Chapter 4 of R. Holmes & Co. is here in full — 473 sentences across 95 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IV
Chapter 4 of R. Holmes & Co. is here in full — 473 sentences across 95 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"Not if he followed out my instructions," said Holmes. "If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth." "But suppose the police find it?" I asked. "They won't," laughed Holmes.
Chapter 4 of R. Holmes & Co. is here in full — 473 sentences across 95 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/94 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
(of mail) marked with a destination
From this reading “"If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."”
the cords used to suspend a hammock
From this reading “"If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."”
the cardinal compass point that is at 90 degrees
From this reading “"If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."”
a fictitious detective in stories by A. Conan Doyle
From this reading “"Not if he followed out my instructions," said Holmes.”
the largest city in Texas; located in southeastern Texas near the Gulf of Mexico; site of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
From this reading “"If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."”
a manual usually accompanying a technical device and explaining how to install or operate it
From this reading “"Not if he followed out my instructions," said Holmes.”
the habitation of wild animals
From this reading “"If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."”
the force of policemen and officers
From this reading “"But suppose the police find it?"”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."
(of mail) marked with a destination
From this reading "If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading "If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."
a large entrance or reception room or area
From this reading "If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading I asked.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading "If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."
a (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid
From this reading "If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "But suppose the police find it?"
the cords used to suspend a hammock
From this reading "If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading "If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading "If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."
the cardinal compass point that is at 90 degrees
From this reading "If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading "But suppose the police find it?"
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading "Not if he followed out my instructions," said Holmes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Not if he followed out my instructions," said Holmes.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading "If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."
a fictitious detective in stories by A. Conan Doyle
From this reading "Not if he followed out my instructions," said Holmes.
the largest city in Texas; located in southeastern Texas near the Gulf of Mexico; site of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
From this reading "If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "Not if he followed out my instructions," said Holmes.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."
a manual usually accompanying a technical device and explaining how to install or operate it
From this reading "Not if he followed out my instructions," said Holmes.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "But suppose the police find it?"
the habitation of wild animals
From this reading "If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."
past form of “laugh” — produce laughter
From this reading "They won't," laughed Holmes.
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading "If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading "If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "Not if he followed out my instructions," said Holmes.
a condition requiring relief
From this reading "If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "Not if he followed out my instructions," said Holmes.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading "Not if he followed out my instructions," said Holmes.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading "If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."
the force of policemen and officers
From this reading "But suppose the police find it?"
move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading "If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Not if he followed out my instructions," said Holmes.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading "If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."
express a supposition
From this reading "But suppose the police find it?"
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "They won't," laughed Holmes.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading "If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "If he dropped a letter addressed to himself in his own hand-writing at his East Houston Street lair, in the little anteroom of the box, as I told him to do, we'll have all the clews we need to run him to earth."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "They won't," laughed Holmes.
Chapter 4 of R. Holmes & Co. by John Kendrick Bangs holds 473 sentences, grouped into 95 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.
Chapter 4 holds 473 sentences of R. Holmes & Co., unabridged, divided into 95 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 4 of R. Holmes & Co. by John Kendrick Bangs exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 473 sentences, grouped into 95 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.
Work through the 95 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 95 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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 4 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.
Common questions about reading R. Holmes & Co. by John Kendrick Bangs on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 1900 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #20559 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #20559, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 158 minutes of reading across 380 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through R. Holmes & Co. section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 4 chapters of R. Holmes & Co. to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in R. Holmes & Co., each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
