Chapter 12 of Patience Wins: War in the Works is here in full — 406 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XII
Chapter 12 of Patience Wins: War in the Works is here in full — 406 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"Because you're scarred about what I'm going to do to thee." "No, I'm not," I replied boldly; "because you daren't do anything unless it's in the dark, when you can attack a man behind his back." He winced at this and scowled, but turned it off with a laugh. "'Tack a what?" he said. "A boy, then," I cried.
Chapter 12 of Patience Wins: War in the Works is here in full — 406 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/81 · 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.
(military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons)
From this reading “"No, I'm not," I replied boldly; "because you daren't do anything unless it's in the dark, when you can attack a man behind his back."”
with boldness, in a bold manner
From this reading “"No, I'm not," I replied boldly; "because you daren't do anything unless it's in the dark, when you can attack a man behind his back."”
the sound of laughing
From this reading “He winced at this and scowled, but turned it off with a laugh.”
deeply affected or marked by mental or physical pain or injury
From this reading “"Because you're scarred about what I'm going to do to thee."”
past form of “scowl” — frown with displeasure
From this reading “He winced at this and scowled, but turned it off with a laugh.”
fasten with tacks
From this reading “"'Tack a what?" he said.”
except if; if not
From this reading “"No, I'm not," I replied boldly; "because you daren't do anything unless it's in the dark, when you can attack a man behind his back."”
past form of “wince” — draw back, as with fear or pain
From this reading “He winced at this and scowled, but turned it off with a laugh.”
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 "No, I'm not," I replied boldly; "because you daren't do anything unless it's in the dark, when you can attack a man behind his back."
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading "Because you're scarred about what I'm going to do to thee."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He winced at this and scowled, but turned it off with a laugh.
any thing at all
From this reading "No, I'm not," I replied boldly; "because you daren't do anything unless it's in the dark, when you can attack a man behind his back."
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He winced at this and scowled, but turned it off with a laugh.
(military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons)
From this reading "No, I'm not," I replied boldly; "because you daren't do anything unless it's in the dark, when you can attack a man behind his back."
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading "No, I'm not," I replied boldly; "because you daren't do anything unless it's in the dark, when you can attack a man behind his back."
for the reason that
From this reading "Because you're scarred about what I'm going to do to thee."
at or toward the back of something
From this reading "No, I'm not," I replied boldly; "because you daren't do anything unless it's in the dark, when you can attack a man behind his back."
with boldness, in a bold manner
From this reading "No, I'm not," I replied boldly; "because you daren't do anything unless it's in the dark, when you can attack a man behind his back."
a youthful male person
From this reading "A boy, then," I cried.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He winced at this and scowled, but turned it off with a laugh.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading "No, I'm not," I replied boldly; "because you daren't do anything unless it's in the dark, when you can attack a man behind his back."
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading "A boy, then," I cried.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "No, I'm not," I replied boldly; "because you daren't do anything unless it's in the dark, when you can attack a man behind his back."
absence of light or illumination
From this reading "No, I'm not," I replied boldly; "because you daren't do anything unless it's in the dark, when you can attack a man behind his back."
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "Because you're scarred about what I'm going to do to thee."
the act of departing
From this reading "Because you're scarred about what I'm going to do to thee."
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He winced at this and scowled, but turned it off with a laugh.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "No, I'm not," I replied boldly; "because you daren't do anything unless it's in the dark, when you can attack a man behind his back."
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "No, I'm not," I replied boldly; "because you daren't do anything unless it's in the dark, when you can attack a man behind his back."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Because you're scarred about what I'm going to do to thee."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "No, I'm not," I replied boldly; "because you daren't do anything unless it's in the dark, when you can attack a man behind his back."
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He winced at this and scowled, but turned it off with a laugh.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "No, I'm not," I replied boldly; "because you daren't do anything unless it's in the dark, when you can attack a man behind his back."
the sound of laughing
From this reading He winced at this and scowled, but turned it off with a laugh.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading "No, I'm not," I replied boldly; "because you daren't do anything unless it's in the dark, when you can attack a man behind his back."
not any; not one
From this reading "No, I'm not," I replied boldly; "because you daren't do anything unless it's in the dark, when you can attack a man behind his back."
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "No, I'm not," I replied boldly; "because you daren't do anything unless it's in the dark, when you can attack a man behind his back."
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading He winced at this and scowled, but turned it off with a laugh.
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading "No, I'm not," I replied boldly; "because you daren't do anything unless it's in the dark, when you can attack a man behind his back."
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "'Tack a what?" he said.
deeply affected or marked by mental or physical pain or injury
From this reading "Because you're scarred about what I'm going to do to thee."
past form of “scowl” — frown with displeasure
From this reading He winced at this and scowled, but turned it off with a laugh.
fasten with tacks
From this reading "'Tack a what?" he said.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "No, I'm not," I replied boldly; "because you daren't do anything unless it's in the dark, when you can attack a man behind his back."
an old word for “you”, as the object, speaking to one person
From this reading "Because you're scarred about what I'm going to do to thee."
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading "A boy, then," I cried.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading He winced at this and scowled, but turned it off with a laugh.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "Because you're scarred about what I'm going to do to thee."
moved around an axis or center
From this reading He winced at this and scowled, but turned it off with a laugh.
except if; if not
From this reading "No, I'm not," I replied boldly; "because you daren't do anything unless it's in the dark, when you can attack a man behind his back."
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "Because you're scarred about what I'm going to do to thee."
at the time that
From this reading "No, I'm not," I replied boldly; "because you daren't do anything unless it's in the dark, when you can attack a man behind his back."
past form of “wince” — draw back, as with fear or pain
From this reading He winced at this and scowled, but turned it off with a laugh.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He winced at this and scowled, but turned it off with a laugh.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "No, I'm not," I replied boldly; "because you daren't do anything unless it's in the dark, when you can attack a man behind his back."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Because you're scarred about what I'm going to do to thee."
Chapter 12 of Patience Wins: War in the Works by George Manville Fenn holds 406 sentences, grouped into 82 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 12 holds 406 sentences of Patience Wins: War in the Works, unabridged, divided into 82 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 12 of Patience Wins: War in the Works by George Manville Fenn exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 406 sentences, grouped into 82 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 82 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 82 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 12 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 Patience Wins: War in the Works by George Manville Fenn on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 5628 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #21361 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #21361, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 469 minutes of reading across 1126 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Patience Wins: War in the Works section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 14 chapters of Patience Wins: War in the Works 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 Patience Wins: War in the Works, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
