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Phantom Fortune, a Novel
Phantom Fortune, a Novel

Chapter XV · Chapter 15

Chapter 15 of Phantom Fortune, a Novel is here in full — 194 sentences across 39 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/38 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
'AND COME AGEN BE IT BY NIGHT OR DAY.'
Those winter months were unutterably dreary for Lady Mary Haselden.
She felt weighed down by a sense of death and woe near at hand.
The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.
Her grandmother was kinder than she had been in days gone by, less inclined to find fault; but Mary knew that her society gave Lady Maulevrier very little pleasure, that she could do hardly anything towards filling the gap made by Lesbia's absence.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Phantom Fortune, a Novel

Chapter XV · Chapter 15

Chapter 15 of Phantom Fortune, a Novel is here in full — 194 sentences across 39 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/38 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
'AND COME AGEN BE IT BY NIGHT OR DAY.'
Line 2
Those winter months were unutterably dreary for Lady Mary Haselden.
Line 3
She felt weighed down by a sense of death and woe near at hand.
/ʃiː felt weɪd daʊn baɪ ə sens ʌv deθ ənd woʊ nɪr æt hænd/
Line 4
The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.
Line 5
Her grandmother was kinder than she had been in days gone by, less inclined to find fault; but Mary knew that her society gave Lady Maulevrier very little pleasure, that she could do hardly anything towards filling the gap made by Lesbia's absence.

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.

distorted adjective US /dɪˈstɔːrtəd/

so badly formed or out of shape as to be ugly

From this reading “The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.”

distractions noun US /dɪˈstrækʃənz/

plural of “distraction” — mental turmoil

From this reading “The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.”

divert verb US /daɪˈvɜːrt/

turn aside; turn away from

From this reading “The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.”

gap noun US /ɡæp/

a conspicuous disparity or difference as between two figures

From this reading “Her grandmother was kinder than she had been in days gone by, less inclined to find fault; but Mary knew that her society gave Lady Maulevrier very little pleasure, that she could do hardly anything towards filling the gap made by Lesbia's absence.”

girlish adjective US /ˈɡɜːrlɪʃ/

befitting or characteristic of a young girl

From this reading “The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.”

kinder adjective US /ˈkaɪndər/

comparative of “kind” — having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior

From this reading “Her grandmother was kinder than she had been in days gone by, less inclined to find fault; but Mary knew that her society gave Lady Maulevrier very little pleasure, that she could do hardly anything towards filling the gap made by Lesbia's absence.”

Mary's noun US /ˈmeriz/

possessive form of “mary” — the mother of Jesus; Christians refer to her as the Virgin Mary; she is especially honored by Roman Catholics

From this reading “The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.”

routine noun US /ruːˈtiːn/

an unvarying or habitual method or procedure

From this reading “The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.”

All words in this reading · 107

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 She felt weighed down by a sense of death and woe near at hand.

absencenounUS /ˈæbsəns/

the state of being absent

From this reading Her grandmother was kinder than she had been in days gone by, less inclined to find fault; but Mary knew that her society gave Lady Maulevrier very little pleasure, that she could do hardly anything towards filling the gap made by Lesbia's absence.

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

AGEN

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

From this reading 'AND COME AGEN BE IT BY NIGHT OR DAY.'

ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading 'AND COME AGEN BE IT BY NIGHT OR DAY.'

anythingpronounUS /ˈeniθɪŋ/

any thing at all

From this reading Her grandmother was kinder than she had been in days gone by, less inclined to find fault; but Mary knew that her society gave Lady Maulevrier very little pleasure, that she could do hardly anything towards filling the gap made by Lesbia's absence.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading She felt weighed down by a sense of death and woe near at hand.

banishedverbUS /ˈbænɪʃt/

past form of “banish” — expel from a community or group

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

BEauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading 'AND COME AGEN BE IT BY NIGHT OR DAY.'

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Her grandmother was kinder than she had been in days gone by, less inclined to find fault; but Mary knew that her society gave Lady Maulevrier very little pleasure, that she could do hardly anything towards filling the gap made by Lesbia's absence.

breathingnounUS /ˈbriːðɪŋ/

the bodily process of inhalation and exhalation; the process of taking in oxygen from inhaled air and releasing carbon dioxide by exhalation

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Her grandmother was kinder than she had been in days gone by, less inclined to find fault; but Mary knew that her society gave Lady Maulevrier very little pleasure, that she could do hardly anything towards filling the gap made by Lesbia's absence.

BYprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading 'AND COME AGEN BE IT BY NIGHT OR DAY.'

COMEverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading 'AND COME AGEN BE IT BY NIGHT OR DAY.'

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading Her grandmother was kinder than she had been in days gone by, less inclined to find fault; but Mary knew that her society gave Lady Maulevrier very little pleasure, that she could do hardly anything towards filling the gap made by Lesbia's absence.

countenancenounUS /ˈkaʊntənəns/

the appearance conveyed by a person's face

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

DAYnounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading 'AND COME AGEN BE IT BY NIGHT OR DAY.'

daysnounUS /deɪz/

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading Her grandmother was kinder than she had been in days gone by, less inclined to find fault; but Mary knew that her society gave Lady Maulevrier very little pleasure, that she could do hardly anything towards filling the gap made by Lesbia's absence.

deathnounUS /deθ/

the event of dying or departure from life

From this reading She felt weighed down by a sense of death and woe near at hand.

distortedadjectiveUS /dɪˈstɔːrtəd/

so badly formed or out of shape as to be ugly

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

distractionsnounUS /dɪˈstrækʃənz/

plural of “distraction” — mental turmoil

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

divertverbUS /daɪˈvɜːrt/

turn aside; turn away from

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading Her grandmother was kinder than she had been in days gone by, less inclined to find fault; but Mary knew that her society gave Lady Maulevrier very little pleasure, that she could do hardly anything towards filling the gap made by Lesbia's absence.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading She felt weighed down by a sense of death and woe near at hand.

dreadfuladjectiveUS /ˈdredfəl/

causing fear or dread or terror

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

drearyadjectiveUS /ˈdrɪri/

lacking in liveliness or charm or surprise

From this reading Those winter months were unutterably dreary for Lady Mary Haselden.

easilyadverbUS /ˈiːzəli/

with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

faultnounUS /fɔːlt/

a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention

From this reading Her grandmother was kinder than she had been in days gone by, less inclined to find fault; but Mary knew that her society gave Lady Maulevrier very little pleasure, that she could do hardly anything towards filling the gap made by Lesbia's absence.

feltverbUS /felt/

mat together and make felt-like

From this reading She felt weighed down by a sense of death and woe near at hand.

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 horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

fillingnounUS /ˈfɪlɪŋ/

any material that fills a space or container

From this reading Her grandmother was kinder than she had been in days gone by, less inclined to find fault; but Mary knew that her society gave Lady Maulevrier very little pleasure, that she could do hardly anything towards filling the gap made by Lesbia's absence.

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading Her grandmother was kinder than she had been in days gone by, less inclined to find fault; but Mary knew that her society gave Lady Maulevrier very little pleasure, that she could do hardly anything towards filling the gap made by Lesbia's absence.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Those winter months were unutterably dreary for Lady Mary Haselden.

foundverbUS /faʊnd/

set up or found

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

gapnounUS /ɡæp/

a conspicuous disparity or difference as between two figures

From this reading Her grandmother was kinder than she had been in days gone by, less inclined to find fault; but Mary knew that her society gave Lady Maulevrier very little pleasure, that she could do hardly anything towards filling the gap made by Lesbia's absence.

gaveverbUS /ɡeɪv/

inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading Her grandmother was kinder than she had been in days gone by, less inclined to find fault; but Mary knew that her society gave Lady Maulevrier very little pleasure, that she could do hardly anything towards filling the gap made by Lesbia's absence.

girlishadjectiveUS /ˈɡɜːrlɪʃ/

befitting or characteristic of a young girl

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

goneadjectiveUS /ɡɔːn/

destroyed or killed

From this reading Her grandmother was kinder than she had been in days gone by, less inclined to find fault; but Mary knew that her society gave Lady Maulevrier very little pleasure, that she could do hardly anything towards filling the gap made by Lesbia's absence.

grandmothernounUS /ˈɡrændmʌðər/

the mother of your father or mother

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

groundnounUS /ɡraʊnd/

the solid part of the earth's surface

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Her grandmother was kinder than she had been in days gone by, less inclined to find fault; but Mary knew that her society gave Lady Maulevrier very little pleasure, that she could do hardly anything towards filling the gap made by Lesbia's absence.

handnounUS /hænd/

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading She felt weighed down by a sense of death and woe near at hand.

hardlyadverbUS /ˈhɑːrdli/

only a very short time before

From this reading Her grandmother was kinder than she had been in days gone by, less inclined to find fault; but Mary knew that her society gave Lady Maulevrier very little pleasure, that she could do hardly anything towards filling the gap made by Lesbia's absence.

Haselden

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

From this reading Those winter months were unutterably dreary for Lady Mary Haselden.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

horrornounUS /ˈhɔːrər/

intense and profound fear

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

how

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

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

imaginationnounUS /ˌɪmædʒəˈneɪʃən/

the formation of a mental image of something that is not perceived as real and is not present to the senses

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

inclinedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈklaɪnd/

(often followed by “to”) having a preference, disposition, or tendency

From this reading Her grandmother was kinder than she had been in days gone by, less inclined to find fault; but Mary knew that her society gave Lady Maulevrier very little pleasure, that she could do hardly anything towards filling the gap made by Lesbia's absence.

inevitableadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈnevətəbəl/

incapable of being avoided or prevented

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

ITpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading 'AND COME AGEN BE IT BY NIGHT OR DAY.'

kinderadjectiveUS /ˈkaɪndər/

comparative of “kind” — having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior

From this reading Her grandmother was kinder than she had been in days gone by, less inclined to find fault; but Mary knew that her society gave Lady Maulevrier very little pleasure, that she could do hardly anything towards filling the gap made by Lesbia's absence.

knewverbUS /nuː/

inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading Her grandmother was kinder than she had been in days gone by, less inclined to find fault; but Mary knew that her society gave Lady Maulevrier very little pleasure, that she could do hardly anything towards filling the gap made by Lesbia's absence.

LadynounUS /ˈleɪdi/

a polite name for any woman

From this reading Those winter months were unutterably dreary for Lady Mary Haselden.

Lesbia's

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

From this reading Her grandmother was kinder than she had been in days gone by, less inclined to find fault; but Mary knew that her society gave Lady Maulevrier very little pleasure, that she could do hardly anything towards filling the gap made by Lesbia's absence.

lessadverbUS /les/

used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs

From this reading Her grandmother was kinder than she had been in days gone by, less inclined to find fault; but Mary knew that her society gave Lady Maulevrier very little pleasure, that she could do hardly anything towards filling the gap made by Lesbia's absence.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Her grandmother was kinder than she had been in days gone by, less inclined to find fault; but Mary knew that her society gave Lady Maulevrier very little pleasure, that she could do hardly anything towards filling the gap made by Lesbia's absence.

lyingnounUS /ˈlaɪɪŋ/

the deliberate act of deviating from the truth

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading Her grandmother was kinder than she had been in days gone by, less inclined to find fault; but Mary knew that her society gave Lady Maulevrier very little pleasure, that she could do hardly anything towards filling the gap made by Lesbia's absence.

MarynounUS /ˈmeri/

the mother of Jesus; Christians refer to her as the Virgin Mary; she is especially honored by Roman Catholics

From this reading Those winter months were unutterably dreary for Lady Mary Haselden.

Mary'snounUS /ˈmeriz/

possessive form of “mary” — the mother of Jesus; Christians refer to her as the Virgin Mary; she is especially honored by Roman Catholics

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

Maulevrier

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

From this reading Her grandmother was kinder than she had been in days gone by, less inclined to find fault; but Mary knew that her society gave Lady Maulevrier very little pleasure, that she could do hardly anything towards filling the gap made by Lesbia's absence.

momentnounUS /ˈmoʊmənt/

a particular point in time

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

monotonousadjectiveUS /məˈnɑːtənəs/

tediously repetitious or lacking in variety

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

monthsnounUS /mʌnθs/

plural of “month” — one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year

From this reading Those winter months were unutterably dreary for Lady Mary Haselden.

nearadverbUS /nɪr/

near in time or place or relationship

From this reading She felt weighed down by a sense of death and woe near at hand.

NIGHTnounUS /naɪt/

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

From this reading 'AND COME AGEN BE IT BY NIGHT OR DAY.'

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading She felt weighed down by a sense of death and woe near at hand.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

ORconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading 'AND COME AGEN BE IT BY NIGHT OR DAY.'

pleasurenounUS /ˈpleʒər/

a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience

From this reading Her grandmother was kinder than she had been in days gone by, less inclined to find fault; but Mary knew that her society gave Lady Maulevrier very little pleasure, that she could do hardly anything towards filling the gap made by Lesbia's absence.

rosenounUS /roʊz/

any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

routinenounUS /ruːˈtiːn/

an unvarying or habitual method or procedure

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

sameadjectiveUS /seɪm/

Identical; not different.

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

sankverbUS /sæŋk/

inflected form of “sink” — fall or descend to a lower place or level

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

seeingnounUS /ˈsiːɪŋ/

perception by means of the eyes

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

sensenounUS /sens/

a general conscious awareness

From this reading She felt weighed down by a sense of death and woe near at hand.

senselessadjectiveUS /ˈsensləs/

not marked by the use of reason

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading She felt weighed down by a sense of death and woe near at hand.

societynounUS /səˈsaɪəti/

an extended social group having a distinctive cultural and economic organization

From this reading Her grandmother was kinder than she had been in days gone by, less inclined to find fault; but Mary knew that her society gave Lady Maulevrier very little pleasure, that she could do hardly anything towards filling the gap made by Lesbia's absence.

startingadjectiveUS /ˈstɑːrtɪŋ/

(especially of eyes) bulging or protruding as with fear

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

stertorousadjective

of breathing having a heavy snoring sound

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

sunnounUS /sʌn/

the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

surroundingsnounUS /sərˈaʊndɪŋz/

the environmental condition

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

terrornounUS /ˈterər/

an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading Her grandmother was kinder than she had been in days gone by, less inclined to find fault; but Mary knew that her society gave Lady Maulevrier very little pleasure, that she could do hardly anything towards filling the gap made by Lesbia's absence.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

ThosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading Those winter months were unutterably dreary for Lady Mary Haselden.

thoughtsnounUS /θɔːts/

plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

towardsprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrdz/

in the direction of

From this reading Her grandmother was kinder than she had been in days gone by, less inclined to find fault; but Mary knew that her society gave Lady Maulevrier very little pleasure, that she could do hardly anything towards filling the gap made by Lesbia's absence.

unutterablyadverb

to an inexpressible degree

From this reading Those winter months were unutterably dreary for Lady Mary Haselden.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading Her grandmother was kinder than she had been in days gone by, less inclined to find fault; but Mary knew that her society gave Lady Maulevrier very little pleasure, that she could do hardly anything towards filling the gap made by Lesbia's absence.

vividadjectiveUS /ˈvɪvəd/

evoking lifelike images within the mind

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

weighedverbUS /weɪd/

past form of “weigh” — have a certain weight

From this reading She felt weighed down by a sense of death and woe near at hand.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Those winter months were unutterably dreary for Lady Mary Haselden.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading The horror of that dreadful moment in which she found her grandmother lying senseless on the ground, the terror of that distorted countenance, those starting eyes, that stertorous breathing, was not easily banished from a vivid girlish imagination; seeing how few distractions there were to divert Mary's thoughts, and how the sun sank and rose again upon the same inevitable surroundings, to the same monotonous routine.

winternounUS /ˈwɪntər/

the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox

From this reading Those winter months were unutterably dreary for Lady Mary Haselden.

woenounUS /woʊ/

misery resulting from affliction

From this reading She felt weighed down by a sense of death and woe near at hand.

Chapter 15 of Phantom Fortune, a Novel by M. E. (Mary Elizabeth) Braddon holds 194 sentences, grouped into 39 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.

What does chapter 15 of Phantom Fortune, a Novel contain?

Chapter 15 holds 194 sentences of Phantom Fortune, a Novel, unabridged, divided into 39 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 15 of Phantom Fortune, a Novel by M. E. (Mary Elizabeth) Braddon exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 194 sentences, grouped into 39 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 15 of Phantom Fortune, a Novel?

Work through the 39 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 39 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 15 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 15 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 Phantom Fortune, a Novel

Common questions about reading Phantom Fortune, a Novel by M. E. (Mary Elizabeth) Braddon on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Phantom Fortune, a Novel?

Yes. All 8935 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #10905 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Phantom Fortune, a Novel is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #10905, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Phantom Fortune, a Novel take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1787 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Phantom Fortune, a Novel section by section

How to work through Phantom Fortune, a Novel section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Phantom Fortune, a Novel

Words and structures a reader meets early in Phantom Fortune, a Novel, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Ulysses
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Phantom Fortune, a Novel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
October
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Phantom Fortune, a Novel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Ending
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Phantom Fortune, a Novel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Drearily
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Phantom Fortune, a Novel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.