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The Altar of the Dead
The Altar of the Dead

Chapter IX · Chapter 9

Chapter 9 of The Altar of the Dead is here in full — 124 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/24 · 5 lines
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And yet this was no solution, especially after he had talked again to his friend of all it had been his plan she should finally do for him.
He had talked in the other days, and she had responded with a frankness qualified only by a courteous reluctance, a reluctance that touched him, to linger on the question of his death.
She had then practically accepted the charge, suffered him to feel he could depend upon her to be the eventual guardian of his shrine; and it was in the name of what had so passed between them that he appealed to her not to forsake him in his age.
She listened at present with shining coldness and all her habitual forbearance to insist on her terms; her deprecation was even still tenderer, for it expressed the compassion of her own sense that he was abandoned.
Her terms, however, remained the same, and scarcely the less audible for not being uttered; though he was sure that secretly even more than he she felt bereft of the satisfaction his solemn trust was to have provided her.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Altar of the Dead

Chapter IX · Chapter 9

Chapter 9 of The Altar of the Dead is here in full — 124 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/24 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
And yet this was no solution, especially after he had talked again to his friend of all it had been his plan she should finally do for him.
/ənd jet ðɪs wɑːz noʊ səˈluːʃən əˈspeʃli ˈæftər hiː hæd tɔːkt əˈɡen tuː hɪz frend ʌv ɔːl ɪt hæd bɪn hɪz plæn ʃiː ʃʊd ˈfaɪnəli duː fɔːr hɪm/
Line 2
He had talked in the other days, and she had responded with a frankness qualified only by a courteous reluctance, a reluctance that touched him, to linger on the question of his death.
/hiː hæd tɔːkt ɪn ðə ˈʌðər deɪz ənd ʃiː hæd rɪˈspɑːndɪd wɪð ə ˈfræŋknəs ˈkwɑːləfaɪd ˈoʊnli baɪ ə ˈkɜːrtiəs rɪˈlʌktəns ə rɪˈlʌktəns ðæt tʌtʃt hɪm tuː ˈlɪŋɡər ɑːn ðə ˈkwestʃən ʌv hɪz deθ/
Line 3
She had then practically accepted the charge, suffered him to feel he could depend upon her to be the eventual guardian of his shrine; and it was in the name of what had so passed between them that he appealed to her not to forsake him in his age.
/ʃiː hæd ðen ˈpræktɪkli ækˈseptɪd ðə tʃɑːrdʒ ˈsʌfərd hɪm tuː fiːl hiː kʊd dɪˈpend əˈpɑːn hɜːr tuː biː ðə əˈventʃuːəl ˈɡɑːrdiən ʌv hɪz ʃraɪn ənd ɪt wɑːz ɪn ðə neɪm ʌv wʌt hæd soʊ pæst bɪˈtwiːn ðem ðæt hiː əˈpiːld tuː hɜːr nɑːt tuː fɔːrˈseɪk hɪm ɪn hɪz eɪdʒ/
Line 4
She listened at present with shining coldness and all her habitual forbearance to insist on her terms; her deprecation was even still tenderer, for it expressed the compassion of her own sense that he was abandoned.
Line 5
Her terms, however, remained the same, and scarcely the less audible for not being uttered; though he was sure that secretly even more than he she felt bereft of the satisfaction his solemn trust was to have provided her.
/hɜːr tɜːrmz ˌhaʊˈevər rɪˈmeɪnd ðə seɪm ənd ˈskersli ðə les ˈɑːdəbəl fɔːr nɑːt ˈbiːɪŋ ˈʌtərd ðoʊ hiː wɑːz ʃʊr ðæt ˈsiːkrɪtli ˈiːvɪn mɔːr ðæn hiː ʃiː felt bərˈeft ʌv ðə ˌsætəˈsfækʃən hɪz ˈsɑːləm trʌst wɑːz tuː hæv prəˈvaɪdɪd hɜːr/

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.

bereft adjective US /bərˈeft/

unhappy in love; suffering from unrequited love

From this reading “Her terms, however, remained the same, and scarcely the less audible for not being uttered; though he was sure that secretly even more than he she felt bereft of the satisfaction his solemn trust was to have provided her.”

eventual adjective US /əˈventʃuːəl/

expected to follow in the indefinite future from causes already operating

From this reading “She had then practically accepted the charge, suffered him to feel he could depend upon her to be the eventual guardian of his shrine; and it was in the name of what had so passed between them that he appealed to her not to forsake him in his age.”

forbearance noun US /fɔːrˈberəns/

good-natured tolerance of delay or incompetence

From this reading “She listened at present with shining coldness and all her habitual forbearance to insist on her terms; her deprecation was even still tenderer, for it expressed the compassion of her own sense that he was abandoned.”

forsake verb US /fɔːrˈseɪk/

leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch

From this reading “She had then practically accepted the charge, suffered him to feel he could depend upon her to be the eventual guardian of his shrine; and it was in the name of what had so passed between them that he appealed to her not to forsake him in his age.”

linger verb US /ˈlɪŋɡər/

remain present although waning or gradually dying

From this reading “He had talked in the other days, and she had responded with a frankness qualified only by a courteous reluctance, a reluctance that touched him, to linger on the question of his death.”

qualified adjective US /ˈkwɑːləfaɪd/

meeting the proper standards and requirements and training for an office or position or task

From this reading “He had talked in the other days, and she had responded with a frankness qualified only by a courteous reluctance, a reluctance that touched him, to linger on the question of his death.”

reluctance noun US /rɪˈlʌktəns/

(physics) opposition to magnetic flux (analogous to electric resistance)

From this reading “He had talked in the other days, and she had responded with a frankness qualified only by a courteous reluctance, a reluctance that touched him, to linger on the question of his death.”

shrine noun US /ʃraɪn/

a place of worship hallowed by association with some sacred thing or person

From this reading “She had then practically accepted the charge, suffered him to feel he could depend upon her to be the eventual guardian of his shrine; and it was in the name of what had so passed between them that he appealed to her not to forsake him in his age.”

All words in this reading · 107

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 He had talked in the other days, and she had responded with a frankness qualified only by a courteous reluctance, a reluctance that touched him, to linger on the question of his death.

abandonedadjectiveUS /əˈbændənd/

forsaken by owner or inhabitants

From this reading She listened at present with shining coldness and all her habitual forbearance to insist on her terms; her deprecation was even still tenderer, for it expressed the compassion of her own sense that he was abandoned.

acceptedadjectiveUS /ækˈseptɪd/

generally approved or compelling recognition

From this reading She had then practically accepted the charge, suffered him to feel he could depend upon her to be the eventual guardian of his shrine; and it was in the name of what had so passed between them that he appealed to her not to forsake him in his age.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading And yet this was no solution, especially after he had talked again to his friend of all it had been his plan she should finally do for him.

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading And yet this was no solution, especially after he had talked again to his friend of all it had been his plan she should finally do for him.

agenounUS /eɪdʒ/

how long something has existed

From this reading She had then practically accepted the charge, suffered him to feel he could depend upon her to be the eventual guardian of his shrine; and it was in the name of what had so passed between them that he appealed to her not to forsake him in his age.

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 And yet this was no solution, especially after he had talked again to his friend of all it had been his plan she should finally do for him.

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading And yet this was no solution, especially after he had talked again to his friend of all it had been his plan she should finally do for him.

appealedverbUS /əˈpiːld/

past form of “appeal” — take a court case to a higher court for review

From this reading She had then practically accepted the charge, suffered him to feel he could depend upon her to be the eventual guardian of his shrine; and it was in the name of what had so passed between them that he appealed to her not to forsake him in his age.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading She listened at present with shining coldness and all her habitual forbearance to insist on her terms; her deprecation was even still tenderer, for it expressed the compassion of her own sense that he was abandoned.

audibleadjectiveUS /ˈɑːdəbəl/

heard or perceptible by the ear

From this reading Her terms, however, remained the same, and scarcely the less audible for not being uttered; though he was sure that secretly even more than he she felt bereft of the satisfaction his solemn trust was to have provided her.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading She had then practically accepted the charge, suffered him to feel he could depend upon her to be the eventual guardian of his shrine; and it was in the name of what had so passed between them that he appealed to her not to forsake him in his age.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading And yet this was no solution, especially after he had talked again to his friend of all it had been his plan she should finally do for him.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading Her terms, however, remained the same, and scarcely the less audible for not being uttered; though he was sure that secretly even more than he she felt bereft of the satisfaction his solemn trust was to have provided her.

bereftadjectiveUS /bərˈeft/

unhappy in love; suffering from unrequited love

From this reading Her terms, however, remained the same, and scarcely the less audible for not being uttered; though he was sure that secretly even more than he she felt bereft of the satisfaction his solemn trust was to have provided her.

betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading She had then practically accepted the charge, suffered him to feel he could depend upon her to be the eventual guardian of his shrine; and it was in the name of what had so passed between them that he appealed to her not to forsake him in his age.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading He had talked in the other days, and she had responded with a frankness qualified only by a courteous reluctance, a reluctance that touched him, to linger on the question of his death.

chargeverbUS /tʃɑːrdʒ/

to make a rush at or sudden attack upon, as in battle

From this reading She had then practically accepted the charge, suffered him to feel he could depend upon her to be the eventual guardian of his shrine; and it was in the name of what had so passed between them that he appealed to her not to forsake him in his age.

coldnessnounUS /ˈkoʊldnəs/

the sensation produced by low temperatures

From this reading She listened at present with shining coldness and all her habitual forbearance to insist on her terms; her deprecation was even still tenderer, for it expressed the compassion of her own sense that he was abandoned.

compassionnounUS /kəmˈpæʃən/

a deep awareness of and sympathy for another's suffering

From this reading She listened at present with shining coldness and all her habitual forbearance to insist on her terms; her deprecation was even still tenderer, for it expressed the compassion of her own sense that he was abandoned.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading She had then practically accepted the charge, suffered him to feel he could depend upon her to be the eventual guardian of his shrine; and it was in the name of what had so passed between them that he appealed to her not to forsake him in his age.

courteousadjectiveUS /ˈkɜːrtiəs/

exhibiting courtesy and politeness

From this reading He had talked in the other days, and she had responded with a frankness qualified only by a courteous reluctance, a reluctance that touched him, to linger on the question of his death.

daysnounUS /deɪz/

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading He had talked in the other days, and she had responded with a frankness qualified only by a courteous reluctance, a reluctance that touched him, to linger on the question of his death.

deathnounUS /deθ/

the event of dying or departure from life

From this reading He had talked in the other days, and she had responded with a frankness qualified only by a courteous reluctance, a reluctance that touched him, to linger on the question of his death.

dependverbUS /dɪˈpend/

be contingent upon (something that is elided)

From this reading She had then practically accepted the charge, suffered him to feel he could depend upon her to be the eventual guardian of his shrine; and it was in the name of what had so passed between them that he appealed to her not to forsake him in his age.

deprecationnoun

a prayer to avert or remove some evil or disaster

From this reading She listened at present with shining coldness and all her habitual forbearance to insist on her terms; her deprecation was even still tenderer, for it expressed the compassion of her own sense that he was abandoned.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading And yet this was no solution, especially after he had talked again to his friend of all it had been his plan she should finally do for him.

especiallyadverbUS /əˈspeʃli/

to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common

From this reading And yet this was no solution, especially after he had talked again to his friend of all it had been his plan she should finally do for him.

evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading She listened at present with shining coldness and all her habitual forbearance to insist on her terms; her deprecation was even still tenderer, for it expressed the compassion of her own sense that he was abandoned.

eventualadjectiveUS /əˈventʃuːəl/

expected to follow in the indefinite future from causes already operating

From this reading She had then practically accepted the charge, suffered him to feel he could depend upon her to be the eventual guardian of his shrine; and it was in the name of what had so passed between them that he appealed to her not to forsake him in his age.

expressedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈsprest/

communicated in words

From this reading She listened at present with shining coldness and all her habitual forbearance to insist on her terms; her deprecation was even still tenderer, for it expressed the compassion of her own sense that he was abandoned.

feelverbUS /fiːl/

undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind

From this reading She had then practically accepted the charge, suffered him to feel he could depend upon her to be the eventual guardian of his shrine; and it was in the name of what had so passed between them that he appealed to her not to forsake him in his age.

feltverbUS /felt/

mat together and make felt-like

From this reading Her terms, however, remained the same, and scarcely the less audible for not being uttered; though he was sure that secretly even more than he she felt bereft of the satisfaction his solemn trust was to have provided her.

finallyadverbUS /ˈfaɪnəli/

after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay

From this reading And yet this was no solution, especially after he had talked again to his friend of all it had been his plan she should finally do for him.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading And yet this was no solution, especially after he had talked again to his friend of all it had been his plan she should finally do for him.

forbearancenounUS /fɔːrˈberəns/

good-natured tolerance of delay or incompetence

From this reading She listened at present with shining coldness and all her habitual forbearance to insist on her terms; her deprecation was even still tenderer, for it expressed the compassion of her own sense that he was abandoned.

forsakeverbUS /fɔːrˈseɪk/

leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch

From this reading She had then practically accepted the charge, suffered him to feel he could depend upon her to be the eventual guardian of his shrine; and it was in the name of what had so passed between them that he appealed to her not to forsake him in his age.

franknessnounUS /ˈfræŋknəs/

the quality of being honest and straightforward in attitude and speech

From this reading He had talked in the other days, and she had responded with a frankness qualified only by a courteous reluctance, a reluctance that touched him, to linger on the question of his death.

friendnounUS /frend/

a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading And yet this was no solution, especially after he had talked again to his friend of all it had been his plan she should finally do for him.

guardiannounUS /ˈɡɑːrdiən/

a person who cares for persons or property

From this reading She had then practically accepted the charge, suffered him to feel he could depend upon her to be the eventual guardian of his shrine; and it was in the name of what had so passed between them that he appealed to her not to forsake him in his age.

habitualadjectiveUS /həˈbɪtʃuːəl/

commonly used or practiced; usual

From this reading She listened at present with shining coldness and all her habitual forbearance to insist on her terms; her deprecation was even still tenderer, for it expressed the compassion of her own sense that he was abandoned.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading And yet this was no solution, especially after he had talked again to his friend of all it had been his plan she should finally do for him.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Her terms, however, remained the same, and scarcely the less audible for not being uttered; though he was sure that secretly even more than he she felt bereft of the satisfaction his solemn trust was to have provided her.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading And yet this was no solution, especially after he had talked again to his friend of all it had been his plan she should finally do for him.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading She had then practically accepted the charge, suffered him to feel he could depend upon her to be the eventual guardian of his shrine; and it was in the name of what had so passed between them that he appealed to her not to forsake him in his age.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading And yet this was no solution, especially after he had talked again to his friend of all it had been his plan she should finally do for him.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading And yet this was no solution, especially after he had talked again to his friend of all it had been his plan she should finally do for him.

howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading Her terms, however, remained the same, and scarcely the less audible for not being uttered; though he was sure that secretly even more than he she felt bereft of the satisfaction his solemn trust was to have provided her.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading He had talked in the other days, and she had responded with a frankness qualified only by a courteous reluctance, a reluctance that touched him, to linger on the question of his death.

insistverbUS /ˌɪnˈsɪst/

be emphatic or resolute and refuse to budge

From this reading She listened at present with shining coldness and all her habitual forbearance to insist on her terms; her deprecation was even still tenderer, for it expressed the compassion of her own sense that he was abandoned.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading And yet this was no solution, especially after he had talked again to his friend of all it had been his plan she should finally do for him.

lessadverbUS /les/

used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs

From this reading Her terms, however, remained the same, and scarcely the less audible for not being uttered; though he was sure that secretly even more than he she felt bereft of the satisfaction his solemn trust was to have provided her.

lingerverbUS /ˈlɪŋɡər/

remain present although waning or gradually dying

From this reading He had talked in the other days, and she had responded with a frankness qualified only by a courteous reluctance, a reluctance that touched him, to linger on the question of his death.

listenedverbUS /ˈlɪsənd/

past form of “listen” — hear with intention

From this reading She listened at present with shining coldness and all her habitual forbearance to insist on her terms; her deprecation was even still tenderer, for it expressed the compassion of her own sense that he was abandoned.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading Her terms, however, remained the same, and scarcely the less audible for not being uttered; though he was sure that secretly even more than he she felt bereft of the satisfaction his solemn trust was to have provided her.

nameverbUS /neɪm/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading She had then practically accepted the charge, suffered him to feel he could depend upon her to be the eventual guardian of his shrine; and it was in the name of what had so passed between them that he appealed to her not to forsake him in his age.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading And yet this was no solution, especially after he had talked again to his friend of all it had been his plan she should finally do for him.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading She had then practically accepted the charge, suffered him to feel he could depend upon her to be the eventual guardian of his shrine; and it was in the name of what had so passed between them that he appealed to her not to forsake him in his age.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading And yet this was no solution, especially after he had talked again to his friend of all it had been his plan she should finally do for him.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading He had talked in the other days, and she had responded with a frankness qualified only by a courteous reluctance, a reluctance that touched him, to linger on the question of his death.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading He had talked in the other days, and she had responded with a frankness qualified only by a courteous reluctance, a reluctance that touched him, to linger on the question of his death.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading He had talked in the other days, and she had responded with a frankness qualified only by a courteous reluctance, a reluctance that touched him, to linger on the question of his death.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading She listened at present with shining coldness and all her habitual forbearance to insist on her terms; her deprecation was even still tenderer, for it expressed the compassion of her own sense that he was abandoned.

passedverbUS /pæst/

past form of “pass” — go across or through

From this reading She had then practically accepted the charge, suffered him to feel he could depend upon her to be the eventual guardian of his shrine; and it was in the name of what had so passed between them that he appealed to her not to forsake him in his age.

planverbUS /plæn/

have the will and intention to carry out some action

From this reading And yet this was no solution, especially after he had talked again to his friend of all it had been his plan she should finally do for him.

practicallyadverbUS /ˈpræktɪkli/

almost; nearly

From this reading She had then practically accepted the charge, suffered him to feel he could depend upon her to be the eventual guardian of his shrine; and it was in the name of what had so passed between them that he appealed to her not to forsake him in his age.

presentverbUS /ˈprezənt/

give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading She listened at present with shining coldness and all her habitual forbearance to insist on her terms; her deprecation was even still tenderer, for it expressed the compassion of her own sense that he was abandoned.

providedverbUS /prəˈvaɪdɪd/

past form of “provide” — give something useful or necessary to

From this reading Her terms, however, remained the same, and scarcely the less audible for not being uttered; though he was sure that secretly even more than he she felt bereft of the satisfaction his solemn trust was to have provided her.

qualifiedadjectiveUS /ˈkwɑːləfaɪd/

meeting the proper standards and requirements and training for an office or position or task

From this reading He had talked in the other days, and she had responded with a frankness qualified only by a courteous reluctance, a reluctance that touched him, to linger on the question of his death.

questionverbUS /ˈkwestʃən/

challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of

From this reading He had talked in the other days, and she had responded with a frankness qualified only by a courteous reluctance, a reluctance that touched him, to linger on the question of his death.

reluctancenounUS /rɪˈlʌktəns/

(physics) opposition to magnetic flux (analogous to electric resistance)

From this reading He had talked in the other days, and she had responded with a frankness qualified only by a courteous reluctance, a reluctance that touched him, to linger on the question of his death.

remainedverbUS /rɪˈmeɪnd/

past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state

From this reading Her terms, however, remained the same, and scarcely the less audible for not being uttered; though he was sure that secretly even more than he she felt bereft of the satisfaction his solemn trust was to have provided her.

respondedverbUS /rɪˈspɑːndɪd/

past form of “respond” — show a response or a reaction to something

From this reading He had talked in the other days, and she had responded with a frankness qualified only by a courteous reluctance, a reluctance that touched him, to linger on the question of his death.

sameadjectiveUS /seɪm/

Identical; not different.

From this reading Her terms, however, remained the same, and scarcely the less audible for not being uttered; though he was sure that secretly even more than he she felt bereft of the satisfaction his solemn trust was to have provided her.

satisfactionnounUS /ˌsætəˈsfækʃən/

the contentment one feels when one has fulfilled a desire, need, or expectation

From this reading Her terms, however, remained the same, and scarcely the less audible for not being uttered; though he was sure that secretly even more than he she felt bereft of the satisfaction his solemn trust was to have provided her.

scarcelyadverbUS /ˈskersli/

only a very short time before

From this reading Her terms, however, remained the same, and scarcely the less audible for not being uttered; though he was sure that secretly even more than he she felt bereft of the satisfaction his solemn trust was to have provided her.

secretlyadverbUS /ˈsiːkrɪtli/

in secrecy; not openly

From this reading Her terms, however, remained the same, and scarcely the less audible for not being uttered; though he was sure that secretly even more than he she felt bereft of the satisfaction his solemn trust was to have provided her.

sensenounUS /sens/

a general conscious awareness

From this reading She listened at present with shining coldness and all her habitual forbearance to insist on her terms; her deprecation was even still tenderer, for it expressed the compassion of her own sense that he was abandoned.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading And yet this was no solution, especially after he had talked again to his friend of all it had been his plan she should finally do for him.

shiningadjectiveUS /ˈʃaɪnɪŋ/

marked by exceptional merit

From this reading She listened at present with shining coldness and all her habitual forbearance to insist on her terms; her deprecation was even still tenderer, for it expressed the compassion of her own sense that he was abandoned.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading And yet this was no solution, especially after he had talked again to his friend of all it had been his plan she should finally do for him.

shrinenounUS /ʃraɪn/

a place of worship hallowed by association with some sacred thing or person

From this reading She had then practically accepted the charge, suffered him to feel he could depend upon her to be the eventual guardian of his shrine; and it was in the name of what had so passed between them that he appealed to her not to forsake him in his age.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading She had then practically accepted the charge, suffered him to feel he could depend upon her to be the eventual guardian of his shrine; and it was in the name of what had so passed between them that he appealed to her not to forsake him in his age.

solemnadjectiveUS /ˈsɑːləm/

dignified and somber in manner or character and committed to keeping promises

From this reading Her terms, however, remained the same, and scarcely the less audible for not being uttered; though he was sure that secretly even more than he she felt bereft of the satisfaction his solemn trust was to have provided her.

solutionnounUS /səˈluːʃən/

a homogeneous mixture of two or more substances; frequently (but not necessarily) a liquid solution

From this reading And yet this was no solution, especially after he had talked again to his friend of all it had been his plan she should finally do for him.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading She listened at present with shining coldness and all her habitual forbearance to insist on her terms; her deprecation was even still tenderer, for it expressed the compassion of her own sense that he was abandoned.

sufferedverbUS /ˈsʌfərd/

past form of “suffer” — undergo or be subjected to

From this reading She had then practically accepted the charge, suffered him to feel he could depend upon her to be the eventual guardian of his shrine; and it was in the name of what had so passed between them that he appealed to her not to forsake him in his age.

sureadjectiveUS /ʃʊr/

having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured

From this reading Her terms, however, remained the same, and scarcely the less audible for not being uttered; though he was sure that secretly even more than he she felt bereft of the satisfaction his solemn trust was to have provided her.

talkedverbUS /tɔːkt/

past form of “talk” — exchange thoughts; talk with

From this reading And yet this was no solution, especially after he had talked again to his friend of all it had been his plan she should finally do for him.

tenderer

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

From this reading She listened at present with shining coldness and all her habitual forbearance to insist on her terms; her deprecation was even still tenderer, for it expressed the compassion of her own sense that he was abandoned.

termsnounUS /tɜːrmz/

status with respect to the relations between people or groups

From this reading She listened at present with shining coldness and all her habitual forbearance to insist on her terms; her deprecation was even still tenderer, for it expressed the compassion of her own sense that he was abandoned.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading Her terms, however, remained the same, and scarcely the less audible for not being uttered; though he was sure that secretly even more than he she felt bereft of the satisfaction his solemn trust was to have provided her.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading He had talked in the other days, and she had responded with a frankness qualified only by a courteous reluctance, a reluctance that touched him, to linger on the question of his death.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading He had talked in the other days, and she had responded with a frankness qualified only by a courteous reluctance, a reluctance that touched him, to linger on the question of his death.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading She had then practically accepted the charge, suffered him to feel he could depend upon her to be the eventual guardian of his shrine; and it was in the name of what had so passed between them that he appealed to her not to forsake him in his age.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading She had then practically accepted the charge, suffered him to feel he could depend upon her to be the eventual guardian of his shrine; and it was in the name of what had so passed between them that he appealed to her not to forsake him in his age.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading And yet this was no solution, especially after he had talked again to his friend of all it had been his plan she should finally do for him.

thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading Her terms, however, remained the same, and scarcely the less audible for not being uttered; though he was sure that secretly even more than he she felt bereft of the satisfaction his solemn trust was to have provided her.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading And yet this was no solution, especially after he had talked again to his friend of all it had been his plan she should finally do for him.

touchedadjectiveUS /tʌtʃt/

having come into contact

From this reading He had talked in the other days, and she had responded with a frankness qualified only by a courteous reluctance, a reluctance that touched him, to linger on the question of his death.

trustnounUS /trʌst/

something (as property) held by one party (the trustee) for the benefit of another (the beneficiary)

From this reading Her terms, however, remained the same, and scarcely the less audible for not being uttered; though he was sure that secretly even more than he she felt bereft of the satisfaction his solemn trust was to have provided her.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading She had then practically accepted the charge, suffered him to feel he could depend upon her to be the eventual guardian of his shrine; and it was in the name of what had so passed between them that he appealed to her not to forsake him in his age.

utteredadjectiveUS /ˈʌtərd/

communicated in words

From this reading Her terms, however, remained the same, and scarcely the less audible for not being uttered; though he was sure that secretly even more than he she felt bereft of the satisfaction his solemn trust was to have provided her.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading And yet this was no solution, especially after he had talked again to his friend of all it had been his plan she should finally do for him.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading She had then practically accepted the charge, suffered him to feel he could depend upon her to be the eventual guardian of his shrine; and it was in the name of what had so passed between them that he appealed to her not to forsake him in his age.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading He had talked in the other days, and she had responded with a frankness qualified only by a courteous reluctance, a reluctance that touched him, to linger on the question of his death.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading And yet this was no solution, especially after he had talked again to his friend of all it had been his plan she should finally do for him.

Chapter 9 of The Altar of the Dead by Henry James holds 124 sentences, grouped into 25 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 9 of The Altar of the Dead contain?

Chapter 9 holds 124 sentences of The Altar of the Dead, unabridged, divided into 25 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 9 of The Altar of the Dead by Henry James exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 124 sentences, grouped into 25 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 The Altar of the Dead?

Work through the 25 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 25 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 The Altar of the Dead

Common questions about reading The Altar of the Dead by Henry James on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Altar of the Dead?

Yes. All 642 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #642 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Altar of the Dead is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #642, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Altar of the Dead take to read?

About 53 minutes of reading across 129 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Altar of the Dead section by section

How to work through The Altar of the Dead section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 9 chapters of The Altar of the Dead 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 The Altar of the Dead

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Altar of the Dead, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Mortal
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Altar of the Dead; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Dislike
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Altar of the Dead; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Stransom
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Altar of the Dead; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Anniversaries
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Altar of the Dead; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.