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The blue wall
The blue wall

Chapter XV · Chapter 15

Chapter 15 of The blue wall is here in full — 319 sentences across 64 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Richard Washburn Child • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for The blue wall
Context Illustration Reading 1/63 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.
I knew the meaning of my find.
The thing had not come out of its hiding to spring upon us of its own accord.
Human hands had preserved it, and human feet had brought it into the garden in the dead of a winter night, and human fright had been the cause of leaving it behind.
I had searched once for this trinket, with a plan to use it as a weapon of evil, and now it was mine.
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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 blue wall

Chapter XV · Chapter 15

Chapter 15 of The blue wall is here in full — 319 sentences across 64 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/63 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.
/əˈɡen ðə ˈmuːvɪŋ ˈfɪɡjər wen ɪt wɑːz ɪn maɪ ˈfɪŋɡərz aɪ lʊkt ɔːl əˈbaʊt ɪn ə ˈɡɪlti weɪ tuː siː ɪf ˈeni wʌn hæd siːn miː pɪk ɪt ʌp ənd ðen wɪð ðə ˈmetəl ˈaɪsi koʊld ɪn maɪ hænd maɪ hed swæm/
Line 2
I knew the meaning of my find.
/aɪ nuː ðə ˈmiːnɪŋ ʌv maɪ faɪnd/
Line 3
The thing had not come out of its hiding to spring upon us of its own accord.
/ðə θɪŋ hæd nɑːt kʌm aʊt ʌv ɪts ˈhaɪdɪŋ tuː sprɪŋ əˈpɑːn ʌs ʌv ɪts oʊn əˈkɔːrd/
Line 4
Human hands had preserved it, and human feet had brought it into the garden in the dead of a winter night, and human fright had been the cause of leaving it behind.
/ˈhjuːmən hændz hæd prəˈzɜːrvd ɪt ənd ˈhjuːmən fiːt hæd brɔːt ɪt ˈɪntuː ðə ˈɡɑːrdən ɪn ðə ded ʌv ə ˈwɪntər naɪt ənd ˈhjuːmən fraɪt hæd bɪn ðə kɑːz ʌv ˈliːvɪŋ ɪt bɪˈhaɪnd/
Line 5
I had searched once for this trinket, with a plan to use it as a weapon of evil, and now it was mine.
/aɪ hæd sɜːrtʃt wʌns fɔːr ðɪs ˈtrɪŋkət wɪð ə plæn tuː juːs ɪt æz ə ˈwepən ʌv ˈiːvəl ənd naʊ ɪt wɑːz maɪn/

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.

accord verb US /əˈkɔːrd/

go together

From this reading “The thing had not come out of its hiding to spring upon us of its own accord.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fright noun US /fraɪt/

an emotion experienced in anticipation of some specific pain or danger (usually accompanied by a desire to flee or fight)

From this reading “Human hands had preserved it, and human feet had brought it into the garden in the dead of a winter night, and human fright had been the cause of leaving it behind.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hiding noun US /ˈhaɪdɪŋ/

the activity of keeping something secret

From this reading “The thing had not come out of its hiding to spring upon us of its own accord.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
icy adjective US /ˈaɪsi/

devoid of warmth and cordiality; expressive of unfriendliness or disdain

From this reading “AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
metal noun US /ˈmetəl/

any of several chemical elements that are usually shiny solids that conduct heat or electricity and can be formed into sheets etc.

From this reading “AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
searched verb US /sɜːrtʃt/

past form of “search” — try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of

From this reading “I had searched once for this trinket, with a plan to use it as a weapon of evil, and now it was mine.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
swam verb US /swæm/

inflected form of “swim” — travel through water

From this reading “AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
trinket noun US /ˈtrɪŋkət/

cheap showy jewelry or ornament on clothing

From this reading “I had searched once for this trinket, with a plan to use it as a weapon of evil, and now it was mine.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

All words in this reading · 78

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 AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
accordverbUS /əˈkɔːrd/

go together

From this reading The thing had not come out of its hiding to spring upon us of its own accord.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
AGAINadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading I had searched once for this trinket, with a plan to use it as a weapon of evil, and now it was mine.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Human hands had preserved it, and human feet had brought it into the garden in the dead of a winter night, and human fright had been the cause of leaving it behind.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/

at or toward the back of something

From this reading Human hands had preserved it, and human feet had brought it into the garden in the dead of a winter night, and human fright had been the cause of leaving it behind.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
broughtverbUS /brɔːt/

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading Human hands had preserved it, and human feet had brought it into the garden in the dead of a winter night, and human fright had been the cause of leaving it behind.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
causenounUS /kɑːz/

events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something

From this reading Human hands had preserved it, and human feet had brought it into the garden in the dead of a winter night, and human fright had been the cause of leaving it behind.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
coldadjectiveUS /koʊld/

having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration

From this reading AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading The thing had not come out of its hiding to spring upon us of its own accord.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
deadadjectiveUS /ded/

no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life

From this reading Human hands had preserved it, and human feet had brought it into the garden in the dead of a winter night, and human fright had been the cause of leaving it behind.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
evilnounUS /ˈiːvəl/

morally objectionable behavior

From this reading I had searched once for this trinket, with a plan to use it as a weapon of evil, and now it was mine.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
feetnounUS /fiːt/

plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading Human hands had preserved it, and human feet had brought it into the garden in the dead of a winter night, and human fright had been the cause of leaving it behind.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
FIGUREnounUS /ˈfɪɡjər/

a diagram or picture illustrating textual material

From this reading AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading I knew the meaning of my find.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fingersnounUS /ˈfɪŋɡərz/

plural of “finger” — any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)

From this reading AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading I had searched once for this trinket, with a plan to use it as a weapon of evil, and now it was mine.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
frightnounUS /fraɪt/

an emotion experienced in anticipation of some specific pain or danger (usually accompanied by a desire to flee or fight)

From this reading Human hands had preserved it, and human feet had brought it into the garden in the dead of a winter night, and human fright had been the cause of leaving it behind.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
gardennounUS /ˈɡɑːrdən/

a plot of ground where plants are cultivated

From this reading Human hands had preserved it, and human feet had brought it into the garden in the dead of a winter night, and human fright had been the cause of leaving it behind.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
guiltyadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪlti/

responsible for or chargeable with a reprehensible act

From this reading AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
handnounUS /hænd/

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
handsnounUS /hændz/

(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child

From this reading Human hands had preserved it, and human feet had brought it into the garden in the dead of a winter night, and human fright had been the cause of leaving it behind.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
headnounUS /hed/

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hidingnounUS /ˈhaɪdɪŋ/

the activity of keeping something secret

From this reading The thing had not come out of its hiding to spring upon us of its own accord.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
HumanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/

characteristic of humanity

From this reading Human hands had preserved it, and human feet had brought it into the garden in the dead of a winter night, and human fright had been the cause of leaving it behind.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
icyadjectiveUS /ˈaɪsi/

devoid of warmth and cordiality; expressive of unfriendliness or disdain

From this reading AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Human hands had preserved it, and human feet had brought it into the garden in the dead of a winter night, and human fright had been the cause of leaving it behind.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading The thing had not come out of its hiding to spring upon us of its own accord.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
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 I knew the meaning of my find.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
leavingnounUS /ˈliːvɪŋ/

the act of departing

From this reading Human hands had preserved it, and human feet had brought it into the garden in the dead of a winter night, and human fright had been the cause of leaving it behind.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lookedverbUS /lʊkt/

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
meaningnounUS /ˈmiːnɪŋ/

the message that is intended or expressed or signified

From this reading I knew the meaning of my find.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
metalnounUS /ˈmetəl/

any of several chemical elements that are usually shiny solids that conduct heat or electricity and can be formed into sheets etc.

From this reading AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
minepronounUS /maɪn/

the one or ones belonging to the person speaking

From this reading I had searched once for this trinket, with a plan to use it as a weapon of evil, and now it was mine.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
MOVINGadjectiveUS /ˈmuːvɪŋ/

in motion

From this reading AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading Human hands had preserved it, and human feet had brought it into the garden in the dead of a winter night, and human fright had been the cause of leaving it behind.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The thing had not come out of its hiding to spring upon us of its own accord.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
nowadverbUS /naʊ/

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

From this reading I had searched once for this trinket, with a plan to use it as a weapon of evil, and now it was mine.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading I knew the meaning of my find.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading I had searched once for this trinket, with a plan to use it as a weapon of evil, and now it was mine.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading The thing had not come out of its hiding to spring upon us of its own accord.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading The thing had not come out of its hiding to spring upon us of its own accord.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
pickverbUS /pɪk/

select carefully from a group

From this reading AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
planverbUS /plæn/

have the will and intention to carry out some action

From this reading I had searched once for this trinket, with a plan to use it as a weapon of evil, and now it was mine.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
preservedadjectiveUS /prəˈzɜːrvd/

prevented from decaying or spoiling and prepared for future use

From this reading Human hands had preserved it, and human feet had brought it into the garden in the dead of a winter night, and human fright had been the cause of leaving it behind.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
searchedverbUS /sɜːrtʃt/

past form of “search” — try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of

From this reading I had searched once for this trinket, with a plan to use it as a weapon of evil, and now it was mine.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
seenverbUS /siːn/

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
springnounUS /sprɪŋ/

the season of growth

From this reading The thing had not come out of its hiding to spring upon us of its own accord.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
swamverbUS /swæm/

inflected form of “swim” — travel through water

From this reading AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thingnounUS /θɪŋ/

a special situation

From this reading The thing had not come out of its hiding to spring upon us of its own accord.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading I had searched once for this trinket, with a plan to use it as a weapon of evil, and now it was mine.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
trinketnounUS /ˈtrɪŋkət/

cheap showy jewelry or ornament on clothing

From this reading I had searched once for this trinket, with a plan to use it as a weapon of evil, and now it was mine.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading The thing had not come out of its hiding to spring upon us of its own accord.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading The thing had not come out of its hiding to spring upon us of its own accord.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
usenounUS /juːs/

the act of using

From this reading I had searched once for this trinket, with a plan to use it as a weapon of evil, and now it was mine.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
weaponnounUS /ˈwepən/

any instrument or instrumentality used in fighting or hunting

From this reading I had searched once for this trinket, with a plan to use it as a weapon of evil, and now it was mine.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
winternounUS /ˈwɪntər/

the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox

From this reading Human hands had preserved it, and human feet had brought it into the garden in the dead of a winter night, and human fright had been the cause of leaving it behind.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading AGAIN THE MOVING FIGURE When it was in my fingers, I looked all about in a guilty way to see if any one had seen me pick it up, and then, with the metal icy cold in my hand, my head swam.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 15 of The blue wall by Richard Washburn Child holds 319 sentences, grouped into 64 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.

What does chapter 15 of The blue wall contain?

Chapter 15 holds 319 sentences of The blue wall, unabridged, divided into 64 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 15 of The blue wall by Richard Washburn Child exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 319 sentences, grouped into 64 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 15 of The blue wall?

Work through the 64 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 64 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 15 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 15 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 blue wall

Common questions about reading The blue wall by Richard Washburn Child on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The blue wall?

Yes. All 5300 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #24451 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The blue wall is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #24451, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The blue wall take to read?

About 441 minutes of reading across 1060 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The blue wall section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 25 chapters of The blue wall 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 blue wall

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

What's
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The blue wall; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Behind
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The blue wall; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Write
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The blue wall; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Surgeon's
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The blue wall; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.