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The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses
The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses

Chapter XI · Chapter 11

Chapter 11 of The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses is here in full — 104 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses
Context Illustration Reading 1/20 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The passage in which Dick and Joanna now found themselves was narrow, dirty, and short.
At the other end of it, a door stood partly open; the same door, without doubt, that they had heard the man unlocking.
Heavy cobwebs hung from the roof; and the paved flooring echoed hollow under the lightest tread.
Beyond the door there were two branches, at right angles.
Dick chose one of them at random, and the pair hurried, with echoing footsteps, along the hollow of the chapel roof.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses

Chapter XI · Chapter 11

Chapter 11 of The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses is here in full — 104 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/20 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The passage in which Dick and Joanna now found themselves was narrow, dirty, and short.
Line 2
At the other end of it, a door stood partly open; the same door, without doubt, that they had heard the man unlocking.
/æt ðə ˈʌðər end ʌv ɪt ə dɔːr stʊd ˈpɑːrtli ˈoʊ.pən ðə seɪm dɔːr wɪˈθaʊt daʊt ðæt ðeɪ hæd hɜːrd ðə mæn ənˈlɑːkɪŋ/
Line 3
Heavy cobwebs hung from the roof; and the paved flooring echoed hollow under the lightest tread.
/ˈhevi ˈkɑːbwebz hʌŋ frʌm ðə ruːf ənd ðə peɪvd ˈflɔːrɪŋ ˈekoʊd ˈhɑːloʊ ˈʌndər ðə ˈlaɪtəst tred/
Line 4
Beyond the door there were two branches, at right angles.
/bɪˈɑːnd ðə dɔːr ðer wɜːr tuː ˈbræntʃəz æt raɪt ˈæŋɡəlz/
Line 5
Dick chose one of them at random, and the pair hurried, with echoing footsteps, along the hollow of the chapel roof.
/dɪk tʃoʊz wʌn ʌv ðem æt ˈrændəm ənd ðə per ˈhɜːrid wɪð ˈekoʊɪŋ ˈfʊtsteps əˈlɔːŋ ðə ˈhɑːloʊ ʌv ðə ˈtʃæpəl ruːf/

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.

angles noun US /ˈæŋɡəlz/

plural of “angle” — the space between two lines or planes that intersect; the inclination of one line to another; measured in degrees or radians

From this reading “Beyond the door there were two branches, at right angles.”

cobwebs noun US /ˈkɑːbwebz/

plural of “cobweb” — a fabric so delicate and transparent as to resemble a web of a spider

From this reading “Heavy cobwebs hung from the roof; and the paved flooring echoed hollow under the lightest tread.”

echoing adjective US /ˈekoʊɪŋ/

(of sounds) repeating by reflection

From this reading “Dick chose one of them at random, and the pair hurried, with echoing footsteps, along the hollow of the chapel roof.”

flooring noun US /ˈflɔːrɪŋ/

the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)

From this reading “Heavy cobwebs hung from the roof; and the paved flooring echoed hollow under the lightest tread.”

lightest adjective US /ˈlaɪtəst/

superlative of “light” — of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading “Heavy cobwebs hung from the roof; and the paved flooring echoed hollow under the lightest tread.”

paved adjective US /peɪvd/

covered with a firm surface

From this reading “Heavy cobwebs hung from the roof; and the paved flooring echoed hollow under the lightest tread.”

random adjective US /ˈrændəm/

lacking any definite plan or order or purpose; governed by or depending on chance

From this reading “Dick chose one of them at random, and the pair hurried, with echoing footsteps, along the hollow of the chapel roof.”

unlocking verb US /ənˈlɑːkɪŋ/

-ing form of “unlock” — open the lock of

From this reading “At the other end of it, a door stood partly open; the same door, without doubt, that they had heard the man unlocking.”

All words in this reading · 63

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 At the other end of it, a door stood partly open; the same door, without doubt, that they had heard the man unlocking.

alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/

following the length of something from one end toward the other

From this reading Dick chose one of them at random, and the pair hurried, with echoing footsteps, along the hollow of the chapel roof.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The passage in which Dick and Joanna now found themselves was narrow, dirty, and short.

anglesnounUS /ˈæŋɡəlz/

plural of “angle” — the space between two lines or planes that intersect; the inclination of one line to another; measured in degrees or radians

From this reading Beyond the door there were two branches, at right angles.

AtprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading At the other end of it, a door stood partly open; the same door, without doubt, that they had heard the man unlocking.

BeyondprepositionUS /bɪˈɑːnd/

on the far side of; further than

From this reading Beyond the door there were two branches, at right angles.

branchesnounUS /ˈbræntʃəz/

plural of “branch” — a division of some larger or more complex organization

From this reading Beyond the door there were two branches, at right angles.

chapelnounUS /ˈtʃæpəl/

a place of worship that has its own altar

From this reading Dick chose one of them at random, and the pair hurried, with echoing footsteps, along the hollow of the chapel roof.

choseverbUS /tʃoʊz/

inflected form of “choose” — pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives

From this reading Dick chose one of them at random, and the pair hurried, with echoing footsteps, along the hollow of the chapel roof.

cobwebsnounUS /ˈkɑːbwebz/

plural of “cobweb” — a fabric so delicate and transparent as to resemble a web of a spider

From this reading Heavy cobwebs hung from the roof; and the paved flooring echoed hollow under the lightest tread.

DicknounUS /dɪk/

someone who is a detective

From this reading The passage in which Dick and Joanna now found themselves was narrow, dirty, and short.

dirtyadjectiveUS /ˈdɜːrti/

soiled or likely to soil with dirt or grime

From this reading The passage in which Dick and Joanna now found themselves was narrow, dirty, and short.

doornounUS /dɔːr/

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading At the other end of it, a door stood partly open; the same door, without doubt, that they had heard the man unlocking.

doubtnounUS /daʊt/

the state of being unsure of something

From this reading At the other end of it, a door stood partly open; the same door, without doubt, that they had heard the man unlocking.

echoedverbUS /ˈekoʊd/

past form of “echo” — to say again or imitate

From this reading Heavy cobwebs hung from the roof; and the paved flooring echoed hollow under the lightest tread.

echoingadjectiveUS /ˈekoʊɪŋ/

(of sounds) repeating by reflection

From this reading Dick chose one of them at random, and the pair hurried, with echoing footsteps, along the hollow of the chapel roof.

endnounUS /end/

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading At the other end of it, a door stood partly open; the same door, without doubt, that they had heard the man unlocking.

flooringnounUS /ˈflɔːrɪŋ/

the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)

From this reading Heavy cobwebs hung from the roof; and the paved flooring echoed hollow under the lightest tread.

footstepsnounUS /ˈfʊtsteps/

plural of “footstep” — the sound of a step of someone walking

From this reading Dick chose one of them at random, and the pair hurried, with echoing footsteps, along the hollow of the chapel roof.

foundverbUS /faʊnd/

set up or found

From this reading The passage in which Dick and Joanna now found themselves was narrow, dirty, and short.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Heavy cobwebs hung from the roof; and the paved flooring echoed hollow under the lightest tread.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading At the other end of it, a door stood partly open; the same door, without doubt, that they had heard the man unlocking.

heardadjectiveUS /hɜːrd/

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading At the other end of it, a door stood partly open; the same door, without doubt, that they had heard the man unlocking.

HeavyadjectiveUS /ˈhevi/

of comparatively great physical weight or density

From this reading Heavy cobwebs hung from the roof; and the paved flooring echoed hollow under the lightest tread.

hollowadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːloʊ/

not solid; having a space or gap or cavity

From this reading Heavy cobwebs hung from the roof; and the paved flooring echoed hollow under the lightest tread.

hungverbUS /hʌŋ/

inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging

From this reading Heavy cobwebs hung from the roof; and the paved flooring echoed hollow under the lightest tread.

hurriedadjectiveUS /ˈhɜːrid/

moving rapidly or performed quickly or in great haste

From this reading Dick chose one of them at random, and the pair hurried, with echoing footsteps, along the hollow of the chapel roof.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The passage in which Dick and Joanna now found themselves was narrow, dirty, and short.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading At the other end of it, a door stood partly open; the same door, without doubt, that they had heard the man unlocking.

Joanna

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

From this reading The passage in which Dick and Joanna now found themselves was narrow, dirty, and short.

lightestadjectiveUS /ˈlaɪtəst/

superlative of “light” — of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading Heavy cobwebs hung from the roof; and the paved flooring echoed hollow under the lightest tread.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading At the other end of it, a door stood partly open; the same door, without doubt, that they had heard the man unlocking.

narrowverbUS /ˈneroʊ/

make or become more narrow or restricted

From this reading The passage in which Dick and Joanna now found themselves was narrow, dirty, and short.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading The passage in which Dick and Joanna now found themselves was narrow, dirty, and short.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading At the other end of it, a door stood partly open; the same door, without doubt, that they had heard the man unlocking.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Dick chose one of them at random, and the pair hurried, with echoing footsteps, along the hollow of the chapel roof.

openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading At the other end of it, a door stood partly open; the same door, without doubt, that they had heard the man unlocking.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading At the other end of it, a door stood partly open; the same door, without doubt, that they had heard the man unlocking.

pairnounUS /per/

a set of two similar things considered as a unit

From this reading Dick chose one of them at random, and the pair hurried, with echoing footsteps, along the hollow of the chapel roof.

partlyadverbUS /ˈpɑːrtli/

to some extent; in some degree; not wholly

From this reading At the other end of it, a door stood partly open; the same door, without doubt, that they had heard the man unlocking.

passagenounUS /ˈpæsədʒ/

the act of passing from one state or place to the next

From this reading The passage in which Dick and Joanna now found themselves was narrow, dirty, and short.

pavedadjectiveUS /peɪvd/

covered with a firm surface

From this reading Heavy cobwebs hung from the roof; and the paved flooring echoed hollow under the lightest tread.

randomadjectiveUS /ˈrændəm/

lacking any definite plan or order or purpose; governed by or depending on chance

From this reading Dick chose one of them at random, and the pair hurried, with echoing footsteps, along the hollow of the chapel roof.

rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading Beyond the door there were two branches, at right angles.

roofnounUS /ruːf/

a protective covering that covers or forms the top of a building

From this reading Heavy cobwebs hung from the roof; and the paved flooring echoed hollow under the lightest tread.

sameadjectiveUS /seɪm/

Identical; not different.

From this reading At the other end of it, a door stood partly open; the same door, without doubt, that they had heard the man unlocking.

shortadjectiveUS /ʃɔːrt/

primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration

From this reading The passage in which Dick and Joanna now found themselves was narrow, dirty, and short.

stoodverbUS /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading At the other end of it, a door stood partly open; the same door, without doubt, that they had heard the man unlocking.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading At the other end of it, a door stood partly open; the same door, without doubt, that they had heard the man unlocking.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The passage in which Dick and Joanna now found themselves was narrow, dirty, and short.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Dick chose one of them at random, and the pair hurried, with echoing footsteps, along the hollow of the chapel roof.

themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading The passage in which Dick and Joanna now found themselves was narrow, dirty, and short.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading Beyond the door there were two branches, at right angles.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading At the other end of it, a door stood partly open; the same door, without doubt, that they had heard the man unlocking.

treadverbUS /tred/

put down or press the foot, place the foot

From this reading Heavy cobwebs hung from the roof; and the paved flooring echoed hollow under the lightest tread.

twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading Beyond the door there were two branches, at right angles.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading Heavy cobwebs hung from the roof; and the paved flooring echoed hollow under the lightest tread.

unlockingverbUS /ənˈlɑːkɪŋ/

-ing form of “unlock” — open the lock of

From this reading At the other end of it, a door stood partly open; the same door, without doubt, that they had heard the man unlocking.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The passage in which Dick and Joanna now found themselves was narrow, dirty, and short.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Beyond the door there were two branches, at right angles.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading The passage in which Dick and Joanna now found themselves was narrow, dirty, and short.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Dick chose one of them at random, and the pair hurried, with echoing footsteps, along the hollow of the chapel roof.

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading At the other end of it, a door stood partly open; the same door, without doubt, that they had heard the man unlocking.

Chapter 11 of The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses by Robert Louis Stevenson holds 104 sentences, grouped into 21 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 11 of The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses contain?

Chapter 11 holds 104 sentences of The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses, unabridged, divided into 21 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 11 of The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses by Robert Louis Stevenson exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 104 sentences, grouped into 21 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 11 of The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses?

Work through the 21 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 21 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 11 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 11 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 Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses

Common questions about reading The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses by Robert Louis Stevenson on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses?

Yes. All 4256 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #848 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #848, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses take to read?

About 354 minutes of reading across 852 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses section by section

How to work through The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 32 chapters of The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses 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 Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Daniel
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Kettley
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Night
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Warmly
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.