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The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales

Chapter VII · Chapter 7

Chapter 7 of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales is here in full — 170 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Arthur Conan Doyle • Curated US English Learning Edition

Cover illustration for The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales

English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

I listened in amazement to the summary of his crimes which this strange man gave me, all in the quietest and most composed of voices, as though detailing incidents of every-day occurrence.

I still seem to see him sitting like a hideous nightmare at the end of my couch, with the single rude lamp flickering over his cadaverous features.

“And now,” he continued, “there is no difficulty about your escape.

These stupid adopted children of mine will say that you have gone back to heaven from whence you came.

The wind blows off the land.

Narrator

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.

Chapter VII Reading 1/34

The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales Arthur Conan Doyle

Cover illustration for The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales

Chapter VII

Chapter 7

Chapter 7 of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales is here in full — 170 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

I listened in amazement to the summary of his crimes which this strange man gave me, all in the quietest and most composed of voices, as though detailing incidents of every-day occurrence. I still seem to see him sitting like a hideous nightmare at the end of my couch, with the single rude lamp flickering over his cadaverous features. “And now,” he continued, “there is no difficulty about your escape. These stupid adopted children of mine will say that you have gone back to heaven from whence you came. The wind blows off the land.

The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales

Chapter VII · Chapter 7

Chapter 7 of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales is here in full — 170 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/34 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

I listened in amazement to the summary of his crimes which this strange man gave me, all in the quietest and most composed of voices, as though detailing incidents of every-day occurrence.

Line 2

I still seem to see him sitting like a hideous nightmare at the end of my couch, with the single rude lamp flickering over his cadaverous features.

Line 3

“And now,” he continued, “there is no difficulty about your escape.

Line 4

These stupid adopted children of mine will say that you have gone back to heaven from whence you came.

Line 5

The wind blows off the land.

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.

Nightmare noun US /ˈnaɪt.mɛr/

A terrifying or distressing dream.

From this reading “I still seem to see him sitting like a hideous nightmare at the end of my couch, with the single rude lamp flickering over his cadaverous features.”

All words in this reading · 79

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 I still seem to see him sitting like a hideous nightmare at the end of my couch, with the single rude lamp flickering over his cadaverous features.

about

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

From this reading “And now,” he continued, “there is no difficulty about your escape.

adopted

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

From this reading These stupid adopted children of mine will say that you have gone back to heaven from whence you came.

all

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

From this reading I listened in amazement to the summary of his crimes which this strange man gave me, all in the quietest and most composed of voices, as though detailing incidents of every-day occurrence.

amazement

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

From this reading I listened in amazement to the summary of his crimes which this strange man gave me, all in the quietest and most composed of voices, as though detailing incidents of every-day occurrence.

and

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

From this reading I listened in amazement to the summary of his crimes which this strange man gave me, all in the quietest and most composed of voices, as though detailing incidents of every-day occurrence.

as

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

From this reading I listened in amazement to the summary of his crimes which this strange man gave me, all in the quietest and most composed of voices, as though detailing incidents of every-day occurrence.

at

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

From this reading I still seem to see him sitting like a hideous nightmare at the end of my couch, with the single rude lamp flickering over his cadaverous features.

back

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

From this reading These stupid adopted children of mine will say that you have gone back to heaven from whence you came.

blows

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

From this reading The wind blows off the land.

cadaverous

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

From this reading I still seem to see him sitting like a hideous nightmare at the end of my couch, with the single rude lamp flickering over his cadaverous features.

came

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

From this reading These stupid adopted children of mine will say that you have gone back to heaven from whence you came.

children

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

From this reading These stupid adopted children of mine will say that you have gone back to heaven from whence you came.

composed

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

From this reading I listened in amazement to the summary of his crimes which this strange man gave me, all in the quietest and most composed of voices, as though detailing incidents of every-day occurrence.

continued

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

From this reading “And now,” he continued, “there is no difficulty about your escape.

couch

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

From this reading I still seem to see him sitting like a hideous nightmare at the end of my couch, with the single rude lamp flickering over his cadaverous features.

crimes

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

From this reading I listened in amazement to the summary of his crimes which this strange man gave me, all in the quietest and most composed of voices, as though detailing incidents of every-day occurrence.

detailing

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

From this reading I listened in amazement to the summary of his crimes which this strange man gave me, all in the quietest and most composed of voices, as though detailing incidents of every-day occurrence.

difficulty

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

From this reading “And now,” he continued, “there is no difficulty about your escape.

end

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

From this reading I still seem to see him sitting like a hideous nightmare at the end of my couch, with the single rude lamp flickering over his cadaverous features.

escape

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

From this reading “And now,” he continued, “there is no difficulty about your escape.

every-day

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

From this reading I listened in amazement to the summary of his crimes which this strange man gave me, all in the quietest and most composed of voices, as though detailing incidents of every-day occurrence.

features

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

From this reading I still seem to see him sitting like a hideous nightmare at the end of my couch, with the single rude lamp flickering over his cadaverous features.

flickering

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

From this reading I still seem to see him sitting like a hideous nightmare at the end of my couch, with the single rude lamp flickering over his cadaverous features.

from

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

From this reading These stupid adopted children of mine will say that you have gone back to heaven from whence you came.

gave

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

From this reading I listened in amazement to the summary of his crimes which this strange man gave me, all in the quietest and most composed of voices, as though detailing incidents of every-day occurrence.

gone

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

From this reading These stupid adopted children of mine will say that you have gone back to heaven from whence you came.

have

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

From this reading These stupid adopted children of mine will say that you have gone back to heaven from whence you came.

he

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

From this reading “And now,” he continued, “there is no difficulty about your escape.

heaven

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

From this reading These stupid adopted children of mine will say that you have gone back to heaven from whence you came.

hideous

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

From this reading I still seem to see him sitting like a hideous nightmare at the end of my couch, with the single rude lamp flickering over his cadaverous features.

him

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

From this reading I still seem to see him sitting like a hideous nightmare at the end of my couch, with the single rude lamp flickering over his cadaverous features.

his

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

From this reading I listened in amazement to the summary of his crimes which this strange man gave me, all in the quietest and most composed of voices, as though detailing incidents of every-day occurrence.

I

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

From this reading I listened in amazement to the summary of his crimes which this strange man gave me, all in the quietest and most composed of voices, as though detailing incidents of every-day occurrence.

in

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

From this reading I listened in amazement to the summary of his crimes which this strange man gave me, all in the quietest and most composed of voices, as though detailing incidents of every-day occurrence.

incidents

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

From this reading I listened in amazement to the summary of his crimes which this strange man gave me, all in the quietest and most composed of voices, as though detailing incidents of every-day occurrence.

is

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

From this reading “And now,” he continued, “there is no difficulty about your escape.

lamp

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

From this reading I still seem to see him sitting like a hideous nightmare at the end of my couch, with the single rude lamp flickering over his cadaverous features.

land

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

From this reading The wind blows off the land.

like

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

From this reading I still seem to see him sitting like a hideous nightmare at the end of my couch, with the single rude lamp flickering over his cadaverous features.

listened

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

From this reading I listened in amazement to the summary of his crimes which this strange man gave me, all in the quietest and most composed of voices, as though detailing incidents of every-day occurrence.

man

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

From this reading I listened in amazement to the summary of his crimes which this strange man gave me, all in the quietest and most composed of voices, as though detailing incidents of every-day occurrence.

me

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

From this reading I listened in amazement to the summary of his crimes which this strange man gave me, all in the quietest and most composed of voices, as though detailing incidents of every-day occurrence.

mine

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

From this reading These stupid adopted children of mine will say that you have gone back to heaven from whence you came.

most

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

From this reading I listened in amazement to the summary of his crimes which this strange man gave me, all in the quietest and most composed of voices, as though detailing incidents of every-day occurrence.

my

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

From this reading I still seem to see him sitting like a hideous nightmare at the end of my couch, with the single rude lamp flickering over his cadaverous features.

nightmarenounUS /ˈnaɪt.mɛr/

A terrifying or distressing dream.

From this reading I still seem to see him sitting like a hideous nightmare at the end of my couch, with the single rude lamp flickering over his cadaverous features.

no

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

From this reading “And now,” he continued, “there is no difficulty about your escape.

now

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

From this reading “And now,” he continued, “there is no difficulty about your escape.

occurrence

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

From this reading I listened in amazement to the summary of his crimes which this strange man gave me, all in the quietest and most composed of voices, as though detailing incidents of every-day occurrence.

of

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

From this reading I listened in amazement to the summary of his crimes which this strange man gave me, all in the quietest and most composed of voices, as though detailing incidents of every-day occurrence.

off

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

From this reading The wind blows off the land.

over

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

From this reading I still seem to see him sitting like a hideous nightmare at the end of my couch, with the single rude lamp flickering over his cadaverous features.

quietest

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

From this reading I listened in amazement to the summary of his crimes which this strange man gave me, all in the quietest and most composed of voices, as though detailing incidents of every-day occurrence.

rude

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

From this reading I still seem to see him sitting like a hideous nightmare at the end of my couch, with the single rude lamp flickering over his cadaverous features.

say

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

From this reading These stupid adopted children of mine will say that you have gone back to heaven from whence you came.

see

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

From this reading I still seem to see him sitting like a hideous nightmare at the end of my couch, with the single rude lamp flickering over his cadaverous features.

seem

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

From this reading I still seem to see him sitting like a hideous nightmare at the end of my couch, with the single rude lamp flickering over his cadaverous features.

single

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

From this reading I still seem to see him sitting like a hideous nightmare at the end of my couch, with the single rude lamp flickering over his cadaverous features.

sitting

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

From this reading I still seem to see him sitting like a hideous nightmare at the end of my couch, with the single rude lamp flickering over his cadaverous features.

still

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

From this reading I still seem to see him sitting like a hideous nightmare at the end of my couch, with the single rude lamp flickering over his cadaverous features.

strange

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

From this reading I listened in amazement to the summary of his crimes which this strange man gave me, all in the quietest and most composed of voices, as though detailing incidents of every-day occurrence.

stupid

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

From this reading These stupid adopted children of mine will say that you have gone back to heaven from whence you came.

summary

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

From this reading I listened in amazement to the summary of his crimes which this strange man gave me, all in the quietest and most composed of voices, as though detailing incidents of every-day occurrence.

that

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

From this reading These stupid adopted children of mine will say that you have gone back to heaven from whence you came.

the

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

From this reading I listened in amazement to the summary of his crimes which this strange man gave me, all in the quietest and most composed of voices, as though detailing incidents of every-day occurrence.

there

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

From this reading “And now,” he continued, “there is no difficulty about your escape.

These

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

From this reading These stupid adopted children of mine will say that you have gone back to heaven from whence you came.

this

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

From this reading I listened in amazement to the summary of his crimes which this strange man gave me, all in the quietest and most composed of voices, as though detailing incidents of every-day occurrence.

though

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

From this reading I listened in amazement to the summary of his crimes which this strange man gave me, all in the quietest and most composed of voices, as though detailing incidents of every-day occurrence.

to

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

From this reading I listened in amazement to the summary of his crimes which this strange man gave me, all in the quietest and most composed of voices, as though detailing incidents of every-day occurrence.

voices

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

From this reading I listened in amazement to the summary of his crimes which this strange man gave me, all in the quietest and most composed of voices, as though detailing incidents of every-day occurrence.

whence

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

From this reading These stupid adopted children of mine will say that you have gone back to heaven from whence you came.

which

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

From this reading I listened in amazement to the summary of his crimes which this strange man gave me, all in the quietest and most composed of voices, as though detailing incidents of every-day occurrence.

will

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

From this reading These stupid adopted children of mine will say that you have gone back to heaven from whence you came.

wind

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

From this reading The wind blows off the land.

with

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

From this reading I still seem to see him sitting like a hideous nightmare at the end of my couch, with the single rude lamp flickering over his cadaverous features.

you

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

From this reading These stupid adopted children of mine will say that you have gone back to heaven from whence you came.

your

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

From this reading “And now,” he continued, “there is no difficulty about your escape.

Chapter 7 of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales by Arthur Conan Doyle holds 170 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 7 of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales contain?

Chapter 7 holds 170 sentences of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales, unabridged, divided into 34 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 7 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 170 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 7 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 7 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 7 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.

Open a chapter

Choose one of the 25 chapters of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales to begin.
Read one section

Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
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.