Chapter 9 of The Ball and the Cross is here in full — 429 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IX
Chapter 9 of The Ball and the Cross is here in full — 429 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“Oh, there you are!” he exclaimed with a relieved giggle. “Will you come inside, please? I want to speak to you both.” They followed him into his shiny wooden office where their damning record was kept. Dr. Quayle sat down on a swivel chair and swung round to face them.
Chapter 9 of The Ball and the Cross is here in full — 429 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/85 · 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.
threatening with damnation
From this reading “They followed him into his shiny wooden office where their damning record was kept.”
a foolish or nervous laugh
From this reading ““Oh, there you are!” he exclaimed with a relieved giggle.”
anything (such as a document or a phonograph record or a photograph) providing permanent evidence of or information about past events
From this reading “They followed him into his shiny wooden office where their damning record was kept.”
(of pain or sorrow) made easier to bear
From this reading ““Oh, there you are!” he exclaimed with a relieved giggle.”
reflecting light
From this reading “They followed him into his shiny wooden office where their damning record was kept.”
turn on a pivot
From this reading “Dr. Quayle sat down on a swivel chair and swung round to face them.”
inflected form of “swing” — move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting
From this reading “Dr. Quayle sat down on a swivel chair and swung round to face them.”
made or consisting of (entirely or in part) or employing wood
From this reading “They followed him into his shiny wooden office where their damning record was kept.”
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 “Oh, there you are!” he exclaimed with a relieved giggle.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Dr. Quayle sat down on a swivel chair and swung round to face them.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “Oh, there you are!” he exclaimed with a relieved giggle.
the two together, not just one
From this reading I want to speak to you both.”
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading Dr. Quayle sat down on a swivel chair and swung round to face them.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading “Will you come inside, please?
threatening with damnation
From this reading They followed him into his shiny wooden office where their damning record was kept.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Dr. Quayle sat down on a swivel chair and swung round to face them.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Dr. Quayle sat down on a swivel chair and swung round to face them.
past form of “exclaim” — utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy
From this reading “Oh, there you are!” he exclaimed with a relieved giggle.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Dr. Quayle sat down on a swivel chair and swung round to face them.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading They followed him into his shiny wooden office where their damning record was kept.
a foolish or nervous laugh
From this reading “Oh, there you are!” he exclaimed with a relieved giggle.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Oh, there you are!” he exclaimed with a relieved giggle.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading They followed him into his shiny wooden office where their damning record was kept.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading They followed him into his shiny wooden office where their damning record was kept.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I want to speak to you both.”
relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space
From this reading “Will you come inside, please?
moving to the inside of something
From this reading They followed him into his shiny wooden office where their damning record was kept.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading They followed him into his shiny wooden office where their damning record was kept.
place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
From this reading They followed him into his shiny wooden office where their damning record was kept.
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading “Oh, there you are!” he exclaimed with a relieved giggle.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Dr. Quayle sat down on a swivel chair and swung round to face them.
give pleasure to or be pleasing to
From this reading “Will you come inside, please?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Dr. Quayle sat down on a swivel chair and swung round to face them.
anything (such as a document or a phonograph record or a photograph) providing permanent evidence of or information about past events
From this reading They followed him into his shiny wooden office where their damning record was kept.
(of pain or sorrow) made easier to bear
From this reading “Oh, there you are!” he exclaimed with a relieved giggle.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading Dr. Quayle sat down on a swivel chair and swung round to face them.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Dr. Quayle sat down on a swivel chair and swung round to face them.
reflecting light
From this reading They followed him into his shiny wooden office where their damning record was kept.
express in speech
From this reading I want to speak to you both.”
turn on a pivot
From this reading Dr. Quayle sat down on a swivel chair and swung round to face them.
inflected form of “swing” — move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting
From this reading Dr. Quayle sat down on a swivel chair and swung round to face them.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They followed him into his shiny wooden office where their damning record was kept.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Dr. Quayle sat down on a swivel chair and swung round to face them.
in or at that place or location
From this reading “Oh, there you are!” he exclaimed with a relieved giggle.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They followed him into his shiny wooden office where their damning record was kept.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I want to speak to you both.”
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading I want to speak to you both.”
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading They followed him into his shiny wooden office where their damning record was kept.
in or at the place that
From this reading They followed him into his shiny wooden office where their damning record was kept.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading “Will you come inside, please?
in the company of; together with
From this reading “Oh, there you are!” he exclaimed with a relieved giggle.
made or consisting of (entirely or in part) or employing wood
From this reading They followed him into his shiny wooden office where their damning record was kept.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Oh, there you are!” he exclaimed with a relieved giggle.
Chapter 9 of The Ball and the Cross by G. K. (Gilbert Keith) Chesterton holds 429 sentences, grouped into 86 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 9 holds 429 sentences of The Ball and the Cross, unabridged, divided into 86 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 9 of The Ball and the Cross by G. K. (Gilbert Keith) Chesterton exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 429 sentences, grouped into 86 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 86 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 86 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 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.
Common questions about reading The Ball and the Cross by G. K. (Gilbert Keith) Chesterton on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4329 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #5265 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #5265, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 360 minutes of reading across 866 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Ball and the Cross section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 10 chapters of The Ball and the Cross 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 Ball and the Cross, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
