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Peter: A Novel of Which He Is Not the Hero
Peter: A Novel of Which He Is Not the Hero

Chapter VI

Cover illustration for Peter: A Novel of Which He Is Not the Hero
Context Illustration Reading 1/72 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
“Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!
Well, that's one on me!”
The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.
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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.

Peter: A Novel of Which He Is Not the Hero

Chapter VI

Reading 1/72 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
Line 2
The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
Line 3
“Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!
Line 4
Well, that's one on me!”
Line 5
The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

After preposition US /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading “The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.”

Except preposition US /ɪkˈsept/

apart from; not including

From this reading ““Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!”

Gentleman noun US /ˈgentleman/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.”

Half noun US /half/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.”

Himself pronoun US /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading ““Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “Well, that's one on me!””

Open verb US /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading “The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.”

Several noun US /ˈseveral/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.”

Took noun US /took/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.”

Upon preposition US /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading “With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.”

Well noun US /well/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Well, that's one on me!””

Whether conjunction US /ˈweðər/

used to introduce two or more possibilities

From this reading “The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.”

All words in this reading · 97

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.

aback

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

From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.

admitted

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

From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.

also

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

From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!

back

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

From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.

best

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

From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.

Breen

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

From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.

bring

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

From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.

cellar

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

From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.

change

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

From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.

characters

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

From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.

closing

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

From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.

Co

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

From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.

coal-hole

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

From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.

couldn't

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

From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!

covered

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

From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.

departing

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

From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.

door

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

From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.

emptiness

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

From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.

exceptprepositionUS /ɪkˈsept/

apart from; not including

From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!

financiers

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

From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.

finest

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

From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.

firm

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

From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.

front

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

From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.

GentlemannounUS /ˈgentleman/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.

get

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

From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!

halfnounUS /half/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.

head

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

From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!

house

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

From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!

important

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

From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.

intelligence

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

From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.

intervals

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

From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.

jolt

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

From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.

lid

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

From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.

light

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

From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.

man

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

From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!

marked

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

From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Well, that's one on me!”

mechanism

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

From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.

mental

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

From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.

moment

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

From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.

most

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

From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!

night

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

From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.

now

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

From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.

Old

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

From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Well, that's one on me!”

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Well, that's one on me!”

openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.

out

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

From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.

Parkins

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

From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.

Parkins's

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

From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.

place

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

From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.

Portman

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

From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!

rare

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

From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!

received

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

From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.

rush

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

From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.

said

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

From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!

Send

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

From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!

several

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

From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.

shrewdest

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

From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.

table

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

From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!

taken

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

From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.

that's

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

From this reading Well, that's one on me!”

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.

then

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

From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.

tooknounUS /took/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.

undecided

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

From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.

upper

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

From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.

visitor

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

From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.

Well

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

From this reading Well, that's one on me!”

whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/

used to introduce two or more possibilities

From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.

whompronounUS /huːm/

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!

WithprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.

World

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

From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.