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St. Ives
St. Ives

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of St. Ives is here in full — 155 sentences across 31 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for St. Ives
Context Illustration Reading 1/31 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.
This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.
In spite of his plainness, he had that inscrutable air of a man well-to-do in his affairs.
I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.
So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.
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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 IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of St. Ives is here in full — 155 sentences across 31 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/31 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.
Line 2
This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.
Line 3
In spite of his plainness, he had that inscrutable air of a man well-to-do in his affairs.
Line 4
I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.
Line 5
So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.

All words in this reading · 88

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 I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.

abominable

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

From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.

accent

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

From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.

addressed

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

From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.

affairs

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

From this reading In spite of his plainness, he had that inscrutable air of a man well-to-do in his affairs.

after

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

From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.

age

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

From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.

air

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

From this reading In spite of his plainness, he had that inscrutable air of a man well-to-do in his affairs.

an

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

From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.

and

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

From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.

as

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

From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.

been

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

From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.

betwixt

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

From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.

black

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

From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.

breech

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

From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.

but

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

From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.

by

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

From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.

cannon

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

From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.

civilian

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

From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.

clothes

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

From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.

colour

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

From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.

comical

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

From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.

conceived

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

From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.

consideration

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

From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.

cut

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

From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.

distance

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

From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.

dressed

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

From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.

drew

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

From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.

eyebrows

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

From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.

eyes

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

From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.

face

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

From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.

find

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

From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.

fluency

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

From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.

for

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

From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.

forehead

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

From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.

French

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

From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.

from

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

From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.

good

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

From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.

had

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

From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.

he

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

From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.

his

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

From this reading In spite of his plainness, he had that inscrutable air of a man well-to-do in his affairs.

I

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

From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.

in

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

From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.

inscrutable

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

From this reading In spite of his plainness, he had that inscrutable air of a man well-to-do in his affairs.

language

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

From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.

man

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

From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.

marked

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

From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.

me

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

From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.

met

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

From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.

middle

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

From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.

morning

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

From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.

mulberry

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

From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.

myself

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

From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.

near

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

From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.

object

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

From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.

observing

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

From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.

of

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

From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.

on

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

From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.

one

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

From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.

our

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

From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.

piece

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

From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.

plainness

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

From this reading In spite of his plainness, he had that inscrutable air of a man well-to-do in his affairs.

protuberant

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

From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.

Quakerish

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

From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.

quite

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

From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.

round

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

From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.

sat

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

From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.

shortly

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

From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.

So

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

From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.

some

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

From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.

soon

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

From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.

sparrow

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

From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.

spite

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

From this reading In spite of his plainness, he had that inscrutable air of a man well-to-do in his affairs.

spoke

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

From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.

stranger

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

From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.

surprised

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

From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.

that

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

From this reading In spite of his plainness, he had that inscrutable air of a man well-to-do in his affairs.

the

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

From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.

This

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

From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.

to

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

From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.

tufted

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

From this reading This was a man of the middle age; he had a face of a mulberry colour, round black eyes, comical tufted eyebrows, and a protuberant forehead; and was dressed in clothes of a Quakerish cut.

unalarmed

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

From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.

us

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

From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.

was

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

From this reading I was surprised one morning, shortly after, to find myself the object of marked consideration by a civilian and a stranger.

well-to-do

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

From this reading In spite of his plainness, he had that inscrutable air of a man well-to-do in his affairs.

which

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

From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.

while

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

From this reading I conceived he had been some while observing me from a distance, for a sparrow sat betwixt us quite unalarmed on the breech of a piece of cannon.

with

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

From this reading So soon as our eyes met, he drew near and addressed me in the French language, which he spoke with a good fluency but an abominable accent.

Chapter 4 of St. Ives by Robert Louis Stevenson holds 155 sentences, grouped into 31 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 4 of St. Ives contain?

Chapter 4 holds 155 sentences of St. Ives, unabridged, divided into 31 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of St. Ives by Robert Louis Stevenson exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 155 sentences, grouped into 31 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 4 of St. Ives?

Work through the 31 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 31 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 4 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 4 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.