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The Cloister and the Hearth
The Cloister and the Hearth

Chapter XXXIV · Chapter 34

Chapter 34 of The Cloister and the Hearth is here in full — 290 sentences across 58 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Cloister and the Hearth
Context Illustration Reading 1/58 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE HEARTH Waiting an earnest letter seldom leaves the mind in statu quo.
Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.
She was found in this state by a staunch friend she had lately made, Joan Ketel.
This good woman came in radiant with an idea.
Margaret, I know the cure for thine ill: the hermit of Gouda a wondrous holy man, Why, he can tell what is coming, when he is in the mood.”
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Cloister and the Hearth

Chapter XXXIV · Chapter 34

Chapter 34 of The Cloister and the Hearth is here in full — 290 sentences across 58 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/58 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE HEARTH Waiting an earnest letter seldom leaves the mind in statu quo.
Line 2
Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.
Line 3
She was found in this state by a staunch friend she had lately made, Joan Ketel.
Line 4
This good woman came in radiant with an idea.
/ðɪs ɡʊd ˈwʊmən keɪm ɪn ˈreɪdiːənt wɪð æn aɪˈdiːə/
Line 5
Margaret, I know the cure for thine ill: the hermit of Gouda a wondrous holy man, Why, he can tell what is coming, when he is in the mood.”

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.

credulity noun US /krɪˈduːləti/

tendency to believe readily

From this reading “Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.”

despondency noun US /dɪˈspɑːndənsi/

feeling downcast and disheartened and hopeless

From this reading “Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.”

elevation noun US /ˌeləˈveɪʃən/

the event of something being raised upward

From this reading “Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.”

Luke noun US /luːk/

(New Testament) the Apostle closely associated with St. Paul and traditionally assumed to be the author of the third Gospel

From this reading “Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.”

pricked verb US /prɪkt/

past form of “prick” — make a small hole into, as with a needle or a thorn

From this reading “Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.”

scolded verb US /ˈskoʊldɪd/

past form of “scold” — censure severely or angrily

From this reading “Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.”

staunch adjective US /stɔːntʃ/

firm and dependable especially in loyalty

From this reading “She was found in this state by a staunch friend she had lately made, Joan Ketel.”

vented adjective US /ˈventɪd/

supplied with a vent or vents for intake of air or discharge of gases

From this reading “Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.”

All words in this reading · 86

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.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading She was found in this state by a staunch friend she had lately made, Joan Ketel.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading THE HEARTH Waiting an earnest letter seldom leaves the mind in statu quo.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading “Margaret, I know the cure for thine ill: the hermit of Gouda a wondrous holy man, Why, he can tell what is coming, when he is in the mood.”

CatherinenounUS /ˈkæθərən/

first wife of Henry VIII; Henry VIII's divorce from her was the initial step of the Reformation in England (1485-1536)

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

comingnounUS /ˈkʌmɪŋ/

the act of drawing spatially closer to something

From this reading “Margaret, I know the cure for thine ill: the hermit of Gouda a wondrous holy man, Why, he can tell what is coming, when he is in the mood.”

consciencenounUS /ˈkɑːnʃəns/

motivation deriving logically from ethical or moral principles that govern a person's thoughts and actions

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

credulitynounUS /krɪˈduːləti/

tendency to believe readily

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

cureverbUS /kjʊr/

provide a cure for, make healthy again

From this reading “Margaret, I know the cure for thine ill: the hermit of Gouda a wondrous holy man, Why, he can tell what is coming, when he is in the mood.”

deeperadverbUS /ˈdiːpər/

comparative of “deeply” — to a great depth psychologically or emotionally

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

despondencynounUS /dɪˈspɑːndənsi/

feeling downcast and disheartened and hopeless

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

doneadjectiveUS /dʌn/

having finished or arrived at completion

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

dyingadjectiveUS /ˈdaɪɪŋ/

in or associated with the process of passing from life or ceasing to be

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

earnestadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrnɪst/

characterized by a firm and humorless belief in the validity of your opinions

From this reading THE HEARTH Waiting an earnest letter seldom leaves the mind in statu quo.

elevationnounUS /ˌeləˈveɪʃən/

the event of something being raised upward

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

energynounUS /ˈenərdʒi/

(physics) a thermodynamic quantity equivalent to the capacity of a physical system to do work; the units of energy are joules or ergs

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

faithnounUS /feɪθ/

a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

fallingadjectiveUS /ˈfɑːlɪŋ/

decreasing in amount or degree

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

falseadjectiveUS /fɔːls/

not in accordance with the fact or reality or actuality

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

father'snounUS /ˈfɑːðərz/

possessive form of “father” — a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading “Margaret, I know the cure for thine ill: the hermit of Gouda a wondrous holy man, Why, he can tell what is coming, when he is in the mood.”

foundverbUS /faʊnd/

set up or found

From this reading She was found in this state by a staunch friend she had lately made, Joan Ketel.

friendnounUS /frend/

a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading She was found in this state by a staunch friend she had lately made, Joan Ketel.

goneadjectiveUS /ɡɔːn/

destroyed or killed

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading This good woman came in radiant with an idea.

Goudanoun

mild cream-colored Dutch cheese shaped in balls

From this reading “Margaret, I know the cure for thine ill: the hermit of Gouda a wondrous holy man, Why, he can tell what is coming, when he is in the mood.”

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading She was found in this state by a staunch friend she had lately made, Joan Ketel.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading “Margaret, I know the cure for thine ill: the hermit of Gouda a wondrous holy man, Why, he can tell what is coming, when he is in the mood.”

HEARTHnounUS /hɑːrθ/

an open recess in a wall at the base of a chimney where a fire can be built

From this reading THE HEARTH Waiting an earnest letter seldom leaves the mind in statu quo.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

hermitnounUS /ˈhɜːrmət/

one retired from society for religious reasons

From this reading “Margaret, I know the cure for thine ill: the hermit of Gouda a wondrous holy man, Why, he can tell what is coming, when he is in the mood.”

herspronounUS /hərz/

the one or ones belonging to her

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

holynounUS /ˈhoʊli/

a sacred place of pilgrimage

From this reading “Margaret, I know the cure for thine ill: the hermit of Gouda a wondrous holy man, Why, he can tell what is coming, when he is in the mood.”

hopesnounUS /hoʊps/

plural of “hope” — a specific instance of feeling hopeful

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading “Margaret, I know the cure for thine ill: the hermit of Gouda a wondrous holy man, Why, he can tell what is coming, when he is in the mood.”

ideanounUS /aɪˈdiːə/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading This good woman came in radiant with an idea.

illadjectiveUS /ɪl/

affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function

From this reading “Margaret, I know the cure for thine ill: the hermit of Gouda a wondrous holy man, Why, he can tell what is coming, when he is in the mood.”

illusionnounUS /ˌɪˈluːʒən/

an erroneous mental representation

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading THE HEARTH Waiting an earnest letter seldom leaves the mind in statu quo.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading “Margaret, I know the cure for thine ill: the hermit of Gouda a wondrous holy man, Why, he can tell what is coming, when he is in the mood.”

Joan

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

From this reading She was found in this state by a staunch friend she had lately made, Joan Ketel.

Ketel

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

From this reading She was found in this state by a staunch friend she had lately made, Joan Ketel.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

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

From this reading “Margaret, I know the cure for thine ill: the hermit of Gouda a wondrous holy man, Why, he can tell what is coming, when he is in the mood.”

latelyadverbUS /ˈleɪtli/

in the recent past

From this reading She was found in this state by a staunch friend she had lately made, Joan Ketel.

leavesnounUS /liːvz/

plural of “leaf” — the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants

From this reading THE HEARTH Waiting an earnest letter seldom leaves the mind in statu quo.

letternounUS /ˈletər/

a written message addressed to a person or organization

From this reading THE HEARTH Waiting an earnest letter seldom leaves the mind in statu quo.

LukenounUS /luːk/

(New Testament) the Apostle closely associated with St. Paul and traditionally assumed to be the author of the third Gospel

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading She was found in this state by a staunch friend she had lately made, Joan Ketel.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading “Margaret, I know the cure for thine ill: the hermit of Gouda a wondrous holy man, Why, he can tell what is coming, when he is in the mood.”

Margaret

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

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading THE HEARTH Waiting an earnest letter seldom leaves the mind in statu quo.

moodnounUS /muːd/

a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling

From this reading “Margaret, I know the cure for thine ill: the hermit of Gouda a wondrous holy man, Why, he can tell what is coming, when he is in the mood.”

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

paidadjectiveUS /peɪd/

marked by the reception of pay

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

pricenounUS /praɪs/

the property of having material worth (often indicated by the amount of money something would bring if sold)

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

prickedverbUS /prɪkt/

past form of “prick” — make a small hole into, as with a needle or a thorn

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

quo

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

From this reading THE HEARTH Waiting an earnest letter seldom leaves the mind in statu quo.

radiantadjectiveUS /ˈreɪdiːənt/

radiating or as if radiating light

From this reading This good woman came in radiant with an idea.

scoldedverbUS /ˈskoʊldɪd/

past form of “scold” — censure severely or angrily

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

seldomadverbUS /ˈseldəm/

not often

From this reading THE HEARTH Waiting an earnest letter seldom leaves the mind in statu quo.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

spiritsnounUS /ˈspɪrɪts/

an alcoholic beverage that is distilled rather than fermented

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

statenounUS /steɪt/

the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation

From this reading She was found in this state by a staunch friend she had lately made, Joan Ketel.

statu

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

From this reading THE HEARTH Waiting an earnest letter seldom leaves the mind in statu quo.

staunchadjectiveUS /stɔːntʃ/

firm and dependable especially in loyalty

From this reading She was found in this state by a staunch friend she had lately made, Joan Ketel.

tellverbUS /tel/

express in words

From this reading “Margaret, I know the cure for thine ill: the hermit of Gouda a wondrous holy man, Why, he can tell what is coming, when he is in the mood.”

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE HEARTH Waiting an earnest letter seldom leaves the mind in statu quo.

thinepronounUS /ðaɪn/

an old word for “yours”

From this reading “Margaret, I know the cure for thine ill: the hermit of Gouda a wondrous holy man, Why, he can tell what is coming, when he is in the mood.”

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

ventedadjectiveUS /ˈventɪd/

supplied with a vent or vents for intake of air or discharge of gases

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

visionnounUS /ˈvɪʒən/

a vivid mental image

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

WaitingnounUS /ˈweɪtɪŋ/

the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)

From this reading THE HEARTH Waiting an earnest letter seldom leaves the mind in statu quo.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading “Margaret, I know the cure for thine ill: the hermit of Gouda a wondrous holy man, Why, he can tell what is coming, when he is in the mood.”

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

WhynounUS /waɪ/

the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”

From this reading “Margaret, I know the cure for thine ill: the hermit of Gouda a wondrous holy man, Why, he can tell what is coming, when he is in the mood.”

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading This good woman came in radiant with an idea.

womannounUS /ˈwʊmən/

an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading This good woman came in radiant with an idea.

wonderedverbUS /ˈwʌndərd/

past form of “wonder” — have a wish or desire to know something

From this reading Margaret, in hers, vented her energy and her faith in her dying father's vision, or illusion; and when this was done, and Luke gone, she wondered at her credulity, and her conscience pricked her about Luke; and Catherine came and scolded her, and she paid the price of false hopes, and elevation of spirits, by falling into deeper despondency.

wondrousadjectiveUS /ˈwʌndrəs/

extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers

From this reading “Margaret, I know the cure for thine ill: the hermit of Gouda a wondrous holy man, Why, he can tell what is coming, when he is in the mood.”

Chapter 34 of The Cloister and the Hearth by Charles Reade holds 290 sentences, grouped into 58 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 34 of The Cloister and the Hearth contain?

Chapter 34 holds 290 sentences of The Cloister and the Hearth, unabridged, divided into 58 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 34 of The Cloister and the Hearth by Charles Reade exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 290 sentences, grouped into 58 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 34 of The Cloister and the Hearth?

Work through the 58 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 58 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 34 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 34 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 Cloister and the Hearth

Common questions about reading The Cloister and the Hearth by Charles Reade on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Cloister and the Hearth?

Yes. All 17624 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1366 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Cloister and the Hearth is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #1366, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Cloister and the Hearth take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 3525 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Cloister and the Hearth section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of The Cloister and the Hearth 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 Cloister and the Hearth

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Cloister and the Hearth, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Passes
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Cloister and the Hearth; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Earth
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Cloister and the Hearth; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Women
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Cloister and the Hearth; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Great
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Cloister and the Hearth; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.