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St. Ives
St. Ives

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of St. Ives is here in full — 248 sentences across 50 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for St. Ives
Context Illustration Reading 1/49 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
There was never any talk of a recovery, and no time was lost in getting the man’s deposition.
He gave but the one account of it: that he had committed suicide because he was sick of seeing so many Englishmen.
The doctor vowed it was impossible, the nature and direction of the wound forbidding it.
Goguelat replied that he was more ingenious than the other thought for, and had propped up the weapon in the ground and fallen on the point—‘just like Nebuchadnezzar,’ he added, winking to the assistants.
The doctor, who was a little, spruce, ruddy man of an impatient temper, pished and pshawed and swore over his patient.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

St. Ives

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of St. Ives is here in full — 248 sentences across 50 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/49 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
There was never any talk of a recovery, and no time was lost in getting the man’s deposition.
Line 2
He gave but the one account of it: that he had committed suicide because he was sick of seeing so many Englishmen.
Line 3
The doctor vowed it was impossible, the nature and direction of the wound forbidding it.
Line 4
Goguelat replied that he was more ingenious than the other thought for, and had propped up the weapon in the ground and fallen on the point—‘just like Nebuchadnezzar,’ he added, winking to the assistants.
Line 5
The doctor, who was a little, spruce, ruddy man of an impatient temper, pished and pshawed and swore over his patient.

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.

Ingenious adjective US /ɪnˈdʒiː.ni.əs/

Clever, original, and remarkably inventive in design and execution.

From this reading “Goguelat replied that he was more ingenious than the other thought for, and had propped up the weapon in the ground and fallen on the point—‘just like Nebuchadnezzar,’ he added, winking to the assistants.”

All words in this reading · 76

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.

a

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

From this reading There was never any talk of a recovery, and no time was lost in getting the man’s deposition.

account

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

From this reading He gave but the one account of it: that he had committed suicide because he was sick of seeing so many Englishmen.

added

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

From this reading Goguelat replied that he was more ingenious than the other thought for, and had propped up the weapon in the ground and fallen on the point—‘just like Nebuchadnezzar,’ he added, winking to the assistants.

an

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

From this reading The doctor, who was a little, spruce, ruddy man of an impatient temper, pished and pshawed and swore over his patient.

and

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

From this reading There was never any talk of a recovery, and no time was lost in getting the man’s deposition.

any

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

From this reading There was never any talk of a recovery, and no time was lost in getting the man’s deposition.

assistants

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

From this reading Goguelat replied that he was more ingenious than the other thought for, and had propped up the weapon in the ground and fallen on the point—‘just like Nebuchadnezzar,’ he added, winking to the assistants.

because

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

From this reading He gave but the one account of it: that he had committed suicide because he was sick of seeing so many Englishmen.

but

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

From this reading He gave but the one account of it: that he had committed suicide because he was sick of seeing so many Englishmen.

committed

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

From this reading He gave but the one account of it: that he had committed suicide because he was sick of seeing so many Englishmen.

deposition

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

From this reading There was never any talk of a recovery, and no time was lost in getting the man’s deposition.

direction

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

From this reading The doctor vowed it was impossible, the nature and direction of the wound forbidding it.

doctor

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

From this reading The doctor vowed it was impossible, the nature and direction of the wound forbidding it.

Englishmen

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

From this reading He gave but the one account of it: that he had committed suicide because he was sick of seeing so many Englishmen.

fallen

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

From this reading Goguelat replied that he was more ingenious than the other thought for, and had propped up the weapon in the ground and fallen on the point—‘just like Nebuchadnezzar,’ he added, winking to the assistants.

for

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

From this reading Goguelat replied that he was more ingenious than the other thought for, and had propped up the weapon in the ground and fallen on the point—‘just like Nebuchadnezzar,’ he added, winking to the assistants.

forbidding

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

From this reading The doctor vowed it was impossible, the nature and direction of the wound forbidding it.

gave

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

From this reading He gave but the one account of it: that he had committed suicide because he was sick of seeing so many Englishmen.

getting

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

From this reading There was never any talk of a recovery, and no time was lost in getting the man’s deposition.

Goguelat

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

From this reading Goguelat replied that he was more ingenious than the other thought for, and had propped up the weapon in the ground and fallen on the point—‘just like Nebuchadnezzar,’ he added, winking to the assistants.

ground

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

From this reading Goguelat replied that he was more ingenious than the other thought for, and had propped up the weapon in the ground and fallen on the point—‘just like Nebuchadnezzar,’ he added, winking to the assistants.

had

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

From this reading He gave but the one account of it: that he had committed suicide because he was sick of seeing so many Englishmen.

He

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

From this reading He gave but the one account of it: that he had committed suicide because he was sick of seeing so many Englishmen.

his

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

From this reading The doctor, who was a little, spruce, ruddy man of an impatient temper, pished and pshawed and swore over his patient.

impatient

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

From this reading The doctor, who was a little, spruce, ruddy man of an impatient temper, pished and pshawed and swore over his patient.

impossible

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

From this reading The doctor vowed it was impossible, the nature and direction of the wound forbidding it.

in

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

From this reading There was never any talk of a recovery, and no time was lost in getting the man’s deposition.

ingeniousadjectiveUS /ɪnˈdʒiː.ni.əs/

Clever, original, and remarkably inventive in design and execution.

From this reading Goguelat replied that he was more ingenious than the other thought for, and had propped up the weapon in the ground and fallen on the point—‘just like Nebuchadnezzar,’ he added, winking to the assistants.

it

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

From this reading He gave but the one account of it: that he had committed suicide because he was sick of seeing so many Englishmen.

just

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

From this reading Goguelat replied that he was more ingenious than the other thought for, and had propped up the weapon in the ground and fallen on the point—‘just like Nebuchadnezzar,’ he added, winking to the assistants.

like

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

From this reading Goguelat replied that he was more ingenious than the other thought for, and had propped up the weapon in the ground and fallen on the point—‘just like Nebuchadnezzar,’ he added, winking to the assistants.

little

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

From this reading The doctor, who was a little, spruce, ruddy man of an impatient temper, pished and pshawed and swore over his patient.

lost

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

From this reading There was never any talk of a recovery, and no time was lost in getting the man’s deposition.

man

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

From this reading The doctor, who was a little, spruce, ruddy man of an impatient temper, pished and pshawed and swore over his patient.

man's

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

From this reading There was never any talk of a recovery, and no time was lost in getting the man’s deposition.

many

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

From this reading He gave but the one account of it: that he had committed suicide because he was sick of seeing so many Englishmen.

more

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

From this reading Goguelat replied that he was more ingenious than the other thought for, and had propped up the weapon in the ground and fallen on the point—‘just like Nebuchadnezzar,’ he added, winking to the assistants.

nature

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

From this reading The doctor vowed it was impossible, the nature and direction of the wound forbidding it.

Nebuchadnezzar

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

From this reading Goguelat replied that he was more ingenious than the other thought for, and had propped up the weapon in the ground and fallen on the point—‘just like Nebuchadnezzar,’ he added, winking to the assistants.

never

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

From this reading There was never any talk of a recovery, and no time was lost in getting the man’s deposition.

no

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

From this reading There was never any talk of a recovery, and no time was lost in getting the man’s deposition.

of

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

From this reading There was never any talk of a recovery, and no time was lost in getting the man’s deposition.

on

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

From this reading Goguelat replied that he was more ingenious than the other thought for, and had propped up the weapon in the ground and fallen on the point—‘just like Nebuchadnezzar,’ he added, winking to the assistants.

one

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

From this reading He gave but the one account of it: that he had committed suicide because he was sick of seeing so many Englishmen.

other

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

From this reading Goguelat replied that he was more ingenious than the other thought for, and had propped up the weapon in the ground and fallen on the point—‘just like Nebuchadnezzar,’ he added, winking to the assistants.

over

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

From this reading The doctor, who was a little, spruce, ruddy man of an impatient temper, pished and pshawed and swore over his patient.

patient

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

From this reading The doctor, who was a little, spruce, ruddy man of an impatient temper, pished and pshawed and swore over his patient.

pished

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

From this reading The doctor, who was a little, spruce, ruddy man of an impatient temper, pished and pshawed and swore over his patient.

point

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

From this reading Goguelat replied that he was more ingenious than the other thought for, and had propped up the weapon in the ground and fallen on the point—‘just like Nebuchadnezzar,’ he added, winking to the assistants.

propped

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

From this reading Goguelat replied that he was more ingenious than the other thought for, and had propped up the weapon in the ground and fallen on the point—‘just like Nebuchadnezzar,’ he added, winking to the assistants.

pshawed

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

From this reading The doctor, who was a little, spruce, ruddy man of an impatient temper, pished and pshawed and swore over his patient.

recovery

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

From this reading There was never any talk of a recovery, and no time was lost in getting the man’s deposition.

replied

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

From this reading Goguelat replied that he was more ingenious than the other thought for, and had propped up the weapon in the ground and fallen on the point—‘just like Nebuchadnezzar,’ he added, winking to the assistants.

ruddy

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

From this reading The doctor, who was a little, spruce, ruddy man of an impatient temper, pished and pshawed and swore over his patient.

seeing

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

From this reading He gave but the one account of it: that he had committed suicide because he was sick of seeing so many Englishmen.

sick

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

From this reading He gave but the one account of it: that he had committed suicide because he was sick of seeing so many Englishmen.

so

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

From this reading He gave but the one account of it: that he had committed suicide because he was sick of seeing so many Englishmen.

spruce

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

From this reading The doctor, who was a little, spruce, ruddy man of an impatient temper, pished and pshawed and swore over his patient.

suicide

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

From this reading He gave but the one account of it: that he had committed suicide because he was sick of seeing so many Englishmen.

swore

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

From this reading The doctor, who was a little, spruce, ruddy man of an impatient temper, pished and pshawed and swore over his patient.

talk

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

From this reading There was never any talk of a recovery, and no time was lost in getting the man’s deposition.

temper

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

From this reading The doctor, who was a little, spruce, ruddy man of an impatient temper, pished and pshawed and swore over his patient.

than

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

From this reading Goguelat replied that he was more ingenious than the other thought for, and had propped up the weapon in the ground and fallen on the point—‘just like Nebuchadnezzar,’ he added, winking to the assistants.

that

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

From this reading He gave but the one account of it: that he had committed suicide because he was sick of seeing so many Englishmen.

the

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

From this reading There was never any talk of a recovery, and no time was lost in getting the man’s deposition.

There

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

From this reading There was never any talk of a recovery, and no time was lost in getting the man’s deposition.

thought

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

From this reading Goguelat replied that he was more ingenious than the other thought for, and had propped up the weapon in the ground and fallen on the point—‘just like Nebuchadnezzar,’ he added, winking to the assistants.

time

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

From this reading There was never any talk of a recovery, and no time was lost in getting the man’s deposition.

to

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

From this reading Goguelat replied that he was more ingenious than the other thought for, and had propped up the weapon in the ground and fallen on the point—‘just like Nebuchadnezzar,’ he added, winking to the assistants.

up

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

From this reading Goguelat replied that he was more ingenious than the other thought for, and had propped up the weapon in the ground and fallen on the point—‘just like Nebuchadnezzar,’ he added, winking to the assistants.

vowed

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

From this reading The doctor vowed it was impossible, the nature and direction of the wound forbidding it.

was

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

From this reading There was never any talk of a recovery, and no time was lost in getting the man’s deposition.

weapon

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

From this reading Goguelat replied that he was more ingenious than the other thought for, and had propped up the weapon in the ground and fallen on the point—‘just like Nebuchadnezzar,’ he added, winking to the assistants.

who

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

From this reading The doctor, who was a little, spruce, ruddy man of an impatient temper, pished and pshawed and swore over his patient.

winking

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

From this reading Goguelat replied that he was more ingenious than the other thought for, and had propped up the weapon in the ground and fallen on the point—‘just like Nebuchadnezzar,’ he added, winking to the assistants.

wound

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

From this reading The doctor vowed it was impossible, the nature and direction of the wound forbidding it.

Chapter 3 of St. Ives by Robert Louis Stevenson holds 248 sentences, grouped into 50 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 3 of St. Ives contain?

Chapter 3 holds 248 sentences of St. Ives, unabridged, divided into 50 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 3 of St. Ives by Robert Louis Stevenson exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 248 sentences, grouped into 50 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 3 of St. Ives?

Work through the 50 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 50 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 3 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 3 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 St. Ives

Common questions about reading St. Ives by Robert Louis Stevenson on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of St. Ives?

Yes. All 5601 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #322 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of St. Ives is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #322, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does St. Ives take to read?

About 466 minutes of reading across 1121 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read St. Ives section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 30 chapters of St. Ives 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 St. Ives

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

Month
A word that appears in the opening chapter of St. Ives; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Unlucky
A word that appears in the opening chapter of St. Ives; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Hands
A word that appears in the opening chapter of St. Ives; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Enemy
A word that appears in the opening chapter of St. Ives; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.