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Sinister Street, vol. 2
Sinister Street, vol. 2

Chapter XX

Chapter 20 of Sinister Street, vol. 2 is here in full — 519 sentences across 104 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Compton MacKenzie • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for Sinister Street, vol. 2
Context Illustration Reading 1/103 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.
After Neptune Crescent, it was almost impossible to imagine a female who was not subject to the violence of her mutable emotions.
Yet her private life, the life of the alternate Sunday evening out, might be as passionate and gusty as any scene in Neptune Crescent.
He looked at the tortoise-mouthed parlormaid with a new interest, until she became waxily pink under his stare.
“Mrs. Fane is in the drawing-room, sir.”
0:00 / 0:00
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.

Sinister Street, vol. 2

Chapter XX

Chapter 20 of Sinister Street, vol. 2 is here in full — 519 sentences across 104 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/103 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.
Line 2
After Neptune Crescent, it was almost impossible to imagine a female who was not subject to the violence of her mutable emotions.
/ˈæftər ˈneptuːn ˈkresənt ɪt wɑːz ˈɔːlmoʊst ˌɪmˈpɑːsəbəl tuː ˌɪˈmædʒən ə ˈfiːmeɪl huː wɑːz nɑːt səbˈdʒekt tuː ðə ˈvaɪələns ʌv hɜːr ˈmjuːtəbəl ɪˈmoʊʃənz/
Line 3
Yet her private life, the life of the alternate Sunday evening out, might be as passionate and gusty as any scene in Neptune Crescent.
/jet hɜːr ˈpraɪvət laɪf ðə laɪf ʌv ðə ˈɔːltərnət ˈsʌndeɪ ˈiːvnɪŋ aʊt maɪt biː æz ˈpæʃənət ənd ˈɡʌsti æz ˈeni siːn ɪn ˈneptuːn ˈkresənt/
Line 4
He looked at the tortoise-mouthed parlormaid with a new interest, until she became waxily pink under his stare.
Line 5
“Mrs. Fane is in the drawing-room, sir.”

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.

alternate adjective US /ˈɔːltərnət/

every second one of a series

From this reading “Yet her private life, the life of the alternate Sunday evening out, might be as passionate and gusty as any scene in Neptune Crescent.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Crescent noun US /ˈkresənt/

any shape resembling the curved shape of the moon in its first or last quarters

From this reading “After Neptune Crescent, it was almost impossible to imagine a female who was not subject to the violence of her mutable emotions.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
display noun US /dɪˈspleɪ/

something intended to communicate a particular impression

From this reading “THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
existed verb US /ɪɡˈzɪstəd/

past form of “exist” — have an existence, be extant

From this reading “THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
gusty adjective US /ˈɡʌsti/

blowing in puffs or short intermittent blasts

From this reading “Yet her private life, the life of the alternate Sunday evening out, might be as passionate and gusty as any scene in Neptune Crescent.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mutable adjective US /ˈmjuːtəbəl/

capable of or tending to change in form or quality or nature

From this reading “After Neptune Crescent, it was almost impossible to imagine a female who was not subject to the violence of her mutable emotions.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Neptune noun US /ˈneptuːn/

(Roman mythology) god of the sea; counterpart of Greek Poseidon

From this reading “After Neptune Crescent, it was almost impossible to imagine a female who was not subject to the violence of her mutable emotions.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
reappearance noun US /ˌriːəˈpɪrəns/

the event of something appearing again

From this reading “THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.”

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.

almost impossible adverb + adjective

In this reading “After Neptune Crescent, it was almost impossible to imagine a female who was not subject to the violence of her mutable emotions.”

3,650 times in 225,867 chapters
came back verb + particle counted as “come back”

be restored

In this reading “THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.”

121,424 times in 225,867 chapters
private life adjective + noun

In this reading “Yet her private life, the life of the alternate Sunday evening out, might be as passionate and gusty as any scene in Neptune Crescent.”

2,754 times in 225,867 chapters
looked at verb + particle counted as “look at”

take into consideration for exemplifying purposes

In this reading “He looked at the tortoise-mouthed parlormaid with a new interest, until she became waxily pink under his stare.”

296,767 times in 225,867 chapters
new interest adjective + noun

In this reading “He looked at the tortoise-mouthed parlormaid with a new interest, until she became waxily pink under his stare.”

1,524 times in 225,867 chapters
at finding preposition + noun

In this reading “THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.”

3,707 times in 225,867 chapters
with a sense preposition + article + noun counted as “with … sense”

In this reading “THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.”

6,643 times in 225,867 chapters

All words in this reading · 79

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 THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading After Neptune Crescent, it was almost impossible to imagine a female who was not subject to the violence of her mutable emotions.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
almostadverbUS /ˈɔːlmoʊst/

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading After Neptune Crescent, it was almost impossible to imagine a female who was not subject to the violence of her mutable emotions.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
alternateadjectiveUS /ˈɔːltərnət/

every second one of a series

From this reading Yet her private life, the life of the alternate Sunday evening out, might be as passionate and gusty as any scene in Neptune Crescent.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading Yet her private life, the life of the alternate Sunday evening out, might be as passionate and gusty as any scene in Neptune Crescent.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Yet her private life, the life of the alternate Sunday evening out, might be as passionate and gusty as any scene in Neptune Crescent.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading Yet her private life, the life of the alternate Sunday evening out, might be as passionate and gusty as any scene in Neptune Crescent.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
becameverbUS /bɪˈkeɪm/

inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading He looked at the tortoise-mouthed parlormaid with a new interest, until she became waxily pink under his stare.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
CAFÉ

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

From this reading THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.

Pending verification
cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Cheyne

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

From this reading THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.

Pending verification
CrescentnounUS /ˈkresənt/

any shape resembling the curved shape of the moon in its first or last quarters

From this reading After Neptune Crescent, it was almost impossible to imagine a female who was not subject to the violence of her mutable emotions.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
D'ORANGE

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

From this reading THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.

Pending verification
displaynounUS /dɪˈspleɪ/

something intended to communicate a particular impression

From this reading THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
drawing-room

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

From this reading “Mrs. Fane is in the drawing-room, sir.”

Pending verification
emotionnounUS /ɪˈmoʊʃən/

any strong feeling

From this reading THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
emotionsnounUS /ɪˈmoʊʃənz/

plural of “emotion” — any strong feeling

From this reading After Neptune Crescent, it was almost impossible to imagine a female who was not subject to the violence of her mutable emotions.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
eveningnounUS /ˈiːvnɪŋ/

the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)

From this reading Yet her private life, the life of the alternate Sunday evening out, might be as passionate and gusty as any scene in Neptune Crescent.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
existedverbUS /ɪɡˈzɪstəd/

past form of “exist” — have an existence, be extant

From this reading THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
expectedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈspektəd/

considered likely or probable to happen or arrive

From this reading THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Fane

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

From this reading “Mrs. Fane is in the drawing-room, sir.”

Pending verification
femaleadjectiveUS /ˈfiːmeɪl/

being the sex (of plant or animal) that produces fertilizable gametes (ova) from which offspring develop

From this reading After Neptune Crescent, it was almost impossible to imagine a female who was not subject to the violence of her mutable emotions.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
findingnounUS /ˈfaɪndɪŋ/

the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation

From this reading THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
gustyadjectiveUS /ˈɡʌsti/

blowing in puffs or short intermittent blasts

From this reading Yet her private life, the life of the alternate Sunday evening out, might be as passionate and gusty as any scene in Neptune Crescent.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
halfadjectiveUS /hæf/

consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity

From this reading THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading After Neptune Crescent, it was almost impossible to imagine a female who was not subject to the violence of her mutable emotions.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
imagineverbUS /ˌɪˈmædʒən/

form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case

From this reading After Neptune Crescent, it was almost impossible to imagine a female who was not subject to the violence of her mutable emotions.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
impossibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpɑːsəbəl/

not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with

From this reading After Neptune Crescent, it was almost impossible to imagine a female who was not subject to the violence of her mutable emotions.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Yet her private life, the life of the alternate Sunday evening out, might be as passionate and gusty as any scene in Neptune Crescent.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
interestnounUS /ˈɪntrəst/

a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something

From this reading He looked at the tortoise-mouthed parlormaid with a new interest, until she became waxily pink under his stare.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading “Mrs. Fane is in the drawing-room, sir.”

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading Yet her private life, the life of the alternate Sunday evening out, might be as passionate and gusty as any scene in Neptune Crescent.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lookedverbUS /lʊkt/

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading He looked at the tortoise-mouthed parlormaid with a new interest, until she became waxily pink under his stare.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MichaelnounUS /ˈmaɪkəl/

(Old Testament) the guardian archangel of the Jews

From this reading THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading Yet her private life, the life of the alternate Sunday evening out, might be as passionate and gusty as any scene in Neptune Crescent.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
MrsnounUS /ˈmɪsɪz/

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading “Mrs. Fane is in the drawing-room, sir.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mutableadjectiveUS /ˈmjuːtəbəl/

capable of or tending to change in form or quality or nature

From this reading After Neptune Crescent, it was almost impossible to imagine a female who was not subject to the violence of her mutable emotions.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
NeptunenounUS /ˈneptuːn/

(Roman mythology) god of the sea; counterpart of Greek Poseidon

From this reading After Neptune Crescent, it was almost impossible to imagine a female who was not subject to the violence of her mutable emotions.

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 He looked at the tortoise-mouthed parlormaid with a new interest, until she became waxily pink under his stare.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading After Neptune Crescent, it was almost impossible to imagine a female who was not subject to the violence of her mutable emotions.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Yet her private life, the life of the alternate Sunday evening out, might be as passionate and gusty as any scene in Neptune Crescent.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
parlormaidnoun

a maid in a private home whose duties are to care for the parlor and the table and to answer the door

From this reading THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
passionateadjectiveUS /ˈpæʃənət/

having or expressing strong emotions

From this reading Yet her private life, the life of the alternate Sunday evening out, might be as passionate and gusty as any scene in Neptune Crescent.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
pinknounUS /pɪŋk/

a light shade of red

From this reading He looked at the tortoise-mouthed parlormaid with a new interest, until she became waxily pink under his stare.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
privateadjectiveUS /ˈpraɪvət/

confined to particular persons or groups or providing privacy

From this reading Yet her private life, the life of the alternate Sunday evening out, might be as passionate and gusty as any scene in Neptune Crescent.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
reappearancenounUS /ˌriːəˈpɪrəns/

the event of something appearing again

From this reading THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sawverbUS /sɔː/

cut with a saw

From this reading THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
scenenounUS /siːn/

the place where some action occurs

From this reading Yet her private life, the life of the alternate Sunday evening out, might be as passionate and gusty as any scene in Neptune Crescent.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sensenounUS /sens/

a general conscious awareness

From this reading THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
sirnounUS /sɜːr/

term of address for a man

From this reading “Mrs. Fane is in the drawing-room, sir.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
stareverbUS /ster/

look at with fixed eyes

From this reading He looked at the tortoise-mouthed parlormaid with a new interest, until she became waxily pink under his stare.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
subjectnounUS /səbˈdʒekt/

the subject matter of a conversation or discussion

From this reading After Neptune Crescent, it was almost impossible to imagine a female who was not subject to the violence of her mutable emotions.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SundaynounUS /ˈsʌndeɪ/

first day of the week; observed as a day of rest and worship by most Christians

From this reading Yet her private life, the life of the alternate Sunday evening out, might be as passionate and gusty as any scene in Neptune Crescent.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
surprisenounUS /sərˈpraɪz/

the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you

From this reading THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
tortoise-mouthed

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

From this reading He looked at the tortoise-mouthed parlormaid with a new interest, until she became waxily pink under his stare.

Pending verification
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading He looked at the tortoise-mouthed parlormaid with a new interest, until she became waxily pink under his stare.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading He looked at the tortoise-mouthed parlormaid with a new interest, until she became waxily pink under his stare.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
violencenounUS /ˈvaɪələns/

an act of aggression (as one against a person who resists)

From this reading After Neptune Crescent, it was almost impossible to imagine a female who was not subject to the violence of her mutable emotions.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
WalknounUS /wɔːk/

the act of traveling by foot

From this reading THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.

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 After Neptune Crescent, it was almost impossible to imagine a female who was not subject to the violence of her mutable emotions.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
waxily

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

From this reading He looked at the tortoise-mouthed parlormaid with a new interest, until she became waxily pink under his stare.

Pending verification
whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading After Neptune Crescent, it was almost impossible to imagine a female who was not subject to the violence of her mutable emotions.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading THE CAFÉ D’ORANGE Michael came back to Cheyne Walk with a sense of surprise at finding that it still existed; and when he saw the parlormaid he half expected she would display some emotion at his reappearance.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
YetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading Yet her private life, the life of the alternate Sunday evening out, might be as passionate and gusty as any scene in Neptune Crescent.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 20 of Sinister Street, vol. 2 by Compton MacKenzie holds 519 sentences, grouped into 104 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 Sinister Street, vol. 2 contain?

Chapter 20 holds 519 sentences of Sinister Street, vol. 2, unabridged, divided into 104 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 20 of Sinister Street, vol. 2 by Compton MacKenzie exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 519 sentences, grouped into 104 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 Sinister Street, vol. 2?

Work through the 104 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 104 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 Sinister Street, vol. 2

Common questions about reading Sinister Street, vol. 2 by Compton MacKenzie on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Sinister Street, vol. 2?

Yes. All 12354 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #33798 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Sinister Street, vol. 2 is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #33798, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Sinister Street, vol. 2 take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 2471 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Sinister Street, vol. 2 section by section

How to work through Sinister Street, vol. 2 section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 27 chapters of Sinister Street, vol. 2 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 Sinister Street, vol. 2

Words and structures a reader meets early in Sinister Street, vol. 2, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Michael
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Sinister Street, vol. 2; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Think
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Sinister Street, vol. 2; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Start
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Sinister Street, vol. 2; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Adventure
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Sinister Street, vol. 2; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.