just been said

From this reading “It was a deliberate attack on the mysticism of the Maeterlinck school—an attack from the citadel of positive science upon the wonder-dreamers, but an attack nevertheless that retained much of beauty and wonder of the sort compatible with ascertained fact.”

Short adjective US /ʃɔrt/

brief or direct in expression

From this reading “It was a little later that he followed up the attack with two short essays, “The Wonder-Dreamers” and “The Yardstick of the Ego.””

Upon preposition US /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading “It was a deliberate attack on the mysticism of the Maeterlinck school—an attack from the citadel of positive science upon the wonder-dreamers, but an attack nevertheless that retained much of beauty and wonder of the sort compatible with ascertained fact.”

All words in this reading · 74

Every word is available to listen to. 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 For twenty-five days, working Sundays and holidays, he toiled on “The Shame of the Sun,” a long essay of some thirty thousand words.

address

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

From this reading But success had lost Martin’s address, and her messengers no longer came to his door.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading It was a deliberate attack on the mysticism of the Maeterlinck school—an attack from the citadel of positive science upon the wonder-dreamers, but an attack nevertheless that retained much of beauty and wonder of the sort compatible with ascertained fact.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading But success had lost Martin’s address, and her messengers no longer came to his door.

ascertained

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

From this reading It was a deliberate attack on the mysticism of the Maeterlinck school—an attack from the citadel of positive science upon the wonder-dreamers, but an attack nevertheless that retained much of beauty and wonder of the sort compatible with ascertained fact.

attack

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

From this reading It was a deliberate attack on the mysticism of the Maeterlinck school—an attack from the citadel of positive science upon the wonder-dreamers, but an attack nevertheless that retained much of beauty and wonder of the sort compatible with ascertained fact.

beauty

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

From this reading It was a deliberate attack on the mysticism of the Maeterlinck school—an attack from the citadel of positive science upon the wonder-dreamers, but an attack nevertheless that retained much of beauty and wonder of the sort compatible with ascertained fact.

begannounUS /began/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading And on essays, long and short, he began to pay the travelling expenses from magazine to magazine.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But success had lost Martin’s address, and her messengers no longer came to his door.

came

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

From this reading But success had lost Martin’s address, and her messengers no longer came to his door.

citadelnounUS /ˈsɪt.ə.del/

A fortress protecting a city, metaphorically representing the invincible inner sanctuary of the rational mind.

From this reading It was a deliberate attack on the mysticism of the Maeterlinck school—an attack from the citadel of positive science upon the wonder-dreamers, but an attack nevertheless that retained much of beauty and wonder of the sort compatible with ascertained fact.

compatible

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

From this reading It was a deliberate attack on the mysticism of the Maeterlinck school—an attack from the citadel of positive science upon the wonder-dreamers, but an attack nevertheless that retained much of beauty and wonder of the sort compatible with ascertained fact.

days

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

From this reading For twenty-five days, working Sundays and holidays, he toiled on “The Shame of the Sun,” a long essay of some thirty thousand words.

deliberate

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

From this reading It was a deliberate attack on the mysticism of the Maeterlinck school—an attack from the citadel of positive science upon the wonder-dreamers, but an attack nevertheless that retained much of beauty and wonder of the sort compatible with ascertained fact.

door

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

From this reading But success had lost Martin’s address, and her messengers no longer came to his door.

Ego

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

From this reading It was a little later that he followed up the attack with two short essays, “The Wonder-Dreamers” and “The Yardstick of the Ego.”

essay

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

From this reading For twenty-five days, working Sundays and holidays, he toiled on “The Shame of the Sun,” a long essay of some thirty thousand words.

essays

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

From this reading It was a little later that he followed up the attack with two short essays, “The Wonder-Dreamers” and “The Yardstick of the Ego.”

expenses

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

From this reading And on essays, long and short, he began to pay the travelling expenses from magazine to magazine.

fact

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

From this reading It was a deliberate attack on the mysticism of the Maeterlinck school—an attack from the citadel of positive science upon the wonder-dreamers, but an attack nevertheless that retained much of beauty and wonder of the sort compatible with ascertained fact.

followed

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

From this reading It was a little later that he followed up the attack with two short essays, “The Wonder-Dreamers” and “The Yardstick of the Ego.”

ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading For twenty-five days, working Sundays and holidays, he toiled on “The Shame of the Sun,” a long essay of some thirty thousand words.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading It was a deliberate attack on the mysticism of the Maeterlinck school—an attack from the citadel of positive science upon the wonder-dreamers, but an attack nevertheless that retained much of beauty and wonder of the sort compatible with ascertained fact.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading But success had lost Martin’s address, and her messengers no longer came to his door.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading For twenty-five days, working Sundays and holidays, he toiled on “The Shame of the Sun,” a long essay of some thirty thousand words.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading But success had lost Martin’s address, and her messengers no longer came to his door.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading But success had lost Martin’s address, and her messengers no longer came to his door.

holidays

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

From this reading For twenty-five days, working Sundays and holidays, he toiled on “The Shame of the Sun,” a long essay of some thirty thousand words.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was a deliberate attack on the mysticism of the Maeterlinck school—an attack from the citadel of positive science upon the wonder-dreamers, but an attack nevertheless that retained much of beauty and wonder of the sort compatible with ascertained fact.

later

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

From this reading It was a little later that he followed up the attack with two short essays, “The Wonder-Dreamers” and “The Yardstick of the Ego.”

littlenounUS /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It was a little later that he followed up the attack with two short essays, “The Wonder-Dreamers” and “The Yardstick of the Ego.”

longnounUS /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading For twenty-five days, working Sundays and holidays, he toiled on “The Shame of the Sun,” a long essay of some thirty thousand words.

longer

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

From this reading But success had lost Martin’s address, and her messengers no longer came to his door.

lost

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

From this reading But success had lost Martin’s address, and her messengers no longer came to his door.

Maeterlinck

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

From this reading It was a deliberate attack on the mysticism of the Maeterlinck school—an attack from the citadel of positive science upon the wonder-dreamers, but an attack nevertheless that retained much of beauty and wonder of the sort compatible with ascertained fact.

magazine

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

From this reading And on essays, long and short, he began to pay the travelling expenses from magazine to magazine.

Martin's

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

From this reading But success had lost Martin’s address, and her messengers no longer came to his door.

messengers

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

From this reading But success had lost Martin’s address, and her messengers no longer came to his door.

much

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

From this reading It was a deliberate attack on the mysticism of the Maeterlinck school—an attack from the citadel of positive science upon the wonder-dreamers, but an attack nevertheless that retained much of beauty and wonder of the sort compatible with ascertained fact.

mysticism

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

From this reading It was a deliberate attack on the mysticism of the Maeterlinck school—an attack from the citadel of positive science upon the wonder-dreamers, but an attack nevertheless that retained much of beauty and wonder of the sort compatible with ascertained fact.

neverthelessadverbUS /ˌnevərðəˈles/

in spite of what has just been said

From this reading It was a deliberate attack on the mysticism of the Maeterlinck school—an attack from the citadel of positive science upon the wonder-dreamers, but an attack nevertheless that retained much of beauty and wonder of the sort compatible with ascertained fact.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading But success had lost Martin’s address, and her messengers no longer came to his door.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading For twenty-five days, working Sundays and holidays, he toiled on “The Shame of the Sun,” a long essay of some thirty thousand words.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading For twenty-five days, working Sundays and holidays, he toiled on “The Shame of the Sun,” a long essay of some thirty thousand words.

pay

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

From this reading And on essays, long and short, he began to pay the travelling expenses from magazine to magazine.

positive

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

From this reading It was a deliberate attack on the mysticism of the Maeterlinck school—an attack from the citadel of positive science upon the wonder-dreamers, but an attack nevertheless that retained much of beauty and wonder of the sort compatible with ascertained fact.

retained

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

From this reading It was a deliberate attack on the mysticism of the Maeterlinck school—an attack from the citadel of positive science upon the wonder-dreamers, but an attack nevertheless that retained much of beauty and wonder of the sort compatible with ascertained fact.

school

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

From this reading It was a deliberate attack on the mysticism of the Maeterlinck school—an attack from the citadel of positive science upon the wonder-dreamers, but an attack nevertheless that retained much of beauty and wonder of the sort compatible with ascertained fact.

science

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

From this reading It was a deliberate attack on the mysticism of the Maeterlinck school—an attack from the citadel of positive science upon the wonder-dreamers, but an attack nevertheless that retained much of beauty and wonder of the sort compatible with ascertained fact.

Shame

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

From this reading For twenty-five days, working Sundays and holidays, he toiled on “The Shame of the Sun,” a long essay of some thirty thousand words.

shortadjectiveUS /ʃɔrt/

brief or direct in expression

From this reading It was a little later that he followed up the attack with two short essays, “The Wonder-Dreamers” and “The Yardstick of the Ego.”

some

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

From this reading For twenty-five days, working Sundays and holidays, he toiled on “The Shame of the Sun,” a long essay of some thirty thousand words.

sort

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

From this reading It was a deliberate attack on the mysticism of the Maeterlinck school—an attack from the citadel of positive science upon the wonder-dreamers, but an attack nevertheless that retained much of beauty and wonder of the sort compatible with ascertained fact.

success

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

From this reading But success had lost Martin’s address, and her messengers no longer came to his door.

Sun

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

From this reading For twenty-five days, working Sundays and holidays, he toiled on “The Shame of the Sun,” a long essay of some thirty thousand words.

Sundays

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

From this reading For twenty-five days, working Sundays and holidays, he toiled on “The Shame of the Sun,” a long essay of some thirty thousand words.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It was a deliberate attack on the mysticism of the Maeterlinck school—an attack from the citadel of positive science upon the wonder-dreamers, but an attack nevertheless that retained much of beauty and wonder of the sort compatible with ascertained fact.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading For twenty-five days, working Sundays and holidays, he toiled on “The Shame of the Sun,” a long essay of some thirty thousand words.

thirty

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

From this reading For twenty-five days, working Sundays and holidays, he toiled on “The Shame of the Sun,” a long essay of some thirty thousand words.

thousand

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

From this reading For twenty-five days, working Sundays and holidays, he toiled on “The Shame of the Sun,” a long essay of some thirty thousand words.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading But success had lost Martin’s address, and her messengers no longer came to his door.

toiled

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

From this reading For twenty-five days, working Sundays and holidays, he toiled on “The Shame of the Sun,” a long essay of some thirty thousand words.

travelling

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

From this reading And on essays, long and short, he began to pay the travelling expenses from magazine to magazine.

twenty-five

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

From this reading For twenty-five days, working Sundays and holidays, he toiled on “The Shame of the Sun,” a long essay of some thirty thousand words.

two

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

From this reading It was a little later that he followed up the attack with two short essays, “The Wonder-Dreamers” and “The Yardstick of the Ego.”

up

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

From this reading It was a little later that he followed up the attack with two short essays, “The Wonder-Dreamers” and “The Yardstick of the Ego.”

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading It was a deliberate attack on the mysticism of the Maeterlinck school—an attack from the citadel of positive science upon the wonder-dreamers, but an attack nevertheless that retained much of beauty and wonder of the sort compatible with ascertained fact.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was a deliberate attack on the mysticism of the Maeterlinck school—an attack from the citadel of positive science upon the wonder-dreamers, but an attack nevertheless that retained much of beauty and wonder of the sort compatible with ascertained fact.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading It was a deliberate attack on the mysticism of the Maeterlinck school—an attack from the citadel of positive science upon the wonder-dreamers, but an attack nevertheless that retained much of beauty and wonder of the sort compatible with ascertained fact.

wonder

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

From this reading It was a deliberate attack on the mysticism of the Maeterlinck school—an attack from the citadel of positive science upon the wonder-dreamers, but an attack nevertheless that retained much of beauty and wonder of the sort compatible with ascertained fact.

wonder-dreamers

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

From this reading It was a deliberate attack on the mysticism of the Maeterlinck school—an attack from the citadel of positive science upon the wonder-dreamers, but an attack nevertheless that retained much of beauty and wonder of the sort compatible with ascertained fact.

words

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

From this reading For twenty-five days, working Sundays and holidays, he toiled on “The Shame of the Sun,” a long essay of some thirty thousand words.

working

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

From this reading For twenty-five days, working Sundays and holidays, he toiled on “The Shame of the Sun,” a long essay of some thirty thousand words.

Yardstick

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

From this reading It was a little later that he followed up the attack with two short essays, “The Wonder-Dreamers” and “The Yardstick of the Ego.”