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Psyche
Psyche

Chapter XX

Chapter 20 of Psyche is here in full — 94 sentences across 19 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Louis Couperus • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for Psyche
Context Illustration Reading 1/18 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Slowly followed the seasons--winter, spring, summer, autumn....
Winter, spring, summer, autumn, fell in turn, like dust, into the caves of Emeralda.
Winter, spring, summer, autumn, were the Present for a moment, and sank into the Past.
And again it was spring....
In the grassy plains, the shepherds drove out their flocks, and they sang because the sky was blue, because the world trilled with hope, in the new and tempered sunshine.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Psyche

Chapter XX

Chapter 20 of Psyche is here in full — 94 sentences across 19 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/18 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Slowly followed the seasons--winter, spring, summer, autumn....
Line 2
Winter, spring, summer, autumn, fell in turn, like dust, into the caves of Emeralda.
Line 3
Winter, spring, summer, autumn, were the Present for a moment, and sank into the Past.
/ˈwɪntər sprɪŋ ˈsʌmər ˈɔːtəm wɜːr ðə ˈprezənt fɔːr ə ˈmoʊmənt ənd sæŋk ˈɪntuː ðə pæst/
Line 4
And again it was spring....
/ənd əˈɡen ɪt wɑːz sprɪŋ/
Line 5
In the grassy plains, the shepherds drove out their flocks, and they sang because the sky was blue, because the world trilled with hope, in the new and tempered sunshine.

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.

autumn noun US /ˈɔːtəm/

the season when the leaves fall from the trees

From this reading “Slowly followed the seasons--winter, spring, summer, autumn....”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
caves noun US /keɪvz/

plural of “cave” — a geological formation consisting of an underground enclosure with access from the surface of the ground or from the sea

From this reading “Winter, spring, summer, autumn, fell in turn, like dust, into the caves of Emeralda.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
flocks noun US /flɑːks/

plural of “flock” — a church congregation guided by a pastor

From this reading “In the grassy plains, the shepherds drove out their flocks, and they sang because the sky was blue, because the world trilled with hope, in the new and tempered sunshine.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
grassy adjective US /ˈɡræsi/

abounding in grass

From this reading “In the grassy plains, the shepherds drove out their flocks, and they sang because the sky was blue, because the world trilled with hope, in the new and tempered sunshine.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
plains noun US /pleɪnz/

plural of “plain” — extensive tract of level open land

From this reading “In the grassy plains, the shepherds drove out their flocks, and they sang because the sky was blue, because the world trilled with hope, in the new and tempered sunshine.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
seasons noun US /ˈsiːzənz/

plural of “season” — a period of the year marked by special events or activities in some field

From this reading “Slowly followed the seasons--winter, spring, summer, autumn....”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
shepherds noun US /ˈʃepərdz/

plural of “shepherd” — a clergyman who watches over a group of people

From this reading “In the grassy plains, the shepherds drove out their flocks, and they sang because the sky was blue, because the world trilled with hope, in the new and tempered sunshine.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
tempered adjective US /ˈtempərd/

made hard or flexible or resilient especially by heat treatment

From this reading “In the grassy plains, the shepherds drove out their flocks, and they sang because the sky was blue, because the world trilled with hope, in the new and tempered sunshine.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

sank into verb + particle counted as “sink into”

In this reading “Winter, spring, summer, autumn, were the Present for a moment, and sank into the Past.”

10,220 times in 225,867 chapters
for a moment preposition + article + noun counted as “for … moment”

temporarily

In this reading “Winter, spring, summer, autumn, were the Present for a moment, and sank into the Past.”

130,343 times in 225,867 chapters
into the caves preposition + article + noun counted as “into … cave”

In this reading “Winter, spring, summer, autumn, fell in turn, like dust, into the caves of Emeralda.”

1,768 times in 225,867 chapters
fell in verb + particle

In this reading “Winter, spring, summer, autumn, fell in turn, like dust, into the caves of Emeralda.”

16,376 times in 225,867 chapters

All words in this reading · 47

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 Winter, spring, summer, autumn, were the Present for a moment, and sank into the Past.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading And again it was spring....

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Winter, spring, summer, autumn, were the Present for a moment, and sank into the Past.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
autumnnounUS /ˈɔːtəm/

the season when the leaves fall from the trees

From this reading Slowly followed the seasons--winter, spring, summer, autumn....

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading In the grassy plains, the shepherds drove out their flocks, and they sang because the sky was blue, because the world trilled with hope, in the new and tempered sunshine.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
blueadjectiveUS /bluː/

of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky

From this reading In the grassy plains, the shepherds drove out their flocks, and they sang because the sky was blue, because the world trilled with hope, in the new and tempered sunshine.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
cavesnounUS /keɪvz/

plural of “cave” — a geological formation consisting of an underground enclosure with access from the surface of the ground or from the sea

From this reading Winter, spring, summer, autumn, fell in turn, like dust, into the caves of Emeralda.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
drovenounUS /droʊv/

a group of animals (a herd or flock) moving together

From this reading In the grassy plains, the shepherds drove out their flocks, and they sang because the sky was blue, because the world trilled with hope, in the new and tempered sunshine.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
dustverbUS /dʌst/

remove the dust from

From this reading Winter, spring, summer, autumn, fell in turn, like dust, into the caves of Emeralda.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Emeralda

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

From this reading Winter, spring, summer, autumn, fell in turn, like dust, into the caves of Emeralda.

Pending verification
fellverbUS /fel/

cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow

From this reading Winter, spring, summer, autumn, fell in turn, like dust, into the caves of Emeralda.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
flocksnounUS /flɑːks/

plural of “flock” — a church congregation guided by a pastor

From this reading In the grassy plains, the shepherds drove out their flocks, and they sang because the sky was blue, because the world trilled with hope, in the new and tempered sunshine.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
followedverbUS /ˈfɑːloʊd/

past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after

From this reading Slowly followed the seasons--winter, spring, summer, autumn....

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Winter, spring, summer, autumn, were the Present for a moment, and sank into the Past.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
grassyadjectiveUS /ˈɡræsi/

abounding in grass

From this reading In the grassy plains, the shepherds drove out their flocks, and they sang because the sky was blue, because the world trilled with hope, in the new and tempered sunshine.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hopenounUS /hoʊp/

a specific instance of feeling hopeful

From this reading In the grassy plains, the shepherds drove out their flocks, and they sang because the sky was blue, because the world trilled with hope, in the new and tempered sunshine.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Winter, spring, summer, autumn, fell in turn, like dust, into the caves of Emeralda.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Winter, spring, summer, autumn, fell in turn, like dust, into the caves of Emeralda.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading And again it was spring....

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading Winter, spring, summer, autumn, fell in turn, like dust, into the caves of Emeralda.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
momentnounUS /ˈmoʊmənt/

a particular point in time

From this reading Winter, spring, summer, autumn, were the Present for a moment, and sank into the Past.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
newadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading In the grassy plains, the shepherds drove out their flocks, and they sang because the sky was blue, because the world trilled with hope, in the new and tempered sunshine.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Winter, spring, summer, autumn, fell in turn, like dust, into the caves of Emeralda.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading In the grassy plains, the shepherds drove out their flocks, and they sang because the sky was blue, because the world trilled with hope, in the new and tempered sunshine.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
PastnounUS /pæst/

the time that has elapsed

From this reading Winter, spring, summer, autumn, were the Present for a moment, and sank into the Past.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
plainsnounUS /pleɪnz/

plural of “plain” — extensive tract of level open land

From this reading In the grassy plains, the shepherds drove out their flocks, and they sang because the sky was blue, because the world trilled with hope, in the new and tempered sunshine.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
PresentverbUS /ˈprezənt/

give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading Winter, spring, summer, autumn, were the Present for a moment, and sank into the Past.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sangnounUS /sæŋ/

North American woodland herb similar to and used as substitute for the Chinese ginseng

From this reading In the grassy plains, the shepherds drove out their flocks, and they sang because the sky was blue, because the world trilled with hope, in the new and tempered sunshine.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sankverbUS /sæŋk/

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

From this reading Winter, spring, summer, autumn, were the Present for a moment, and sank into the Past.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
seasonsnounUS /ˈsiːzənz/

plural of “season” — a period of the year marked by special events or activities in some field

From this reading Slowly followed the seasons--winter, spring, summer, autumn....

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
shepherdsnounUS /ˈʃepərdz/

plural of “shepherd” — a clergyman who watches over a group of people

From this reading In the grassy plains, the shepherds drove out their flocks, and they sang because the sky was blue, because the world trilled with hope, in the new and tempered sunshine.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
skynounUS /skaɪ/

the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth

From this reading In the grassy plains, the shepherds drove out their flocks, and they sang because the sky was blue, because the world trilled with hope, in the new and tempered sunshine.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SlowlyadverbUS /ˈsloʊli/

without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)

From this reading Slowly followed the seasons--winter, spring, summer, autumn....

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
springnounUS /sprɪŋ/

the season of growth

From this reading Slowly followed the seasons--winter, spring, summer, autumn....

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
summernounUS /ˈsʌmər/

the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox

From this reading Slowly followed the seasons--winter, spring, summer, autumn....

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sunshinenounUS /ˈsʌnʃaɪn/

the rays of the sun

From this reading In the grassy plains, the shepherds drove out their flocks, and they sang because the sky was blue, because the world trilled with hope, in the new and tempered sunshine.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
temperedadjectiveUS /ˈtempərd/

made hard or flexible or resilient especially by heat treatment

From this reading In the grassy plains, the shepherds drove out their flocks, and they sang because the sky was blue, because the world trilled with hope, in the new and tempered sunshine.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Slowly followed the seasons--winter, spring, summer, autumn....

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading In the grassy plains, the shepherds drove out their flocks, and they sang because the sky was blue, because the world trilled with hope, in the new and tempered sunshine.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading In the grassy plains, the shepherds drove out their flocks, and they sang because the sky was blue, because the world trilled with hope, in the new and tempered sunshine.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
trilledadjective

uttered with a trill

From this reading In the grassy plains, the shepherds drove out their flocks, and they sang because the sky was blue, because the world trilled with hope, in the new and tempered sunshine.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
turnverbUS /tɜːrn/

change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense

From this reading Winter, spring, summer, autumn, fell in turn, like dust, into the caves of Emeralda.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading And again it was spring....

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Winter, spring, summer, autumn, were the Present for a moment, and sank into the Past.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
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 Slowly followed the seasons--winter, spring, summer, autumn....

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading In the grassy plains, the shepherds drove out their flocks, and they sang because the sky was blue, because the world trilled with hope, in the new and tempered sunshine.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
worldnounUS /wɜːrld/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading In the grassy plains, the shepherds drove out their flocks, and they sang because the sky was blue, because the world trilled with hope, in the new and tempered sunshine.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Chapter 20 of Psyche by Louis Couperus holds 94 sentences, grouped into 19 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 20 of Psyche contain?

Chapter 20 holds 94 sentences of Psyche, unabridged, divided into 19 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 20 of Psyche by Louis Couperus exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 94 sentences, grouped into 19 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 20 of Psyche?

Work through the 19 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 19 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 20 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 20 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 Psyche

Common questions about reading Psyche by Louis Couperus on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Psyche?

Yes. All 2630 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #38005 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Psyche is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #38005, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Psyche take to read?

About 219 minutes of reading across 526 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Psyche section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 27 chapters of Psyche 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 Psyche

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

Translated
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Psyche; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Dutch
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Psyche; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Author's
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Psyche; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Permission
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Psyche; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.