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Robespierre
Robespierre

Chapter XII

Chapter 12 of Robespierre is here in full — 410 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Robespierre
Context Illustration Reading 1/82 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"ALL THESE GLIDING GHOSTS" On the stairs Robespierre met Urbain who was just coming up.
"Quick! fetch me a hackney-coach!" he called.
The man turned and hurried down the stairs two steps at a time.
A fiacre was crossing the street, crawling as if waiting for a fare, and the driver cynically inquired if he should take him to the scaffold.
"Place du Trône Renversé, _citoyen_?
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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.

Robespierre

Chapter XII

Chapter 12 of Robespierre is here in full — 410 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/82 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"ALL THESE GLIDING GHOSTS" On the stairs Robespierre met Urbain who was just coming up.
Line 2
"Quick! fetch me a hackney-coach!" he called.
Line 3
The man turned and hurried down the stairs two steps at a time.
/ðə mæn tɜːrnd ənd ˈhɜːrid daʊn ðə sterz tuː steps æt ə taɪm/
Line 4
A fiacre was crossing the street, crawling as if waiting for a fare, and the driver cynically inquired if he should take him to the scaffold.
Line 5
"Place du Trône Renversé, _citoyen_?

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.

crawling noun US /ˈkrɔːlɪŋ/

a slow mode of locomotion on hands and knees or dragging the body

From this reading “A fiacre was crossing the street, crawling as if waiting for a fare, and the driver cynically inquired if he should take him to the scaffold.”

crossing noun US /ˈkrɔːsɪŋ/

traveling across

From this reading “A fiacre was crossing the street, crawling as if waiting for a fare, and the driver cynically inquired if he should take him to the scaffold.”

cynically adverb US /ˈsɪnɪkəli/

with cynicism; in a cynical manner

From this reading “A fiacre was crossing the street, crawling as if waiting for a fare, and the driver cynically inquired if he should take him to the scaffold.”

driver noun US /ˈdraɪvər/

the operator of a motor vehicle

From this reading “A fiacre was crossing the street, crawling as if waiting for a fare, and the driver cynically inquired if he should take him to the scaffold.”

fare noun US /fer/

an agenda of things to do

From this reading “A fiacre was crossing the street, crawling as if waiting for a fare, and the driver cynically inquired if he should take him to the scaffold.”

ghosts noun US /ɡoʊsts/

plural of “ghost” — a mental representation of some haunting experience

From this reading “"ALL THESE GLIDING GHOSTS" On the stairs Robespierre met Urbain who was just coming up.”

gliding noun US /ˈɡlaɪdɪŋ/

the activity of flying a glider

From this reading “"ALL THESE GLIDING GHOSTS" On the stairs Robespierre met Urbain who was just coming up.”

scaffold noun US /ˈskæfəld/

a platform from which criminals are executed (hanged or beheaded)

From this reading “A fiacre was crossing the street, crawling as if waiting for a fare, and the driver cynically inquired if he should take him to the scaffold.”

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.

On the stairs preposition + article + noun counted as “on … stairs”

In this reading “"ALL THESE GLIDING GHOSTS" On the stairs Robespierre met Urbain who was just coming up.”

two steps noun + noun

In this reading “The man turned and hurried down the stairs two steps at a time.”

at a time preposition + article + noun counted as “at … time”

simultaneously

In this reading “The man turned and hurried down the stairs two steps at a time.”

All words in this reading · 53

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 "Quick! fetch me a hackney-coach!" he called.

ALLadjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(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 "ALL THESE GLIDING GHOSTS" On the stairs Robespierre met Urbain who was just coming up.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The man turned and hurried down the stairs two steps at a time.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading A fiacre was crossing the street, crawling as if waiting for a fare, and the driver cynically inquired if he should take him to the scaffold.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The man turned and hurried down the stairs two steps at a time.

calledverbUS /kɔːld/

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading "Quick! fetch me a hackney-coach!" he called.

citoyen

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

From this reading "Place du Trône Renversé, _citoyen_?

comingnounUS /ˈkʌmɪŋ/

the act of drawing spatially closer to something

From this reading "ALL THESE GLIDING GHOSTS" On the stairs Robespierre met Urbain who was just coming up.

crawlingnounUS /ˈkrɔːlɪŋ/

a slow mode of locomotion on hands and knees or dragging the body

From this reading A fiacre was crossing the street, crawling as if waiting for a fare, and the driver cynically inquired if he should take him to the scaffold.

crossingnounUS /ˈkrɔːsɪŋ/

traveling across

From this reading A fiacre was crossing the street, crawling as if waiting for a fare, and the driver cynically inquired if he should take him to the scaffold.

cynicallyadverbUS /ˈsɪnɪkəli/

with cynicism; in a cynical manner

From this reading A fiacre was crossing the street, crawling as if waiting for a fare, and the driver cynically inquired if he should take him to the scaffold.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading The man turned and hurried down the stairs two steps at a time.

drivernounUS /ˈdraɪvər/

the operator of a motor vehicle

From this reading A fiacre was crossing the street, crawling as if waiting for a fare, and the driver cynically inquired if he should take him to the scaffold.

du

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

From this reading "Place du Trône Renversé, _citoyen_?

farenounUS /fer/

an agenda of things to do

From this reading A fiacre was crossing the street, crawling as if waiting for a fare, and the driver cynically inquired if he should take him to the scaffold.

fetchverbUS /fetʃ/

go or come after and bring or take back

From this reading "Quick! fetch me a hackney-coach!" he called.

fiacre

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

From this reading A fiacre was crossing the street, crawling as if waiting for a fare, and the driver cynically inquired if he should take him to the scaffold.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading A fiacre was crossing the street, crawling as if waiting for a fare, and the driver cynically inquired if he should take him to the scaffold.

GHOSTSnounUS /ɡoʊsts/

plural of “ghost” — a mental representation of some haunting experience

From this reading "ALL THESE GLIDING GHOSTS" On the stairs Robespierre met Urbain who was just coming up.

GLIDINGnounUS /ˈɡlaɪdɪŋ/

the activity of flying a glider

From this reading "ALL THESE GLIDING GHOSTS" On the stairs Robespierre met Urbain who was just coming up.

hackney-coach

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

From this reading "Quick! fetch me a hackney-coach!" he called.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading "Quick! fetch me a hackney-coach!" he called.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading A fiacre was crossing the street, crawling as if waiting for a fare, and the driver cynically inquired if he should take him to the scaffold.

hurriedadjectiveUS /ˈhɜːrid/

moving rapidly or performed quickly or in great haste

From this reading The man turned and hurried down the stairs two steps at a time.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading A fiacre was crossing the street, crawling as if waiting for a fare, and the driver cynically inquired if he should take him to the scaffold.

inquiredverbUS /ˌɪnˈkwaɪərd/

past form of “inquire” — address a question to and expect an answer from

From this reading A fiacre was crossing the street, crawling as if waiting for a fare, and the driver cynically inquired if he should take him to the scaffold.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading "ALL THESE GLIDING GHOSTS" On the stairs Robespierre met Urbain who was just coming up.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading The man turned and hurried down the stairs two steps at a time.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading "Quick! fetch me a hackney-coach!" he called.

metverbUS /met/

inflected form of “meet” — come together

From this reading "ALL THESE GLIDING GHOSTS" On the stairs Robespierre met Urbain who was just coming up.

OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading "ALL THESE GLIDING GHOSTS" On the stairs Robespierre met Urbain who was just coming up.

PlacenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading "Place du Trône Renversé, _citoyen_?

QuickadjectiveUS /kwɪk/

accomplished rapidly and without delay

From this reading "Quick! fetch me a hackney-coach!" he called.

Renversé

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

From this reading "Place du Trône Renversé, _citoyen_?

Robespierrenoun

French revolutionary; leader of the Jacobins and architect of the Reign of Terror; was himself executed in a coup d'etat (1758-1794)

From this reading "ALL THESE GLIDING GHOSTS" On the stairs Robespierre met Urbain who was just coming up.

scaffoldnounUS /ˈskæfəld/

a platform from which criminals are executed (hanged or beheaded)

From this reading A fiacre was crossing the street, crawling as if waiting for a fare, and the driver cynically inquired if he should take him to the scaffold.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading A fiacre was crossing the street, crawling as if waiting for a fare, and the driver cynically inquired if he should take him to the scaffold.

stairsnounUS /sterz/

a flight of stairs or a flight of steps

From this reading "ALL THESE GLIDING GHOSTS" On the stairs Robespierre met Urbain who was just coming up.

stepsnounUS /steps/

a flight of stairs or a flight of steps

From this reading The man turned and hurried down the stairs two steps at a time.

streetnounUS /striːt/

a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading A fiacre was crossing the street, crawling as if waiting for a fare, and the driver cynically inquired if he should take him to the scaffold.

takeverbUS /teɪk/

carry out

From this reading A fiacre was crossing the street, crawling as if waiting for a fare, and the driver cynically inquired if he should take him to the scaffold.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading "ALL THESE GLIDING GHOSTS" On the stairs Robespierre met Urbain who was just coming up.

THESEdeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading "ALL THESE GLIDING GHOSTS" On the stairs Robespierre met Urbain who was just coming up.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading The man turned and hurried down the stairs two steps at a time.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading A fiacre was crossing the street, crawling as if waiting for a fare, and the driver cynically inquired if he should take him to the scaffold.

Trône

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

From this reading "Place du Trône Renversé, _citoyen_?

turnedadjectiveUS /tɜːrnd/

moved around an axis or center

From this reading The man turned and hurried down the stairs two steps at a time.

twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading The man turned and hurried down the stairs two steps at a time.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading "ALL THESE GLIDING GHOSTS" On the stairs Robespierre met Urbain who was just coming up.

Urbain

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

From this reading "ALL THESE GLIDING GHOSTS" On the stairs Robespierre met Urbain who was just coming up.

waitingnounUS /ˈweɪtɪŋ/

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

From this reading A fiacre was crossing the street, crawling as if waiting for a fare, and the driver cynically inquired if he should take him to the scaffold.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading "ALL THESE GLIDING GHOSTS" On the stairs Robespierre met Urbain who was just coming up.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading "ALL THESE GLIDING GHOSTS" On the stairs Robespierre met Urbain who was just coming up.

Chapter 12 of Robespierre by Ange Galdemar holds 410 sentences, grouped into 82 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 12 of Robespierre contain?

Chapter 12 holds 410 sentences of Robespierre, unabridged, divided into 82 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 12 of Robespierre by Ange Galdemar exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 410 sentences, grouped into 82 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 12 of Robespierre?

Work through the 82 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 82 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 12 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 12 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 Robespierre

Common questions about reading Robespierre by Ange Galdemar on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Robespierre?

Yes. All 0 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #? are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Robespierre is used?

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

How long does Robespierre take to read?

About 5 minutes of reading across 0 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Robespierre section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 0 chapters of Robespierre 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 Robespierre

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

Chapter 1
One of the 0 chapters of Robespierre, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 2
One of the 0 chapters of Robespierre, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 3
One of the 0 chapters of Robespierre, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.