Chapter 21 of Of High Descent is here in full — 400 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
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Chapter XXI
Chapter 21 of Of High Descent is here in full — 400 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise! Louise!" Liza came hurrying into the hall, round-eyed and startled. "Where is your mistress?" cried Vine. "Miss Louise, sir?
Chapter 21 of Of High Descent is here in full — 400 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/80 · 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.
inflected form of “drag” — pull, as against a resistance
From this reading “Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!”
a square piece of cloth used for wiping the eyes or nose or as a costume accessory
From this reading “Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!”
moving with great haste
From this reading “Liza came hurrying into the hall, round-eyed and startled.”
similar to the striped mullet and takes its place in the Caribbean region
From this reading “Liza came hurrying into the hall, round-eyed and startled.”
in an aggressive manner
From this reading “Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!”
excited by sudden surprise or alarm and making a quick involuntary movement
From this reading “Liza came hurrying into the hall, round-eyed and startled.”
a plant with a weak stem that derives support from climbing, twining, or creeping along a surface
From this reading “Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!”
-ing form of “well” — come up, as of a liquid
From this reading “Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!”
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 “Liza came hurrying into the hall, round-eyed and startled.”
In this reading “Liza came hurrying into the hall, round-eyed and startled.”
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 Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!
a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck
From this reading Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!
confined by bonds
From this reading Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!
a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Liza came hurrying into the hall, round-eyed and startled.
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading "Where is your mistress?" cried Vine.
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!
inflected form of “drag” — pull, as against a resistance
From this reading Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!
Christian martyr; patron saint of England; hero of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon in which he slew a dragon and saved a princess (?-303)
From this reading Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading Liza came hurrying into the hall, round-eyed and startled.
a square piece of cloth used for wiping the eyes or nose or as a costume accessory
From this reading Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!
moving with great haste
From this reading Liza came hurrying into the hall, round-eyed and startled.
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Liza came hurrying into the hall, round-eyed and startled.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Where is your mistress?" cried Vine.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!
similar to the striped mullet and takes its place in the Caribbean region
From this reading Liza came hurrying into the hall, round-eyed and startled.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading "Miss Louise, sir?
an adulterous woman; a woman who has an ongoing extramarital sexual relationship with a man
From this reading "Where is your mistress?" cried Vine.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!
with speed
From this reading Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!
exhibiting childlike simplicity and credulity
From this reading Liza came hurrying into the hall, round-eyed and startled.
in an aggressive manner
From this reading Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!
term of address for a man
From this reading "Miss Louise, sir?
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!
excited by sudden surprise or alarm and making a quick involuntary movement
From this reading Liza came hurrying into the hall, round-eyed and startled.
the act of someone who picks up or takes something
From this reading Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!
a plant with a weak stem that derives support from climbing, twining, or creeping along a surface
From this reading Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!
-ing form of “well” — come up, as of a liquid
From this reading Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!
in or at the place that
From this reading Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!
during the time that
From this reading Taking the handkerchief passed to him by his brother, he rapidly bound it round the place where a deep cut was slowly welling, while George Vine dragged sharply at the bell, and then ran to the door and called, "Louise!
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Where is your mistress?" cried Vine.
Chapter 21 of Of High Descent by George Manville Fenn holds 400 sentences, grouped into 80 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 21 holds 400 sentences of Of High Descent, unabridged, divided into 80 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 21 of Of High Descent by George Manville Fenn exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 400 sentences, grouped into 80 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 80 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 80 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 21 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 Of High Descent by George Manville Fenn on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 10632 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #34246 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #34246, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 2127 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Of High Descent section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 26 chapters of Of High Descent 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 Of High Descent, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
