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

Chapter XXVI · Chapter 26

Chapter 26 of The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses is here in full — 96 sentences across 20 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses
Context Illustration Reading 1/19 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.
But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.
Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.
The young duke ground his teeth together.
By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
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 XXVI · Chapter 26

Chapter 26 of The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses is here in full — 96 sentences across 20 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/19 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.
/ðə hoʊl ˈdɪstəns tuː biː krɔːst wɑːz nɑːt əˈbʌv ə ˈkwɔːrtər ʌv ə maɪl/
Line 2
But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.
Line 3
Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.
/ˈɔːlmoʊst æt ðə seɪm ˈmoʊmənt ə ɡreɪt ˈruːmər bɪˈɡæn tuː ərˈaɪz ənd spred ənd ɡroʊ kənˈtɪnjuːəli ˈlaʊdər ɪn ðə taʊn ənd ðeɪ wɜːr nɑːt jet ˈhæfˈweɪ tuː ðə ˈnɪrəst haʊs bɪˈfɔːr ðə belz bɪˈɡæn tuː rɪŋ ˈbækwərd frʌm ðə ˈstiːpəl/
Line 4
The young duke ground his teeth together.
/ðə jʌŋ duːk ɡraʊnd hɪz tiːθ təˈɡeðər/
Line 5
By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.
/baɪ ðiːz soʊ ˈɜːrli ˈsɪɡnəlz ʌv əˈlɑːrm hiː fɪrd tuː faɪnd hɪz ˈenəmiz priˈperd ənd ɪf hiː feɪld tuː ɡeɪn ə ˈfʊtɪŋ ɪn ðə taʊn hiː nuː ðæt hɪz smɔːl ˈpɑːrti wʊd suːn biː ˈbroʊkən ənd ɪkˈstɜːrməneɪtɪd ɪn ðə ˈoʊ.pən/

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.

exterminated adjective US /ɪkˈstɜːrməneɪtɪd/

destroyed completely

From this reading “By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.”

fleeing verb US /ˈfliːɪŋ/

-ing form of “flee” — run away quickly

From this reading “But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.”

halfway adjective US /ˈhæfˈweɪ/

equally distant from the extremes

From this reading “Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.”

rumour noun US /ˈruːmər/

gossip (usually a mixture of truth and untruth) passed around by word of mouth

From this reading “Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.”

screaming adjective US /ˈskriːmɪŋ/

so extremely intense as to evoke screams

From this reading “But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.”

signals noun US /ˈsɪɡnəlz/

plural of “signal” — any nonverbal action or gesture that encodes a message

From this reading “By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.”

snowy adjective US /ˈsnoʊi/

marked by the presence of snow

From this reading “But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.”

steeple noun US /ˈstiːpəl/

a tall tower that forms the superstructure of a building (usually a church or temple) and that tapers to a point at the top

From this reading “Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.”

All words in this reading · 88

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 The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.

aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/

higher than, or over, something

From this reading The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.

alarmnounUS /əˈlɑːrm/

fear resulting from the awareness of danger

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

AlmostadverbUS /ˈɔːlmoʊst/

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

ariseverbUS /ərˈaɪz/

come into existence; take on form or shape

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

awareadjectiveUS /əˈwer/

(sometimes followed by “of”) having or showing knowledge or understanding or realization or perception

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

backwardadverbUS /ˈbækwərd/

at or to or toward the back or rear

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

beganverbUS /bɪˈɡæn/

inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

bellsnounUS /belz/

plural of “bell” — a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

beyondprepositionUS /bɪˈɑːnd/

on the far side of; further than

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

brokenadjectiveUS /ˈbroʊkən/

physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

ByprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

continuallyadverbUS /kənˈtɪnjuːəli/

seemingly without interruption

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

coververbUS /ˈkʌvər/

provide with a covering or cause to be covered

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

crossedadjectiveUS /krɔːst/

placed crosswise

From this reading The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.

debauchedadjective

unrestrained by convention or morality

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

distancenounUS /ˈdɪstəns/

the property created by the space between two objects or points

From this reading The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.

dukenounUS /duːk/

a British peer of the highest rank

From this reading The young duke ground his teeth together.

earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/

at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

eitherdeterminerUS /ˈiːðər/

one or the other of two

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

enemiesnounUS /ˈenəmiz/

plural of “enemy” — an opposing military force

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

exterminatedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈstɜːrməneɪtɪd/

destroyed completely

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

failedverbUS /feɪld/

past form of “fail” — fail to do something; leave something undone

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

fearedverbUS /fɪrd/

past form of “fear” — be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

fleeingverbUS /ˈfliːɪŋ/

-ing form of “flee” — run away quickly

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

footingnounUS /ˈfʊtɪŋ/

status with respect to the relations between people or groups

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

gainverbUS /ɡeɪn/

obtain

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

groundnounUS /ɡraʊnd/

the solid part of the earth's surface

From this reading The young duke ground his teeth together.

growverbUS /ɡroʊ/

pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

halfwayadjectiveUS /ˈhæfˈweɪ/

equally distant from the extremes

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

handnounUS /hænd/

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading The young duke ground his teeth together.

housenounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

knewverbUS /nuː/

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 By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

louderadjectiveUS /ˈlaʊdər/

comparative of “loud” — characterized by or producing sound of great volume or intensity

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

meadowsnounUS /ˈmedoʊz/

plural of “meadow” — a field where grass or alfalfa are grown to be made into hay

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

milenounUS /maɪl/

a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters

From this reading The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.

momentnounUS /ˈmoʊmənt/

a particular point in time

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

nearestadverbUS /ˈnɪrəst/

(superlative of “near” or “close”) within the shortest distance

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.

openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

partynounUS /ˈpɑːrti/

an organization to gain political power

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

preparedadjectiveUS /priˈperd/

made ready or fit or suitable beforehand

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

quarternounUS /ˈkwɔːrtər/

one of four equal parts

From this reading The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.

ringverbUS /rɪŋ/

sound loudly and sonorously

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

rumournounUS /ˈruːmər/

gossip (usually a mixture of truth and untruth) passed around by word of mouth

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

sameadjectiveUS /seɪm/

Identical; not different.

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

screamingadjectiveUS /ˈskriːmɪŋ/

so extremely intense as to evoke screams

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

signalsnounUS /ˈsɪɡnəlz/

plural of “signal” — any nonverbal action or gesture that encodes a message

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

smalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

snowyadjectiveUS /ˈsnoʊi/

marked by the presence of snow

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

soonadverbUS /suːn/

in the near future

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

sooneradverbUS /ˈsuːnər/

comparatives of “soon” or “early”

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

spreadverbUS /spred/

distribute or disperse widely

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

steeplenounUS /ˈstiːpəl/

a tall tower that forms the superstructure of a building (usually a church or temple) and that tapers to a point at the top

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

teethnounUS /tiːθ/

the kind and number and arrangement of teeth (collectively) in a person or animal

From this reading The young duke ground his teeth together.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.

togetheradverbUS /təˈɡeðər/

in contact with each other or in proximity

From this reading The young duke ground his teeth together.

townnounUS /taʊn/

an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

treesnounUS /triːz/

plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

wholeadjectiveUS /hoʊl/

including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete

From this reading The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading The young duke ground his teeth together.

Chapter 26 of The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses by Robert Louis Stevenson holds 96 sentences, grouped into 20 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 26 of The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses contain?

Chapter 26 holds 96 sentences of The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses, unabridged, divided into 20 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 26 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 96 sentences, grouped into 20 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 26 of The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses?

Work through the 20 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 20 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 26 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 26 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.