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The Alkahest
The Alkahest

Chapter V

Cover illustration for The Alkahest
Context Illustration Reading 1/36 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”
“Be good, my darlings,” she said, raising the lower sash of the window and leaving it up to air the room.
Then she knocked gently on the door of communication, to assure herself that Balthazar had not fallen into abstraction.
He opened it, and seeing him half-dressed, she said in joyous tones:-- “You won’t leave me long with Pierquin, will you?
Come as soon as you can.”
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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.

The Alkahest

Chapter V

Reading 1/36 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”
Line 2
“Be good, my darlings,” she said, raising the lower sash of the window and leaving it up to air the room.
Line 3
Then she knocked gently on the door of communication, to assure herself that Balthazar had not fallen into abstraction.
Line 4
He opened it, and seeing him half-dressed, she said in joyous tones:-- “You won’t leave me long with Pierquin, will you?
Line 5
Come as soon as you can.”

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

Come noun US /come/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Come as soon as you can.””

Good noun US /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading ““Be good, my darlings,” she said, raising the lower sash of the window and leaving it up to air the room.”

Herself pronoun US /hərˈself/

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading “Then she knocked gently on the door of communication, to assure herself that Balthazar had not fallen into abstraction.”

Left noun US /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.””

Long noun US /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He opened it, and seeing him half-dressed, she said in joyous tones:-- “You won’t leave me long with Pierquin, will you?”

Looked noun US /looked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.””

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.””

Seeing noun US /seeing/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He opened it, and seeing him half-dressed, she said in joyous tones:-- “You won’t leave me long with Pierquin, will you?”

Soon noun US /soon/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Come as soon as you can.””

Those determiner US /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading “As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.””

Through noun US /ˈthrough/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.””

All words in this reading · 82

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

abstraction

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

From this reading Then she knocked gently on the door of communication, to assure herself that Balthazar had not fallen into abstraction.

air

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

From this reading “Be good, my darlings,” she said, raising the lower sash of the window and leaving it up to air the room.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”

assure

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

From this reading Then she knocked gently on the door of communication, to assure herself that Balthazar had not fallen into abstraction.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”

Balthazar

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

From this reading Then she knocked gently on the door of communication, to assure herself that Balthazar had not fallen into abstraction.

Beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading “Be good, my darlings,” she said, raising the lower sash of the window and leaving it up to air the room.

called

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

From this reading As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading Come as soon as you can.”

chamber

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

From this reading As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”

children

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

From this reading As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”

Claes

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

From this reading As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”

ComenounUS /come/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Come as soon as you can.”

commonly

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

From this reading As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”

communication

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

From this reading Then she knocked gently on the door of communication, to assure herself that Balthazar had not fallen into abstraction.

darlings

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

From this reading “Be good, my darlings,” she said, raising the lower sash of the window and leaving it up to air the room.

darning-needles

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

From this reading As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”

door

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

From this reading Then she knocked gently on the door of communication, to assure herself that Balthazar had not fallen into abstraction.

fallen

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

From this reading Then she knocked gently on the door of communication, to assure herself that Balthazar had not fallen into abstraction.

garden

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

From this reading As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”

gently

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

From this reading Then she knocked gently on the door of communication, to assure herself that Balthazar had not fallen into abstraction.

glanced

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

From this reading As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”

gold

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

From this reading As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”

goodnounUS /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Be good, my darlings,” she said, raising the lower sash of the window and leaving it up to air the room.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Then she knocked gently on the door of communication, to assure herself that Balthazar had not fallen into abstraction.

half-dressed

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

From this reading He opened it, and seeing him half-dressed, she said in joyous tones:-- “You won’t leave me long with Pierquin, will you?

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He opened it, and seeing him half-dressed, she said in joyous tones:-- “You won’t leave me long with Pierquin, will you?

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”

herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading Then she knocked gently on the door of communication, to assure herself that Balthazar had not fallen into abstraction.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading He opened it, and seeing him half-dressed, she said in joyous tones:-- “You won’t leave me long with Pierquin, will you?

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading He opened it, and seeing him half-dressed, she said in joyous tones:-- “You won’t leave me long with Pierquin, will you?

insects

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

From this reading As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Then she knocked gently on the door of communication, to assure herself that Balthazar had not fallen into abstraction.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading “Be good, my darlings,” she said, raising the lower sash of the window and leaving it up to air the room.

joyous

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

From this reading He opened it, and seeing him half-dressed, she said in joyous tones:-- “You won’t leave me long with Pierquin, will you?

knocked

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

From this reading Then she knocked gently on the door of communication, to assure herself that Balthazar had not fallen into abstraction.

leave

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

From this reading He opened it, and seeing him half-dressed, she said in joyous tones:-- “You won’t leave me long with Pierquin, will you?

leaving

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

From this reading “Be good, my darlings,” she said, raising the lower sash of the window and leaving it up to air the room.

leftnounUS /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”

longnounUS /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He opened it, and seeing him half-dressed, she said in joyous tones:-- “You won’t leave me long with Pierquin, will you?

lookednounUS /looked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”

lower

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

From this reading “Be good, my darlings,” she said, raising the lower sash of the window and leaving it up to air the room.

Madame

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

From this reading As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”

Marguerite

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

From this reading As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading He opened it, and seeing him half-dressed, she said in joyous tones:-- “You won’t leave me long with Pierquin, will you?

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading “Be good, my darlings,” she said, raising the lower sash of the window and leaving it up to air the room.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Then she knocked gently on the door of communication, to assure herself that Balthazar had not fallen into abstraction.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”

opened

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

From this reading He opened it, and seeing him half-dressed, she said in joyous tones:-- “You won’t leave me long with Pierquin, will you?

Pierquin

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

From this reading He opened it, and seeing him half-dressed, she said in joyous tones:-- “You won’t leave me long with Pierquin, will you?

raising

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

From this reading “Be good, my darlings,” she said, raising the lower sash of the window and leaving it up to air the room.

room

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

From this reading As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”

said

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

From this reading “Be good, my darlings,” she said, raising the lower sash of the window and leaving it up to air the room.

sash

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

From this reading “Be good, my darlings,” she said, raising the lower sash of the window and leaving it up to air the room.

saw

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

From this reading As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”

seeing

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

From this reading He opened it, and seeing him half-dressed, she said in joyous tones:-- “You won’t leave me long with Pierquin, will you?

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading “Be good, my darlings,” she said, raising the lower sash of the window and leaving it up to air the room.

shining

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

From this reading As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”

soon

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

From this reading Come as soon as you can.”

spotted

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

From this reading As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”

Then

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

From this reading Then she knocked gently on the door of communication, to assure herself that Balthazar had not fallen into abstraction.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”

throughnounUS /ˈthrough/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading “Be good, my darlings,” she said, raising the lower sash of the window and leaving it up to air the room.

tones

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

From this reading He opened it, and seeing him half-dressed, she said in joyous tones:-- “You won’t leave me long with Pierquin, will you?

up

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

From this reading “Be good, my darlings,” she said, raising the lower sash of the window and leaving it up to air the room.

watching

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

From this reading As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading He opened it, and seeing him half-dressed, she said in joyous tones:-- “You won’t leave me long with Pierquin, will you?

window

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

From this reading “Be good, my darlings,” she said, raising the lower sash of the window and leaving it up to air the room.

windows

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

From this reading As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”

wings

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

From this reading As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading As Marguerite left the room, Madame Claes glanced at the children through the windows of her chamber, which looked on the garden, and saw that they were watching one of those insects with shining wings spotted with gold, commonly called “darning-needles.”

won't

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

From this reading He opened it, and seeing him half-dressed, she said in joyous tones:-- “You won’t leave me long with Pierquin, will you?

YoupronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading He opened it, and seeing him half-dressed, she said in joyous tones:-- “You won’t leave me long with Pierquin, will you?