Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Missy: A Novel
Missy: A Novel

Chapter XXVI

Chapter 26 of Missy: A Novel is here in full — 70 sentences across 14 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Miriam Coles Harris • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for Missy: A Novel
Context Illustration Reading 1/14 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE BROOK IN THE WAY.
It was, indeed, the hardest part, that first step, to all, but it was accomplished, somehow.
The early spring found Mrs. Varian in her new home, St. John established in his work, Missy and Miss Varian settled in the Roncevalle house, and the dear home shut up.
It was in the market, to be sold if any one would buy, to be rented if nobody would.
They had gone out of it, taking little, and it was in perfect order.
0:00 / 0:00
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.

Missy: A Novel

Chapter XXVI

Chapter 26 of Missy: A Novel is here in full — 70 sentences across 14 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/14 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE BROOK IN THE WAY.
/ðə brʊk ɪn ðə weɪ/
Line 2
It was, indeed, the hardest part, that first step, to all, but it was accomplished, somehow.
/ɪt wɑːz ˌɪnˈdiːd ðə ˈhɑːrdəst pɑːrt ðæt fɜːrst step tuː ɔːl bʌt ɪt wɑːz əˈkɑːmplɪʃt ˈsʌmhaʊ/
Line 3
The early spring found Mrs. Varian in her new home, St. John established in his work, Missy and Miss Varian settled in the Roncevalle house, and the dear home shut up.
Line 4
It was in the market, to be sold if any one would buy, to be rented if nobody would.
/ɪt wɑːz ɪn ðə ˈmɑːrkət tuː biː soʊld ɪf ˈeni wʌn wʊd baɪ tuː biː ˈrentɪd ɪf ˈnoʊbɑːdiː wʊd/
Line 5
They had gone out of it, taking little, and it was in perfect order.
/ðeɪ hæd ɡɔːn aʊt ʌv ɪt ˈteɪkɪŋ ˈlɪtəl ənd ɪt wɑːz ɪn pərˈfekt ˈɔːrdər/

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.

accomplished adjective US /əˈkɑːmplɪʃt/

highly skilled

From this reading “It was, indeed, the hardest part, that first step, to all, but it was accomplished, somehow.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
brook noun US /brʊk/

a natural stream of water smaller than a river (and often a tributary of a river)

From this reading “THE BROOK IN THE WAY.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
established adjective US /ɪˈstæblɪʃt/

brought about or set up or accepted; especially long established

From this reading “The early spring found Mrs. Varian in her new home, St. John established in his work, Missy and Miss Varian settled in the Roncevalle house, and the dear home shut up.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hardest adverb US /ˈhɑːrdəst/

superlative of “hard” — with effort or force or vigor

From this reading “It was, indeed, the hardest part, that first step, to all, but it was accomplished, somehow.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
market noun US /ˈmɑːrkət/

the world of commercial activity where goods and services are bought and sold

From this reading “It was in the market, to be sold if any one would buy, to be rented if nobody would.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Missy noun US /ˈmɪsi/

a young female

From this reading “The early spring found Mrs. Varian in her new home, St. John established in his work, Missy and Miss Varian settled in the Roncevalle house, and the dear home shut up.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rented verb US /ˈrentɪd/

past form of “rent” — let for money

From this reading “It was in the market, to be sold if any one would buy, to be rented if nobody would.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sold adjective US /soʊld/

disposed of to a purchaser

From this reading “It was in the market, to be sold if any one would buy, to be rented if nobody would.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

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.

shut up verb + adjective

refuse to talk or stop talking; fall silent

In this reading “The early spring found Mrs. Varian in her new home, St. John established in his work, Missy and Miss Varian settled in the Roncevalle house, and the dear home shut up.”

17,321 times in 426,212 chapters
perfect order adjective + noun

In this reading “They had gone out of it, taking little, and it was in perfect order.”

1,118 times in 426,212 chapters
first step adjective + noun

the first of a series of actions

In this reading “It was, indeed, the hardest part, that first step, to all, but it was accomplished, somehow.”

4,021 times in 426,212 chapters
new home adjective + noun

In this reading “The early spring found Mrs. Varian in her new home, St. John established in his work, Missy and Miss Varian settled in the Roncevalle house, and the dear home shut up.”

3,973 times in 426,212 chapters
in the market preposition + article + noun counted as “in … market”

In this reading “It was in the market, to be sold if any one would buy, to be rented if nobody would.”

2,911 times in 426,212 chapters

All words in this reading · 58

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.

accomplishedadjectiveUS /əˈkɑːmplɪʃt/

highly skilled

From this reading It was, indeed, the hardest part, that first step, to all, but it was accomplished, somehow.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
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 It was, indeed, the hardest part, that first step, to all, but it was accomplished, somehow.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The early spring found Mrs. Varian in her new home, St. John established in his work, Missy and Miss Varian settled in the Roncevalle house, and the dear home shut up.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading It was in the market, to be sold if any one would buy, to be rented if nobody would.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading It was in the market, to be sold if any one would buy, to be rented if nobody would.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
BROOKnounUS /brʊk/

a natural stream of water smaller than a river (and often a tributary of a river)

From this reading THE BROOK IN THE WAY.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading It was, indeed, the hardest part, that first step, to all, but it was accomplished, somehow.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
buyverbUS /baɪ/

obtain by purchase; acquire by means of a financial transaction

From this reading It was in the market, to be sold if any one would buy, to be rented if nobody would.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
dearadjectiveUS /dɪr/

dearly loved

From this reading The early spring found Mrs. Varian in her new home, St. John established in his work, Missy and Miss Varian settled in the Roncevalle house, and the dear home shut up.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/

at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time

From this reading The early spring found Mrs. Varian in her new home, St. John established in his work, Missy and Miss Varian settled in the Roncevalle house, and the dear home shut up.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
establishedadjectiveUS /ɪˈstæblɪʃt/

brought about or set up or accepted; especially long established

From this reading The early spring found Mrs. Varian in her new home, St. John established in his work, Missy and Miss Varian settled in the Roncevalle house, and the dear home shut up.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading It was, indeed, the hardest part, that first step, to all, but it was accomplished, somehow.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
foundverbUS /faʊnd/

set up or found

From this reading The early spring found Mrs. Varian in her new home, St. John established in his work, Missy and Miss Varian settled in the Roncevalle house, and the dear home shut up.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
goneadjectiveUS /ɡɔːn/

destroyed or killed

From this reading They had gone out of it, taking little, and it was in perfect order.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading They had gone out of it, taking little, and it was in perfect order.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hardestadverbUS /ˈhɑːrdəst/

superlative of “hard” — with effort or force or vigor

From this reading It was, indeed, the hardest part, that first step, to all, but it was accomplished, somehow.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading The early spring found Mrs. Varian in her new home, St. John established in his work, Missy and Miss Varian settled in the Roncevalle house, and the dear home shut up.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading The early spring found Mrs. Varian in her new home, St. John established in his work, Missy and Miss Varian settled in the Roncevalle house, and the dear home shut up.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
homenounUS /hoʊm/

where you live at a particular time

From this reading The early spring found Mrs. Varian in her new home, St. John established in his work, Missy and Miss Varian settled in the Roncevalle house, and the dear home shut up.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
housenounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading The early spring found Mrs. Varian in her new home, St. John established in his work, Missy and Miss Varian settled in the Roncevalle house, and the dear home shut up.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading It was in the market, to be sold if any one would buy, to be rented if nobody would.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
INprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading THE BROOK IN THE WAY.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
indeedadverbUS /ˌɪnˈdiːd/

in truth (often tends to intensify)

From this reading It was, indeed, the hardest part, that first step, to all, but it was accomplished, somehow.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was, indeed, the hardest part, that first step, to all, but it was accomplished, somehow.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
JohnnounUS /dʒɑːn/

a room or building equipped with one or more toilets

From this reading The early spring found Mrs. Varian in her new home, St. John established in his work, Missy and Miss Varian settled in the Roncevalle house, and the dear home shut up.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading They had gone out of it, taking little, and it was in perfect order.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
marketnounUS /ˈmɑːrkət/

the world of commercial activity where goods and services are bought and sold

From this reading It was in the market, to be sold if any one would buy, to be rented if nobody would.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MissverbUS /mɪs/

fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind

From this reading The early spring found Mrs. Varian in her new home, St. John established in his work, Missy and Miss Varian settled in the Roncevalle house, and the dear home shut up.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MissynounUS /ˈmɪsi/

a young female

From this reading The early spring found Mrs. Varian in her new home, St. John established in his work, Missy and Miss Varian settled in the Roncevalle house, and the dear home shut up.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MrsnounUS /ˈmɪsɪz/

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading The early spring found Mrs. Varian in her new home, St. John established in his work, Missy and Miss Varian settled in the Roncevalle house, and the dear home shut up.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
newadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading The early spring found Mrs. Varian in her new home, St. John established in his work, Missy and Miss Varian settled in the Roncevalle house, and the dear home shut up.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
nobodypronounUS /ˈnoʊbɑːdiː/

no person; not anyone

From this reading It was in the market, to be sold if any one would buy, to be rented if nobody would.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading They had gone out of it, taking little, and it was in perfect order.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading It was in the market, to be sold if any one would buy, to be rented if nobody would.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ordernounUS /ˈɔːrdər/

(often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed

From this reading They had gone out of it, taking little, and it was in perfect order.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading They had gone out of it, taking little, and it was in perfect order.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
partnounUS /pɑːrt/

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading It was, indeed, the hardest part, that first step, to all, but it was accomplished, somehow.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
perfectadjectiveUS /pərˈfekt/

being complete of its kind and without defect or blemish

From this reading They had gone out of it, taking little, and it was in perfect order.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rentedverbUS /ˈrentɪd/

past form of “rent” — let for money

From this reading It was in the market, to be sold if any one would buy, to be rented if nobody would.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Roncevalle

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

From this reading The early spring found Mrs. Varian in her new home, St. John established in his work, Missy and Miss Varian settled in the Roncevalle house, and the dear home shut up.

Pending verification
settledadjectiveUS /ˈsetəld/

established or decided beyond dispute or doubt

From this reading The early spring found Mrs. Varian in her new home, St. John established in his work, Missy and Miss Varian settled in the Roncevalle house, and the dear home shut up.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
shutverbUS /ʃʌt/

move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut

From this reading The early spring found Mrs. Varian in her new home, St. John established in his work, Missy and Miss Varian settled in the Roncevalle house, and the dear home shut up.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
soldadjectiveUS /soʊld/

disposed of to a purchaser

From this reading It was in the market, to be sold if any one would buy, to be rented if nobody would.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
somehowadverbUS /ˈsʌmhaʊ/

in some unspecified way or manner; or by some unspecified means

From this reading It was, indeed, the hardest part, that first step, to all, but it was accomplished, somehow.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
springnounUS /sprɪŋ/

the season of growth

From this reading The early spring found Mrs. Varian in her new home, St. John established in his work, Missy and Miss Varian settled in the Roncevalle house, and the dear home shut up.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
St

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

From this reading The early spring found Mrs. Varian in her new home, St. John established in his work, Missy and Miss Varian settled in the Roncevalle house, and the dear home shut up.

Pending verification
stepnounUS /step/

any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal

From this reading It was, indeed, the hardest part, that first step, to all, but it was accomplished, somehow.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
takingnounUS /ˈteɪkɪŋ/

the act of someone who picks up or takes something

From this reading They had gone out of it, taking little, and it was in perfect order.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It was, indeed, the hardest part, that first step, to all, but it was accomplished, somehow.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE BROOK IN THE WAY.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading They had gone out of it, taking little, and it was in perfect order.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It was, indeed, the hardest part, that first step, to all, but it was accomplished, somehow.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading The early spring found Mrs. Varian in her new home, St. John established in his work, Missy and Miss Varian settled in the Roncevalle house, and the dear home shut up.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Varian

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

From this reading The early spring found Mrs. Varian in her new home, St. John established in his work, Missy and Miss Varian settled in the Roncevalle house, and the dear home shut up.

Pending verification
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was, indeed, the hardest part, that first step, to all, but it was accomplished, somehow.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
WAYnounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading THE BROOK IN THE WAY.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
workverbUS /wɜːrk/

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading The early spring found Mrs. Varian in her new home, St. John established in his work, Missy and Miss Varian settled in the Roncevalle house, and the dear home shut up.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading It was in the market, to be sold if any one would buy, to be rented if nobody would.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 26 of Missy: A Novel by Miriam Coles Harris holds 70 sentences, grouped into 14 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 26 of Missy: A Novel contain?

Chapter 26 holds 70 sentences of Missy: A Novel, unabridged, divided into 14 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 26 of Missy: A Novel by Miriam Coles Harris exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 70 sentences, grouped into 14 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 26 of Missy: A Novel?

Work through the 14 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 14 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 26 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 26 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 Missy: A Novel

Common questions about reading Missy: A Novel by Miriam Coles Harris on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Missy: A Novel?

Yes. All 6604 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #40129 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Missy: A Novel is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #40129, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Missy: A Novel take to read?

About 550 minutes of reading across 1321 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Missy: A Novel section by section

How to work through Missy: A Novel section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 29 chapters of Missy: A Novel 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 Missy: A Novel

Words and structures a reader meets early in Missy: A Novel, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Sutherlands
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Missy: A Novel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Louie's
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Missy: A Novel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Mary's
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Missy: A Novel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Frank
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Missy: A Novel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.