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The Bridal Wreath
The Bridal Wreath

Chapter VIII

Chapter 8 of The Bridal Wreath is here in full — 409 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Bridal Wreath
Context Illustration Reading 1/81 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Kristin stood gazing down into the fire.
“I know not which will seem the worse,” went on her father, “that it be said that you have cast off Simon, or that he has cast you off.
Sir Andres sent me word—” Lavrans flushed red as he said it, “—he was wroth with the lad, and bade me crave such amends as I should think fit.
I had to say what was true—I know not if aught else had been better—that, should there be amends to make, ’twas rather for us to make them.
We are shamed either way.”
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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 Bridal Wreath

Chapter VIII

Chapter 8 of The Bridal Wreath is here in full — 409 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/81 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Kristin stood gazing down into the fire.
Line 2
“I know not which will seem the worse,” went on her father, “that it be said that you have cast off Simon, or that he has cast you off.
/aɪ noʊ nɑːt wɪtʃ wɪl siːm ðə wɜːrs went ɑːn hɜːr ˈfɑːðər ðæt ɪt biː sed ðæt juː hæv kæst ɔːf ˈsaɪmən ɔːr ðæt hiː hæz kæst juː ɔːf/
Line 3
Sir Andres sent me word—” Lavrans flushed red as he said it, “—he was wroth with the lad, and bade me crave such amends as I should think fit.
Line 4
I had to say what was true—I know not if aught else had been better—that, should there be amends to make, ’twas rather for us to make them.
Line 5
We are shamed either way.”
/wiː ɑːr ʃeɪmd ˈiːðər weɪ/

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.

amends noun US /əˈmendz/

a sum of money paid in compensation for loss or injury

From this reading “Sir Andres sent me word—” Lavrans flushed red as he said it, “—he was wroth with the lad, and bade me crave such amends as I should think fit.”

aught noun US /ɔːt/

a quantity of no importance

From this reading “I had to say what was true—I know not if aught else had been better—that, should there be amends to make, ’twas rather for us to make them.”

bade noun US /beɪd/

a Chadic language spoken in northern Nigeria

From this reading “Sir Andres sent me word—” Lavrans flushed red as he said it, “—he was wroth with the lad, and bade me crave such amends as I should think fit.”

crave verb US /kreɪv/

have a craving, appetite, or great desire for

From this reading “Sir Andres sent me word—” Lavrans flushed red as he said it, “—he was wroth with the lad, and bade me crave such amends as I should think fit.”

flushed adjective US /flʌʃt/

having the pinkish flush of health

From this reading “Sir Andres sent me word—” Lavrans flushed red as he said it, “—he was wroth with the lad, and bade me crave such amends as I should think fit.”

gazing verb US /ˈɡeɪzɪŋ/

-ing form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes

From this reading “Kristin stood gazing down into the fire.”

shamed adjective US /ʃeɪmd/

showing a sense of guilt

From this reading “We are shamed either way.””

Simon noun US /ˈsaɪmən/

one of the twelve Apostles (first century)

From this reading ““I know not which will seem the worse,” went on her father, “that it be said that you have cast off Simon, or that he has cast you off.”

Word partnerships in these lines

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.

cast off verb + particle

get rid of

In this reading ““I know not which will seem the worse,” went on her father, “that it be said that you have cast off Simon, or that he has cast you off.”

stood gazing verb + noun counted as “stood gaze”

In this reading “Kristin stood gazing down into the fire.”

flushed red adjective + noun

In this reading “Sir Andres sent me word—” Lavrans flushed red as he said it, “—he was wroth with the lad, and bade me crave such amends as I should think fit.”

went on verb + particle counted as “go on”

continue a certain state, condition, or activity

In this reading ““I know not which will seem the worse,” went on her father, “that it be said that you have cast off Simon, or that he has cast you off.”

All words in this reading · 73

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.

amendsnounUS /əˈmendz/

a sum of money paid in compensation for loss or injury

From this reading Sir Andres sent me word—” Lavrans flushed red as he said it, “—he was wroth with the lad, and bade me crave such amends as I should think fit.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Sir Andres sent me word—” Lavrans flushed red as he said it, “—he was wroth with the lad, and bade me crave such amends as I should think fit.

Andres

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

From this reading Sir Andres sent me word—” Lavrans flushed red as he said it, “—he was wroth with the lad, and bade me crave such amends as I should think fit.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading We are shamed either way.”

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Sir Andres sent me word—” Lavrans flushed red as he said it, “—he was wroth with the lad, and bade me crave such amends as I should think fit.

aughtnounUS /ɔːt/

a quantity of no importance

From this reading I had to say what was true—I know not if aught else had been better—that, should there be amends to make, ’twas rather for us to make them.

badenounUS /beɪd/

a Chadic language spoken in northern Nigeria

From this reading Sir Andres sent me word—” Lavrans flushed red as he said it, “—he was wroth with the lad, and bade me crave such amends as I should think fit.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading “I know not which will seem the worse,” went on her father, “that it be said that you have cast off Simon, or that he has cast you off.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading I had to say what was true—I know not if aught else had been better—that, should there be amends to make, ’twas rather for us to make them.

betteradjectiveUS /ˈbetər/

(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another

From this reading I had to say what was true—I know not if aught else had been better—that, should there be amends to make, ’twas rather for us to make them.

castverbUS /kæst/

put or send forth

From this reading “I know not which will seem the worse,” went on her father, “that it be said that you have cast off Simon, or that he has cast you off.

craveverbUS /kreɪv/

have a craving, appetite, or great desire for

From this reading Sir Andres sent me word—” Lavrans flushed red as he said it, “—he was wroth with the lad, and bade me crave such amends as I should think fit.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading Kristin stood gazing down into the fire.

eitherdeterminerUS /ˈiːðər/

one or the other of two

From this reading We are shamed either way.”

else

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

From this reading I had to say what was true—I know not if aught else had been better—that, should there be amends to make, ’twas rather for us to make them.

fathernounUS /ˈfɑːðər/

a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading “I know not which will seem the worse,” went on her father, “that it be said that you have cast off Simon, or that he has cast you off.

fireverbUS /ˈfaɪər/

start firing a weapon

From this reading Kristin stood gazing down into the fire.

fitverbUS /fɪt/

be agreeable or acceptable to

From this reading Sir Andres sent me word—” Lavrans flushed red as he said it, “—he was wroth with the lad, and bade me crave such amends as I should think fit.

flushedadjectiveUS /flʌʃt/

having the pinkish flush of health

From this reading Sir Andres sent me word—” Lavrans flushed red as he said it, “—he was wroth with the lad, and bade me crave such amends as I should think fit.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading I had to say what was true—I know not if aught else had been better—that, should there be amends to make, ’twas rather for us to make them.

gazingverbUS /ˈɡeɪzɪŋ/

-ing form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes

From this reading Kristin stood gazing down into the fire.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading I had to say what was true—I know not if aught else had been better—that, should there be amends to make, ’twas rather for us to make them.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading “I know not which will seem the worse,” went on her father, “that it be said that you have cast off Simon, or that he has cast you off.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “I know not which will seem the worse,” went on her father, “that it be said that you have cast off Simon, or that he has cast you off.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading “I know not which will seem the worse,” went on her father, “that it be said that you have cast off Simon, or that he has cast you off.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading “I know not which will seem the worse,” went on her father, “that it be said that you have cast off Simon, or that he has cast you off.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading “I know not which will seem the worse,” went on her father, “that it be said that you have cast off Simon, or that he has cast you off.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading I had to say what was true—I know not if aught else had been better—that, should there be amends to make, ’twas rather for us to make them.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Kristin stood gazing down into the fire.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading “I know not which will seem the worse,” went on her father, “that it be said that you have cast off Simon, or that he has cast you off.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

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

From this reading “I know not which will seem the worse,” went on her father, “that it be said that you have cast off Simon, or that he has cast you off.

Kristin

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

From this reading Kristin stood gazing down into the fire.

ladnounUS /læd/

a boy or man

From this reading Sir Andres sent me word—” Lavrans flushed red as he said it, “—he was wroth with the lad, and bade me crave such amends as I should think fit.

Lavrans

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

From this reading Sir Andres sent me word—” Lavrans flushed red as he said it, “—he was wroth with the lad, and bade me crave such amends as I should think fit.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading I had to say what was true—I know not if aught else had been better—that, should there be amends to make, ’twas rather for us to make them.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading Sir Andres sent me word—” Lavrans flushed red as he said it, “—he was wroth with the lad, and bade me crave such amends as I should think fit.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading “I know not which will seem the worse,” went on her father, “that it be said that you have cast off Simon, or that he has cast you off.

offadverbUS /ɔːf/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading “I know not which will seem the worse,” went on her father, “that it be said that you have cast off Simon, or that he has cast you off.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading “I know not which will seem the worse,” went on her father, “that it be said that you have cast off Simon, or that he has cast you off.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading “I know not which will seem the worse,” went on her father, “that it be said that you have cast off Simon, or that he has cast you off.

ratheradverbUS /ˈræðər/

on the contrary

From this reading I had to say what was true—I know not if aught else had been better—that, should there be amends to make, ’twas rather for us to make them.

rednounUS /red/

red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood

From this reading Sir Andres sent me word—” Lavrans flushed red as he said it, “—he was wroth with the lad, and bade me crave such amends as I should think fit.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading “I know not which will seem the worse,” went on her father, “that it be said that you have cast off Simon, or that he has cast you off.

sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading I had to say what was true—I know not if aught else had been better—that, should there be amends to make, ’twas rather for us to make them.

seemverbUS /siːm/

give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading “I know not which will seem the worse,” went on her father, “that it be said that you have cast off Simon, or that he has cast you off.

sentnounUS /sent/

100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia

From this reading Sir Andres sent me word—” Lavrans flushed red as he said it, “—he was wroth with the lad, and bade me crave such amends as I should think fit.

shamedadjectiveUS /ʃeɪmd/

showing a sense of guilt

From this reading We are shamed either way.”

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading Sir Andres sent me word—” Lavrans flushed red as he said it, “—he was wroth with the lad, and bade me crave such amends as I should think fit.

SimonnounUS /ˈsaɪmən/

one of the twelve Apostles (first century)

From this reading “I know not which will seem the worse,” went on her father, “that it be said that you have cast off Simon, or that he has cast you off.

SirnounUS /sɜːr/

term of address for a man

From this reading Sir Andres sent me word—” Lavrans flushed red as he said it, “—he was wroth with the lad, and bade me crave such amends as I should think fit.

stoodverbUS /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading Kristin stood gazing down into the fire.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading Sir Andres sent me word—” Lavrans flushed red as he said it, “—he was wroth with the lad, and bade me crave such amends as I should think fit.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading “I know not which will seem the worse,” went on her father, “that it be said that you have cast off Simon, or that he has cast you off.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Kristin stood gazing down into the fire.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading I had to say what was true—I know not if aught else had been better—that, should there be amends to make, ’twas rather for us to make them.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading I had to say what was true—I know not if aught else had been better—that, should there be amends to make, ’twas rather for us to make them.

thinkverbUS /θɪŋk/

judge or regard; look upon; judge

From this reading Sir Andres sent me word—” Lavrans flushed red as he said it, “—he was wroth with the lad, and bade me crave such amends as I should think fit.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading I had to say what was true—I know not if aught else had been better—that, should there be amends to make, ’twas rather for us to make them.

trueadjectiveUS /truː/

consistent with fact or reality; not false

From this reading I had to say what was true—I know not if aught else had been better—that, should there be amends to make, ’twas rather for us to make them.

twas

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

From this reading I had to say what was true—I know not if aught else had been better—that, should there be amends to make, ’twas rather for us to make them.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

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

From this reading I had to say what was true—I know not if aught else had been better—that, should there be amends to make, ’twas rather for us to make them.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Sir Andres sent me word—” Lavrans flushed red as he said it, “—he was wroth with the lad, and bade me crave such amends as I should think fit.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading We are shamed either way.”

WepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading We are shamed either way.”

wentverbUS /went/

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading “I know not which will seem the worse,” went on her father, “that it be said that you have cast off Simon, or that he has cast you off.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading I had to say what was true—I know not if aught else had been better—that, should there be amends to make, ’twas rather for us to make them.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading “I know not which will seem the worse,” went on her father, “that it be said that you have cast off Simon, or that he has cast you off.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading “I know not which will seem the worse,” went on her father, “that it be said that you have cast off Simon, or that he has cast you off.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Sir Andres sent me word—” Lavrans flushed red as he said it, “—he was wroth with the lad, and bade me crave such amends as I should think fit.

wordnounUS /wɜːrd/

a unit of language that native speakers can identify

From this reading Sir Andres sent me word—” Lavrans flushed red as he said it, “—he was wroth with the lad, and bade me crave such amends as I should think fit.

worseadjectiveUS /wɜːrs/

(comparative of “bad”) inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability

From this reading “I know not which will seem the worse,” went on her father, “that it be said that you have cast off Simon, or that he has cast you off.

wrothadjective

vehemently incensed and condemnatory

From this reading Sir Andres sent me word—” Lavrans flushed red as he said it, “—he was wroth with the lad, and bade me crave such amends as I should think fit.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “I know not which will seem the worse,” went on her father, “that it be said that you have cast off Simon, or that he has cast you off.

Chapter 8 of The Bridal Wreath by Sigrid Undset holds 409 sentences, grouped into 82 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 8 of The Bridal Wreath contain?

Chapter 8 holds 409 sentences of The Bridal Wreath, unabridged, divided into 82 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 8 of The Bridal Wreath by Sigrid Undset exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 409 sentences, grouped into 82 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 8 of The Bridal Wreath?

Work through the 82 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 82 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 8 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 8 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 Bridal Wreath

Common questions about reading The Bridal Wreath by Sigrid Undset on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Bridal Wreath?

Yes. All 4987 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #67929 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Bridal Wreath is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #67929, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Bridal Wreath take to read?

About 415 minutes of reading across 998 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Bridal Wreath section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 12 chapters of The Bridal Wreath 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 Bridal Wreath

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

Rundgaard
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Bridal Wreath; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Lands
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Bridal Wreath; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Goods
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Bridal Wreath; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Gjesling
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Bridal Wreath; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.