Chapter 2 of The Bag of Diamonds is here in full — 456 sentences across 92 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter II
Chapter 2 of The Bag of Diamonds is here in full — 456 sentences across 92 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"No, my dear, I think not. But don't trouble about it. Any day now I may have my discovery complete, and then--but really, my dear, this is wasting time. I must get on with my work." He rose, and Richmond sighed as with courtly grace he raised her hand and kissed it, smiling it her sadly and shaking his head.
Chapter 2 of The Bag of Diamonds is here in full — 456 sentences across 92 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/91 · 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.
come or bring to a finish or an end
From this reading “Any day now I may have my discovery complete, and then--but really, my dear, this is wasting time.”
refined or imposing in manner or appearance; befitting a royal court
From this reading “He rose, and Richmond sighed as with courtly grace he raised her hand and kissed it, smiling it her sadly and shaking his head.”
the act of discovering something
From this reading “Any day now I may have my discovery complete, and then--but really, my dear, this is wasting time.”
capital of the state of Virginia located in the east central part of the state; was capital of the Confederacy during the American Civil War
From this reading “He rose, and Richmond sighed as with courtly grace he raised her hand and kissed it, smiling it her sadly and shaking his head.”
in an unfortunate way
From this reading “He rose, and Richmond sighed as with courtly grace he raised her hand and kissed it, smiling it her sadly and shaking his head.”
the act of causing something to move up and down (or back and forth) with quick movements
From this reading “He rose, and Richmond sighed as with courtly grace he raised her hand and kissed it, smiling it her sadly and shaking his head.”
past form of “sigh” — heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily
From this reading “He rose, and Richmond sighed as with courtly grace he raised her hand and kissed it, smiling it her sadly and shaking his head.”
any general reduction in vitality and strength of body and mind resulting from a debilitating chronic disease
From this reading “Any day now I may have my discovery complete, and then--but really, my dear, this is wasting time.”
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.
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading But don't trouble about it.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Any day now I may have my discovery complete, and then--but really, my dear, this is wasting time.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Any day now I may have my discovery complete, and then--but really, my dear, this is wasting time.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He rose, and Richmond sighed as with courtly grace he raised her hand and kissed it, smiling it her sadly and shaking his head.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But don't trouble about it.
come or bring to a finish or an end
From this reading Any day now I may have my discovery complete, and then--but really, my dear, this is wasting time.
refined or imposing in manner or appearance; befitting a royal court
From this reading He rose, and Richmond sighed as with courtly grace he raised her hand and kissed it, smiling it her sadly and shaking his head.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Any day now I may have my discovery complete, and then--but really, my dear, this is wasting time.
dearly loved
From this reading "No, my dear, I think not.
the act of discovering something
From this reading Any day now I may have my discovery complete, and then--but really, my dear, this is wasting time.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But don't trouble about it.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading I must get on with my work."
(Christian theology) a state of sanctification by God; the state of one who is under such divine influence
From this reading He rose, and Richmond sighed as with courtly grace he raised her hand and kissed it, smiling it her sadly and shaking his head.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading He rose, and Richmond sighed as with courtly grace he raised her hand and kissed it, smiling it her sadly and shaking his head.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Any day now I may have my discovery complete, and then--but really, my dear, this is wasting time.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He rose, and Richmond sighed as with courtly grace he raised her hand and kissed it, smiling it her sadly and shaking his head.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading He rose, and Richmond sighed as with courtly grace he raised her hand and kissed it, smiling it her sadly and shaking his head.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading He rose, and Richmond sighed as with courtly grace he raised her hand and kissed it, smiling it her sadly and shaking his head.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He rose, and Richmond sighed as with courtly grace he raised her hand and kissed it, smiling it her sadly and shaking his head.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "No, my dear, I think not.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Any day now I may have my discovery complete, and then--but really, my dear, this is wasting time.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But don't trouble about it.
past form of “kiss” — touch with the lips or press the lips (against someone's mouth or other body part) as an expression of love, greeting, etc.
From this reading He rose, and Richmond sighed as with courtly grace he raised her hand and kissed it, smiling it her sadly and shaking his head.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading Any day now I may have my discovery complete, and then--but really, my dear, this is wasting time.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading I must get on with my work."
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "No, my dear, I think not.
not any; not one
From this reading "No, my dear, I think not.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "No, my dear, I think not.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Any day now I may have my discovery complete, and then--but really, my dear, this is wasting time.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading I must get on with my work."
located or moved above the surround or above the normal position
From this reading He rose, and Richmond sighed as with courtly grace he raised her hand and kissed it, smiling it her sadly and shaking his head.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading Any day now I may have my discovery complete, and then--but really, my dear, this is wasting time.
capital of the state of Virginia located in the east central part of the state; was capital of the Confederacy during the American Civil War
From this reading He rose, and Richmond sighed as with courtly grace he raised her hand and kissed it, smiling it her sadly and shaking his head.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading He rose, and Richmond sighed as with courtly grace he raised her hand and kissed it, smiling it her sadly and shaking his head.
in an unfortunate way
From this reading He rose, and Richmond sighed as with courtly grace he raised her hand and kissed it, smiling it her sadly and shaking his head.
the act of causing something to move up and down (or back and forth) with quick movements
From this reading He rose, and Richmond sighed as with courtly grace he raised her hand and kissed it, smiling it her sadly and shaking his head.
past form of “sigh” — heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily
From this reading He rose, and Richmond sighed as with courtly grace he raised her hand and kissed it, smiling it her sadly and shaking his head.
a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement
From this reading He rose, and Richmond sighed as with courtly grace he raised her hand and kissed it, smiling it her sadly and shaking his head.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Any day now I may have my discovery complete, and then--but really, my dear, this is wasting time.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading "No, my dear, I think not.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Any day now I may have my discovery complete, and then--but really, my dear, this is wasting time.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Any day now I may have my discovery complete, and then--but really, my dear, this is wasting time.
a source of difficulty
From this reading But don't trouble about it.
any general reduction in vitality and strength of body and mind resulting from a debilitating chronic disease
From this reading Any day now I may have my discovery complete, and then--but really, my dear, this is wasting time.
in the company of; together with
From this reading I must get on with my work."
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading I must get on with my work."
Chapter 2 of The Bag of Diamonds by George Manville Fenn holds 456 sentences, grouped into 92 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, 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 2 holds 456 sentences of The Bag of Diamonds, unabridged, divided into 92 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 2 of The Bag of Diamonds by George Manville Fenn exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 456 sentences, grouped into 92 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 92 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 92 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 2 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 Bag of Diamonds by George Manville Fenn on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3078 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #24871 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #24871, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 256 minutes of reading across 616 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Bag of Diamonds section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 7 chapters of The Bag of Diamonds 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 Bag of Diamonds, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
