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Mosses from an old manse

Chapter XXIII · Chapter 23

Chapter 23 of Mosses from an old manse is here in full — 144 sentences across 29 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Nathaniel Hawthorne • Curated US English Learning Edition

Cover illustration for Mosses from an old manse

English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

He summoned the old black servant, who had been bred up in his father’s house, and was a middle-aged man while Roderick lay in his cradle.

“Scipio!” he began; and then paused, with his arms folded over his heart.

“What do people say of me, Scipio.”

“Sir! my poor master! that you had a serpent in your bosom,” answered the servant with hesitation.

“And what else?” asked Roderick, with a ghastly look at the man.

Narrator

Speed 0.75x

AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English

LEARNER DICTIONARY

Archivist

/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/

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A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Chapter XXIII Reading 1/28

Mosses from an old manse

Chapter XXIII · Chapter 23

Chapter 23 of Mosses from an old manse is here in full — 144 sentences across 29 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/28 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

He summoned the old black servant, who had been bred up in his father’s house, and was a middle-aged man while Roderick lay in his cradle.

Line 2

“Scipio!” he began; and then paused, with his arms folded over his heart.

Line 3

“What do people say of me, Scipio.”

Line 4

“Sir! my poor master! that you had a serpent in your bosom,” answered the servant with hesitation.

Line 5

“And what else?” asked Roderick, with a ghastly look at the man.

All words in this reading · 55

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.

a

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

From this reading He summoned the old black servant, who had been bred up in his father’s house, and was a middle-aged man while Roderick lay in his cradle.

and

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

From this reading He summoned the old black servant, who had been bred up in his father’s house, and was a middle-aged man while Roderick lay in his cradle.

answered

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

From this reading “Sir! my poor master! that you had a serpent in your bosom,” answered the servant with hesitation.

arms

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

From this reading “Scipio!” he began; and then paused, with his arms folded over his heart.

asked

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

From this reading “And what else?” asked Roderick, with a ghastly look at the man.

at

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

From this reading “And what else?” asked Roderick, with a ghastly look at the man.

been

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

From this reading He summoned the old black servant, who had been bred up in his father’s house, and was a middle-aged man while Roderick lay in his cradle.

began

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

From this reading “Scipio!” he began; and then paused, with his arms folded over his heart.

black

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

From this reading He summoned the old black servant, who had been bred up in his father’s house, and was a middle-aged man while Roderick lay in his cradle.

bosom

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

From this reading “Sir! my poor master! that you had a serpent in your bosom,” answered the servant with hesitation.

bred

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

From this reading He summoned the old black servant, who had been bred up in his father’s house, and was a middle-aged man while Roderick lay in his cradle.

cradle

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

From this reading He summoned the old black servant, who had been bred up in his father’s house, and was a middle-aged man while Roderick lay in his cradle.

do

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

From this reading “What do people say of me, Scipio.”

else

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

From this reading “And what else?” asked Roderick, with a ghastly look at the man.

father's

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

From this reading He summoned the old black servant, who had been bred up in his father’s house, and was a middle-aged man while Roderick lay in his cradle.

folded

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

From this reading “Scipio!” he began; and then paused, with his arms folded over his heart.

ghastly

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

From this reading “And what else?” asked Roderick, with a ghastly look at the man.

had

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

From this reading He summoned the old black servant, who had been bred up in his father’s house, and was a middle-aged man while Roderick lay in his cradle.

He

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

From this reading He summoned the old black servant, who had been bred up in his father’s house, and was a middle-aged man while Roderick lay in his cradle.

heart

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

From this reading “Scipio!” he began; and then paused, with his arms folded over his heart.

hesitation

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

From this reading “Sir! my poor master! that you had a serpent in your bosom,” answered the servant with hesitation.

his

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

From this reading He summoned the old black servant, who had been bred up in his father’s house, and was a middle-aged man while Roderick lay in his cradle.

house

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

From this reading He summoned the old black servant, who had been bred up in his father’s house, and was a middle-aged man while Roderick lay in his cradle.

in

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

From this reading He summoned the old black servant, who had been bred up in his father’s house, and was a middle-aged man while Roderick lay in his cradle.

lay

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

From this reading He summoned the old black servant, who had been bred up in his father’s house, and was a middle-aged man while Roderick lay in his cradle.

look

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

From this reading “And what else?” asked Roderick, with a ghastly look at the man.

man

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

From this reading He summoned the old black servant, who had been bred up in his father’s house, and was a middle-aged man while Roderick lay in his cradle.

master

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

From this reading “Sir! my poor master! that you had a serpent in your bosom,” answered the servant with hesitation.

me

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

From this reading “What do people say of me, Scipio.”

middle-aged

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

From this reading He summoned the old black servant, who had been bred up in his father’s house, and was a middle-aged man while Roderick lay in his cradle.

my

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

From this reading “Sir! my poor master! that you had a serpent in your bosom,” answered the servant with hesitation.

of

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

From this reading “What do people say of me, Scipio.”

old

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

From this reading He summoned the old black servant, who had been bred up in his father’s house, and was a middle-aged man while Roderick lay in his cradle.

over

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

From this reading “Scipio!” he began; and then paused, with his arms folded over his heart.

paused

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

From this reading “Scipio!” he began; and then paused, with his arms folded over his heart.

people

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

From this reading “What do people say of me, Scipio.”

poor

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

From this reading “Sir! my poor master! that you had a serpent in your bosom,” answered the servant with hesitation.

Roderick

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

From this reading He summoned the old black servant, who had been bred up in his father’s house, and was a middle-aged man while Roderick lay in his cradle.

say

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

From this reading “What do people say of me, Scipio.”

Scipio

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

From this reading “Scipio!” he began; and then paused, with his arms folded over his heart.

serpent

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

From this reading “Sir! my poor master! that you had a serpent in your bosom,” answered the servant with hesitation.

servant

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

From this reading He summoned the old black servant, who had been bred up in his father’s house, and was a middle-aged man while Roderick lay in his cradle.

Sir

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

From this reading “Sir! my poor master! that you had a serpent in your bosom,” answered the servant with hesitation.

summoned

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

From this reading He summoned the old black servant, who had been bred up in his father’s house, and was a middle-aged man while Roderick lay in his cradle.

that

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

From this reading “Sir! my poor master! that you had a serpent in your bosom,” answered the servant with hesitation.

the

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

From this reading He summoned the old black servant, who had been bred up in his father’s house, and was a middle-aged man while Roderick lay in his cradle.

then

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

From this reading “Scipio!” he began; and then paused, with his arms folded over his heart.

up

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

From this reading He summoned the old black servant, who had been bred up in his father’s house, and was a middle-aged man while Roderick lay in his cradle.

was

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

From this reading He summoned the old black servant, who had been bred up in his father’s house, and was a middle-aged man while Roderick lay in his cradle.

What

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

From this reading “What do people say of me, Scipio.”

while

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

From this reading He summoned the old black servant, who had been bred up in his father’s house, and was a middle-aged man while Roderick lay in his cradle.

who

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

From this reading He summoned the old black servant, who had been bred up in his father’s house, and was a middle-aged man while Roderick lay in his cradle.

with

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

From this reading “Scipio!” he began; and then paused, with his arms folded over his heart.

you

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

From this reading “Sir! my poor master! that you had a serpent in your bosom,” answered the servant with hesitation.

your

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

From this reading “Sir! my poor master! that you had a serpent in your bosom,” answered the servant with hesitation.

Chapter 23 of Mosses from an old manse by Nathaniel Hawthorne holds 144 sentences, grouped into 29 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 23 of Mosses from an old manse contain?

Chapter 23 holds 144 sentences of Mosses from an old manse, unabridged, divided into 29 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 23 of Mosses from an old manse by Nathaniel Hawthorne exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 144 sentences, grouped into 29 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 23 of Mosses from an old manse?

Work through the 29 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 29 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 23 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 23 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 Mosses from an old manse

Common questions about reading Mosses from an old manse by Nathaniel Hawthorne on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Mosses from an old manse?

Yes. All 6218 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #512 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Mosses from an old manse is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #512, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Mosses from an old manse take to read?

About 518 minutes of reading across 1244 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Mosses from an old manse section by section

How to work through Mosses from an old manse section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

Open a chapter

Choose one of the 40 chapters of Mosses from an old manse 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 Mosses from an old manse

Words and structures a reader meets early in Mosses from an old manse, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Manse: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mosses from an old manse; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Birthmark: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mosses from an old manse; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Select: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mosses from an old manse; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Party: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mosses from an old manse; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.