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The $30,000 Bequest, and Other Stories

Chapter XXIV · Chapter 24

Chapter 27 of The $30,000 Bequest, and Other Stories is here in full — 8 sentences across 2 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Mark Twain • Curated US English Learning Edition

Cover illustration for The $30,000 Bequest, and Other Stories

English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 8

The fairy appeared, and said:

“Four of the gifts remain.

Choose once more; and oh, remember--time is flying, and only one of them is precious.”

The man considered long, then chose Love; and did not mark the tears that rose in the fairy's eyes.

After many, many years the man sat by a coffin, in an empty home.

And he communed with himself, saying: “One by one they have gone away and left me; and now she lies here, the dearest and the last.

Desolation after desolation has swept over me; for each hour of happiness the treacherous trader, Love, has sold me I have paid a thousand hours of grief.

Out of my heart of hearts I curse him.”

Narrator

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.

The $30,000 Bequest, and Other Stories Mark Twain

Cover illustration for The $30,000 Bequest, and Other Stories

Chapter XXIV

Chapter 24

Chapter 27 of The $30,000 Bequest, and Other Stories is here in full — 8 sentences across 2 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

The fairy appeared, and said: “Four of the gifts remain. Choose once more; and oh, remember--time is flying, and only one of them is precious.” The man considered long, then chose Love; and did not mark the tears that rose in the fairy's eyes. After many, many years the man sat by a coffin, in an empty home. And he communed with himself, saying: “One by one they have gone away and left me; and now she lies here, the dearest and the last. Desolation after desolation has swept over me; for each hour of happiness the treacherous trader, Love, has sold me I have paid a thousand hours of grief. Out of my heart of hearts I curse him.”

The $30,000 Bequest, and Other Stories

Chapter XXIV · Chapter 24

Chapter 27 of The $30,000 Bequest, and Other Stories is here in full — 8 sentences across 2 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/1 · 8 reading units · Lines 1–8

Line 1

The fairy appeared, and said:

Line 2

“Four of the gifts remain.

Line 3

Choose once more; and oh, remember--time is flying, and only one of them is precious.”

Line 4

The man considered long, then chose Love; and did not mark the tears that rose in the fairy's eyes.

Line 5

After many, many years the man sat by a coffin, in an empty home.

Line 6

And he communed with himself, saying: “One by one they have gone away and left me; and now she lies here, the dearest and the last.

Line 7

Desolation after desolation has swept over me; for each hour of happiness the treacherous trader, Love, has sold me I have paid a thousand hours of grief.

Line 8

Out of my heart of hearts I curse him.”

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.

Remember verb US /rɪˈmɛm.bər/

To recall to mind.

From this reading “Choose once more; and oh, remember--time is flying, and only one of them is precious.””

All words in this reading · 85

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 After many, many years the man sat by a coffin, in an empty home.

After

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

From this reading After many, many years the man sat by a coffin, in an empty home.

an

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

From this reading After many, many years the man sat by a coffin, in an empty home.

and

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

From this reading The fairy appeared, and said:

appeared

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

From this reading The fairy appeared, and said:

away

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

From this reading And he communed with himself, saying: “One by one they have gone away and left me; and now she lies here, the dearest and the last.

by

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

From this reading After many, many years the man sat by a coffin, in an empty home.

Choose

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

From this reading Choose once more; and oh, remember--time is flying, and only one of them is precious.”

chose

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

From this reading The man considered long, then chose Love; and did not mark the tears that rose in the fairy's eyes.

coffin

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

From this reading After many, many years the man sat by a coffin, in an empty home.

communed

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

From this reading And he communed with himself, saying: “One by one they have gone away and left me; and now she lies here, the dearest and the last.

considered

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

From this reading The man considered long, then chose Love; and did not mark the tears that rose in the fairy's eyes.

curse

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

From this reading Out of my heart of hearts I curse him.”

dearest

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

From this reading And he communed with himself, saying: “One by one they have gone away and left me; and now she lies here, the dearest and the last.

Desolation

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

From this reading Desolation after desolation has swept over me; for each hour of happiness the treacherous trader, Love, has sold me I have paid a thousand hours of grief.

did

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

From this reading The man considered long, then chose Love; and did not mark the tears that rose in the fairy's eyes.

each

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

From this reading Desolation after desolation has swept over me; for each hour of happiness the treacherous trader, Love, has sold me I have paid a thousand hours of grief.

empty

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

From this reading After many, many years the man sat by a coffin, in an empty home.

eyes

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

From this reading The man considered long, then chose Love; and did not mark the tears that rose in the fairy's eyes.

fairy

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

From this reading The fairy appeared, and said:

fairy's

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

From this reading The man considered long, then chose Love; and did not mark the tears that rose in the fairy's eyes.

flying

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

From this reading Choose once more; and oh, remember--time is flying, and only one of them is precious.”

for

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

From this reading Desolation after desolation has swept over me; for each hour of happiness the treacherous trader, Love, has sold me I have paid a thousand hours of grief.

Four

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

From this reading “Four of the gifts remain.

gifts

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

From this reading “Four of the gifts remain.

gone

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

From this reading And he communed with himself, saying: “One by one they have gone away and left me; and now she lies here, the dearest and the last.

grief

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

From this reading Desolation after desolation has swept over me; for each hour of happiness the treacherous trader, Love, has sold me I have paid a thousand hours of grief.

happiness

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

From this reading Desolation after desolation has swept over me; for each hour of happiness the treacherous trader, Love, has sold me I have paid a thousand hours of grief.

has

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

From this reading Desolation after desolation has swept over me; for each hour of happiness the treacherous trader, Love, has sold me I have paid a thousand hours of grief.

have

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

From this reading And he communed with himself, saying: “One by one they have gone away and left me; and now she lies here, the dearest and the last.

he

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

From this reading And he communed with himself, saying: “One by one they have gone away and left me; and now she lies here, the dearest and the last.

heart

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

From this reading Out of my heart of hearts I curse him.”

hearts

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

From this reading Out of my heart of hearts I curse him.”

here

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

From this reading And he communed with himself, saying: “One by one they have gone away and left me; and now she lies here, the dearest and the last.

him

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

From this reading Out of my heart of hearts I curse him.”

himself

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

From this reading And he communed with himself, saying: “One by one they have gone away and left me; and now she lies here, the dearest and the last.

home

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

From this reading After many, many years the man sat by a coffin, in an empty home.

hour

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

From this reading Desolation after desolation has swept over me; for each hour of happiness the treacherous trader, Love, has sold me I have paid a thousand hours of grief.

hours

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

From this reading Desolation after desolation has swept over me; for each hour of happiness the treacherous trader, Love, has sold me I have paid a thousand hours of grief.

I

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

From this reading Desolation after desolation has swept over me; for each hour of happiness the treacherous trader, Love, has sold me I have paid a thousand hours of grief.

in

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

From this reading The man considered long, then chose Love; and did not mark the tears that rose in the fairy's eyes.

is

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

From this reading Choose once more; and oh, remember--time is flying, and only one of them is precious.”

last

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

From this reading And he communed with himself, saying: “One by one they have gone away and left me; and now she lies here, the dearest and the last.

left

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

From this reading And he communed with himself, saying: “One by one they have gone away and left me; and now she lies here, the dearest and the last.

lies

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

From this reading And he communed with himself, saying: “One by one they have gone away and left me; and now she lies here, the dearest and the last.

long

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

From this reading The man considered long, then chose Love; and did not mark the tears that rose in the fairy's eyes.

Love

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

From this reading The man considered long, then chose Love; and did not mark the tears that rose in the fairy's eyes.

man

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

From this reading The man considered long, then chose Love; and did not mark the tears that rose in the fairy's eyes.

many

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

From this reading After many, many years the man sat by a coffin, in an empty home.

mark

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

From this reading The man considered long, then chose Love; and did not mark the tears that rose in the fairy's eyes.

me

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

From this reading And he communed with himself, saying: “One by one they have gone away and left me; and now she lies here, the dearest and the last.

more

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

From this reading Choose once more; and oh, remember--time is flying, and only one of them is precious.”

my

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

From this reading Out of my heart of hearts I curse him.”

not

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

From this reading The man considered long, then chose Love; and did not mark the tears that rose in the fairy's eyes.

now

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

From this reading And he communed with himself, saying: “One by one they have gone away and left me; and now she lies here, the dearest and the last.

of

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

From this reading “Four of the gifts remain.

oh

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

From this reading Choose once more; and oh, remember--time is flying, and only one of them is precious.”

once

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

From this reading Choose once more; and oh, remember--time is flying, and only one of them is precious.”

one

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

From this reading Choose once more; and oh, remember--time is flying, and only one of them is precious.”

only

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

From this reading Choose once more; and oh, remember--time is flying, and only one of them is precious.”

Out

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

From this reading Out of my heart of hearts I curse him.”

over

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

From this reading Desolation after desolation has swept over me; for each hour of happiness the treacherous trader, Love, has sold me I have paid a thousand hours of grief.

paid

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

From this reading Desolation after desolation has swept over me; for each hour of happiness the treacherous trader, Love, has sold me I have paid a thousand hours of grief.

precious

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

From this reading Choose once more; and oh, remember--time is flying, and only one of them is precious.”

remain

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

From this reading “Four of the gifts remain.

rememberverbUS /rɪˈmɛm.bər/

To recall to mind.

From this reading Choose once more; and oh, remember--time is flying, and only one of them is precious.”

rose

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

From this reading The man considered long, then chose Love; and did not mark the tears that rose in the fairy's eyes.

said

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

From this reading The fairy appeared, and said:

sat

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

From this reading After many, many years the man sat by a coffin, in an empty home.

saying

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

From this reading And he communed with himself, saying: “One by one they have gone away and left me; and now she lies here, the dearest and the last.

she

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

From this reading And he communed with himself, saying: “One by one they have gone away and left me; and now she lies here, the dearest and the last.

sold

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

From this reading Desolation after desolation has swept over me; for each hour of happiness the treacherous trader, Love, has sold me I have paid a thousand hours of grief.

swept

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

From this reading Desolation after desolation has swept over me; for each hour of happiness the treacherous trader, Love, has sold me I have paid a thousand hours of grief.

tears

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

From this reading The man considered long, then chose Love; and did not mark the tears that rose in the fairy's eyes.

that

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

From this reading The man considered long, then chose Love; and did not mark the tears that rose in the fairy's eyes.

The

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

From this reading The fairy appeared, and said:

them

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

From this reading Choose once more; and oh, remember--time is flying, and only one of them is precious.”

then

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

From this reading The man considered long, then chose Love; and did not mark the tears that rose in the fairy's eyes.

they

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

From this reading And he communed with himself, saying: “One by one they have gone away and left me; and now she lies here, the dearest and the last.

thousand

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

From this reading Desolation after desolation has swept over me; for each hour of happiness the treacherous trader, Love, has sold me I have paid a thousand hours of grief.

time

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

From this reading Choose once more; and oh, remember--time is flying, and only one of them is precious.”

trader

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

From this reading Desolation after desolation has swept over me; for each hour of happiness the treacherous trader, Love, has sold me I have paid a thousand hours of grief.

treacherous

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

From this reading Desolation after desolation has swept over me; for each hour of happiness the treacherous trader, Love, has sold me I have paid a thousand hours of grief.

with

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

From this reading And he communed with himself, saying: “One by one they have gone away and left me; and now she lies here, the dearest and the last.

years

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

From this reading After many, many years the man sat by a coffin, in an empty home.

Chapter 27 of The $30,000 Bequest, and Other Stories by Mark Twain holds 8 sentences, grouped into 2 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 27 of The $30,000 Bequest, and Other Stories contain?

Chapter 27 holds 8 sentences of The $30,000 Bequest, and Other Stories, unabridged, divided into 2 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 27 of The $30,000 Bequest, and Other Stories by Mark Twain exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 8 sentences, grouped into 2 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 27 of The $30,000 Bequest, and Other Stories?

Work through the 2 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 2 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 27 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 27 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 The $30,000 Bequest, and Other Stories

Common questions about reading The $30,000 Bequest, and Other Stories by Mark Twain on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The $30,000 Bequest, and Other Stories?

Yes. All 5342 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #142 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The $30,000 Bequest, and Other Stories is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #142, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The $30,000 Bequest, and Other Stories take to read?

About 445 minutes of reading across 1069 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The $30,000 Bequest, and Other Stories section by section

How to work through The $30,000 Bequest, and Other Stories section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

Open a chapter

Choose one of the 27 chapters of The $30,000 Bequest, and Other Stories to begin.
Read one section

Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Listen and tap

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

Vocabulary met early in The $30,000 Bequest, and Other Stories

Words and structures a reader meets early in The $30,000 Bequest, and Other Stories, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Blues: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The $30,000 Bequest, and Other Stories; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Curious: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The $30,000 Bequest, and Other Stories; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Californian's: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The $30,000 Bequest, and Other Stories; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Helpless: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The $30,000 Bequest, and Other Stories; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.