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The Circular Staircase

Chapter XXXII · Chapter 32

Chapter 32 of The Circular Staircase is here in full — 113 sentences across 23 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Mary Roberts Rinehart • Curated US English Learning Edition

Cover illustration for The Circular Staircase

English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

ANNE WATSON’S STORY Liddy discovered the fresh break in the trunk-room wall while we were at luncheon, and ran shrieking down the stairs.

She maintained that, as she entered, unseen hands had been digging at the plaster; that they had stopped when she went in, and she had felt a gust of cold damp air.

In support of her story she carried in my wet and muddy boots, that I had unluckily forgotten to hide, and held them out to the detective and myself.

“What did I tell you?” she said dramatically.

“Look at ’em.

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 XXXII Reading 1/22

The Circular Staircase Mary Roberts Rinehart

Cover illustration for The Circular Staircase

Chapter XXXII

Chapter 32

Chapter 32 of The Circular Staircase is here in full — 113 sentences across 23 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

ANNE WATSON’S STORY Liddy discovered the fresh break in the trunk-room wall while we were at luncheon, and ran shrieking down the stairs. She maintained that, as she entered, unseen hands had been digging at the plaster; that they had stopped when she went in, and she had felt a gust of cold damp air. In support of her story she carried in my wet and muddy boots, that I had unluckily forgotten to hide, and held them out to the detective and myself. “What did I tell you?” she said dramatically. “Look at ’em.

The Circular Staircase

Chapter XXXII · Chapter 32

Chapter 32 of The Circular Staircase is here in full — 113 sentences across 23 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/22 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

ANNE WATSON’S STORY Liddy discovered the fresh break in the trunk-room wall while we were at luncheon, and ran shrieking down the stairs.

Line 2

She maintained that, as she entered, unseen hands had been digging at the plaster; that they had stopped when she went in, and she had felt a gust of cold damp air.

Line 3

In support of her story she carried in my wet and muddy boots, that I had unluckily forgotten to hide, and held them out to the detective and myself.

Line 4

“What did I tell you?” she said dramatically.

Line 5

“Look at ’em.

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.

Forgotten adjective US /fərˈɡɑːt.n̩/

Not remembered; lapsed from memory.

From this reading “In support of her story she carried in my wet and muddy boots, that I had unluckily forgotten to hide, and held them out to the detective and myself.”

All words in this reading · 68

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 She maintained that, as she entered, unseen hands had been digging at the plaster; that they had stopped when she went in, and she had felt a gust of cold damp air.

air

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

From this reading She maintained that, as she entered, unseen hands had been digging at the plaster; that they had stopped when she went in, and she had felt a gust of cold damp air.

and

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

From this reading ANNE WATSON’S STORY Liddy discovered the fresh break in the trunk-room wall while we were at luncheon, and ran shrieking down the stairs.

ANNE

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

From this reading ANNE WATSON’S STORY Liddy discovered the fresh break in the trunk-room wall while we were at luncheon, and ran shrieking down the stairs.

as

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

From this reading She maintained that, as she entered, unseen hands had been digging at the plaster; that they had stopped when she went in, and she had felt a gust of cold damp air.

at

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

From this reading ANNE WATSON’S STORY Liddy discovered the fresh break in the trunk-room wall while we were at luncheon, and ran shrieking down the stairs.

been

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

From this reading She maintained that, as she entered, unseen hands had been digging at the plaster; that they had stopped when she went in, and she had felt a gust of cold damp air.

boots

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

From this reading In support of her story she carried in my wet and muddy boots, that I had unluckily forgotten to hide, and held them out to the detective and myself.

break

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

From this reading ANNE WATSON’S STORY Liddy discovered the fresh break in the trunk-room wall while we were at luncheon, and ran shrieking down the stairs.

carried

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

From this reading In support of her story she carried in my wet and muddy boots, that I had unluckily forgotten to hide, and held them out to the detective and myself.

cold

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

From this reading She maintained that, as she entered, unseen hands had been digging at the plaster; that they had stopped when she went in, and she had felt a gust of cold damp air.

damp

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

From this reading She maintained that, as she entered, unseen hands had been digging at the plaster; that they had stopped when she went in, and she had felt a gust of cold damp air.

detective

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

From this reading In support of her story she carried in my wet and muddy boots, that I had unluckily forgotten to hide, and held them out to the detective and myself.

did

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

From this reading “What did I tell you?” she said dramatically.

digging

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

From this reading She maintained that, as she entered, unseen hands had been digging at the plaster; that they had stopped when she went in, and she had felt a gust of cold damp air.

discovered

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

From this reading ANNE WATSON’S STORY Liddy discovered the fresh break in the trunk-room wall while we were at luncheon, and ran shrieking down the stairs.

down

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

From this reading ANNE WATSON’S STORY Liddy discovered the fresh break in the trunk-room wall while we were at luncheon, and ran shrieking down the stairs.

dramatically

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

From this reading “What did I tell you?” she said dramatically.

em

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

From this reading “Look at ’em.

entered

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

From this reading She maintained that, as she entered, unseen hands had been digging at the plaster; that they had stopped when she went in, and she had felt a gust of cold damp air.

felt

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

From this reading She maintained that, as she entered, unseen hands had been digging at the plaster; that they had stopped when she went in, and she had felt a gust of cold damp air.

forgottenadjectiveUS /fərˈɡɑːt.n̩/

Not remembered; lapsed from memory.

From this reading In support of her story she carried in my wet and muddy boots, that I had unluckily forgotten to hide, and held them out to the detective and myself.

fresh

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

From this reading ANNE WATSON’S STORY Liddy discovered the fresh break in the trunk-room wall while we were at luncheon, and ran shrieking down the stairs.

gust

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

From this reading She maintained that, as she entered, unseen hands had been digging at the plaster; that they had stopped when she went in, and she had felt a gust of cold damp air.

had

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

From this reading She maintained that, as she entered, unseen hands had been digging at the plaster; that they had stopped when she went in, and she had felt a gust of cold damp air.

hands

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

From this reading She maintained that, as she entered, unseen hands had been digging at the plaster; that they had stopped when she went in, and she had felt a gust of cold damp air.

held

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

From this reading In support of her story she carried in my wet and muddy boots, that I had unluckily forgotten to hide, and held them out to the detective and myself.

her

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

From this reading In support of her story she carried in my wet and muddy boots, that I had unluckily forgotten to hide, and held them out to the detective and myself.

hide

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

From this reading In support of her story she carried in my wet and muddy boots, that I had unluckily forgotten to hide, and held them out to the detective and myself.

I

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

From this reading In support of her story she carried in my wet and muddy boots, that I had unluckily forgotten to hide, and held them out to the detective and myself.

in

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

From this reading ANNE WATSON’S STORY Liddy discovered the fresh break in the trunk-room wall while we were at luncheon, and ran shrieking down the stairs.

Liddy

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

From this reading ANNE WATSON’S STORY Liddy discovered the fresh break in the trunk-room wall while we were at luncheon, and ran shrieking down the stairs.

Look

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

From this reading “Look at ’em.

luncheon

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

From this reading ANNE WATSON’S STORY Liddy discovered the fresh break in the trunk-room wall while we were at luncheon, and ran shrieking down the stairs.

maintained

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

From this reading She maintained that, as she entered, unseen hands had been digging at the plaster; that they had stopped when she went in, and she had felt a gust of cold damp air.

muddy

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

From this reading In support of her story she carried in my wet and muddy boots, that I had unluckily forgotten to hide, and held them out to the detective and myself.

my

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

From this reading In support of her story she carried in my wet and muddy boots, that I had unluckily forgotten to hide, and held them out to the detective and myself.

myself

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

From this reading In support of her story she carried in my wet and muddy boots, that I had unluckily forgotten to hide, and held them out to the detective and myself.

of

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

From this reading She maintained that, as she entered, unseen hands had been digging at the plaster; that they had stopped when she went in, and she had felt a gust of cold damp air.

out

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

From this reading In support of her story she carried in my wet and muddy boots, that I had unluckily forgotten to hide, and held them out to the detective and myself.

plaster

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

From this reading She maintained that, as she entered, unseen hands had been digging at the plaster; that they had stopped when she went in, and she had felt a gust of cold damp air.

ran

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

From this reading ANNE WATSON’S STORY Liddy discovered the fresh break in the trunk-room wall while we were at luncheon, and ran shrieking down the stairs.

said

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

From this reading “What did I tell you?” she said dramatically.

She

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

From this reading She maintained that, as she entered, unseen hands had been digging at the plaster; that they had stopped when she went in, and she had felt a gust of cold damp air.

shrieking

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

From this reading ANNE WATSON’S STORY Liddy discovered the fresh break in the trunk-room wall while we were at luncheon, and ran shrieking down the stairs.

stairs

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

From this reading ANNE WATSON’S STORY Liddy discovered the fresh break in the trunk-room wall while we were at luncheon, and ran shrieking down the stairs.

stopped

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

From this reading She maintained that, as she entered, unseen hands had been digging at the plaster; that they had stopped when she went in, and she had felt a gust of cold damp air.

STORY

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

From this reading ANNE WATSON’S STORY Liddy discovered the fresh break in the trunk-room wall while we were at luncheon, and ran shrieking down the stairs.

support

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

From this reading In support of her story she carried in my wet and muddy boots, that I had unluckily forgotten to hide, and held them out to the detective and myself.

tell

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

From this reading “What did I tell you?” she said dramatically.

that

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

From this reading She maintained that, as she entered, unseen hands had been digging at the plaster; that they had stopped when she went in, and she had felt a gust of cold damp air.

the

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

From this reading ANNE WATSON’S STORY Liddy discovered the fresh break in the trunk-room wall while we were at luncheon, and ran shrieking down the stairs.

them

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

From this reading In support of her story she carried in my wet and muddy boots, that I had unluckily forgotten to hide, and held them out to the detective and myself.

they

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

From this reading She maintained that, as she entered, unseen hands had been digging at the plaster; that they had stopped when she went in, and she had felt a gust of cold damp air.

to

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

From this reading In support of her story she carried in my wet and muddy boots, that I had unluckily forgotten to hide, and held them out to the detective and myself.

trunk-room

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

From this reading ANNE WATSON’S STORY Liddy discovered the fresh break in the trunk-room wall while we were at luncheon, and ran shrieking down the stairs.

unluckily

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

From this reading In support of her story she carried in my wet and muddy boots, that I had unluckily forgotten to hide, and held them out to the detective and myself.

unseen

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

From this reading She maintained that, as she entered, unseen hands had been digging at the plaster; that they had stopped when she went in, and she had felt a gust of cold damp air.

wall

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

From this reading ANNE WATSON’S STORY Liddy discovered the fresh break in the trunk-room wall while we were at luncheon, and ran shrieking down the stairs.

WATSON'S

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

From this reading ANNE WATSON’S STORY Liddy discovered the fresh break in the trunk-room wall while we were at luncheon, and ran shrieking down the stairs.

we

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

From this reading ANNE WATSON’S STORY Liddy discovered the fresh break in the trunk-room wall while we were at luncheon, and ran shrieking down the stairs.

went

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

From this reading She maintained that, as she entered, unseen hands had been digging at the plaster; that they had stopped when she went in, and she had felt a gust of cold damp air.

were

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

From this reading ANNE WATSON’S STORY Liddy discovered the fresh break in the trunk-room wall while we were at luncheon, and ran shrieking down the stairs.

wet

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

From this reading In support of her story she carried in my wet and muddy boots, that I had unluckily forgotten to hide, and held them out to the detective and myself.

What

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

From this reading “What did I tell you?” she said dramatically.

when

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

From this reading She maintained that, as she entered, unseen hands had been digging at the plaster; that they had stopped when she went in, and she had felt a gust of cold damp air.

while

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

From this reading ANNE WATSON’S STORY Liddy discovered the fresh break in the trunk-room wall while we were at luncheon, and ran shrieking down the stairs.

you

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

From this reading “What did I tell you?” she said dramatically.

Chapter 32 of The Circular Staircase by Mary Roberts Rinehart holds 113 sentences, grouped into 23 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 32 of The Circular Staircase contain?

Chapter 32 holds 113 sentences of The Circular Staircase, unabridged, divided into 23 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 32 of The Circular Staircase by Mary Roberts Rinehart exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 113 sentences, grouped into 23 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 32 of The Circular Staircase?

Work through the 23 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 23 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 32 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 32 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 Circular Staircase

Common questions about reading The Circular Staircase by Mary Roberts Rinehart on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Circular Staircase?

Yes. All 4811 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #434 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Circular Staircase is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #434, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Circular Staircase take to read?

About 400 minutes of reading across 963 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Circular Staircase section by section

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

Open a chapter

Choose one of the 34 chapters of The Circular Staircase 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 Circular Staircase

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

Story: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Circular Staircase; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Middle-aged: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Circular Staircase; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Spinster: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Circular Staircase; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Deserted: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Circular Staircase; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.