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The American

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of The American is here in full — 402 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Henry James • Curated US English Learning Edition

Cover illustration for The American

English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

Early one morning, before Christopher Newman was dressed, a little old man was ushered into his apartment, followed by a youth in a blouse, bearing a picture in a brilliant frame.

Newman, among the distractions of Paris, had forgotten M. Nioche and his accomplished daughter; but this was an effective reminder.

“I am afraid you had given me up, sir,” said the old man, after many apologies and salutations.

“We have made you wait so many days.

You accused us, perhaps, of inconstancy, of bad faith.

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.

Chapter IV Reading 1/80

The American

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of The American is here in full — 402 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/80 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

Early one morning, before Christopher Newman was dressed, a little old man was ushered into his apartment, followed by a youth in a blouse, bearing a picture in a brilliant frame.

Line 2

Newman, among the distractions of Paris, had forgotten M. Nioche and his accomplished daughter; but this was an effective reminder.

Line 3

“I am afraid you had given me up, sir,” said the old man, after many apologies and salutations.

Line 4

“We have made you wait so many days.

Line 5

You accused us, perhaps, of inconstancy, of bad faith.

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.

Forgotten adjective US /fərˈɡɑːt.n̩/

Not remembered; lapsed from memory.

From this reading “Newman, among the distractions of Paris, had forgotten M. Nioche and his accomplished daughter; but this was an effective reminder.”

All words in this reading · 67

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 Early one morning, before Christopher Newman was dressed, a little old man was ushered into his apartment, followed by a youth in a blouse, bearing a picture in a brilliant frame.

accomplished

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

From this reading Newman, among the distractions of Paris, had forgotten M. Nioche and his accomplished daughter; but this was an effective reminder.

accused

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

From this reading You accused us, perhaps, of inconstancy, of bad faith.

afraid

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

From this reading “I am afraid you had given me up, sir,” said the old man, after many apologies and salutations.

after

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

From this reading “I am afraid you had given me up, sir,” said the old man, after many apologies and salutations.

am

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

From this reading “I am afraid you had given me up, sir,” said the old man, after many apologies and salutations.

among

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

From this reading Newman, among the distractions of Paris, had forgotten M. Nioche and his accomplished daughter; but this was an effective reminder.

an

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

From this reading Newman, among the distractions of Paris, had forgotten M. Nioche and his accomplished daughter; but this was an effective reminder.

and

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

From this reading Newman, among the distractions of Paris, had forgotten M. Nioche and his accomplished daughter; but this was an effective reminder.

apartment

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

From this reading Early one morning, before Christopher Newman was dressed, a little old man was ushered into his apartment, followed by a youth in a blouse, bearing a picture in a brilliant frame.

apologies

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

From this reading “I am afraid you had given me up, sir,” said the old man, after many apologies and salutations.

bad

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

From this reading You accused us, perhaps, of inconstancy, of bad faith.

bearing

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

From this reading Early one morning, before Christopher Newman was dressed, a little old man was ushered into his apartment, followed by a youth in a blouse, bearing a picture in a brilliant frame.

before

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

From this reading Early one morning, before Christopher Newman was dressed, a little old man was ushered into his apartment, followed by a youth in a blouse, bearing a picture in a brilliant frame.

blouse

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

From this reading Early one morning, before Christopher Newman was dressed, a little old man was ushered into his apartment, followed by a youth in a blouse, bearing a picture in a brilliant frame.

brilliant

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

From this reading Early one morning, before Christopher Newman was dressed, a little old man was ushered into his apartment, followed by a youth in a blouse, bearing a picture in a brilliant frame.

but

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

From this reading Newman, among the distractions of Paris, had forgotten M. Nioche and his accomplished daughter; but this was an effective reminder.

by

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

From this reading Early one morning, before Christopher Newman was dressed, a little old man was ushered into his apartment, followed by a youth in a blouse, bearing a picture in a brilliant frame.

Christopher

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

From this reading Early one morning, before Christopher Newman was dressed, a little old man was ushered into his apartment, followed by a youth in a blouse, bearing a picture in a brilliant frame.

daughter

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

From this reading Newman, among the distractions of Paris, had forgotten M. Nioche and his accomplished daughter; but this was an effective reminder.

days

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

From this reading “We have made you wait so many days.

distractions

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

From this reading Newman, among the distractions of Paris, had forgotten M. Nioche and his accomplished daughter; but this was an effective reminder.

dressed

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

From this reading Early one morning, before Christopher Newman was dressed, a little old man was ushered into his apartment, followed by a youth in a blouse, bearing a picture in a brilliant frame.

Early

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

From this reading Early one morning, before Christopher Newman was dressed, a little old man was ushered into his apartment, followed by a youth in a blouse, bearing a picture in a brilliant frame.

effective

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

From this reading Newman, among the distractions of Paris, had forgotten M. Nioche and his accomplished daughter; but this was an effective reminder.

faith

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

From this reading You accused us, perhaps, of inconstancy, of bad faith.

followed

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

From this reading Early one morning, before Christopher Newman was dressed, a little old man was ushered into his apartment, followed by a youth in a blouse, bearing a picture in a brilliant frame.

forgottenadjectiveUS /fərˈɡɑːt.n̩/

Not remembered; lapsed from memory.

From this reading Newman, among the distractions of Paris, had forgotten M. Nioche and his accomplished daughter; but this was an effective reminder.

frame

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

From this reading Early one morning, before Christopher Newman was dressed, a little old man was ushered into his apartment, followed by a youth in a blouse, bearing a picture in a brilliant frame.

given

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

From this reading “I am afraid you had given me up, sir,” said the old man, after many apologies and salutations.

had

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

From this reading Newman, among the distractions of Paris, had forgotten M. Nioche and his accomplished daughter; but this was an effective reminder.

have

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

From this reading “We have made you wait so many days.

his

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

From this reading Early one morning, before Christopher Newman was dressed, a little old man was ushered into his apartment, followed by a youth in a blouse, bearing a picture in a brilliant frame.

I

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

From this reading “I am afraid you had given me up, sir,” said the old man, after many apologies and salutations.

in

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

From this reading Early one morning, before Christopher Newman was dressed, a little old man was ushered into his apartment, followed by a youth in a blouse, bearing a picture in a brilliant frame.

inconstancy

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

From this reading You accused us, perhaps, of inconstancy, of bad faith.

into

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

From this reading Early one morning, before Christopher Newman was dressed, a little old man was ushered into his apartment, followed by a youth in a blouse, bearing a picture in a brilliant frame.

little

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

From this reading Early one morning, before Christopher Newman was dressed, a little old man was ushered into his apartment, followed by a youth in a blouse, bearing a picture in a brilliant frame.

M

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

From this reading Newman, among the distractions of Paris, had forgotten M. Nioche and his accomplished daughter; but this was an effective reminder.

made

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

From this reading “We have made you wait so many days.

man

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

From this reading Early one morning, before Christopher Newman was dressed, a little old man was ushered into his apartment, followed by a youth in a blouse, bearing a picture in a brilliant frame.

many

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

From this reading “I am afraid you had given me up, sir,” said the old man, after many apologies and salutations.

me

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

From this reading “I am afraid you had given me up, sir,” said the old man, after many apologies and salutations.

morning

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

From this reading Early one morning, before Christopher Newman was dressed, a little old man was ushered into his apartment, followed by a youth in a blouse, bearing a picture in a brilliant frame.

Newman

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

From this reading Early one morning, before Christopher Newman was dressed, a little old man was ushered into his apartment, followed by a youth in a blouse, bearing a picture in a brilliant frame.

Nioche

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

From this reading Newman, among the distractions of Paris, had forgotten M. Nioche and his accomplished daughter; but this was an effective reminder.

of

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

From this reading Newman, among the distractions of Paris, had forgotten M. Nioche and his accomplished daughter; but this was an effective reminder.

old

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

From this reading Early one morning, before Christopher Newman was dressed, a little old man was ushered into his apartment, followed by a youth in a blouse, bearing a picture in a brilliant frame.

one

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

From this reading Early one morning, before Christopher Newman was dressed, a little old man was ushered into his apartment, followed by a youth in a blouse, bearing a picture in a brilliant frame.

Paris

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

From this reading Newman, among the distractions of Paris, had forgotten M. Nioche and his accomplished daughter; but this was an effective reminder.

perhaps

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

From this reading You accused us, perhaps, of inconstancy, of bad faith.

picture

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

From this reading Early one morning, before Christopher Newman was dressed, a little old man was ushered into his apartment, followed by a youth in a blouse, bearing a picture in a brilliant frame.

reminder

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

From this reading Newman, among the distractions of Paris, had forgotten M. Nioche and his accomplished daughter; but this was an effective reminder.

said

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

From this reading “I am afraid you had given me up, sir,” said the old man, after many apologies and salutations.

salutations

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

From this reading “I am afraid you had given me up, sir,” said the old man, after many apologies and salutations.

sir

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

From this reading “I am afraid you had given me up, sir,” said the old man, after many apologies and salutations.

so

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

From this reading “We have made you wait so many days.

the

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

From this reading Newman, among the distractions of Paris, had forgotten M. Nioche and his accomplished daughter; but this was an effective reminder.

this

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

From this reading Newman, among the distractions of Paris, had forgotten M. Nioche and his accomplished daughter; but this was an effective reminder.

up

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

From this reading “I am afraid you had given me up, sir,” said the old man, after many apologies and salutations.

us

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

From this reading You accused us, perhaps, of inconstancy, of bad faith.

ushered

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

From this reading Early one morning, before Christopher Newman was dressed, a little old man was ushered into his apartment, followed by a youth in a blouse, bearing a picture in a brilliant frame.

wait

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

From this reading “We have made you wait so many days.

was

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

From this reading Early one morning, before Christopher Newman was dressed, a little old man was ushered into his apartment, followed by a youth in a blouse, bearing a picture in a brilliant frame.

We

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

From this reading “We have made you wait so many days.

you

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

From this reading “I am afraid you had given me up, sir,” said the old man, after many apologies and salutations.

youth

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

From this reading Early one morning, before Christopher Newman was dressed, a little old man was ushered into his apartment, followed by a youth in a blouse, bearing a picture in a brilliant frame.

Chapter 4 of The American by Henry James holds 402 sentences, grouped into 81 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 4 of The American contain?

Chapter 4 holds 402 sentences of The American, unabridged, divided into 81 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of The American by Henry James exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 402 sentences, grouped into 81 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 4 of The American?

Work through the 81 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 81 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 4 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 4 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading The American

Common questions about reading The American by Henry James on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The American?

Yes. All 8959 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #177 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The American is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #177, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The American take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1792 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The American section by section

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

Open a chapter

Choose one of the 26 chapters of The American 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 American

Words and structures a reader meets early in The American, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Brilliant: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The American; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Gentleman: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The American; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Reclining: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The American; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Great: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The American; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.