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The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales
The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales is here in full — 169 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales
Context Illustration Reading 1/33 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
He lay quiet for a while, lost in thought apparently, and then raised himself up upon his elbow again, and asked for some more brandy.
You don’t think I am, do you, Doc?” he asked, as I was putting the bottle back into the after-locker.
Tell me now, as man to man, do you think that I am mad?”
I think you have something on your mind,” I answered, which is exciting you and doing you a good deal of harm.”
Right there, lad!” he cried, his eyes sparkling from the effects of the brandy.
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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 Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales is here in full — 169 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/33 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
He lay quiet for a while, lost in thought apparently, and then raised himself up upon his elbow again, and asked for some more brandy.
Line 2
You don’t think I am, do you, Doc?” he asked, as I was putting the bottle back into the after-locker.
Line 3
Tell me now, as man to man, do you think that I am mad?”
Line 4
I think you have something on your mind,” I answered, “which is exciting you and doing you a good deal of harm.”
Line 5
Right there, lad!” he cried, his eyes sparkling from the effects of the brandy.

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.

Mind noun US /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading ““I think you have something on your mind,” I answered, “which is exciting you and doing you a good deal of harm.””

All words in this reading · 67

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.

a

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

From this reading He lay quiet for a while, lost in thought apparently, and then raised himself up upon his elbow again, and asked for some more brandy.

after-locker

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

From this reading “You don’t think I am, do you, Doc?” he asked, as I was putting the bottle back into the after-locker.

again

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

From this reading He lay quiet for a while, lost in thought apparently, and then raised himself up upon his elbow again, and asked for some more brandy.

am

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

From this reading “You don’t think I am, do you, Doc?” he asked, as I was putting the bottle back into the after-locker.

and

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

From this reading He lay quiet for a while, lost in thought apparently, and then raised himself up upon his elbow again, and asked for some more brandy.

answered

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

From this reading “I think you have something on your mind,” I answered, “which is exciting you and doing you a good deal of harm.”

apparently

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

From this reading He lay quiet for a while, lost in thought apparently, and then raised himself up upon his elbow again, and asked for some more brandy.

as

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

From this reading “You don’t think I am, do you, Doc?” he asked, as I was putting the bottle back into the after-locker.

asked

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

From this reading He lay quiet for a while, lost in thought apparently, and then raised himself up upon his elbow again, and asked for some more brandy.

back

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

From this reading “You don’t think I am, do you, Doc?” he asked, as I was putting the bottle back into the after-locker.

bottle

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

From this reading “You don’t think I am, do you, Doc?” he asked, as I was putting the bottle back into the after-locker.

brandy

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

From this reading He lay quiet for a while, lost in thought apparently, and then raised himself up upon his elbow again, and asked for some more brandy.

cried

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

From this reading “Right there, lad!” he cried, his eyes sparkling from the effects of the brandy.

deal

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

From this reading “I think you have something on your mind,” I answered, “which is exciting you and doing you a good deal of harm.”

do

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

From this reading “You don’t think I am, do you, Doc?” he asked, as I was putting the bottle back into the after-locker.

Doc

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

From this reading “You don’t think I am, do you, Doc?” he asked, as I was putting the bottle back into the after-locker.

doing

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

From this reading “I think you have something on your mind,” I answered, “which is exciting you and doing you a good deal of harm.”

don't

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

From this reading “You don’t think I am, do you, Doc?” he asked, as I was putting the bottle back into the after-locker.

effects

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

From this reading “Right there, lad!” he cried, his eyes sparkling from the effects of the brandy.

elbow

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

From this reading He lay quiet for a while, lost in thought apparently, and then raised himself up upon his elbow again, and asked for some more brandy.

exciting

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

From this reading “I think you have something on your mind,” I answered, “which is exciting you and doing you a good deal of harm.”

eyes

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

From this reading “Right there, lad!” he cried, his eyes sparkling from the effects of the brandy.

for

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

From this reading He lay quiet for a while, lost in thought apparently, and then raised himself up upon his elbow again, and asked for some more brandy.

from

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

From this reading “Right there, lad!” he cried, his eyes sparkling from the effects of the brandy.

good

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

From this reading “I think you have something on your mind,” I answered, “which is exciting you and doing you a good deal of harm.”

harm

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

From this reading “I think you have something on your mind,” I answered, “which is exciting you and doing you a good deal of harm.”

have

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

From this reading “I think you have something on your mind,” I answered, “which is exciting you and doing you a good deal of harm.”

He

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

From this reading He lay quiet for a while, lost in thought apparently, and then raised himself up upon his elbow again, and asked for some more brandy.

himself

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

From this reading He lay quiet for a while, lost in thought apparently, and then raised himself up upon his elbow again, and asked for some more brandy.

his

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

From this reading He lay quiet for a while, lost in thought apparently, and then raised himself up upon his elbow again, and asked for some more brandy.

I

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

From this reading “You don’t think I am, do you, Doc?” he asked, as I was putting the bottle back into the after-locker.

in

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

From this reading He lay quiet for a while, lost in thought apparently, and then raised himself up upon his elbow again, and asked for some more brandy.

into

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

From this reading “You don’t think I am, do you, Doc?” he asked, as I was putting the bottle back into the after-locker.

is

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

From this reading “I think you have something on your mind,” I answered, “which is exciting you and doing you a good deal of harm.”

lad

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

From this reading “Right there, lad!” he cried, his eyes sparkling from the effects of the brandy.

lay

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

From this reading He lay quiet for a while, lost in thought apparently, and then raised himself up upon his elbow again, and asked for some more brandy.

lost

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

From this reading He lay quiet for a while, lost in thought apparently, and then raised himself up upon his elbow again, and asked for some more brandy.

mad

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

From this reading “Tell me now, as man to man, do you think that I am mad?”

man

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

From this reading “Tell me now, as man to man, do you think that I am mad?”

me

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

From this reading “Tell me now, as man to man, do you think that I am mad?”

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading “I think you have something on your mind,” I answered, “which is exciting you and doing you a good deal of harm.”

more

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

From this reading He lay quiet for a while, lost in thought apparently, and then raised himself up upon his elbow again, and asked for some more brandy.

now

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

From this reading “Tell me now, as man to man, do you think that I am mad?”

of

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

From this reading “I think you have something on your mind,” I answered, “which is exciting you and doing you a good deal of harm.”

on

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

From this reading “I think you have something on your mind,” I answered, “which is exciting you and doing you a good deal of harm.”

putting

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

From this reading “You don’t think I am, do you, Doc?” he asked, as I was putting the bottle back into the after-locker.

quiet

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

From this reading He lay quiet for a while, lost in thought apparently, and then raised himself up upon his elbow again, and asked for some more brandy.

raised

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

From this reading He lay quiet for a while, lost in thought apparently, and then raised himself up upon his elbow again, and asked for some more brandy.

Right

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

From this reading “Right there, lad!” he cried, his eyes sparkling from the effects of the brandy.

some

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

From this reading He lay quiet for a while, lost in thought apparently, and then raised himself up upon his elbow again, and asked for some more brandy.

something

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

From this reading “I think you have something on your mind,” I answered, “which is exciting you and doing you a good deal of harm.”

sparkling

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

From this reading “Right there, lad!” he cried, his eyes sparkling from the effects of the brandy.

Tell

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

From this reading “Tell me now, as man to man, do you think that I am mad?”

that

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

From this reading “Tell me now, as man to man, do you think that I am mad?”

the

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

From this reading “You don’t think I am, do you, Doc?” he asked, as I was putting the bottle back into the after-locker.

then

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

From this reading He lay quiet for a while, lost in thought apparently, and then raised himself up upon his elbow again, and asked for some more brandy.

there

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

From this reading “Right there, lad!” he cried, his eyes sparkling from the effects of the brandy.

think

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

From this reading “You don’t think I am, do you, Doc?” he asked, as I was putting the bottle back into the after-locker.

thought

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

From this reading He lay quiet for a while, lost in thought apparently, and then raised himself up upon his elbow again, and asked for some more brandy.

to

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

From this reading “Tell me now, as man to man, do you think that I am mad?”

up

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

From this reading He lay quiet for a while, lost in thought apparently, and then raised himself up upon his elbow again, and asked for some more brandy.

upon

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

From this reading He lay quiet for a while, lost in thought apparently, and then raised himself up upon his elbow again, and asked for some more brandy.

was

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

From this reading “You don’t think I am, do you, Doc?” he asked, as I was putting the bottle back into the after-locker.

which

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

From this reading “I think you have something on your mind,” I answered, “which is exciting you and doing you a good deal of harm.”

while

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

From this reading He lay quiet for a while, lost in thought apparently, and then raised himself up upon his elbow again, and asked for some more brandy.

You

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

From this reading “You don’t think I am, do you, Doc?” he asked, as I was putting the bottle back into the after-locker.

your

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

From this reading “I think you have something on your mind,” I answered, “which is exciting you and doing you a good deal of harm.”

Chapter 2 of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales by Arthur Conan Doyle holds 169 sentences, grouped into 34 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 2 of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales contain?

Chapter 2 holds 169 sentences of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales, unabridged, divided into 34 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales by Arthur Conan Doyle exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 169 sentences, grouped into 34 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 2 of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales?

Work through the 34 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 34 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 2 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 2 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 Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales

Common questions about reading The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales by Arthur Conan Doyle on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales?

Yes. All 4188 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #294 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #294, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales take to read?

About 349 minutes of reading across 838 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales section by section

How to work through The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 25 chapters of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales 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 Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Other
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Tales
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Preface
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Following
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.