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Prester John
Prester John

Chapter XXIII · Chapter 23

Chapter 23 of Prester John is here in full — 103 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By John Buchan • Curated US English Learning Edition

Chapter 23 of Prester John by John Buchan holds 103 sentences, grouped into 21 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 23 of Prester John contain?

Chapter 23 holds 103 sentences of Prester John, unabridged, divided into 21 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 23 of Prester John by John Buchan exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 103 sentences, grouped into 21 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 23 of Prester John?

Work through the 21 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 21 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 23 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 23 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 Prester John

Common questions about reading Prester John by John Buchan on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Prester John?

Yes. All 4661 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #611 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Prester John is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #611, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Prester John take to read?

About 388 minutes of reading across 933 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Prester John section by section

How to work through Prester John section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 23 chapters of Prester John 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 Prester John

Words and structures a reader meets early in Prester John, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Kirkcaple
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Prester John; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Shore
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Prester John; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Yesterday
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Prester John; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
First
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Prester John; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Cover illustration for Prester John
Context Illustration Reading 1/21 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
MY UNCLE’S GIFT IS MANY TIMES MULTIPLIED
We got at the treasure by blowing open the turnstile.
It was easy enough to trace the spot in the rock where it stood, but the most patient search did not reveal its secret.
Accordingly we had recourse to dynamite, and soon laid bare the stone steps, and ascended to the gallery.
The chasm was bridged with planks, and Arcoll and I crossed alone.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Prester John

Chapter XXIII · Chapter 23

Chapter 23 of Prester John is here in full — 103 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/21 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
MY UNCLE’S GIFT IS MANY TIMES MULTIPLIED
Line 2
We got at the treasure by blowing open the turnstile.
Line 3
It was easy enough to trace the spot in the rock where it stood, but the most patient search did not reveal its secret.
Line 4
Accordingly we had recourse to dynamite, and soon laid bare the stone steps, and ascended to the gallery.
Line 5
The chasm was bridged with planks, and Arcoll and I crossed alone.

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.

Alone adjective US /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading “The chasm was bridged with planks, and Arcoll and I crossed alone.”

Velmora curated lexicon
Open verb US /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading “We got at the treasure by blowing open the turnstile.”

Velmora curated lexicon
Secret noun US /ˈsiː.krət/

Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.

From this reading “It was easy enough to trace the spot in the rock where it stood, but the most patient search did not reveal its secret.”

Velmora curated lexicon
Stood verb US /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading “It was easy enough to trace the spot in the rock where it stood, but the most patient search did not reveal its secret.”

Velmora curated lexicon
All words in this reading · 56

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

Accordingly

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

From this reading Accordingly we had recourse to dynamite, and soon laid bare the stone steps, and ascended to the gallery.

Pending verification
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading The chasm was bridged with planks, and Arcoll and I crossed alone.

Velmora curated lexicon
and

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

From this reading Accordingly we had recourse to dynamite, and soon laid bare the stone steps, and ascended to the gallery.

Pending verification
Arcoll

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

From this reading The chasm was bridged with planks, and Arcoll and I crossed alone.

Pending verification
ascended

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

From this reading Accordingly we had recourse to dynamite, and soon laid bare the stone steps, and ascended to the gallery.

Pending verification
at

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

From this reading We got at the treasure by blowing open the turnstile.

Pending verification
bare

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

From this reading Accordingly we had recourse to dynamite, and soon laid bare the stone steps, and ascended to the gallery.

Pending verification
blowing

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

From this reading We got at the treasure by blowing open the turnstile.

Pending verification
bridged

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

From this reading The chasm was bridged with planks, and Arcoll and I crossed alone.

Pending verification
but

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

From this reading It was easy enough to trace the spot in the rock where it stood, but the most patient search did not reveal its secret.

Pending verification
by

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

From this reading We got at the treasure by blowing open the turnstile.

Pending verification
chasm

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

From this reading The chasm was bridged with planks, and Arcoll and I crossed alone.

Pending verification
crossed

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

From this reading The chasm was bridged with planks, and Arcoll and I crossed alone.

Pending verification
did

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

From this reading It was easy enough to trace the spot in the rock where it stood, but the most patient search did not reveal its secret.

Pending verification
dynamite

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

From this reading Accordingly we had recourse to dynamite, and soon laid bare the stone steps, and ascended to the gallery.

Pending verification
easy

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

From this reading It was easy enough to trace the spot in the rock where it stood, but the most patient search did not reveal its secret.

Pending verification
enough

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

From this reading It was easy enough to trace the spot in the rock where it stood, but the most patient search did not reveal its secret.

Pending verification
gallery

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

From this reading Accordingly we had recourse to dynamite, and soon laid bare the stone steps, and ascended to the gallery.

Pending verification
GIFT

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

From this reading MY UNCLE’S GIFT IS MANY TIMES MULTIPLIED

Pending verification
got

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

From this reading We got at the treasure by blowing open the turnstile.

Pending verification
had

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

From this reading Accordingly we had recourse to dynamite, and soon laid bare the stone steps, and ascended to the gallery.

Pending verification
I

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

From this reading The chasm was bridged with planks, and Arcoll and I crossed alone.

Pending verification
in

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

From this reading It was easy enough to trace the spot in the rock where it stood, but the most patient search did not reveal its secret.

Pending verification
IS

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

From this reading MY UNCLE’S GIFT IS MANY TIMES MULTIPLIED

Pending verification
It

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

From this reading It was easy enough to trace the spot in the rock where it stood, but the most patient search did not reveal its secret.

Pending verification
its

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

From this reading It was easy enough to trace the spot in the rock where it stood, but the most patient search did not reveal its secret.

Pending verification
laid

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

From this reading Accordingly we had recourse to dynamite, and soon laid bare the stone steps, and ascended to the gallery.

Pending verification
MANY

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

From this reading MY UNCLE’S GIFT IS MANY TIMES MULTIPLIED

Pending verification
most

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

From this reading It was easy enough to trace the spot in the rock where it stood, but the most patient search did not reveal its secret.

Pending verification
MULTIPLIED

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

From this reading MY UNCLE’S GIFT IS MANY TIMES MULTIPLIED

Pending verification
MY

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

From this reading MY UNCLE’S GIFT IS MANY TIMES MULTIPLIED

Pending verification
not

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

From this reading It was easy enough to trace the spot in the rock where it stood, but the most patient search did not reveal its secret.

Pending verification
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading We got at the treasure by blowing open the turnstile.

Velmora curated lexicon
patient

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

From this reading It was easy enough to trace the spot in the rock where it stood, but the most patient search did not reveal its secret.

Pending verification
planks

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

From this reading The chasm was bridged with planks, and Arcoll and I crossed alone.

Pending verification
recourse

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

From this reading Accordingly we had recourse to dynamite, and soon laid bare the stone steps, and ascended to the gallery.

Pending verification
reveal

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

From this reading It was easy enough to trace the spot in the rock where it stood, but the most patient search did not reveal its secret.

Pending verification
rock

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

From this reading It was easy enough to trace the spot in the rock where it stood, but the most patient search did not reveal its secret.

Pending verification
search

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

From this reading It was easy enough to trace the spot in the rock where it stood, but the most patient search did not reveal its secret.

Pending verification
secretnounUS /ˈsiː.krət/

Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.

From this reading It was easy enough to trace the spot in the rock where it stood, but the most patient search did not reveal its secret.

Velmora curated lexicon
soon

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

From this reading Accordingly we had recourse to dynamite, and soon laid bare the stone steps, and ascended to the gallery.

Pending verification
spot

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

From this reading It was easy enough to trace the spot in the rock where it stood, but the most patient search did not reveal its secret.

Pending verification
steps

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

From this reading Accordingly we had recourse to dynamite, and soon laid bare the stone steps, and ascended to the gallery.

Pending verification
stone

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

From this reading Accordingly we had recourse to dynamite, and soon laid bare the stone steps, and ascended to the gallery.

Pending verification
stoodverbUS /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading It was easy enough to trace the spot in the rock where it stood, but the most patient search did not reveal its secret.

Velmora curated lexicon
the

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

From this reading We got at the treasure by blowing open the turnstile.

Pending verification
TIMES

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

From this reading MY UNCLE’S GIFT IS MANY TIMES MULTIPLIED

Pending verification
to

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

From this reading It was easy enough to trace the spot in the rock where it stood, but the most patient search did not reveal its secret.

Pending verification
trace

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

From this reading It was easy enough to trace the spot in the rock where it stood, but the most patient search did not reveal its secret.

Pending verification
treasure

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

From this reading We got at the treasure by blowing open the turnstile.

Pending verification
turnstile

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

From this reading We got at the treasure by blowing open the turnstile.

Pending verification
UNCLE'S

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

From this reading MY UNCLE’S GIFT IS MANY TIMES MULTIPLIED

Pending verification
was

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

From this reading It was easy enough to trace the spot in the rock where it stood, but the most patient search did not reveal its secret.

Pending verification
We

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

From this reading We got at the treasure by blowing open the turnstile.

Pending verification
where

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

From this reading It was easy enough to trace the spot in the rock where it stood, but the most patient search did not reveal its secret.

Pending verification
with

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

From this reading The chasm was bridged with planks, and Arcoll and I crossed alone.

Pending verification