Chapter 7 of The Aspern Papers is here in full — 181 sentences across 37 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter VII
Chapter 7 of The Aspern Papers is here in full — 181 sentences across 37 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“I knew there were, but I wrote what she bade me.” “Of course you had to do that. But I hope I shall not pass for a devil.” “It will depend upon what you ask me to do for you,” said Miss Tita, smiling. “Oh, if there is a chance of YOUR thinking so my affair is in a bad way!
Chapter 7 of The Aspern Papers is here in full — 181 sentences across 37 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/36 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading ““Oh, if there is a chance of YOUR thinking so my affair is in a bad way!”
a Chadic language spoken in northern Nigeria
From this reading ““I knew there were, but I wrote what she bade me.””
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading ““Oh, if there is a chance of YOUR thinking so my affair is in a bad way!”
be contingent upon (something that is elided)
From this reading ““It will depend upon what you ask me to do for you,” said Miss Tita, smiling.”
(Judeo-Christian and Islamic religions) chief spirit of evil and adversary of God; tempter of mankind; master of Hell
From this reading “But I hope I shall not pass for a devil.””
go across or through
From this reading “But I hope I shall not pass for a devil.””
a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement
From this reading ““It will depend upon what you ask me to do for you,” said Miss Tita, smiling.”
inflected form of “write” — produce a literary work
From this reading ““I knew there were, but I wrote what she bade me.””
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading But I hope I shall not pass for a devil.”
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading “Oh, if there is a chance of YOUR thinking so my affair is in a bad way!
make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading “It will depend upon what you ask me to do for you,” said Miss Tita, smiling.
having undesirable or negative qualities
From this reading “Oh, if there is a chance of YOUR thinking so my affair is in a bad way!
a Chadic language spoken in northern Nigeria
From this reading “I knew there were, but I wrote what she bade me.”
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “I knew there were, but I wrote what she bade me.”
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading “Oh, if there is a chance of YOUR thinking so my affair is in a bad way!
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading “Of course you had to do that.
be contingent upon (something that is elided)
From this reading “It will depend upon what you ask me to do for you,” said Miss Tita, smiling.
(Judeo-Christian and Islamic religions) chief spirit of evil and adversary of God; tempter of mankind; master of Hell
From this reading But I hope I shall not pass for a devil.”
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading “Of course you had to do that.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading But I hope I shall not pass for a devil.”
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading “Of course you had to do that.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading But I hope I shall not pass for a devil.”
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I knew there were, but I wrote what she bade me.”
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading “Oh, if there is a chance of YOUR thinking so my affair is in a bad way!
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “Oh, if there is a chance of YOUR thinking so my affair is in a bad way!
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Oh, if there is a chance of YOUR thinking so my affair is in a bad way!
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “It will depend upon what you ask me to do for you,” said Miss Tita, smiling.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading “I knew there were, but I wrote what she bade me.”
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “I knew there were, but I wrote what she bade me.”
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading “It will depend upon what you ask me to do for you,” said Miss Tita, smiling.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “Oh, if there is a chance of YOUR thinking so my affair is in a bad way!
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But I hope I shall not pass for a devil.”
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “Of course you had to do that.
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading “Oh, if there is a chance of YOUR thinking so my affair is in a bad way!
go across or through
From this reading But I hope I shall not pass for a devil.”
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “It will depend upon what you ask me to do for you,” said Miss Tita, smiling.
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading But I hope I shall not pass for a devil.”
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “I knew there were, but I wrote what she bade me.”
a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement
From this reading “It will depend upon what you ask me to do for you,” said Miss Tita, smiling.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading “Oh, if there is a chance of YOUR thinking so my affair is in a bad way!
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “Of course you had to do that.
in or at that place or location
From this reading “I knew there were, but I wrote what she bade me.”
the process of using your mind to consider something carefully
From this reading “Oh, if there is a chance of YOUR thinking so my affair is in a bad way!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “It will depend upon what you ask me to do for you,” said Miss Tita, smiling.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “Of course you had to do that.
a formal word for “on”
From this reading “It will depend upon what you ask me to do for you,” said Miss Tita, smiling.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading “Oh, if there is a chance of YOUR thinking so my affair is in a bad way!
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “I knew there were, but I wrote what she bade me.”
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “I knew there were, but I wrote what she bade me.”
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading “It will depend upon what you ask me to do for you,” said Miss Tita, smiling.
inflected form of “write” — produce a literary work
From this reading “I knew there were, but I wrote what she bade me.”
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Of course you had to do that.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Oh, if there is a chance of YOUR thinking so my affair is in a bad way!
Chapter 7 of The Aspern Papers by Henry James holds 181 sentences, grouped into 37 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.
Chapter 7 holds 181 sentences of The Aspern Papers, unabridged, divided into 37 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 7 of The Aspern Papers by Henry James exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 181 sentences, grouped into 37 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.
Work through the 37 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 37 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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 7 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.
Common questions about reading The Aspern Papers by Henry James on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 1965 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #211 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #211, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 163 minutes of reading across 393 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Aspern Papers section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 11 chapters of The Aspern Papers to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in The Aspern Papers, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
