something done (usually as opposed to something said)
From this reading Never, though he brought to bear upon the quest which he instituted for her an amount of intelligent search that his long training in all kinds of cunning had well fitted him to put in action.
actsnounUS /ækts/
a New Testament book describing the development of the early church from Christ's Ascension to Paul's sojourn at Rome
From this reading He watched for days, nay, weeks, in the neighbourhood of the Hospital of Mercy, to or from which most of the Sisters, who were not engaged in nursing or other acts of charity elsewhere, passed regularly--yet never, amongst some scores of them who met his eyes, could he discover the woman he sought.
(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 Never, though he brought to bear upon the quest which he instituted for her an amount of intelligent search that his long training in all kinds of cunning had well fitted him to put in action.
surrounded by; in the company of
From this reading He watched for days, nay, weeks, in the neighbourhood of the Hospital of Mercy, to or from which most of the Sisters, who were not engaged in nursing or other acts of charity elsewhere, passed regularly--yet never, amongst some scores of them who met his eyes, could he discover the woman he sought.
a quantity of money
From this reading Never, though he brought to bear upon the quest which he instituted for her an amount of intelligent search that his long training in all kinds of cunning had well fitted him to put in action.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Never, though he brought to bear upon the quest which he instituted for her an amount of intelligent search that his long training in all kinds of cunning had well fitted him to put in action.
accomplishment of an objective
From this reading He questioned, too, those in the court who had been dwelling there when first his wife came to occupy the garret in which he had found her later, as to whether they could remember aught of the arrival of the child.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He questioned, too, those in the court who had been dwelling there when first his wife came to occupy the garret in which he had found her later, as to whether they could remember aught of the arrival of the child.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading He asked questions that produced nothing satisfactory, since all testified to the truth of that which the poor woman had so often told him--namely, that the child was brought to her before she came to this spot.
aughtnounUS /ɔːt/
a quantity of no importance
From this reading He questioned, too, those in the court who had been dwelling there when first his wife came to occupy the garret in which he had found her later, as to whether they could remember aught of the arrival of the child.
have
From this reading Never, though he brought to bear upon the quest which he instituted for her an amount of intelligent search that his long training in all kinds of cunning had well fitted him to put in action.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He questioned, too, those in the court who had been dwelling there when first his wife came to occupy the garret in which he had found her later, as to whether they could remember aught of the arrival of the child.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading He asked questions that produced nothing satisfactory, since all testified to the truth of that which the poor woman had so often told him--namely, that the child was brought to her before she came to this spot.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading Never, though he brought to bear upon the quest which he instituted for her an amount of intelligent search that his long training in all kinds of cunning had well fitted him to put in action.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading THE DUKE'S DESIRE Vandecque never discovered who that woman was, whence she came, nor where she vanished to.
charitynounUS /ˈtʃerɪti/
a foundation created to promote the public good (not for assistance to any particular individuals)
From this reading He watched for days, nay, weeks, in the neighbourhood of the Hospital of Mercy, to or from which most of the Sisters, who were not engaged in nursing or other acts of charity elsewhere, passed regularly--yet never, amongst some scores of them who met his eyes, could he discover the woman he sought.
a young person of either sex
From this reading He questioned, too, those in the court who had been dwelling there when first his wife came to occupy the garret in which he had found her later, as to whether they could remember aught of the arrival of the child.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He watched for days, nay, weeks, in the neighbourhood of the Hospital of Mercy, to or from which most of the Sisters, who were not engaged in nursing or other acts of charity elsewhere, passed regularly--yet never, amongst some scores of them who met his eyes, could he discover the woman he sought.
an assembly (including one or more judges) to conduct judicial business
From this reading He questioned, too, those in the court who had been dwelling there when first his wife came to occupy the garret in which he had found her later, as to whether they could remember aught of the arrival of the child.
cunningadjectiveUS /ˈkʌnɪŋ/
attractive especially by means of smallness or prettiness or quaintness
From this reading Never, though he brought to bear upon the quest which he instituted for her an amount of intelligent search that his long training in all kinds of cunning had well fitted him to put in action.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading He watched for days, nay, weeks, in the neighbourhood of the Hospital of Mercy, to or from which most of the Sisters, who were not engaged in nursing or other acts of charity elsewhere, passed regularly--yet never, amongst some scores of them who met his eyes, could he discover the woman he sought.
the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state
From this reading THE DUKE'S DESIRE Vandecque never discovered who that woman was, whence she came, nor where she vanished to.
discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of
From this reading He watched for days, nay, weeks, in the neighbourhood of the Hospital of Mercy, to or from which most of the Sisters, who were not engaged in nursing or other acts of charity elsewhere, passed regularly--yet never, amongst some scores of them who met his eyes, could he discover the woman he sought.
discovered or determined by scientific observation
From this reading THE DUKE'S DESIRE Vandecque never discovered who that woman was, whence she came, nor where she vanished to.
DUKE'SnounUS /duːks/
possessive form of “duke” — a British peer of the highest rank
From this reading THE DUKE'S DESIRE Vandecque never discovered who that woman was, whence she came, nor where she vanished to.
dwellingnounUS /ˈdwelɪŋ/
housing that someone is living in
From this reading He questioned, too, those in the court who had been dwelling there when first his wife came to occupy the garret in which he had found her later, as to whether they could remember aught of the arrival of the child.
elsewhereadverbUS /ˈelswer/
in or to another place
From this reading He watched for days, nay, weeks, in the neighbourhood of the Hospital of Mercy, to or from which most of the Sisters, who were not engaged in nursing or other acts of charity elsewhere, passed regularly--yet never, amongst some scores of them who met his eyes, could he discover the woman he sought.
having ones attention or mind or energy engaged
From this reading He watched for days, nay, weeks, in the neighbourhood of the Hospital of Mercy, to or from which most of the Sisters, who were not engaged in nursing or other acts of charity elsewhere, passed regularly--yet never, amongst some scores of them who met his eyes, could he discover the woman he sought.
opinion or judgment
From this reading He watched for days, nay, weeks, in the neighbourhood of the Hospital of Mercy, to or from which most of the Sisters, who were not engaged in nursing or other acts of charity elsewhere, passed regularly--yet never, amongst some scores of them who met his eyes, could he discover the woman he sought.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading He questioned, too, those in the court who had been dwelling there when first his wife came to occupy the garret in which he had found her later, as to whether they could remember aught of the arrival of the child.
fittedadjectiveUS /ˈfɪtəd/
being the right size and shape to fit as desired
From this reading Never, though he brought to bear upon the quest which he instituted for her an amount of intelligent search that his long training in all kinds of cunning had well fitted him to put in action.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Never, though he brought to bear upon the quest which he instituted for her an amount of intelligent search that his long training in all kinds of cunning had well fitted him to put in action.
set up or found
From this reading He questioned, too, those in the court who had been dwelling there when first his wife came to occupy the garret in which he had found her later, as to whether they could remember aught of the arrival of the child.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He watched for days, nay, weeks, in the neighbourhood of the Hospital of Mercy, to or from which most of the Sisters, who were not engaged in nursing or other acts of charity elsewhere, passed regularly--yet never, amongst some scores of them who met his eyes, could he discover the woman he sought.
garretnounUS /ˈɡerɪt/
floor consisting of open space at the top of a house just below roof; often used for storage
From this reading He questioned, too, those in the court who had been dwelling there when first his wife came to occupy the garret in which he had found her later, as to whether they could remember aught of the arrival of the child.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Never, though he brought to bear upon the quest which he instituted for her an amount of intelligent search that his long training in all kinds of cunning had well fitted him to put in action.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Never, though he brought to bear upon the quest which he instituted for her an amount of intelligent search that his long training in all kinds of cunning had well fitted him to put in action.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Never, though he brought to bear upon the quest which he instituted for her an amount of intelligent search that his long training in all kinds of cunning had well fitted him to put in action.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Never, though he brought to bear upon the quest which he instituted for her an amount of intelligent search that his long training in all kinds of cunning had well fitted him to put in action.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Never, though he brought to bear upon the quest which he instituted for her an amount of intelligent search that his long training in all kinds of cunning had well fitted him to put in action.
a health facility where patients receive treatment
From this reading He watched for days, nay, weeks, in the neighbourhood of the Hospital of Mercy, to or from which most of the Sisters, who were not engaged in nursing or other acts of charity elsewhere, passed regularly--yet never, amongst some scores of them who met his eyes, could he discover the woman he sought.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Never, though he brought to bear upon the quest which he instituted for her an amount of intelligent search that his long training in all kinds of cunning had well fitted him to put in action.
institutedverbUS /ˈɪnstətuːtɪd/
past form of “institute” — set up or lay the groundwork for
From this reading Never, though he brought to bear upon the quest which he instituted for her an amount of intelligent search that his long training in all kinds of cunning had well fitted him to put in action.
intelligentadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈtelədʒənt/
having the capacity for thought and reason especially to a high degree
From this reading Never, though he brought to bear upon the quest which he instituted for her an amount of intelligent search that his long training in all kinds of cunning had well fitted him to put in action.
plural of “kind” — a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading Never, though he brought to bear upon the quest which he instituted for her an amount of intelligent search that his long training in all kinds of cunning had well fitted him to put in action.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading He questioned, too, those in the court who had been dwelling there when first his wife came to occupy the garret in which he had found her later, as to whether they could remember aught of the arrival of the child.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading Never, though he brought to bear upon the quest which he instituted for her an amount of intelligent search that his long training in all kinds of cunning had well fitted him to put in action.
leniency and compassion shown toward offenders by a person or agency charged with administering justice
From this reading He watched for days, nay, weeks, in the neighbourhood of the Hospital of Mercy, to or from which most of the Sisters, who were not engaged in nursing or other acts of charity elsewhere, passed regularly--yet never, amongst some scores of them who met his eyes, could he discover the woman he sought.
inflected form of “meet” — come together
From this reading He watched for days, nay, weeks, in the neighbourhood of the Hospital of Mercy, to or from which most of the Sisters, who were not engaged in nursing or other acts of charity elsewhere, passed regularly--yet never, amongst some scores of them who met his eyes, could he discover the woman he sought.
used to form the superlative
From this reading He watched for days, nay, weeks, in the neighbourhood of the Hospital of Mercy, to or from which most of the Sisters, who were not engaged in nursing or other acts of charity elsewhere, passed regularly--yet never, amongst some scores of them who met his eyes, could he discover the woman he sought.
namelyadverbUS /ˈneɪmli/
as follows
From this reading He asked questions that produced nothing satisfactory, since all testified to the truth of that which the poor woman had so often told him--namely, that the child was brought to her before she came to this spot.
an old word for “no”
From this reading He watched for days, nay, weeks, in the neighbourhood of the Hospital of Mercy, to or from which most of the Sisters, who were not engaged in nursing or other acts of charity elsewhere, passed regularly--yet never, amongst some scores of them who met his eyes, could he discover the woman he sought.
a surrounding or nearby region
From this reading He watched for days, nay, weeks, in the neighbourhood of the Hospital of Mercy, to or from which most of the Sisters, who were not engaged in nursing or other acts of charity elsewhere, passed regularly--yet never, amongst some scores of them who met his eyes, could he discover the woman he sought.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading THE DUKE'S DESIRE Vandecque never discovered who that woman was, whence she came, nor where she vanished to.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading THE DUKE'S DESIRE Vandecque never discovered who that woman was, whence she came, nor where she vanished to.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He watched for days, nay, weeks, in the neighbourhood of the Hospital of Mercy, to or from which most of the Sisters, who were not engaged in nursing or other acts of charity elsewhere, passed regularly--yet never, amongst some scores of them who met his eyes, could he discover the woman he sought.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading He asked questions that produced nothing satisfactory, since all testified to the truth of that which the poor woman had so often told him--namely, that the child was brought to her before she came to this spot.
nursingnounUS /ˈnɜːrsɪŋ/
the work of caring for the sick or injured or infirm
From this reading He watched for days, nay, weeks, in the neighbourhood of the Hospital of Mercy, to or from which most of the Sisters, who were not engaged in nursing or other acts of charity elsewhere, passed regularly--yet never, amongst some scores of them who met his eyes, could he discover the woman he sought.
occupyverbUS /ˈɑːkjəpaɪ/
keep busy with
From this reading He questioned, too, those in the court who had been dwelling there when first his wife came to occupy the garret in which he had found her later, as to whether they could remember aught of the arrival of the child.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Never, though he brought to bear upon the quest which he instituted for her an amount of intelligent search that his long training in all kinds of cunning had well fitted him to put in action.
many times at short intervals
From this reading He asked questions that produced nothing satisfactory, since all testified to the truth of that which the poor woman had so often told him--namely, that the child was brought to her before she came to this spot.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading He watched for days, nay, weeks, in the neighbourhood of the Hospital of Mercy, to or from which most of the Sisters, who were not engaged in nursing or other acts of charity elsewhere, passed regularly--yet never, amongst some scores of them who met his eyes, could he discover the woman he sought.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading He watched for days, nay, weeks, in the neighbourhood of the Hospital of Mercy, to or from which most of the Sisters, who were not engaged in nursing or other acts of charity elsewhere, passed regularly--yet never, amongst some scores of them who met his eyes, could he discover the woman he sought.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading He watched for days, nay, weeks, in the neighbourhood of the Hospital of Mercy, to or from which most of the Sisters, who were not engaged in nursing or other acts of charity elsewhere, passed regularly--yet never, amongst some scores of them who met his eyes, could he discover the woman he sought.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading He asked questions that produced nothing satisfactory, since all testified to the truth of that which the poor woman had so often told him--namely, that the child was brought to her before she came to this spot.
past form of “produce” — bring forth or yield
From this reading He asked questions that produced nothing satisfactory, since all testified to the truth of that which the poor woman had so often told him--namely, that the child was brought to her before she came to this spot.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Never, though he brought to bear upon the quest which he instituted for her an amount of intelligent search that his long training in all kinds of cunning had well fitted him to put in action.
questnounUS /kwest/
a search for an alternative that meets cognitive criteria
From this reading Never, though he brought to bear upon the quest which he instituted for her an amount of intelligent search that his long training in all kinds of cunning had well fitted him to put in action.
past form of “question” — challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading He questioned, too, those in the court who had been dwelling there when first his wife came to occupy the garret in which he had found her later, as to whether they could remember aught of the arrival of the child.
plural of “question” — an instance of questioning
From this reading He asked questions that produced nothing satisfactory, since all testified to the truth of that which the poor woman had so often told him--namely, that the child was brought to her before she came to this spot.
regularlyadverbUS /ˈreɡjələrli/
in a regular manner
From this reading He watched for days, nay, weeks, in the neighbourhood of the Hospital of Mercy, to or from which most of the Sisters, who were not engaged in nursing or other acts of charity elsewhere, passed regularly--yet never, amongst some scores of them who met his eyes, could he discover the woman he sought.
To recall to mind.
From this reading He questioned, too, those in the court who had been dwelling there when first his wife came to occupy the garret in which he had found her later, as to whether they could remember aught of the arrival of the child.
satisfactoryadjectiveUS /ˌsætəˈsfæktri/
giving satisfaction
From this reading He asked questions that produced nothing satisfactory, since all testified to the truth of that which the poor woman had so often told him--namely, that the child was brought to her before she came to this spot.
scoresnounUS /skɔːrz/
a large number or amount
From this reading He watched for days, nay, weeks, in the neighbourhood of the Hospital of Mercy, to or from which most of the Sisters, who were not engaged in nursing or other acts of charity elsewhere, passed regularly--yet never, amongst some scores of them who met his eyes, could he discover the woman he sought.
try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of
From this reading Never, though he brought to bear upon the quest which he instituted for her an amount of intelligent search that his long training in all kinds of cunning had well fitted him to put in action.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE DUKE'S DESIRE Vandecque never discovered who that woman was, whence she came, nor where she vanished to.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading He asked questions that produced nothing satisfactory, since all testified to the truth of that which the poor woman had so often told him--namely, that the child was brought to her before she came to this spot.
plural of “sister” — a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading He watched for days, nay, weeks, in the neighbourhood of the Hospital of Mercy, to or from which most of the Sisters, who were not engaged in nursing or other acts of charity elsewhere, passed regularly--yet never, amongst some scores of them who met his eyes, could he discover the woman he sought.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He asked questions that produced nothing satisfactory, since all testified to the truth of that which the poor woman had so often told him--namely, that the child was brought to her before she came to this spot.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading He watched for days, nay, weeks, in the neighbourhood of the Hospital of Mercy, to or from which most of the Sisters, who were not engaged in nursing or other acts of charity elsewhere, passed regularly--yet never, amongst some scores of them who met his eyes, could he discover the woman he sought.
that is looked for
From this reading He watched for days, nay, weeks, in the neighbourhood of the Hospital of Mercy, to or from which most of the Sisters, who were not engaged in nursing or other acts of charity elsewhere, passed regularly--yet never, amongst some scores of them who met his eyes, could he discover the woman he sought.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading He asked questions that produced nothing satisfactory, since all testified to the truth of that which the poor woman had so often told him--namely, that the child was brought to her before she came to this spot.
testifiedverbUS /ˈtestəfaɪd/
inflected form of “testify” — give testimony in a court of law
From this reading He asked questions that produced nothing satisfactory, since all testified to the truth of that which the poor woman had so often told him--namely, that the child was brought to her before she came to this spot.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading THE DUKE'S DESIRE Vandecque never discovered who that woman was, whence she came, nor where she vanished to.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE DUKE'S DESIRE Vandecque never discovered who that woman was, whence she came, nor where she vanished to.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading He watched for days, nay, weeks, in the neighbourhood of the Hospital of Mercy, to or from which most of the Sisters, who were not engaged in nursing or other acts of charity elsewhere, passed regularly--yet never, amongst some scores of them who met his eyes, could he discover the woman he sought.
in or at that place or location
From this reading He questioned, too, those in the court who had been dwelling there when first his wife came to occupy the garret in which he had found her later, as to whether they could remember aught of the arrival of the child.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He questioned, too, those in the court who had been dwelling there when first his wife came to occupy the garret in which he had found her later, as to whether they could remember aught of the arrival of the child.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading He asked questions that produced nothing satisfactory, since all testified to the truth of that which the poor woman had so often told him--namely, that the child was brought to her before she came to this spot.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading He questioned, too, those in the court who had been dwelling there when first his wife came to occupy the garret in which he had found her later, as to whether they could remember aught of the arrival of the child.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Never, though he brought to bear upon the quest which he instituted for her an amount of intelligent search that his long training in all kinds of cunning had well fitted him to put in action.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE DUKE'S DESIRE Vandecque never discovered who that woman was, whence she came, nor where she vanished to.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading He asked questions that produced nothing satisfactory, since all testified to the truth of that which the poor woman had so often told him--namely, that the child was brought to her before she came to this spot.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading He questioned, too, those in the court who had been dwelling there when first his wife came to occupy the garret in which he had found her later, as to whether they could remember aught of the arrival of the child.
trainingnounUS /ˈtreɪnɪŋ/
activity leading to skilled behavior
From this reading Never, though he brought to bear upon the quest which he instituted for her an amount of intelligent search that his long training in all kinds of cunning had well fitted him to put in action.
a fact that has been verified
From this reading He asked questions that produced nothing satisfactory, since all testified to the truth of that which the poor woman had so often told him--namely, that the child was brought to her before she came to this spot.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Never, though he brought to bear upon the quest which he instituted for her an amount of intelligent search that his long training in all kinds of cunning had well fitted him to put in action.
Vandecque
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE DUKE'S DESIRE Vandecque never discovered who that woman was, whence she came, nor where she vanished to.
having passed out of existence
From this reading THE DUKE'S DESIRE Vandecque never discovered who that woman was, whence she came, nor where she vanished to.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE DUKE'S DESIRE Vandecque never discovered who that woman was, whence she came, nor where she vanished to.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading He watched for days, nay, weeks, in the neighbourhood of the Hospital of Mercy, to or from which most of the Sisters, who were not engaged in nursing or other acts of charity elsewhere, passed regularly--yet never, amongst some scores of them who met his eyes, could he discover the woman he sought.
plural of “week” — any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading He watched for days, nay, weeks, in the neighbourhood of the Hospital of Mercy, to or from which most of the Sisters, who were not engaged in nursing or other acts of charity elsewhere, passed regularly--yet never, amongst some scores of them who met his eyes, could he discover the woman he sought.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading Never, though he brought to bear upon the quest which he instituted for her an amount of intelligent search that his long training in all kinds of cunning had well fitted him to put in action.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He watched for days, nay, weeks, in the neighbourhood of the Hospital of Mercy, to or from which most of the Sisters, who were not engaged in nursing or other acts of charity elsewhere, passed regularly--yet never, amongst some scores of them who met his eyes, could he discover the woman he sought.
at the time that
From this reading He questioned, too, those in the court who had been dwelling there when first his wife came to occupy the garret in which he had found her later, as to whether they could remember aught of the arrival of the child.
an old word meaning “from where”
From this reading THE DUKE'S DESIRE Vandecque never discovered who that woman was, whence she came, nor where she vanished to.
in or at the place that
From this reading THE DUKE'S DESIRE Vandecque never discovered who that woman was, whence she came, nor where she vanished to.
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading He questioned, too, those in the court who had been dwelling there when first his wife came to occupy the garret in which he had found her later, as to whether they could remember aught of the arrival of the child.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Never, though he brought to bear upon the quest which he instituted for her an amount of intelligent search that his long training in all kinds of cunning had well fitted him to put in action.
which person or people
From this reading THE DUKE'S DESIRE Vandecque never discovered who that woman was, whence she came, nor where she vanished to.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading He questioned, too, those in the court who had been dwelling there when first his wife came to occupy the garret in which he had found her later, as to whether they could remember aught of the arrival of the child.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading THE DUKE'S DESIRE Vandecque never discovered who that woman was, whence she came, nor where she vanished to.
but in spite of that
From this reading He watched for days, nay, weeks, in the neighbourhood of the Hospital of Mercy, to or from which most of the Sisters, who were not engaged in nursing or other acts of charity elsewhere, passed regularly--yet never, amongst some scores of them who met his eyes, could he discover the woman he sought.
