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The Blind Spot
The Blind Spot

Chapter XX · Chapter 20

Chapter 20 of The Blind Spot is here in full — 414 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Blind Spot
Context Illustration Reading 1/82 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
I have discovered many things, my boy, but I am not omnipotent.
Your coming has made possible my last hope that I may return to my own kind, and take with me the secrets of life.
You have done right to trust your instinct; have no fear, yet remember that if you--if we--make one false step we are lost.
Finally, if you should succeed in your contest with the Senestro, I shall send for you; but if you fail, I know how to die.
Return at once to the Mahovisal.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
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 Blind Spot

Chapter XX · Chapter 20

Chapter 20 of The Blind Spot is here in full — 414 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/82 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
I have discovered many things, my boy, but I am not omnipotent.
/aɪ hæv dɪˈskʌvərd ˈmeni θɪŋz maɪ bɔɪ bʌt aɪ æm nɑːt ɑːmˈnɪpətənt/
Line 2
Your coming has made possible my last hope that I may return to my own kind, and take with me the secrets of life.
/jɔːr ˈkʌmɪŋ hæz meɪd ˈpɑːsəbəl maɪ læst hoʊp ðæt aɪ meɪ rɪˈtɜːrn tuː maɪ oʊn kaɪnd ənd teɪk wɪð miː ðə ˈsiːkrəts ʌv laɪf/
Line 3
You have done right to trust your instinct; have no fear, yet remember that if you--if we--make one false step we are lost.
Line 4
Finally, if you should succeed in your contest with the Senestro, I shall send for you; but if you fail, I know how to die.
Line 5
Return at once to the Mahovisal.

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.

contest noun US /ˈkɑːntest/

an occasion on which a winner is selected from among two or more contestants

From this reading ““Finally, if you should succeed in your contest with the Senestro, I shall send for you; but if you fail, I know how to die.”

fail verb US /feɪl/

fail to do something; leave something undone

From this reading ““Finally, if you should succeed in your contest with the Senestro, I shall send for you; but if you fail, I know how to die.”

false adjective US /fɔːls/

not in accordance with the fact or reality or actuality

From this reading “You have done right to trust your instinct; have no fear, yet remember that if you--if we--make one false step we are lost.”

Finally adverb US /ˈfaɪnəli/

after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay

From this reading ““Finally, if you should succeed in your contest with the Senestro, I shall send for you; but if you fail, I know how to die.”

instinct noun US /ˈɪnstɪŋkt/

inborn pattern of behavior often responsive to specific stimuli

From this reading “You have done right to trust your instinct; have no fear, yet remember that if you--if we--make one false step we are lost.”

omnipotent adjective US /ɑːmˈnɪpətənt/

having unlimited power

From this reading ““I have discovered many things, my boy, but I am not omnipotent.”

secrets noun US /ˈsiːkrəts/

plural of “secret” — something that should remain hidden from others (especially information that is not to be passed on)

From this reading “Your coming has made possible my last hope that I may return to my own kind, and take with me the secrets of life.”

succeed verb US /səkˈsiːd/

attain success or reach a desired goal

From this reading ““Finally, if you should succeed in your contest with the Senestro, I shall send for you; but if you fail, I know how to die.”

All words in this reading · 65

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.

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading “I have discovered many things, my boy, but I am not omnipotent.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Your coming has made possible my last hope that I may return to my own kind, and take with me the secrets of life.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading You have done right to trust your instinct; have no fear, yet remember that if you--if we--make one false step we are lost.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading “Return at once to the Mahovisal.

boynounUS /bɔɪ/

a youthful male person

From this reading “I have discovered many things, my boy, but I am not omnipotent.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading “I have discovered many things, my boy, but I am not omnipotent.

comingnounUS /ˈkʌmɪŋ/

the act of drawing spatially closer to something

From this reading Your coming has made possible my last hope that I may return to my own kind, and take with me the secrets of life.

contestnounUS /ˈkɑːntest/

an occasion on which a winner is selected from among two or more contestants

From this reading “Finally, if you should succeed in your contest with the Senestro, I shall send for you; but if you fail, I know how to die.

dieverbUS /daɪ/

pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life

From this reading “Finally, if you should succeed in your contest with the Senestro, I shall send for you; but if you fail, I know how to die.

discoveredadjectiveUS /dɪˈskʌvərd/

discovered or determined by scientific observation

From this reading “I have discovered many things, my boy, but I am not omnipotent.

doneadjectiveUS /dʌn/

having finished or arrived at completion

From this reading You have done right to trust your instinct; have no fear, yet remember that if you--if we--make one false step we are lost.

failverbUS /feɪl/

fail to do something; leave something undone

From this reading “Finally, if you should succeed in your contest with the Senestro, I shall send for you; but if you fail, I know how to die.

falseadjectiveUS /fɔːls/

not in accordance with the fact or reality or actuality

From this reading You have done right to trust your instinct; have no fear, yet remember that if you--if we--make one false step we are lost.

fearverbUS /fɪr/

be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event

From this reading You have done right to trust your instinct; have no fear, yet remember that if you--if we--make one false step we are lost.

FinallyadverbUS /ˈfaɪnəli/

after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay

From this reading “Finally, if you should succeed in your contest with the Senestro, I shall send for you; but if you fail, I know how to die.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading “Finally, if you should succeed in your contest with the Senestro, I shall send for you; but if you fail, I know how to die.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Your coming has made possible my last hope that I may return to my own kind, and take with me the secrets of life.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “I have discovered many things, my boy, but I am not omnipotent.

hopenounUS /hoʊp/

a specific instance of feeling hopeful

From this reading Your coming has made possible my last hope that I may return to my own kind, and take with me the secrets of life.

how

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

From this reading “Finally, if you should succeed in your contest with the Senestro, I shall send for you; but if you fail, I know how to die.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading “I have discovered many things, my boy, but I am not omnipotent.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading You have done right to trust your instinct; have no fear, yet remember that if you--if we--make one false step we are lost.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading “Finally, if you should succeed in your contest with the Senestro, I shall send for you; but if you fail, I know how to die.

instinctnounUS /ˈɪnstɪŋkt/

inborn pattern of behavior often responsive to specific stimuli

From this reading You have done right to trust your instinct; have no fear, yet remember that if you--if we--make one false step we are lost.

kindadjectiveUS /kaɪnd/

having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior

From this reading Your coming has made possible my last hope that I may return to my own kind, and take with me the secrets of life.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading “Finally, if you should succeed in your contest with the Senestro, I shall send for you; but if you fail, I know how to die.

lastadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading Your coming has made possible my last hope that I may return to my own kind, and take with me the secrets of life.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading Your coming has made possible my last hope that I may return to my own kind, and take with me the secrets of life.

lostadjectiveUS /lɔːst/

no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered

From this reading You have done right to trust your instinct; have no fear, yet remember that if you--if we--make one false step we are lost.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading Your coming has made possible my last hope that I may return to my own kind, and take with me the secrets of life.

Mahovisal

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

From this reading “Return at once to the Mahovisal.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading You have done right to trust your instinct; have no fear, yet remember that if you--if we--make one false step we are lost.

manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading “I have discovered many things, my boy, but I am not omnipotent.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading Your coming has made possible my last hope that I may return to my own kind, and take with me the secrets of life.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Your coming has made possible my last hope that I may return to my own kind, and take with me the secrets of life.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading “I have discovered many things, my boy, but I am not omnipotent.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading You have done right to trust your instinct; have no fear, yet remember that if you--if we--make one false step we are lost.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading “I have discovered many things, my boy, but I am not omnipotent.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Your coming has made possible my last hope that I may return to my own kind, and take with me the secrets of life.

omnipotentadjectiveUS /ɑːmˈnɪpətənt/

having unlimited power

From this reading “I have discovered many things, my boy, but I am not omnipotent.

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading “Return at once to the Mahovisal.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading You have done right to trust your instinct; have no fear, yet remember that if you--if we--make one false step we are lost.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading Your coming has made possible my last hope that I may return to my own kind, and take with me the secrets of life.

possibleadjectiveUS /ˈpɑːsəbəl/

capable of happening or existing

From this reading Your coming has made possible my last hope that I may return to my own kind, and take with me the secrets of life.

rememberverbUS /rɪˈmɛm.bər/

To recall to mind.

From this reading You have done right to trust your instinct; have no fear, yet remember that if you--if we--make one false step we are lost.

returnverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrn/

go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading Your coming has made possible my last hope that I may return to my own kind, and take with me the secrets of life.

rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading You have done right to trust your instinct; have no fear, yet remember that if you--if we--make one false step we are lost.

secretsnounUS /ˈsiːkrəts/

plural of “secret” — something that should remain hidden from others (especially information that is not to be passed on)

From this reading Your coming has made possible my last hope that I may return to my own kind, and take with me the secrets of life.

sendverbUS /send/

cause to go somewhere

From this reading “Finally, if you should succeed in your contest with the Senestro, I shall send for you; but if you fail, I know how to die.

Senestro

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

From this reading “Finally, if you should succeed in your contest with the Senestro, I shall send for you; but if you fail, I know how to die.

shallmodal verbUS /ʃæl/

used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest

From this reading “Finally, if you should succeed in your contest with the Senestro, I shall send for you; but if you fail, I know how to die.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading “Finally, if you should succeed in your contest with the Senestro, I shall send for you; but if you fail, I know how to die.

stepnounUS /step/

any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal

From this reading You have done right to trust your instinct; have no fear, yet remember that if you--if we--make one false step we are lost.

succeedverbUS /səkˈsiːd/

attain success or reach a desired goal

From this reading “Finally, if you should succeed in your contest with the Senestro, I shall send for you; but if you fail, I know how to die.

takeverbUS /teɪk/

carry out

From this reading Your coming has made possible my last hope that I may return to my own kind, and take with me the secrets of life.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Your coming has made possible my last hope that I may return to my own kind, and take with me the secrets of life.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Your coming has made possible my last hope that I may return to my own kind, and take with me the secrets of life.

thingsnounUS /θɪŋz/

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading “I have discovered many things, my boy, but I am not omnipotent.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Your coming has made possible my last hope that I may return to my own kind, and take with me the secrets of life.

trustnounUS /trʌst/

something (as property) held by one party (the trustee) for the benefit of another (the beneficiary)

From this reading You have done right to trust your instinct; have no fear, yet remember that if you--if we--make one false step we are lost.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading You have done right to trust your instinct; have no fear, yet remember that if you--if we--make one false step we are lost.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Your coming has made possible my last hope that I may return to my own kind, and take with me the secrets of life.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading You have done right to trust your instinct; have no fear, yet remember that if you--if we--make one false step we are lost.

YoupronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading You have done right to trust your instinct; have no fear, yet remember that if you--if we--make one false step we are lost.

YourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Your coming has made possible my last hope that I may return to my own kind, and take with me the secrets of life.

Chapter 20 of The Blind Spot by Austin Hall holds 414 sentences, grouped into 83 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 20 of The Blind Spot contain?

Chapter 20 holds 414 sentences of The Blind Spot, unabridged, divided into 83 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 20 of The Blind Spot by Austin Hall exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 414 sentences, grouped into 83 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 20 of The Blind Spot?

Work through the 83 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 83 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 20 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 20 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 Blind Spot

Common questions about reading The Blind Spot by Austin Hall on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Blind Spot?

Yes. All 9924 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #4920 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Blind Spot is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #4920, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Blind Spot take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1985 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Blind Spot section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 24 chapters of The Blind Spot 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 Blind Spot

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

Austin
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Blind Spot; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Homer
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Blind Spot; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Flint
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Blind Spot; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Blind
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Blind Spot; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.