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Our Mutual Friend
Our Mutual Friend

Chapter XXI · Chapter 21

Chapter 21 of Our Mutual Friend is here in full — 288 sentences across 58 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Charles Dickens • Curated US English Learning Edition

Chapter 21 of Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens holds 288 sentences, grouped into 58 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 21 of Our Mutual Friend contain?

Chapter 21 holds 288 sentences of Our Mutual Friend, unabridged, divided into 58 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 21 of Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 288 sentences, grouped into 58 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 21 of Our Mutual Friend?

Work through the 58 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 58 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 21 be read aloud to me?

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.

Questions about reading Our Mutual Friend

Common questions about reading Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Our Mutual Friend?

Yes. All 20809 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #883 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Our Mutual Friend is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #883, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Our Mutual Friend take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 4162 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Our Mutual Friend section by section

How to work through Our Mutual Friend section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of Our Mutual Friend 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 Our Mutual Friend

Words and structures a reader meets early in Our Mutual Friend, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

These
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Our Mutual Friend; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Times
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Our Mutual Friend; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Though
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Our Mutual Friend; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Concerning
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Our Mutual Friend; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Cover illustration for Our Mutual Friend
Context Illustration Reading 1/58 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
A RESPECTED FRIEND IN A NEW ASPECT
In the evening of this same foggy day when the yellow window-blind of Pubsey and Co.
was drawn down upon the day’s work, Riah the Jew once more came forth into Saint Mary Axe.
But this time he carried no bag, and was not bound on his master’s affairs.
He passed over London Bridge, and returned to the Middlesex shore by that of Westminster, and so, ever wading through the fog, waded to the doorstep of the dolls’ dressmaker.
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.

Our Mutual Friend

Chapter XXI · Chapter 21

Chapter 21 of Our Mutual Friend is here in full — 288 sentences across 58 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/58 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
A RESPECTED FRIEND IN A NEW ASPECT
Line 2
In the evening of this same foggy day when the yellow window-blind of Pubsey and Co.
Line 3
was drawn down upon the day’s work, Riah the Jew once more came forth into Saint Mary Axe.
Line 4
But this time he carried no bag, and was not bound on his master’s affairs.
Line 5
He passed over London Bridge, and returned to the Middlesex shore by that of Westminster, and so, ever wading through the fog, waded to the doorstep of the dolls’ dressmaker.

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.

Same adjective US /seɪm/

Identical; not different.

From this reading “In the evening of this same foggy day when the yellow window-blind of Pubsey and Co.”

Velmora curated lexicon
All words in this reading · 67

Every word is available to listen to. 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 A RESPECTED FRIEND IN A NEW ASPECT

Pending verification
affairs

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

From this reading But this time he carried no bag, and was not bound on his master’s affairs.

Pending verification
and

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

From this reading In the evening of this same foggy day when the yellow window-blind of Pubsey and Co.

Pending verification
ASPECT

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

From this reading A RESPECTED FRIEND IN A NEW ASPECT

Pending verification
Axe

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

From this reading was drawn down upon the day’s work, Riah the Jew once more came forth into Saint Mary Axe.

Pending verification
bag

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

From this reading But this time he carried no bag, and was not bound on his master’s affairs.

Pending verification
bound

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

From this reading But this time he carried no bag, and was not bound on his master’s affairs.

Pending verification
Bridge

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

From this reading He passed over London Bridge, and returned to the Middlesex shore by that of Westminster, and so, ever wading through the fog, waded to the doorstep of the dolls’ dressmaker.

Pending verification
But

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

From this reading But this time he carried no bag, and was not bound on his master’s affairs.

Pending verification
by

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

From this reading He passed over London Bridge, and returned to the Middlesex shore by that of Westminster, and so, ever wading through the fog, waded to the doorstep of the dolls’ dressmaker.

Pending verification
came

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

From this reading was drawn down upon the day’s work, Riah the Jew once more came forth into Saint Mary Axe.

Pending verification
carried

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

From this reading But this time he carried no bag, and was not bound on his master’s affairs.

Pending verification
Co

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

From this reading In the evening of this same foggy day when the yellow window-blind of Pubsey and Co.

Pending verification
day

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

From this reading In the evening of this same foggy day when the yellow window-blind of Pubsey and Co.

Pending verification
day's

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

From this reading was drawn down upon the day’s work, Riah the Jew once more came forth into Saint Mary Axe.

Pending verification
dolls

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

From this reading He passed over London Bridge, and returned to the Middlesex shore by that of Westminster, and so, ever wading through the fog, waded to the doorstep of the dolls’ dressmaker.

Pending verification
doorstep

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

From this reading He passed over London Bridge, and returned to the Middlesex shore by that of Westminster, and so, ever wading through the fog, waded to the doorstep of the dolls’ dressmaker.

Pending verification
down

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

From this reading was drawn down upon the day’s work, Riah the Jew once more came forth into Saint Mary Axe.

Pending verification
drawn

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

From this reading was drawn down upon the day’s work, Riah the Jew once more came forth into Saint Mary Axe.

Pending verification
dressmaker

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

From this reading He passed over London Bridge, and returned to the Middlesex shore by that of Westminster, and so, ever wading through the fog, waded to the doorstep of the dolls’ dressmaker.

Pending verification
evening

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

From this reading In the evening of this same foggy day when the yellow window-blind of Pubsey and Co.

Pending verification
ever

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

From this reading He passed over London Bridge, and returned to the Middlesex shore by that of Westminster, and so, ever wading through the fog, waded to the doorstep of the dolls’ dressmaker.

Pending verification
fog

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

From this reading He passed over London Bridge, and returned to the Middlesex shore by that of Westminster, and so, ever wading through the fog, waded to the doorstep of the dolls’ dressmaker.

Pending verification
foggy

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

From this reading In the evening of this same foggy day when the yellow window-blind of Pubsey and Co.

Pending verification
forth

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

From this reading was drawn down upon the day’s work, Riah the Jew once more came forth into Saint Mary Axe.

Pending verification
FRIEND

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

From this reading A RESPECTED FRIEND IN A NEW ASPECT

Pending verification
he

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

From this reading But this time he carried no bag, and was not bound on his master’s affairs.

Pending verification
his

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

From this reading But this time he carried no bag, and was not bound on his master’s affairs.

Pending verification
IN

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

From this reading A RESPECTED FRIEND IN A NEW ASPECT

Pending verification
into

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

From this reading was drawn down upon the day’s work, Riah the Jew once more came forth into Saint Mary Axe.

Pending verification
Jew

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

From this reading was drawn down upon the day’s work, Riah the Jew once more came forth into Saint Mary Axe.

Pending verification
London

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

From this reading He passed over London Bridge, and returned to the Middlesex shore by that of Westminster, and so, ever wading through the fog, waded to the doorstep of the dolls’ dressmaker.

Pending verification
Mary

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

From this reading was drawn down upon the day’s work, Riah the Jew once more came forth into Saint Mary Axe.

Pending verification
master's

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

From this reading But this time he carried no bag, and was not bound on his master’s affairs.

Pending verification
Middlesex

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

From this reading He passed over London Bridge, and returned to the Middlesex shore by that of Westminster, and so, ever wading through the fog, waded to the doorstep of the dolls’ dressmaker.

Pending verification
more

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

From this reading was drawn down upon the day’s work, Riah the Jew once more came forth into Saint Mary Axe.

Pending verification
NEW

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

From this reading A RESPECTED FRIEND IN A NEW ASPECT

Pending verification
no

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

From this reading But this time he carried no bag, and was not bound on his master’s affairs.

Pending verification
not

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

From this reading But this time he carried no bag, and was not bound on his master’s affairs.

Pending verification
of

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

From this reading In the evening of this same foggy day when the yellow window-blind of Pubsey and Co.

Pending verification
on

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

From this reading But this time he carried no bag, and was not bound on his master’s affairs.

Pending verification
once

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

From this reading was drawn down upon the day’s work, Riah the Jew once more came forth into Saint Mary Axe.

Pending verification
over

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

From this reading He passed over London Bridge, and returned to the Middlesex shore by that of Westminster, and so, ever wading through the fog, waded to the doorstep of the dolls’ dressmaker.

Pending verification
passed

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

From this reading He passed over London Bridge, and returned to the Middlesex shore by that of Westminster, and so, ever wading through the fog, waded to the doorstep of the dolls’ dressmaker.

Pending verification
Pubsey

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

From this reading In the evening of this same foggy day when the yellow window-blind of Pubsey and Co.

Pending verification
RESPECTED

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

From this reading A RESPECTED FRIEND IN A NEW ASPECT

Pending verification
returned

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

From this reading He passed over London Bridge, and returned to the Middlesex shore by that of Westminster, and so, ever wading through the fog, waded to the doorstep of the dolls’ dressmaker.

Pending verification
Riah

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

From this reading was drawn down upon the day’s work, Riah the Jew once more came forth into Saint Mary Axe.

Pending verification
Saint

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

From this reading was drawn down upon the day’s work, Riah the Jew once more came forth into Saint Mary Axe.

Pending verification
sameadjectiveUS /seɪm/

Identical; not different.

From this reading In the evening of this same foggy day when the yellow window-blind of Pubsey and Co.

Velmora curated lexicon
shore

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

From this reading He passed over London Bridge, and returned to the Middlesex shore by that of Westminster, and so, ever wading through the fog, waded to the doorstep of the dolls’ dressmaker.

Pending verification
so

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

From this reading He passed over London Bridge, and returned to the Middlesex shore by that of Westminster, and so, ever wading through the fog, waded to the doorstep of the dolls’ dressmaker.

Pending verification
that

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

From this reading He passed over London Bridge, and returned to the Middlesex shore by that of Westminster, and so, ever wading through the fog, waded to the doorstep of the dolls’ dressmaker.

Pending verification
the

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

From this reading In the evening of this same foggy day when the yellow window-blind of Pubsey and Co.

Pending verification
this

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

From this reading In the evening of this same foggy day when the yellow window-blind of Pubsey and Co.

Pending verification
through

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

From this reading He passed over London Bridge, and returned to the Middlesex shore by that of Westminster, and so, ever wading through the fog, waded to the doorstep of the dolls’ dressmaker.

Pending verification
time

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

From this reading But this time he carried no bag, and was not bound on his master’s affairs.

Pending verification
to

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

From this reading He passed over London Bridge, and returned to the Middlesex shore by that of Westminster, and so, ever wading through the fog, waded to the doorstep of the dolls’ dressmaker.

Pending verification
upon

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

From this reading was drawn down upon the day’s work, Riah the Jew once more came forth into Saint Mary Axe.

Pending verification
waded

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

From this reading He passed over London Bridge, and returned to the Middlesex shore by that of Westminster, and so, ever wading through the fog, waded to the doorstep of the dolls’ dressmaker.

Pending verification
wading

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

From this reading He passed over London Bridge, and returned to the Middlesex shore by that of Westminster, and so, ever wading through the fog, waded to the doorstep of the dolls’ dressmaker.

Pending verification
was

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

From this reading was drawn down upon the day’s work, Riah the Jew once more came forth into Saint Mary Axe.

Pending verification
Westminster

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

From this reading He passed over London Bridge, and returned to the Middlesex shore by that of Westminster, and so, ever wading through the fog, waded to the doorstep of the dolls’ dressmaker.

Pending verification
when

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

From this reading In the evening of this same foggy day when the yellow window-blind of Pubsey and Co.

Pending verification
window-blind

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

From this reading In the evening of this same foggy day when the yellow window-blind of Pubsey and Co.

Pending verification
work

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

From this reading was drawn down upon the day’s work, Riah the Jew once more came forth into Saint Mary Axe.

Pending verification
yellow

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

From this reading In the evening of this same foggy day when the yellow window-blind of Pubsey and Co.

Pending verification