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Taking the Bastile
Taking the Bastile

Chapter IX

Chapter 9 of Taking the Bastile is here in full — 162 sentences across 33 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Alexandre Dumas • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for Taking the Bastile
Context Illustration Reading 1/32 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"TO THE BASTILE!"
Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.
The question was, as laid down by the elder, whether they ought to stay where they were, in comparative safety, or return into the action.
He waited for Pitou's opinion.
Pitou had grown in the farmer's estimation, from the learning he had shown down in the country and the bravery he showed this evening.
0:00 / 0:00
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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.

Taking the Bastile

Chapter IX

Chapter 9 of Taking the Bastile is here in full — 162 sentences across 33 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/32 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"TO THE BASTILE!"
Line 2
Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.
Line 3
The question was, as laid down by the elder, whether they ought to stay where they were, in comparative safety, or return into the action.
/ðə ˈkwestʃən wɑːz æz leɪd daʊn baɪ ðə ˈeldər ˈweðər ðeɪ ɔːt tuː steɪ wer ðeɪ wɜːr ɪn kəmˈperətɪv ˈseɪfti ɔːr rɪˈtɜːrn ˈɪntuː ðə ˈækʃən/
Line 4
He waited for Pitou's opinion.
Line 5
Pitou had grown in the farmer's estimation, from the learning he had shown down in the country and the bravery he showed this evening.

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.

bravery noun US /ˈbreɪvəri/

a quality of spirit that enables you to face danger or pain without showing fear

From this reading “Pitou had grown in the farmer's estimation, from the learning he had shown down in the country and the bravery he showed this evening.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
comparative adjective US /kəmˈperətɪv/

relating to or based on or involving comparison

From this reading “The question was, as laid down by the elder, whether they ought to stay where they were, in comparative safety, or return into the action.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
countrymen noun US /ˈkʌntrimɪn/

plural of “countryman” — a man from your own country

From this reading “Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
estimation noun US /ˌestəˈmeɪʃən/

a document appraising the value of something (as for insurance or taxation)

From this reading “Pitou had grown in the farmer's estimation, from the learning he had shown down in the country and the bravery he showed this evening.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
farmer's noun US /ˈfɑːrmərz/

possessive form of “farmer” — a person who operates a farm

From this reading “Pitou had grown in the farmer's estimation, from the learning he had shown down in the country and the bravery he showed this evening.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
glitter noun US /ˈɡlɪtər/

the quality of shining with a bright reflected light

From this reading “Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
probability noun US /ˌprɑːbəˈbɪlətiː/

a measure of how likely it is that some event will occur; a number expressing the ratio of favorable cases to the whole number of cases possible

From this reading “Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
spying noun US /ˈspaɪɪŋ/

keeping a secret or furtive watch

From this reading “Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.”

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.

comparative safety adjective + noun

In this reading “The question was, as laid down by the elder, whether they ought to stay where they were, in comparative safety, or return into the action.”

334 times in 426,211 chapters
all probability adjective + noun

In this reading “Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.”

5,584 times in 426,211 chapters
beneath the trees preposition + article + noun counted as “beneath … tree”

In this reading “Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.”

1,607 times in 426,211 chapters
lay down verb + adjective

institute, enact, or establish

In this reading “Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.”

19,738 times in 426,211 chapters
grass beneath verb + particle

In this reading “Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.”

284 times in 426,211 chapters
waited for verb + particle counted as “wait for”

In this reading “He waited for Pitou's opinion.”

50,095 times in 426,211 chapters
river edge noun + noun

In this reading “Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.”

417 times in 426,211 chapters
on the river preposition + article + noun counted as “on … river”

In this reading “Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.”

7,520 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 65

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 Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
actionnounUS /ˈækʃən/

something done (usually as opposed to something said)

From this reading The question was, as laid down by the elder, whether they ought to stay where they were, in comparative safety, or return into the action.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
armsnounUS /ɑːrmz/

weapons considered collectively

From this reading Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading The question was, as laid down by the elder, whether they ought to stay where they were, in comparative safety, or return into the action.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
BASTILE

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

From this reading "TO THE BASTILE!"

Pending verification
beneathprepositionUS /bɪˈniːθ/

Directly under; in or to a lower position than.

From this reading Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.

Velmora curated lexicon
braverynounUS /ˈbreɪvəri/

a quality of spirit that enables you to face danger or pain without showing fear

From this reading Pitou had grown in the farmer's estimation, from the learning he had shown down in the country and the bravery he showed this evening.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
BridgenounUS /brɪdʒ/

a structure that allows people or vehicles to cross an obstacle such as a river or canal or railway etc.

From this reading Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading The question was, as laid down by the elder, whether they ought to stay where they were, in comparative safety, or return into the action.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
comparativeadjectiveUS /kəmˈperətɪv/

relating to or based on or involving comparison

From this reading The question was, as laid down by the elder, whether they ought to stay where they were, in comparative safety, or return into the action.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
councilnounUS /ˈkaʊnsəl/

a body serving in an administrative capacity

From this reading Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
countrynounUS /ˈkʌntri/

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading Pitou had grown in the farmer's estimation, from the learning he had shown down in the country and the bravery he showed this evening.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
countrymennounUS /ˈkʌntrimɪn/

plural of “countryman” — a man from your own country

From this reading Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
edgenounUS /edʒ/

the boundary of a surface

From this reading Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
eldernounUS /ˈeldər/

a person who is older than you are

From this reading The question was, as laid down by the elder, whether they ought to stay where they were, in comparative safety, or return into the action.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
estimationnounUS /ˌestəˈmeɪʃən/

a document appraising the value of something (as for insurance or taxation)

From this reading Pitou had grown in the farmer's estimation, from the learning he had shown down in the country and the bravery he showed this evening.

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 Pitou had grown in the farmer's estimation, from the learning he had shown down in the country and the bravery he showed this evening.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
farmer'snounUS /ˈfɑːrmərz/

possessive form of “farmer” — a person who operates a farm

From this reading Pitou had grown in the farmer's estimation, from the learning he had shown down in the country and the bravery he showed this evening.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading He waited for Pitou's opinion.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
friendlyadjectiveUS /ˈfrendli/

characteristic of or befitting a friend

From this reading Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Pitou had grown in the farmer's estimation, from the learning he had shown down in the country and the bravery he showed this evening.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
glitternounUS /ˈɡlɪtər/

the quality of shining with a bright reflected light

From this reading Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
grassverbUS /ɡræs/

shoot down, of birds

From this reading Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
grownadjectiveUS /ɡroʊn/

(of animals) fully developed

From this reading Pitou had grown in the farmer's estimation, from the learning he had shown down in the country and the bravery he showed this evening.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Pitou had grown in the farmer's estimation, from the learning he had shown down in the country and the bravery he showed this evening.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
handsnounUS /hændz/

(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child

From this reading Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He waited for Pitou's opinion.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
heldadjectiveUS /held/

occupied or in the control of; often used in combination

From this reading Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading The question was, as laid down by the elder, whether they ought to stay where they were, in comparative safety, or return into the action.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
laidadjectiveUS /leɪd/

set down according to a plan

From this reading The question was, as laid down by the elder, whether they ought to stay where they were, in comparative safety, or return into the action.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
layverbUS /leɪ/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
learningnounUS /ˈlɜːrnɪŋ/

the cognitive process of acquiring skill or knowledge

From this reading Pitou had grown in the farmer's estimation, from the learning he had shown down in the country and the bravery he showed this evening.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
OnceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
opinionnounUS /əˈpɪnjən/

a personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty

From this reading He waited for Pitou's opinion.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading The question was, as laid down by the elder, whether they ought to stay where they were, in comparative safety, or return into the action.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
oughtmodal verbUS /ɔːt/

used with “to” to say what is right or advisable

From this reading The question was, as laid down by the elder, whether they ought to stay where they were, in comparative safety, or return into the action.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
Pitou

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

From this reading Pitou had grown in the farmer's estimation, from the learning he had shown down in the country and the bravery he showed this evening.

Pending verification
Pitou's

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

From this reading He waited for Pitou's opinion.

Pending verification
probabilitynounUS /ˌprɑːbəˈbɪlətiː/

a measure of how likely it is that some event will occur; a number expressing the ratio of favorable cases to the whole number of cases possible

From this reading Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
questionverbUS /ˈkwestʃən/

challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of

From this reading The question was, as laid down by the elder, whether they ought to stay where they were, in comparative safety, or return into the action.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
returnverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrn/

go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading The question was, as laid down by the elder, whether they ought to stay where they were, in comparative safety, or return into the action.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rivernounUS /ˈrɪvər/

a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)

From this reading Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
safetynounUS /ˈseɪfti/

the state of being certain that adverse effects will not be caused by some agent under defined conditions

From this reading The question was, as laid down by the elder, whether they ought to stay where they were, in comparative safety, or return into the action.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
showedverbUS /ʃoʊd/

past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading Pitou had grown in the farmer's estimation, from the learning he had shown down in the country and the bravery he showed this evening.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
shownverbUS /ʃoʊn/

inflected form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading Pitou had grown in the farmer's estimation, from the learning he had shown down in the country and the bravery he showed this evening.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
spyingnounUS /ˈspaɪɪŋ/

keeping a secret or furtive watch

From this reading Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
stayverbUS /steɪ/

stay the same; remain in a certain state

From this reading The question was, as laid down by the elder, whether they ought to stay where they were, in comparative safety, or return into the action.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading "TO THE BASTILE!"

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading The question was, as laid down by the elder, whether they ought to stay where they were, in comparative safety, or return into the action.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading Pitou had grown in the farmer's estimation, from the learning he had shown down in the country and the bravery he showed this evening.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
TOparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading "TO THE BASTILE!"

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
treesnounUS /triːz/

plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms

From this reading Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Tuileriesnoun

palace and royal residence built for Catherine de Medicis in 1564 and burned down in 1871; all that remains today are the formal gardens

From this reading Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading Once on the river edge, the two countrymen, spying arms glitter on the Tuileries Bridge, in all probability, not in friendly hands, lay down in the grass beneath the trees, and held a council.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
waitedverbUS /ˈweɪtɪd/

past form of “wait” — stay in one place and anticipate or expect something

From this reading He waited for Pitou's opinion.

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 The question was, as laid down by the elder, whether they ought to stay where they were, in comparative safety, or return into the action.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading The question was, as laid down by the elder, whether they ought to stay where they were, in comparative safety, or return into the action.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading The question was, as laid down by the elder, whether they ought to stay where they were, in comparative safety, or return into the action.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/

used to introduce two or more possibilities

From this reading The question was, as laid down by the elder, whether they ought to stay where they were, in comparative safety, or return into the action.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 9 of Taking the Bastile by Alexandre Dumas holds 162 sentences, grouped into 33 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 9 of Taking the Bastile contain?

Chapter 9 holds 162 sentences of Taking the Bastile, unabridged, divided into 33 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 9 of Taking the Bastile by Alexandre Dumas exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 162 sentences, grouped into 33 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 9 of Taking the Bastile?

Work through the 33 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 33 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 9 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 9 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 Taking the Bastile

Common questions about reading Taking the Bastile by Alexandre Dumas on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Taking the Bastile?

Yes. All 4063 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #45424 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Taking the Bastile is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #45424, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Taking the Bastile take to read?

About 338 minutes of reading across 813 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Taking the Bastile section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

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  2. Read one section

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  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Taking the Bastile

Words and structures a reader meets early in Taking the Bastile, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Enclosed
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Taking the Bastile; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Equal
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Taking the Bastile; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Signs
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Taking the Bastile; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Symbol-pointing
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Taking the Bastile; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.