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Peter Ruff and the Double Four
Peter Ruff and the Double Four

Chapter XXI · Chapter 21

Chapter 21 of Peter Ruff and the Double Four is here in full — 865 sentences across 173 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/173 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The Marquis de Sogrange arrived in Berkeley Square with the gray dawn of an October morning, showing in his appearance and dress few enough signs of his night journey.
Yet he had traveled without stopping from Paris, by fast motor car and the mail boat.
They telephoned me from Charing Cross,” Peter said, that you could not possibly arrive until midday.
The clerk assured me that no train had yet reached Calais.”
They had reason in what they told you,” Sogrange remarked, as he leaned back in a chair and sipped the coffee which had been waiting for him in the Baron de Grost’s study.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Peter Ruff and the Double Four

Chapter XXI · Chapter 21

Chapter 21 of Peter Ruff and the Double Four is here in full — 865 sentences across 173 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/173 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The Marquis de Sogrange arrived in Berkeley Square with the gray dawn of an October morning, showing in his appearance and dress few enough signs of his night journey.
Line 2
Yet he had traveled without stopping from Paris, by fast motor car and the mail boat.
/jet hiː hæd ˈtrævəld wɪˈθaʊt ˈstɑːpɪŋ frʌm ˈperɪs baɪ fæst ˈmoʊtər kɑːr ənd ðə meɪl boʊt/
Line 3
They telephoned me from Charing Cross,” Peter said, “that you could not possibly arrive until midday.
Line 4
The clerk assured me that no train had yet reached Calais.”
/ðə klɜːrk əˈʃʊrd miː ðæt noʊ treɪn hæd jet riːtʃt kəˈleɪ/
Line 5
They had reason in what they told you,” Sogrange remarked, as he leaned back in a chair and sipped the coffee which had been waiting for him in the Baron de Grost’s study.

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.

Berkeley noun US /ˈbɜːrkli/

Irish philosopher and Anglican bishop who opposed the materialism of Thomas Hobbes (1685-1753)

From this reading “The Marquis de Sogrange arrived in Berkeley Square with the gray dawn of an October morning, showing in his appearance and dress few enough signs of his night journey.”

Calais noun US /kəˈleɪ/

a town in northern France on the Strait of Dover that serves as a ferry port to England

From this reading “The clerk assured me that no train had yet reached Calais.””

mail noun US /meɪl/

the bags of letters and packages that are transported by the postal service

From this reading “Yet he had traveled without stopping from Paris, by fast motor car and the mail boat.”

midday noun US /ˈmɪddeɪ/

the middle of the day

From this reading ““They telephoned me from Charing Cross,” Peter said, “that you could not possibly arrive until midday.”

motor noun US /ˈmoʊtər/

machine that converts other forms of energy into mechanical energy and so imparts motion

From this reading “Yet he had traveled without stopping from Paris, by fast motor car and the mail boat.”

sipped verb US /sɪpt/

inflected form of “sip” — drink in sips

From this reading ““They had reason in what they told you,” Sogrange remarked, as he leaned back in a chair and sipped the coffee which had been waiting for him in the Baron de Grost’s study.”

telephoned verb US /ˈteləfoʊnd/

past form of “telephone” — get or try to get into communication (with someone) by telephone

From this reading ““They telephoned me from Charing Cross,” Peter said, “that you could not possibly arrive until midday.”

traveled adjective US /ˈtrævəld/

traveled over or through; sometimes used as a combining term

From this reading “Yet he had traveled without stopping from Paris, by fast motor car and the mail boat.”

All words in this reading · 79

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.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading “They had reason in what they told you,” Sogrange remarked, as he leaned back in a chair and sipped the coffee which had been waiting for him in the Baron de Grost’s study.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading The Marquis de Sogrange arrived in Berkeley Square with the gray dawn of an October morning, showing in his appearance and dress few enough signs of his night journey.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The Marquis de Sogrange arrived in Berkeley Square with the gray dawn of an October morning, showing in his appearance and dress few enough signs of his night journey.

appearancenounUS /əˈpɪrəns/

outward or visible aspect of a person or thing

From this reading The Marquis de Sogrange arrived in Berkeley Square with the gray dawn of an October morning, showing in his appearance and dress few enough signs of his night journey.

arriveverbUS /ərˈaɪv/

reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress

From this reading “They telephoned me from Charing Cross,” Peter said, “that you could not possibly arrive until midday.

arrivedverbUS /ərˈaɪvd/

past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress

From this reading The Marquis de Sogrange arrived in Berkeley Square with the gray dawn of an October morning, showing in his appearance and dress few enough signs of his night journey.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading “They had reason in what they told you,” Sogrange remarked, as he leaned back in a chair and sipped the coffee which had been waiting for him in the Baron de Grost’s study.

assuredadjectiveUS /əˈʃʊrd/

marked by assurance; exhibiting confidence

From this reading The clerk assured me that no train had yet reached Calais.”

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading “They had reason in what they told you,” Sogrange remarked, as he leaned back in a chair and sipped the coffee which had been waiting for him in the Baron de Grost’s study.

BaronnounUS /ˈbærən/

a nobleman (in various countries) of varying rank

From this reading “They had reason in what they told you,” Sogrange remarked, as he leaned back in a chair and sipped the coffee which had been waiting for him in the Baron de Grost’s study.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “They had reason in what they told you,” Sogrange remarked, as he leaned back in a chair and sipped the coffee which had been waiting for him in the Baron de Grost’s study.

BerkeleynounUS /ˈbɜːrkli/

Irish philosopher and Anglican bishop who opposed the materialism of Thomas Hobbes (1685-1753)

From this reading The Marquis de Sogrange arrived in Berkeley Square with the gray dawn of an October morning, showing in his appearance and dress few enough signs of his night journey.

boatnounUS /boʊt/

a small vessel for travel on water

From this reading Yet he had traveled without stopping from Paris, by fast motor car and the mail boat.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Yet he had traveled without stopping from Paris, by fast motor car and the mail boat.

CalaisnounUS /kəˈleɪ/

a town in northern France on the Strait of Dover that serves as a ferry port to England

From this reading The clerk assured me that no train had yet reached Calais.”

carnounUS /kɑːr/

a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine

From this reading Yet he had traveled without stopping from Paris, by fast motor car and the mail boat.

chairnounUS /tʃer/

a seat for one person, with a support for the back

From this reading “They had reason in what they told you,” Sogrange remarked, as he leaned back in a chair and sipped the coffee which had been waiting for him in the Baron de Grost’s study.

Charing

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

From this reading “They telephoned me from Charing Cross,” Peter said, “that you could not possibly arrive until midday.

clerknounUS /klɜːrk/

an employee who performs clerical work (e.g., keeps records or accounts)

From this reading The clerk assured me that no train had yet reached Calais.”

coffeenounUS /ˈkɑːfi/

a beverage consisting of an infusion of ground coffee beans

From this reading “They had reason in what they told you,” Sogrange remarked, as he leaned back in a chair and sipped the coffee which had been waiting for him in the Baron de Grost’s study.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading “They telephoned me from Charing Cross,” Peter said, “that you could not possibly arrive until midday.

CrossverbUS /krɔːs/

travel across or pass over

From this reading “They telephoned me from Charing Cross,” Peter said, “that you could not possibly arrive until midday.

dawnnounUS /dɔːn/

the first light of day

From this reading The Marquis de Sogrange arrived in Berkeley Square with the gray dawn of an October morning, showing in his appearance and dress few enough signs of his night journey.

denounUS /diː/

a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies

From this reading The Marquis de Sogrange arrived in Berkeley Square with the gray dawn of an October morning, showing in his appearance and dress few enough signs of his night journey.

dressverbUS /dres/

put on clothes

From this reading The Marquis de Sogrange arrived in Berkeley Square with the gray dawn of an October morning, showing in his appearance and dress few enough signs of his night journey.

enoughnounUS /ɪˈnʌf/

an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose

From this reading The Marquis de Sogrange arrived in Berkeley Square with the gray dawn of an October morning, showing in his appearance and dress few enough signs of his night journey.

fastadverbUS /fæst/

quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form)

From this reading Yet he had traveled without stopping from Paris, by fast motor car and the mail boat.

fewadjectiveUS /fjuː/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading The Marquis de Sogrange arrived in Berkeley Square with the gray dawn of an October morning, showing in his appearance and dress few enough signs of his night journey.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading “They had reason in what they told you,” Sogrange remarked, as he leaned back in a chair and sipped the coffee which had been waiting for him in the Baron de Grost’s study.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Yet he had traveled without stopping from Paris, by fast motor car and the mail boat.

graynounUS /ɡreɪ/

a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black

From this reading The Marquis de Sogrange arrived in Berkeley Square with the gray dawn of an October morning, showing in his appearance and dress few enough signs of his night journey.

Grost's

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

From this reading “They had reason in what they told you,” Sogrange remarked, as he leaned back in a chair and sipped the coffee which had been waiting for him in the Baron de Grost’s study.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Yet he had traveled without stopping from Paris, by fast motor car and the mail boat.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Yet he had traveled without stopping from Paris, by fast motor car and the mail boat.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading “They had reason in what they told you,” Sogrange remarked, as he leaned back in a chair and sipped the coffee which had been waiting for him in the Baron de Grost’s study.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading The Marquis de Sogrange arrived in Berkeley Square with the gray dawn of an October morning, showing in his appearance and dress few enough signs of his night journey.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The Marquis de Sogrange arrived in Berkeley Square with the gray dawn of an October morning, showing in his appearance and dress few enough signs of his night journey.

journeyverbUS /ˈdʒɜːrni/

undertake a journey or trip

From this reading The Marquis de Sogrange arrived in Berkeley Square with the gray dawn of an October morning, showing in his appearance and dress few enough signs of his night journey.

leanedverbUS /liːnd/

past form of “lean” — to incline or bend from a vertical position

From this reading “They had reason in what they told you,” Sogrange remarked, as he leaned back in a chair and sipped the coffee which had been waiting for him in the Baron de Grost’s study.

mailnounUS /meɪl/

the bags of letters and packages that are transported by the postal service

From this reading Yet he had traveled without stopping from Paris, by fast motor car and the mail boat.

MarquisnounUS /ˌmɑːrˈkiː/

humorist who wrote about the imaginary life of cockroaches (1878-1937)

From this reading The Marquis de Sogrange arrived in Berkeley Square with the gray dawn of an October morning, showing in his appearance and dress few enough signs of his night journey.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading “They telephoned me from Charing Cross,” Peter said, “that you could not possibly arrive until midday.

middaynounUS /ˈmɪddeɪ/

the middle of the day

From this reading “They telephoned me from Charing Cross,” Peter said, “that you could not possibly arrive until midday.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading The Marquis de Sogrange arrived in Berkeley Square with the gray dawn of an October morning, showing in his appearance and dress few enough signs of his night journey.

motornounUS /ˈmoʊtər/

machine that converts other forms of energy into mechanical energy and so imparts motion

From this reading Yet he had traveled without stopping from Paris, by fast motor car and the mail boat.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading The Marquis de Sogrange arrived in Berkeley Square with the gray dawn of an October morning, showing in his appearance and dress few enough signs of his night journey.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading The clerk assured me that no train had yet reached Calais.”

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading “They telephoned me from Charing Cross,” Peter said, “that you could not possibly arrive until midday.

OctobernounUS /ɑːkˈtoʊbər/

the month following September and preceding November

From this reading The Marquis de Sogrange arrived in Berkeley Square with the gray dawn of an October morning, showing in his appearance and dress few enough signs of his night journey.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The Marquis de Sogrange arrived in Berkeley Square with the gray dawn of an October morning, showing in his appearance and dress few enough signs of his night journey.

ParisnounUS /ˈperɪs/

the capital and largest city of France; and international center of culture and commerce

From this reading Yet he had traveled without stopping from Paris, by fast motor car and the mail boat.

PeternounUS /ˈpiːtər/

disciple of Jesus and leader of the Apostles; regarded by Catholics as the vicar of Christ on earth and first Pope

From this reading “They telephoned me from Charing Cross,” Peter said, “that you could not possibly arrive until midday.

possiblyadverbUS /ˈpɑːsəbli/

by chance

From this reading “They telephoned me from Charing Cross,” Peter said, “that you could not possibly arrive until midday.

reachedverbUS /riːtʃt/

past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract

From this reading The clerk assured me that no train had yet reached Calais.”

reasonnounUS /ˈriːzən/

a rational motive for a belief or action

From this reading “They had reason in what they told you,” Sogrange remarked, as he leaned back in a chair and sipped the coffee which had been waiting for him in the Baron de Grost’s study.

remarkedverbUS /rɪˈmɑːrkt/

past form of “remark” — make mention of

From this reading “They had reason in what they told you,” Sogrange remarked, as he leaned back in a chair and sipped the coffee which had been waiting for him in the Baron de Grost’s study.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading “They telephoned me from Charing Cross,” Peter said, “that you could not possibly arrive until midday.

showingnounUS /ˈʃoʊɪŋ/

the display of a motion picture

From this reading The Marquis de Sogrange arrived in Berkeley Square with the gray dawn of an October morning, showing in his appearance and dress few enough signs of his night journey.

signsnounUS /saɪnz/

plural of “sign” — a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)

From this reading The Marquis de Sogrange arrived in Berkeley Square with the gray dawn of an October morning, showing in his appearance and dress few enough signs of his night journey.

sippedverbUS /sɪpt/

inflected form of “sip” — drink in sips

From this reading “They had reason in what they told you,” Sogrange remarked, as he leaned back in a chair and sipped the coffee which had been waiting for him in the Baron de Grost’s study.

Sogrange

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

From this reading The Marquis de Sogrange arrived in Berkeley Square with the gray dawn of an October morning, showing in his appearance and dress few enough signs of his night journey.

SquareverbUS /skwer/

make square

From this reading The Marquis de Sogrange arrived in Berkeley Square with the gray dawn of an October morning, showing in his appearance and dress few enough signs of his night journey.

stoppingnounUS /ˈstɑːpɪŋ/

fastener consisting of a narrow strip of welded metal used to join steel members

From this reading Yet he had traveled without stopping from Paris, by fast motor car and the mail boat.

studynounUS /ˈstʌdi/

a detailed critical inspection

From this reading “They had reason in what they told you,” Sogrange remarked, as he leaned back in a chair and sipped the coffee which had been waiting for him in the Baron de Grost’s study.

telephonedverbUS /ˈteləfoʊnd/

past form of “telephone” — get or try to get into communication (with someone) by telephone

From this reading “They telephoned me from Charing Cross,” Peter said, “that you could not possibly arrive until midday.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading “They telephoned me from Charing Cross,” Peter said, “that you could not possibly arrive until midday.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The Marquis de Sogrange arrived in Berkeley Square with the gray dawn of an October morning, showing in his appearance and dress few enough signs of his night journey.

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading “They telephoned me from Charing Cross,” Peter said, “that you could not possibly arrive until midday.

toldverbUS /toʊld/

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading “They had reason in what they told you,” Sogrange remarked, as he leaned back in a chair and sipped the coffee which had been waiting for him in the Baron de Grost’s study.

trainverbUS /treɪn/

create by training and teaching

From this reading The clerk assured me that no train had yet reached Calais.”

traveledadjectiveUS /ˈtrævəld/

traveled over or through; sometimes used as a combining term

From this reading Yet he had traveled without stopping from Paris, by fast motor car and the mail boat.

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading “They telephoned me from Charing Cross,” Peter said, “that you could not possibly arrive until midday.

waitingnounUS /ˈweɪtɪŋ/

the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)

From this reading “They had reason in what they told you,” Sogrange remarked, as he leaned back in a chair and sipped the coffee which had been waiting for him in the Baron de Grost’s study.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading “They had reason in what they told you,” Sogrange remarked, as he leaned back in a chair and sipped the coffee which had been waiting for him in the Baron de Grost’s study.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading “They had reason in what they told you,” Sogrange remarked, as he leaned back in a chair and sipped the coffee which had been waiting for him in the Baron de Grost’s study.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The Marquis de Sogrange arrived in Berkeley Square with the gray dawn of an October morning, showing in his appearance and dress few enough signs of his night journey.

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading Yet he had traveled without stopping from Paris, by fast motor car and the mail boat.

YetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading Yet he had traveled without stopping from Paris, by fast motor car and the mail boat.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “They telephoned me from Charing Cross,” Peter said, “that you could not possibly arrive until midday.

Chapter 21 of Peter Ruff and the Double Four by E. Phillips (Edward Phillips) Oppenheim holds 865 sentences, grouped into 173 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 Peter Ruff and the Double Four contain?

Chapter 21 holds 865 sentences of Peter Ruff and the Double Four, unabridged, divided into 173 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 21 of Peter Ruff and the Double Four by E. Phillips (Edward Phillips) Oppenheim exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 865 sentences, grouped into 173 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 Peter Ruff and the Double Four?

Work through the 173 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 173 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 Peter Ruff and the Double Four

Common questions about reading Peter Ruff and the Double Four by E. Phillips (Edward Phillips) Oppenheim on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Peter Ruff and the Double Four?

Yes. All 9756 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1976 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Peter Ruff and the Double Four is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #1976, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Peter Ruff and the Double Four take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1952 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Peter Ruff and the Double Four section by section

How to work through Peter Ruff and the Double Four section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 21 chapters of Peter Ruff and the Double Four 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 Peter Ruff and the Double Four

Words and structures a reader meets early in Peter Ruff and the Double Four, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Nothing
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Peter Ruff and the Double Four; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Supper
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Peter Ruff and the Double Four; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Party
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Peter Ruff and the Double Four; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Particular
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Peter Ruff and the Double Four; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.