Chapter 8 of The Cords of Vanity: A Comedy of Shirking is here in full — 396 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter VIII
Chapter 8 of The Cords of Vanity: A Comedy of Shirking is here in full — 396 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"You hadn't mentioned any verses before," said Rosalind. "I told you he was a fool," said I. "And, after all, that is the entire story." Then I spent several minutes in wondering what would happen next. During this time I lost none of my interest in the sky.
Chapter 8 of The Cords of Vanity: A Comedy of Shirking is here in full — 396 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/79 · 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.
constituting the full quantity or extent; complete
From this reading “"And, after all, that is the entire story."”
a person who lacks good judgment
From this reading “"I told you he was a fool," said I.”
come to pass
From this reading “Then I spent several minutes in wondering what would happen next.”
past form of “mention” — make reference to
From this reading “"You hadn't mentioned any verses before," said Rosalind.”
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading “During this time I lost none of my interest in the sky.”
depleted of energy, force, or strength
From this reading “Then I spent several minutes in wondering what would happen next.”
plural of “verse” — literature in metrical form
From this reading “"You hadn't mentioned any verses before," said Rosalind.”
showing curiosity
From this reading “Then I spent several minutes in wondering what would happen next.”
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 "I told you he was a fool," said I.
later than; following
From this reading "And, after all, that is the entire story."
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading "And, after all, that is the entire story."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "And, after all, that is the entire story."
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading "You hadn't mentioned any verses before," said Rosalind.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading "You hadn't mentioned any verses before," said Rosalind.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading During this time I lost none of my interest in the sky.
constituting the full quantity or extent; complete
From this reading "And, after all, that is the entire story."
a person who lacks good judgment
From this reading "I told you he was a fool," said I.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "You hadn't mentioned any verses before," said Rosalind.
come to pass
From this reading Then I spent several minutes in wondering what would happen next.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "I told you he was a fool," said I.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I told you he was a fool," said I.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Then I spent several minutes in wondering what would happen next.
a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something
From this reading During this time I lost none of my interest in the sky.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "And, after all, that is the entire story."
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading During this time I lost none of my interest in the sky.
past form of “mention” — make reference to
From this reading "You hadn't mentioned any verses before," said Rosalind.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading Then I spent several minutes in wondering what would happen next.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading During this time I lost none of my interest in the sky.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading Then I spent several minutes in wondering what would happen next.
not one, and not any
From this reading During this time I lost none of my interest in the sky.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading During this time I lost none of my interest in the sky.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "You hadn't mentioned any verses before," said Rosalind.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "You hadn't mentioned any verses before," said Rosalind.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading Then I spent several minutes in wondering what would happen next.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading During this time I lost none of my interest in the sky.
depleted of energy, force, or strength
From this reading Then I spent several minutes in wondering what would happen next.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading "And, after all, that is the entire story."
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "And, after all, that is the entire story."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "And, after all, that is the entire story."
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then I spent several minutes in wondering what would happen next.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading During this time I lost none of my interest in the sky.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading During this time I lost none of my interest in the sky.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading "I told you he was a fool," said I.
plural of “verse” — literature in metrical form
From this reading "You hadn't mentioned any verses before," said Rosalind.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "I told you he was a fool," said I.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Then I spent several minutes in wondering what would happen next.
showing curiosity
From this reading Then I spent several minutes in wondering what would happen next.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Then I spent several minutes in wondering what would happen next.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "You hadn't mentioned any verses before," said Rosalind.
Chapter 8 of The Cords of Vanity: A Comedy of Shirking by James Branch Cabell holds 396 sentences, grouped into 80 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 8 holds 396 sentences of The Cords of Vanity: A Comedy of Shirking, unabridged, divided into 80 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 8 of The Cords of Vanity: A Comedy of Shirking by James Branch Cabell exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 396 sentences, grouped into 80 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 80 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 80 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 8 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 Cords of Vanity: A Comedy of Shirking by James Branch Cabell on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4781 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #9608 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #9608, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 398 minutes of reading across 957 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Cords of Vanity: A Comedy of Shirking section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 12 chapters of The Cords of Vanity: A Comedy of Shirking 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 Cords of Vanity: A Comedy of Shirking, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
