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The Black Dwarf
The Black Dwarf

Chapter XVI · Chapter 16

Chapter 16 of The Black Dwarf is here in full — 96 sentences across 20 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/19 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
--‘Twas time and griefs That framed him thus: Time, with his fairer hand, Offering the fortunes of his former days, The former man may make him.--Bring us to him, And chance it as it may.--OLD PLAY.
The sounds of Ratcliffe’s voice had died on Isabella’s ear; but as she frequently looked back, it was some encouragement to her to discern his form now darkening in the gloom.
Ere, however, she went much farther, she lost the object in the increasing shade.
The last glimmer of the twilight placed her before the hut of the Solitary.
She twice extended her hand to the door, and twice she withdrew it; and when she did at length make the effort, the knock did not equal in violence the throb of her own bosom.
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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 Dwarf

Chapter XVI · Chapter 16

Chapter 16 of The Black Dwarf 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
--‘Twas time and griefs That framed him thus: Time, with his fairer hand, Offering the fortunes of his former days, The former man may make him.--Bring us to him, And chance it as it may.--OLD PLAY.
Line 2
The sounds of Ratcliffe’s voice had died on Isabella’s ear; but as she frequently looked back, it was some encouragement to her to discern his form now darkening in the gloom.
Line 3
Ere, however, she went much farther, she lost the object in the increasing shade.
Line 4
The last glimmer of the twilight placed her before the hut of the Solitary.
Line 5
She twice extended her hand to the door, and twice she withdrew it; and when she did at length make the effort, the knock did not equal in violence the throb of her own bosom.

All words in this reading · 84

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.

and

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

From this reading --‘Twas time and griefs That framed him thus: Time, with his fairer hand, Offering the fortunes of his former days, The former man may make him.--Bring us to him, And chance it as it may.--OLD PLAY.

as

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

From this reading --‘Twas time and griefs That framed him thus: Time, with his fairer hand, Offering the fortunes of his former days, The former man may make him.--Bring us to him, And chance it as it may.--OLD PLAY.

at

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

From this reading She twice extended her hand to the door, and twice she withdrew it; and when she did at length make the effort, the knock did not equal in violence the throb of her own bosom.

back

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

From this reading The sounds of Ratcliffe’s voice had died on Isabella’s ear; but as she frequently looked back, it was some encouragement to her to discern his form now darkening in the gloom.

before

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

From this reading The last glimmer of the twilight placed her before the hut of the Solitary.

bosom

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

From this reading She twice extended her hand to the door, and twice she withdrew it; and when she did at length make the effort, the knock did not equal in violence the throb of her own bosom.

Bring

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

From this reading --‘Twas time and griefs That framed him thus: Time, with his fairer hand, Offering the fortunes of his former days, The former man may make him.--Bring us to him, And chance it as it may.--OLD PLAY.

but

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

From this reading The sounds of Ratcliffe’s voice had died on Isabella’s ear; but as she frequently looked back, it was some encouragement to her to discern his form now darkening in the gloom.

chance

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

From this reading --‘Twas time and griefs That framed him thus: Time, with his fairer hand, Offering the fortunes of his former days, The former man may make him.--Bring us to him, And chance it as it may.--OLD PLAY.

darkening

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

From this reading The sounds of Ratcliffe’s voice had died on Isabella’s ear; but as she frequently looked back, it was some encouragement to her to discern his form now darkening in the gloom.

days

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

From this reading --‘Twas time and griefs That framed him thus: Time, with his fairer hand, Offering the fortunes of his former days, The former man may make him.--Bring us to him, And chance it as it may.--OLD PLAY.

did

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

From this reading She twice extended her hand to the door, and twice she withdrew it; and when she did at length make the effort, the knock did not equal in violence the throb of her own bosom.

died

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

From this reading The sounds of Ratcliffe’s voice had died on Isabella’s ear; but as she frequently looked back, it was some encouragement to her to discern his form now darkening in the gloom.

discern

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

From this reading The sounds of Ratcliffe’s voice had died on Isabella’s ear; but as she frequently looked back, it was some encouragement to her to discern his form now darkening in the gloom.

door

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

From this reading She twice extended her hand to the door, and twice she withdrew it; and when she did at length make the effort, the knock did not equal in violence the throb of her own bosom.

ear

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

From this reading The sounds of Ratcliffe’s voice had died on Isabella’s ear; but as she frequently looked back, it was some encouragement to her to discern his form now darkening in the gloom.

effort

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

From this reading She twice extended her hand to the door, and twice she withdrew it; and when she did at length make the effort, the knock did not equal in violence the throb of her own bosom.

encouragement

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

From this reading The sounds of Ratcliffe’s voice had died on Isabella’s ear; but as she frequently looked back, it was some encouragement to her to discern his form now darkening in the gloom.

equal

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

From this reading She twice extended her hand to the door, and twice she withdrew it; and when she did at length make the effort, the knock did not equal in violence the throb of her own bosom.

Ere

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

From this reading Ere, however, she went much farther, she lost the object in the increasing shade.

extended

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

From this reading She twice extended her hand to the door, and twice she withdrew it; and when she did at length make the effort, the knock did not equal in violence the throb of her own bosom.

fairer

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

From this reading --‘Twas time and griefs That framed him thus: Time, with his fairer hand, Offering the fortunes of his former days, The former man may make him.--Bring us to him, And chance it as it may.--OLD PLAY.

farther

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

From this reading Ere, however, she went much farther, she lost the object in the increasing shade.

form

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

From this reading The sounds of Ratcliffe’s voice had died on Isabella’s ear; but as she frequently looked back, it was some encouragement to her to discern his form now darkening in the gloom.

former

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

From this reading --‘Twas time and griefs That framed him thus: Time, with his fairer hand, Offering the fortunes of his former days, The former man may make him.--Bring us to him, And chance it as it may.--OLD PLAY.

fortunes

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

From this reading --‘Twas time and griefs That framed him thus: Time, with his fairer hand, Offering the fortunes of his former days, The former man may make him.--Bring us to him, And chance it as it may.--OLD PLAY.

framed

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

From this reading --‘Twas time and griefs That framed him thus: Time, with his fairer hand, Offering the fortunes of his former days, The former man may make him.--Bring us to him, And chance it as it may.--OLD PLAY.

frequently

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

From this reading The sounds of Ratcliffe’s voice had died on Isabella’s ear; but as she frequently looked back, it was some encouragement to her to discern his form now darkening in the gloom.

glimmer

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

From this reading The last glimmer of the twilight placed her before the hut of the Solitary.

gloom

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

From this reading The sounds of Ratcliffe’s voice had died on Isabella’s ear; but as she frequently looked back, it was some encouragement to her to discern his form now darkening in the gloom.

griefs

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

From this reading --‘Twas time and griefs That framed him thus: Time, with his fairer hand, Offering the fortunes of his former days, The former man may make him.--Bring us to him, And chance it as it may.--OLD PLAY.

had

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

From this reading The sounds of Ratcliffe’s voice had died on Isabella’s ear; but as she frequently looked back, it was some encouragement to her to discern his form now darkening in the gloom.

hand

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

From this reading --‘Twas time and griefs That framed him thus: Time, with his fairer hand, Offering the fortunes of his former days, The former man may make him.--Bring us to him, And chance it as it may.--OLD PLAY.

her

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

From this reading The sounds of Ratcliffe’s voice had died on Isabella’s ear; but as she frequently looked back, it was some encouragement to her to discern his form now darkening in the gloom.

him

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

From this reading --‘Twas time and griefs That framed him thus: Time, with his fairer hand, Offering the fortunes of his former days, The former man may make him.--Bring us to him, And chance it as it may.--OLD PLAY.

his

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

From this reading --‘Twas time and griefs That framed him thus: Time, with his fairer hand, Offering the fortunes of his former days, The former man may make him.--Bring us to him, And chance it as it may.--OLD PLAY.

however

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

From this reading Ere, however, she went much farther, she lost the object in the increasing shade.

hut

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

From this reading The last glimmer of the twilight placed her before the hut of the Solitary.

in

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

From this reading The sounds of Ratcliffe’s voice had died on Isabella’s ear; but as she frequently looked back, it was some encouragement to her to discern his form now darkening in the gloom.

increasing

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

From this reading Ere, however, she went much farther, she lost the object in the increasing shade.

Isabella's

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

From this reading The sounds of Ratcliffe’s voice had died on Isabella’s ear; but as she frequently looked back, it was some encouragement to her to discern his form now darkening in the gloom.

it

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

From this reading --‘Twas time and griefs That framed him thus: Time, with his fairer hand, Offering the fortunes of his former days, The former man may make him.--Bring us to him, And chance it as it may.--OLD PLAY.

knock

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

From this reading She twice extended her hand to the door, and twice she withdrew it; and when she did at length make the effort, the knock did not equal in violence the throb of her own bosom.

last

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

From this reading The last glimmer of the twilight placed her before the hut of the Solitary.

length

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

From this reading She twice extended her hand to the door, and twice she withdrew it; and when she did at length make the effort, the knock did not equal in violence the throb of her own bosom.

looked

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

From this reading The sounds of Ratcliffe’s voice had died on Isabella’s ear; but as she frequently looked back, it was some encouragement to her to discern his form now darkening in the gloom.

lost

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

From this reading Ere, however, she went much farther, she lost the object in the increasing shade.

make

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

From this reading --‘Twas time and griefs That framed him thus: Time, with his fairer hand, Offering the fortunes of his former days, The former man may make him.--Bring us to him, And chance it as it may.--OLD PLAY.

man

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

From this reading --‘Twas time and griefs That framed him thus: Time, with his fairer hand, Offering the fortunes of his former days, The former man may make him.--Bring us to him, And chance it as it may.--OLD PLAY.

may

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

From this reading --‘Twas time and griefs That framed him thus: Time, with his fairer hand, Offering the fortunes of his former days, The former man may make him.--Bring us to him, And chance it as it may.--OLD PLAY.

much

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

From this reading Ere, however, she went much farther, she lost the object in the increasing shade.

not

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

From this reading She twice extended her hand to the door, and twice she withdrew it; and when she did at length make the effort, the knock did not equal in violence the throb of her own bosom.

now

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

From this reading The sounds of Ratcliffe’s voice had died on Isabella’s ear; but as she frequently looked back, it was some encouragement to her to discern his form now darkening in the gloom.

object

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

From this reading Ere, however, she went much farther, she lost the object in the increasing shade.

of

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

From this reading --‘Twas time and griefs That framed him thus: Time, with his fairer hand, Offering the fortunes of his former days, The former man may make him.--Bring us to him, And chance it as it may.--OLD PLAY.

Offering

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

From this reading --‘Twas time and griefs That framed him thus: Time, with his fairer hand, Offering the fortunes of his former days, The former man may make him.--Bring us to him, And chance it as it may.--OLD PLAY.

OLD

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

From this reading --‘Twas time and griefs That framed him thus: Time, with his fairer hand, Offering the fortunes of his former days, The former man may make him.--Bring us to him, And chance it as it may.--OLD PLAY.

on

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

From this reading The sounds of Ratcliffe’s voice had died on Isabella’s ear; but as she frequently looked back, it was some encouragement to her to discern his form now darkening in the gloom.

own

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

From this reading She twice extended her hand to the door, and twice she withdrew it; and when she did at length make the effort, the knock did not equal in violence the throb of her own bosom.

placed

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

From this reading The last glimmer of the twilight placed her before the hut of the Solitary.

PLAY

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

From this reading --‘Twas time and griefs That framed him thus: Time, with his fairer hand, Offering the fortunes of his former days, The former man may make him.--Bring us to him, And chance it as it may.--OLD PLAY.

Ratcliffe's

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

From this reading The sounds of Ratcliffe’s voice had died on Isabella’s ear; but as she frequently looked back, it was some encouragement to her to discern his form now darkening in the gloom.

shade

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

From this reading Ere, however, she went much farther, she lost the object in the increasing shade.

she

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

From this reading The sounds of Ratcliffe’s voice had died on Isabella’s ear; but as she frequently looked back, it was some encouragement to her to discern his form now darkening in the gloom.

Solitary

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

From this reading The last glimmer of the twilight placed her before the hut of the Solitary.

some

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

From this reading The sounds of Ratcliffe’s voice had died on Isabella’s ear; but as she frequently looked back, it was some encouragement to her to discern his form now darkening in the gloom.

sounds

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

From this reading The sounds of Ratcliffe’s voice had died on Isabella’s ear; but as she frequently looked back, it was some encouragement to her to discern his form now darkening in the gloom.

That

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

From this reading --‘Twas time and griefs That framed him thus: Time, with his fairer hand, Offering the fortunes of his former days, The former man may make him.--Bring us to him, And chance it as it may.--OLD PLAY.

the

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

From this reading --‘Twas time and griefs That framed him thus: Time, with his fairer hand, Offering the fortunes of his former days, The former man may make him.--Bring us to him, And chance it as it may.--OLD PLAY.

throb

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

From this reading She twice extended her hand to the door, and twice she withdrew it; and when she did at length make the effort, the knock did not equal in violence the throb of her own bosom.

thus

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

From this reading --‘Twas time and griefs That framed him thus: Time, with his fairer hand, Offering the fortunes of his former days, The former man may make him.--Bring us to him, And chance it as it may.--OLD PLAY.

time

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

From this reading --‘Twas time and griefs That framed him thus: Time, with his fairer hand, Offering the fortunes of his former days, The former man may make him.--Bring us to him, And chance it as it may.--OLD PLAY.

to

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

From this reading --‘Twas time and griefs That framed him thus: Time, with his fairer hand, Offering the fortunes of his former days, The former man may make him.--Bring us to him, And chance it as it may.--OLD PLAY.

Twas

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

From this reading --‘Twas time and griefs That framed him thus: Time, with his fairer hand, Offering the fortunes of his former days, The former man may make him.--Bring us to him, And chance it as it may.--OLD PLAY.

twice

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

From this reading She twice extended her hand to the door, and twice she withdrew it; and when she did at length make the effort, the knock did not equal in violence the throb of her own bosom.

twilight

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

From this reading The last glimmer of the twilight placed her before the hut of the Solitary.

us

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

From this reading --‘Twas time and griefs That framed him thus: Time, with his fairer hand, Offering the fortunes of his former days, The former man may make him.--Bring us to him, And chance it as it may.--OLD PLAY.

violence

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

From this reading She twice extended her hand to the door, and twice she withdrew it; and when she did at length make the effort, the knock did not equal in violence the throb of her own bosom.

voice

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

From this reading The sounds of Ratcliffe’s voice had died on Isabella’s ear; but as she frequently looked back, it was some encouragement to her to discern his form now darkening in the gloom.

was

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

From this reading The sounds of Ratcliffe’s voice had died on Isabella’s ear; but as she frequently looked back, it was some encouragement to her to discern his form now darkening in the gloom.

went

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

From this reading Ere, however, she went much farther, she lost the object in the increasing shade.

when

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

From this reading She twice extended her hand to the door, and twice she withdrew it; and when she did at length make the effort, the knock did not equal in violence the throb of her own bosom.

with

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

From this reading --‘Twas time and griefs That framed him thus: Time, with his fairer hand, Offering the fortunes of his former days, The former man may make him.--Bring us to him, And chance it as it may.--OLD PLAY.

withdrew

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

From this reading She twice extended her hand to the door, and twice she withdrew it; and when she did at length make the effort, the knock did not equal in violence the throb of her own bosom.

Chapter 16 of The Black Dwarf by Walter Scott 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 16 of The Black Dwarf contain?

Chapter 16 holds 96 sentences of The Black Dwarf, unabridged, divided into 20 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 16 of The Black Dwarf by Walter Scott 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 16 of The Black Dwarf?

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 16 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 16 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 Dwarf

Common questions about reading The Black Dwarf by Walter Scott on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Black Dwarf?

Yes. All 1832 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1460 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Black Dwarf is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #1460, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Black Dwarf take to read?

About 152 minutes of reading across 367 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Black Dwarf section by section

How to work through The Black Dwarf section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 18 chapters of The Black Dwarf 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 Dwarf

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Black Dwarf, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Preliminary
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Black Dwarf; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Philosophy
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Black Dwarf; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Shepherd
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Black Dwarf; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
April
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Black Dwarf; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.