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

Chapter XX · Chapter 20

Chapter 20 of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales is here in full — 173 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales
Context Illustration Reading 1/34 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Indeed,” I answered; my remark was an unfortunate one, then.”
Oh, don’t mind that,” she said; I always thought myself that he was worth all of them put together.
He was an officer in the Forty-first Regiment, and he was killed in action during the Persian War--so he died nobly, at any rate.”
That’s the sort of death I should like to die,” said Cowles, his dark eyes flashing, as they would when he was excited; I often wish I had taken to my father’s profession instead of this vile pill-compounding drudgery.”
Come, Jack, you are not going to die any sort of death yet,” she said, tenderly taking his hand in hers.
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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 XX · Chapter 20

Chapter 20 of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales is here in full — 173 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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

Line 1
Indeed,” I answered; “my remark was an unfortunate one, then.”
Line 2
Oh, don’t mind that,” she said; “I always thought myself that he was worth all of them put together.
Line 3
He was an officer in the Forty-first Regiment, and he was killed in action during the Persian War--so he died nobly, at any rate.”
Line 4
That’s the sort of death I should like to die,” said Cowles, his dark eyes flashing, as they would when he was excited; “I often wish I had taken to my father’s profession instead of this vile pill-compounding drudgery.”
Line 5
Come, Jack, you are not going to die any sort of death yet,” she said, tenderly taking his hand in hers.

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 ““Oh, don’t mind that,” she said; “I always thought myself that he was worth all of them put together.”

All words in this reading · 82

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.

action

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

From this reading He was an officer in the Forty-first Regiment, and he was killed in action during the Persian War--so he died nobly, at any rate.”

all

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

From this reading “Oh, don’t mind that,” she said; “I always thought myself that he was worth all of them put together.

always

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

From this reading “Oh, don’t mind that,” she said; “I always thought myself that he was worth all of them put together.

an

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

From this reading “Indeed,” I answered; “my remark was an unfortunate one, then.”

and

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

From this reading He was an officer in the Forty-first Regiment, and he was killed in action during the Persian War--so he died nobly, at any rate.”

answered

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

From this reading “Indeed,” I answered; “my remark was an unfortunate one, then.”

any

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

From this reading He was an officer in the Forty-first Regiment, and he was killed in action during the Persian War--so he died nobly, at any rate.”

are

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

From this reading “Come, Jack, you are not going to die any sort of death yet,” she said, tenderly taking his hand in hers.

as

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

From this reading “That’s the sort of death I should like to die,” said Cowles, his dark eyes flashing, as they would when he was excited; “I often wish I had taken to my father’s profession instead of this vile pill-compounding drudgery.”

at

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

From this reading He was an officer in the Forty-first Regiment, and he was killed in action during the Persian War--so he died nobly, at any rate.”

Come

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

From this reading “Come, Jack, you are not going to die any sort of death yet,” she said, tenderly taking his hand in hers.

Cowles

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

From this reading “That’s the sort of death I should like to die,” said Cowles, his dark eyes flashing, as they would when he was excited; “I often wish I had taken to my father’s profession instead of this vile pill-compounding drudgery.”

dark

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

From this reading “That’s the sort of death I should like to die,” said Cowles, his dark eyes flashing, as they would when he was excited; “I often wish I had taken to my father’s profession instead of this vile pill-compounding drudgery.”

death

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

From this reading “That’s the sort of death I should like to die,” said Cowles, his dark eyes flashing, as they would when he was excited; “I often wish I had taken to my father’s profession instead of this vile pill-compounding drudgery.”

die

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

From this reading “That’s the sort of death I should like to die,” said Cowles, his dark eyes flashing, as they would when he was excited; “I often wish I had taken to my father’s profession instead of this vile pill-compounding drudgery.”

died

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

From this reading He was an officer in the Forty-first Regiment, and he was killed in action during the Persian War--so he died nobly, at any rate.”

don't

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

From this reading “Oh, don’t mind that,” she said; “I always thought myself that he was worth all of them put together.

drudgery

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

From this reading “That’s the sort of death I should like to die,” said Cowles, his dark eyes flashing, as they would when he was excited; “I often wish I had taken to my father’s profession instead of this vile pill-compounding drudgery.”

during

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

From this reading He was an officer in the Forty-first Regiment, and he was killed in action during the Persian War--so he died nobly, at any rate.”

excited

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

From this reading “That’s the sort of death I should like to die,” said Cowles, his dark eyes flashing, as they would when he was excited; “I often wish I had taken to my father’s profession instead of this vile pill-compounding drudgery.”

eyes

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

From this reading “That’s the sort of death I should like to die,” said Cowles, his dark eyes flashing, as they would when he was excited; “I often wish I had taken to my father’s profession instead of this vile pill-compounding drudgery.”

father's

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

From this reading “That’s the sort of death I should like to die,” said Cowles, his dark eyes flashing, as they would when he was excited; “I often wish I had taken to my father’s profession instead of this vile pill-compounding drudgery.”

flashing

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

From this reading “That’s the sort of death I should like to die,” said Cowles, his dark eyes flashing, as they would when he was excited; “I often wish I had taken to my father’s profession instead of this vile pill-compounding drudgery.”

Forty-first

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

From this reading He was an officer in the Forty-first Regiment, and he was killed in action during the Persian War--so he died nobly, at any rate.”

going

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

From this reading “Come, Jack, you are not going to die any sort of death yet,” she said, tenderly taking his hand in hers.

had

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

From this reading “That’s the sort of death I should like to die,” said Cowles, his dark eyes flashing, as they would when he was excited; “I often wish I had taken to my father’s profession instead of this vile pill-compounding drudgery.”

hand

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

From this reading “Come, Jack, you are not going to die any sort of death yet,” she said, tenderly taking his hand in hers.

he

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

From this reading “Oh, don’t mind that,” she said; “I always thought myself that he was worth all of them put together.

hers

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

From this reading “Come, Jack, you are not going to die any sort of death yet,” she said, tenderly taking his hand in hers.

his

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

From this reading “That’s the sort of death I should like to die,” said Cowles, his dark eyes flashing, as they would when he was excited; “I often wish I had taken to my father’s profession instead of this vile pill-compounding drudgery.”

I

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

From this reading “Indeed,” I answered; “my remark was an unfortunate one, then.”

in

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

From this reading He was an officer in the Forty-first Regiment, and he was killed in action during the Persian War--so he died nobly, at any rate.”

Indeed

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

From this reading “Indeed,” I answered; “my remark was an unfortunate one, then.”

instead

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

From this reading “That’s the sort of death I should like to die,” said Cowles, his dark eyes flashing, as they would when he was excited; “I often wish I had taken to my father’s profession instead of this vile pill-compounding drudgery.”

Jack

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

From this reading “Come, Jack, you are not going to die any sort of death yet,” she said, tenderly taking his hand in hers.

killed

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

From this reading He was an officer in the Forty-first Regiment, and he was killed in action during the Persian War--so he died nobly, at any rate.”

like

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

From this reading “That’s the sort of death I should like to die,” said Cowles, his dark eyes flashing, as they would when he was excited; “I often wish I had taken to my father’s profession instead of this vile pill-compounding drudgery.”

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading “Oh, don’t mind that,” she said; “I always thought myself that he was worth all of them put together.

my

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

From this reading “Indeed,” I answered; “my remark was an unfortunate one, then.”

myself

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

From this reading “Oh, don’t mind that,” she said; “I always thought myself that he was worth all of them put together.

nobly

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

From this reading He was an officer in the Forty-first Regiment, and he was killed in action during the Persian War--so he died nobly, at any rate.”

not

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

From this reading “Come, Jack, you are not going to die any sort of death yet,” she said, tenderly taking his hand in hers.

of

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

From this reading “Oh, don’t mind that,” she said; “I always thought myself that he was worth all of them put together.

officer

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

From this reading He was an officer in the Forty-first Regiment, and he was killed in action during the Persian War--so he died nobly, at any rate.”

often

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

From this reading “That’s the sort of death I should like to die,” said Cowles, his dark eyes flashing, as they would when he was excited; “I often wish I had taken to my father’s profession instead of this vile pill-compounding drudgery.”

Oh

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

From this reading “Oh, don’t mind that,” she said; “I always thought myself that he was worth all of them put together.

one

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

From this reading “Indeed,” I answered; “my remark was an unfortunate one, then.”

Persian

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

From this reading He was an officer in the Forty-first Regiment, and he was killed in action during the Persian War--so he died nobly, at any rate.”

pill-compounding

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

From this reading “That’s the sort of death I should like to die,” said Cowles, his dark eyes flashing, as they would when he was excited; “I often wish I had taken to my father’s profession instead of this vile pill-compounding drudgery.”

profession

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

From this reading “That’s the sort of death I should like to die,” said Cowles, his dark eyes flashing, as they would when he was excited; “I often wish I had taken to my father’s profession instead of this vile pill-compounding drudgery.”

put

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

From this reading “Oh, don’t mind that,” she said; “I always thought myself that he was worth all of them put together.

rate

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

From this reading He was an officer in the Forty-first Regiment, and he was killed in action during the Persian War--so he died nobly, at any rate.”

Regiment

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

From this reading He was an officer in the Forty-first Regiment, and he was killed in action during the Persian War--so he died nobly, at any rate.”

remark

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

From this reading “Indeed,” I answered; “my remark was an unfortunate one, then.”

said

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

From this reading “Oh, don’t mind that,” she said; “I always thought myself that he was worth all of them put together.

she

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

From this reading “Oh, don’t mind that,” she said; “I always thought myself that he was worth all of them put together.

should

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

From this reading “That’s the sort of death I should like to die,” said Cowles, his dark eyes flashing, as they would when he was excited; “I often wish I had taken to my father’s profession instead of this vile pill-compounding drudgery.”

so

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

From this reading He was an officer in the Forty-first Regiment, and he was killed in action during the Persian War--so he died nobly, at any rate.”

sort

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

From this reading “That’s the sort of death I should like to die,” said Cowles, his dark eyes flashing, as they would when he was excited; “I often wish I had taken to my father’s profession instead of this vile pill-compounding drudgery.”

taken

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

From this reading “That’s the sort of death I should like to die,” said Cowles, his dark eyes flashing, as they would when he was excited; “I often wish I had taken to my father’s profession instead of this vile pill-compounding drudgery.”

taking

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

From this reading “Come, Jack, you are not going to die any sort of death yet,” she said, tenderly taking his hand in hers.

tenderly

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

From this reading “Come, Jack, you are not going to die any sort of death yet,” she said, tenderly taking his hand in hers.

that

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

From this reading “Oh, don’t mind that,” she said; “I always thought myself that he was worth all of them put together.

That's

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

From this reading “That’s the sort of death I should like to die,” said Cowles, his dark eyes flashing, as they would when he was excited; “I often wish I had taken to my father’s profession instead of this vile pill-compounding drudgery.”

the

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

From this reading He was an officer in the Forty-first Regiment, and he was killed in action during the Persian War--so he died nobly, at any rate.”

them

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

From this reading “Oh, don’t mind that,” she said; “I always thought myself that he was worth all of them put together.

then

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

From this reading “Indeed,” I answered; “my remark was an unfortunate one, then.”

they

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

From this reading “That’s the sort of death I should like to die,” said Cowles, his dark eyes flashing, as they would when he was excited; “I often wish I had taken to my father’s profession instead of this vile pill-compounding drudgery.”

this

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

From this reading “That’s the sort of death I should like to die,” said Cowles, his dark eyes flashing, as they would when he was excited; “I often wish I had taken to my father’s profession instead of this vile pill-compounding drudgery.”

thought

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

From this reading “Oh, don’t mind that,” she said; “I always thought myself that he was worth all of them put together.

to

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

From this reading “That’s the sort of death I should like to die,” said Cowles, his dark eyes flashing, as they would when he was excited; “I often wish I had taken to my father’s profession instead of this vile pill-compounding drudgery.”

together

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

From this reading “Oh, don’t mind that,” she said; “I always thought myself that he was worth all of them put together.

unfortunate

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

From this reading “Indeed,” I answered; “my remark was an unfortunate one, then.”

vile

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

From this reading “That’s the sort of death I should like to die,” said Cowles, his dark eyes flashing, as they would when he was excited; “I often wish I had taken to my father’s profession instead of this vile pill-compounding drudgery.”

War

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

From this reading He was an officer in the Forty-first Regiment, and he was killed in action during the Persian War--so he died nobly, at any rate.”

was

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

From this reading “Indeed,” I answered; “my remark was an unfortunate one, then.”

when

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

From this reading “That’s the sort of death I should like to die,” said Cowles, his dark eyes flashing, as they would when he was excited; “I often wish I had taken to my father’s profession instead of this vile pill-compounding drudgery.”

wish

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

From this reading “That’s the sort of death I should like to die,” said Cowles, his dark eyes flashing, as they would when he was excited; “I often wish I had taken to my father’s profession instead of this vile pill-compounding drudgery.”

worth

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

From this reading “Oh, don’t mind that,” she said; “I always thought myself that he was worth all of them put together.

would

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

From this reading “That’s the sort of death I should like to die,” said Cowles, his dark eyes flashing, as they would when he was excited; “I often wish I had taken to my father’s profession instead of this vile pill-compounding drudgery.”

yet

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

From this reading “Come, Jack, you are not going to die any sort of death yet,” she said, tenderly taking his hand in hers.

you

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

From this reading “Come, Jack, you are not going to die any sort of death yet,” she said, tenderly taking his hand in hers.

Chapter 20 of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales by Arthur Conan Doyle holds 173 sentences, grouped into 35 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 20 of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales contain?

Chapter 20 holds 173 sentences of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales, unabridged, divided into 35 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 20 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 173 sentences, grouped into 35 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 20 of The Captain of the Polestar, and Other Tales?

Work through the 35 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 35 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 20 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 20 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading The 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.