Chapter 28 of The cloven foot is here in full — 413 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXVIII
Chapter 28 of The cloven foot is here in full — 413 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
WHY DON’T YOU TRUST ME? That winter Sabbath was a dreary day for John Treverton. He walked home almost in silence, Laura wondering at his thoughtfulness, and speculating anxiously upon the possible reasons for this sudden change in his mood. Had this friend of the Clares brought him bad news? Yet how could that be?
Chapter 28 of The cloven foot is here in full — 413 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/82 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
with anxiety or apprehension
From this reading “He walked home almost in silence, Laura wondering at his thoughtfulness, and speculating anxiously upon the possible reasons for this sudden change in his mood.”
lacking in liveliness or charm or surprise
From this reading “That winter Sabbath was a dreary day for John Treverton.”
a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling
From this reading “He walked home almost in silence, Laura wondering at his thoughtfulness, and speculating anxiously upon the possible reasons for this sudden change in his mood.”
plural of “reason” — a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading “He walked home almost in silence, Laura wondering at his thoughtfulness, and speculating anxiously upon the possible reasons for this sudden change in his mood.”
a day of rest and worship: Sunday for most Christians; Saturday for the Jews and a few Christians; Friday for Muslims
From this reading “That winter Sabbath was a dreary day for John Treverton.”
-ing form of “speculate” — to believe especially on uncertain or tentative grounds
From this reading “He walked home almost in silence, Laura wondering at his thoughtfulness, and speculating anxiously upon the possible reasons for this sudden change in his mood.”
a calm, lengthy, intent consideration
From this reading “He walked home almost in silence, Laura wondering at his thoughtfulness, and speculating anxiously upon the possible reasons for this sudden change in his mood.”
showing curiosity
From this reading “He walked home almost in silence, Laura wondering at his thoughtfulness, and speculating anxiously upon the possible reasons for this sudden change in his mood.”
English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.
Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.
In this reading “Had this friend of the Clares brought him bad news?”
In this reading “He walked home almost in silence, Laura wondering at his thoughtfulness, and speculating anxiously upon the possible reasons for this sudden change in his mood.”
In this reading “He walked home almost in silence, Laura wondering at his thoughtfulness, and speculating anxiously upon the possible reasons for this sudden change in his mood.”
In this reading “That winter Sabbath was a dreary day for John Treverton.”
In this reading “He walked home almost in silence, Laura wondering at his thoughtfulness, and speculating anxiously upon the possible reasons for this sudden change in his mood.”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading That winter Sabbath was a dreary day for John Treverton.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading He walked home almost in silence, Laura wondering at his thoughtfulness, and speculating anxiously upon the possible reasons for this sudden change in his mood.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He walked home almost in silence, Laura wondering at his thoughtfulness, and speculating anxiously upon the possible reasons for this sudden change in his mood.
with anxiety or apprehension
From this reading He walked home almost in silence, Laura wondering at his thoughtfulness, and speculating anxiously upon the possible reasons for this sudden change in his mood.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He walked home almost in silence, Laura wondering at his thoughtfulness, and speculating anxiously upon the possible reasons for this sudden change in his mood.
having undesirable or negative qualities
From this reading Had this friend of the Clares brought him bad news?
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Yet how could that be?
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading Had this friend of the Clares brought him bad news?
cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
From this reading He walked home almost in silence, Laura wondering at his thoughtfulness, and speculating anxiously upon the possible reasons for this sudden change in his mood.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had this friend of the Clares brought him bad news?
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Yet how could that be?
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading That winter Sabbath was a dreary day for John Treverton.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WHY DON’T YOU TRUST ME?
lacking in liveliness or charm or surprise
From this reading That winter Sabbath was a dreary day for John Treverton.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading That winter Sabbath was a dreary day for John Treverton.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading Had this friend of the Clares brought him bad news?
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Had this friend of the Clares brought him bad news?
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He walked home almost in silence, Laura wondering at his thoughtfulness, and speculating anxiously upon the possible reasons for this sudden change in his mood.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Had this friend of the Clares brought him bad news?
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He walked home almost in silence, Laura wondering at his thoughtfulness, and speculating anxiously upon the possible reasons for this sudden change in his mood.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading He walked home almost in silence, Laura wondering at his thoughtfulness, and speculating anxiously upon the possible reasons for this sudden change in his mood.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet how could that be?
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He walked home almost in silence, Laura wondering at his thoughtfulness, and speculating anxiously upon the possible reasons for this sudden change in his mood.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading That winter Sabbath was a dreary day for John Treverton.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He walked home almost in silence, Laura wondering at his thoughtfulness, and speculating anxiously upon the possible reasons for this sudden change in his mood.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading WHY DON’T YOU TRUST ME?
a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling
From this reading He walked home almost in silence, Laura wondering at his thoughtfulness, and speculating anxiously upon the possible reasons for this sudden change in his mood.
information about recent and important events
From this reading Had this friend of the Clares brought him bad news?
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Had this friend of the Clares brought him bad news?
capable of happening or existing
From this reading He walked home almost in silence, Laura wondering at his thoughtfulness, and speculating anxiously upon the possible reasons for this sudden change in his mood.
plural of “reason” — a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading He walked home almost in silence, Laura wondering at his thoughtfulness, and speculating anxiously upon the possible reasons for this sudden change in his mood.
a day of rest and worship: Sunday for most Christians; Saturday for the Jews and a few Christians; Friday for Muslims
From this reading That winter Sabbath was a dreary day for John Treverton.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading He walked home almost in silence, Laura wondering at his thoughtfulness, and speculating anxiously upon the possible reasons for this sudden change in his mood.
-ing form of “speculate” — to believe especially on uncertain or tentative grounds
From this reading He walked home almost in silence, Laura wondering at his thoughtfulness, and speculating anxiously upon the possible reasons for this sudden change in his mood.
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading He walked home almost in silence, Laura wondering at his thoughtfulness, and speculating anxiously upon the possible reasons for this sudden change in his mood.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That winter Sabbath was a dreary day for John Treverton.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He walked home almost in silence, Laura wondering at his thoughtfulness, and speculating anxiously upon the possible reasons for this sudden change in his mood.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading He walked home almost in silence, Laura wondering at his thoughtfulness, and speculating anxiously upon the possible reasons for this sudden change in his mood.
a calm, lengthy, intent consideration
From this reading He walked home almost in silence, Laura wondering at his thoughtfulness, and speculating anxiously upon the possible reasons for this sudden change in his mood.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That winter Sabbath was a dreary day for John Treverton.
something (as property) held by one party (the trustee) for the benefit of another (the beneficiary)
From this reading WHY DON’T YOU TRUST ME?
a formal word for “on”
From this reading He walked home almost in silence, Laura wondering at his thoughtfulness, and speculating anxiously upon the possible reasons for this sudden change in his mood.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading He walked home almost in silence, Laura wondering at his thoughtfulness, and speculating anxiously upon the possible reasons for this sudden change in his mood.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading That winter Sabbath was a dreary day for John Treverton.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading WHY DON’T YOU TRUST ME?
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading That winter Sabbath was a dreary day for John Treverton.
showing curiosity
From this reading He walked home almost in silence, Laura wondering at his thoughtfulness, and speculating anxiously upon the possible reasons for this sudden change in his mood.
but in spite of that
From this reading Yet how could that be?
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading WHY DON’T YOU TRUST ME?
Chapter 28 of The cloven foot by M. E. (Mary Elizabeth) Braddon holds 413 sentences, grouped into 83 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.
Chapter 28 holds 413 sentences of The cloven foot, unabridged, divided into 83 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 28 of The cloven foot by M. E. (Mary Elizabeth) Braddon exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 413 sentences, grouped into 83 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.
Work through the 83 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 83 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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 28 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.
Common questions about reading The cloven foot by M. E. (Mary Elizabeth) Braddon on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 9199 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #73931 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #73931, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 1840 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The cloven foot section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 40 chapters of The cloven foot to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in The cloven foot, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
