Chapter XVIII of The Black Patch, “What Orchard Knew,” is here in full — 222 sentences across 45 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XVIII
Chapter XVIII of The Black Patch, “What Orchard Knew,” is here in full — 222 sentences across 45 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"Let her go," said Beatrice, holding back the angered husband by main force; "only in this way can you keep her out of the house." "But the necklace," said Vivian, pausing, while his wife vanished amongst the shadows of the trees. "Are you sure?" "No. How can I be sure? I have never seen the necklace.
Chapter XVIII of The Black Patch, “What Orchard Knew,” is here in full — 222 sentences across 45 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/44 · 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.
surrounded by; in the company of
From this reading “"But the necklace," said Vivian, pausing, while his wife vanished amongst the shadows of the trees.”
marked by extreme anger
From this reading “"Let her go," said Beatrice, holding back the angered husband by main force; "only in this way can you keep her out of the house."”
the woman who guided Dante through Paradise in the Divine Comedy
From this reading “"Let her go," said Beatrice, holding back the angered husband by main force; "only in this way can you keep her out of the house."”
most important element
From this reading “"Let her go," said Beatrice, holding back the angered husband by main force; "only in this way can you keep her out of the house."”
jewelry consisting of a cord or chain (often bearing gems) worn about the neck as an ornament (especially by women)
From this reading “"But the necklace," said Vivian, pausing, while his wife vanished amongst the shadows of the trees.”
-ing form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing
From this reading “"But the necklace," said Vivian, pausing, while his wife vanished amongst the shadows of the trees.”
plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries
From this reading “"But the necklace," said Vivian, pausing, while his wife vanished amongst the shadows of the trees.”
having passed out of existence
From this reading “"But the necklace," said Vivian, pausing, while his wife vanished amongst the shadows of the trees.”
English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.
Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.
In this reading “"Let her go," said Beatrice, holding back the angered husband by main force; "only in this way can you keep her out of the house."”
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.
surrounded by; in the company of
From this reading "But the necklace," said Vivian, pausing, while his wife vanished amongst the shadows of the trees.
marked by extreme anger
From this reading "Let her go," said Beatrice, holding back the angered husband by main force; "only in this way can you keep her out of the house."
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "Are you sure?"
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading "Let her go," said Beatrice, holding back the angered husband by main force; "only in this way can you keep her out of the house."
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "No. How can I be sure?
the woman who guided Dante through Paradise in the Divine Comedy
From this reading "Let her go," said Beatrice, holding back the angered husband by main force; "only in this way can you keep her out of the house."
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "But the necklace," said Vivian, pausing, while his wife vanished amongst the shadows of the trees.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading "Let her go," said Beatrice, holding back the angered husband by main force; "only in this way can you keep her out of the house."
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading "Let her go," said Beatrice, holding back the angered husband by main force; "only in this way can you keep her out of the house."
a powerful effect or influence
From this reading "Let her go," said Beatrice, holding back the angered husband by main force; "only in this way can you keep her out of the house."
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading "Let her go," said Beatrice, holding back the angered husband by main force; "only in this way can you keep her out of the house."
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading I have never seen the necklace.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading "Let her go," said Beatrice, holding back the angered husband by main force; "only in this way can you keep her out of the house."
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "But the necklace," said Vivian, pausing, while his wife vanished amongst the shadows of the trees.
the act of retaining something
From this reading "Let her go," said Beatrice, holding back the angered husband by main force; "only in this way can you keep her out of the house."
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading "Let her go," said Beatrice, holding back the angered husband by main force; "only in this way can you keep her out of the house."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "No. How can I be sure?
a married man; a woman's partner in marriage
From this reading "Let her go," said Beatrice, holding back the angered husband by main force; "only in this way can you keep her out of the house."
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "No. How can I be sure?
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "Let her go," said Beatrice, holding back the angered husband by main force; "only in this way can you keep her out of the house."
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading "Let her go," said Beatrice, holding back the angered husband by main force; "only in this way can you keep her out of the house."
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading "Let her go," said Beatrice, holding back the angered husband by main force; "only in this way can you keep her out of the house."
most important element
From this reading "Let her go," said Beatrice, holding back the angered husband by main force; "only in this way can you keep her out of the house."
jewelry consisting of a cord or chain (often bearing gems) worn about the neck as an ornament (especially by women)
From this reading "But the necklace," said Vivian, pausing, while his wife vanished amongst the shadows of the trees.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading I have never seen the necklace.
not any; not one
From this reading "No. How can I be sure?
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Let her go," said Beatrice, holding back the angered husband by main force; "only in this way can you keep her out of the house."
and nothing more
From this reading "Let her go," said Beatrice, holding back the angered husband by main force; "only in this way can you keep her out of the house."
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading "Let her go," said Beatrice, holding back the angered husband by main force; "only in this way can you keep her out of the house."
-ing form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing
From this reading "But the necklace," said Vivian, pausing, while his wife vanished amongst the shadows of the trees.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Let her go," said Beatrice, holding back the angered husband by main force; "only in this way can you keep her out of the house."
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading I have never seen the necklace.
plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries
From this reading "But the necklace," said Vivian, pausing, while his wife vanished amongst the shadows of the trees.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading "Are you sure?"
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Let her go," said Beatrice, holding back the angered husband by main force; "only in this way can you keep her out of the house."
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "Let her go," said Beatrice, holding back the angered husband by main force; "only in this way can you keep her out of the house."
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 the necklace," said Vivian, pausing, while his wife vanished amongst the shadows of the trees.
having passed out of existence
From this reading "But the necklace," said Vivian, pausing, while his wife vanished amongst the shadows of the trees.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "But the necklace," said Vivian, pausing, while his wife vanished amongst the shadows of the trees.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading "Let her go," said Beatrice, holding back the angered husband by main force; "only in this way can you keep her out of the house."
during the time that
From this reading "But the necklace," said Vivian, pausing, while his wife vanished amongst the shadows of the trees.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading "But the necklace," said Vivian, pausing, while his wife vanished amongst the shadows of the trees.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Let her go," said Beatrice, holding back the angered husband by main force; "only in this way can you keep her out of the house."
Chapter 18 of The Black Patch by Fergus Hume holds 222 sentences, grouped into 45 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 18 holds 222 sentences of The Black Patch, unabridged, divided into 45 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 18 of The Black Patch by Fergus Hume exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 222 sentences, grouped into 45 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 45 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 45 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 18 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 Black Patch by Fergus Hume on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 5681 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #55305 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #55305, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 473 minutes of reading across 1137 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Black Patch section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 26 chapters of The Black Patch 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 Black Patch, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
