Chapter 23 of Shadow in the House is here in full — 385 sentences across 77 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXIII
Chapter 23 of Shadow in the House is here in full — 385 sentences across 77 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
THE WORST POSSIBLE TASTE When the butler’s footsteps had died away to silence, Landis began to chuckle. “I’ve a lot more respect for Miss Mount and the servants in this house than I have for the family!” he laughed. “Personally, I’m inclined to believe Stimson! I think he’s glad somebody murdered Harrison. But I don’t think he did it.
Chapter 23 of Shadow in the House is here in full — 385 sentences across 77 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/77 · 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.
possessive form of “butler” — a manservant (usually the head servant of a household) who has charge of wines and the table
a soft partly suppressed laugh
From this reading “THE WORST POSSIBLE TASTE When the butler’s footsteps had died away to silence, Landis began to chuckle.”
plural of “footstep” — the sound of a step of someone walking
From this reading “THE WORST POSSIBLE TASTE When the butler’s footsteps had died away to silence, Landis began to chuckle.”
English actor on stage and in films (1908-1990)
From this reading “I think he’s glad somebody murdered Harrison.”
(often followed by “to”) having a preference, disposition, or tendency
From this reading ““Personally, I’m inclined to believe Stimson!”
attach to a support
From this reading ““I’ve a lot more respect for Miss Mount and the servants in this house than I have for the family!” he laughed.”
killed unlawfully
From this reading “I think he’s glad somebody murdered Harrison.”
as yourself
From this reading ““Personally, I’m inclined to believe Stimson!”
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.
become less in amount or intensity
In this reading “THE WORST POSSIBLE TASTE When the butler’s footsteps had died away to silence, Landis began to chuckle.”
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 “I’ve a lot more respect for Miss Mount and the servants in this house than I have for the family!” he laughed.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “I’ve a lot more respect for Miss Mount and the servants in this house than I have for the family!” he laughed.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading THE WORST POSSIBLE TASTE When the butler’s footsteps had died away to silence, Landis began to chuckle.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading THE WORST POSSIBLE TASTE When the butler’s footsteps had died away to silence, Landis began to chuckle.
accept as true; take to be true
From this reading “Personally, I’m inclined to believe Stimson!
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But I don’t think he did it.
possessive form of “butler” — a manservant (usually the head servant of a household) who has charge of wines and the table
From this reading THE WORST POSSIBLE TASTE When the butler’s footsteps had died away to silence, Landis began to chuckle.
a soft partly suppressed laugh
From this reading THE WORST POSSIBLE TASTE When the butler’s footsteps had died away to silence, Landis began to chuckle.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading But I don’t think he did it.
past form of “die” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading THE WORST POSSIBLE TASTE When the butler’s footsteps had died away to silence, Landis began to chuckle.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But I don’t think he did it.
a social unit living together
From this reading “I’ve a lot more respect for Miss Mount and the servants in this house than I have for the family!” he laughed.
plural of “footstep” — the sound of a step of someone walking
From this reading THE WORST POSSIBLE TASTE When the butler’s footsteps had died away to silence, Landis began to chuckle.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “I’ve a lot more respect for Miss Mount and the servants in this house than I have for the family!” he laughed.
showing or causing joy and pleasure; especially made happy
From this reading I think he’s glad somebody murdered Harrison.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading THE WORST POSSIBLE TASTE When the butler’s footsteps had died away to silence, Landis began to chuckle.
English actor on stage and in films (1908-1990)
From this reading I think he’s glad somebody murdered Harrison.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “I’ve a lot more respect for Miss Mount and the servants in this house than I have for the family!” he laughed.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “I’ve a lot more respect for Miss Mount and the servants in this house than I have for the family!” he laughed.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I think he’s glad somebody murdered Harrison.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading “I’ve a lot more respect for Miss Mount and the servants in this house than I have for the family!” he laughed.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I’ve a lot more respect for Miss Mount and the servants in this house than I have for the family!” he laughed.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Personally, I’m inclined to believe Stimson!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I’ve a lot more respect for Miss Mount and the servants in this house than I have for the family!” he laughed.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “I’ve a lot more respect for Miss Mount and the servants in this house than I have for the family!” he laughed.
(often followed by “to”) having a preference, disposition, or tendency
From this reading “Personally, I’m inclined to believe Stimson!
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But I don’t think he did it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE WORST POSSIBLE TASTE When the butler’s footsteps had died away to silence, Landis began to chuckle.
past form of “laugh” — produce laughter
From this reading “I’ve a lot more respect for Miss Mount and the servants in this house than I have for the family!” he laughed.
(often followed by “of”) a large number or amount or extent
From this reading “I’ve a lot more respect for Miss Mount and the servants in this house than I have for the family!” he laughed.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading “I’ve a lot more respect for Miss Mount and the servants in this house than I have for the family!” he laughed.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading “I’ve a lot more respect for Miss Mount and the servants in this house than I have for the family!” he laughed.
attach to a support
From this reading “I’ve a lot more respect for Miss Mount and the servants in this house than I have for the family!” he laughed.
killed unlawfully
From this reading I think he’s glad somebody murdered Harrison.
as yourself
From this reading “Personally, I’m inclined to believe Stimson!
capable of happening or existing
From this reading THE WORST POSSIBLE TASTE When the butler’s footsteps had died away to silence, Landis began to chuckle.
(usually preceded by “in”) a detail or point
From this reading “I’ve a lot more respect for Miss Mount and the servants in this house than I have for the family!” he laughed.
plural of “servant” — a person working in the service of another (especially in the household)
From this reading “I’ve a lot more respect for Miss Mount and the servants in this house than I have for the family!” he laughed.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading THE WORST POSSIBLE TASTE When the butler’s footsteps had died away to silence, Landis began to chuckle.
a person, without saying who
From this reading I think he’s glad somebody murdered Harrison.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Personally, I’m inclined to believe Stimson!
To perceive flavor through the mouth.
From this reading THE WORST POSSIBLE TASTE When the butler’s footsteps had died away to silence, Landis began to chuckle.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading “I’ve a lot more respect for Miss Mount and the servants in this house than I have for the family!” he laughed.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE WORST POSSIBLE TASTE When the butler’s footsteps had died away to silence, Landis began to chuckle.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading I think he’s glad somebody murdered Harrison.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “I’ve a lot more respect for Miss Mount and the servants in this house than I have for the family!” he laughed.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE WORST POSSIBLE TASTE When the butler’s footsteps had died away to silence, Landis began to chuckle.
at the time that
From this reading THE WORST POSSIBLE TASTE When the butler’s footsteps had died away to silence, Landis began to chuckle.
the least favorable outcome
From this reading THE WORST POSSIBLE TASTE When the butler’s footsteps had died away to silence, Landis began to chuckle.
Chapter 23 of Shadow in the House by Sinclair Gluck holds 385 sentences, grouped into 77 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 23 holds 385 sentences of Shadow in the House, unabridged, divided into 77 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 23 of Shadow in the House by Sinclair Gluck exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 385 sentences, grouped into 77 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 77 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 77 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 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.
Common questions about reading Shadow in the House by Sinclair Gluck on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 6961 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #66859 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #66859, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 580 minutes of reading across 1393 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Shadow in the House section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 27 chapters of Shadow in the House 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 Shadow in the House, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
