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The Count of Monte Cristo
The Count of Monte Cristo

Chapter XVII · Chapter 17

Chapter 17 of The Count of Monte Cristo is here in full — 196 sentences across 40 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Alexandre Dumas • Curated US English Learning Edition

Dantès passed through all the stages of torture natural to prisoners in suspense.

Cover illustration for The Count of Monte Cristo
Context Illustration Reading 1/39 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
When Dantès returned next morning to the chamber of his companion in captivity, he found Faria seated and looking composed.
In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.
He did not speak, but showed the paper to Dantès.
“What is that?” he inquired.
“Look at it,” said the abbé with a smile.
0:00 / 0:00
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.

The Count of Monte Cristo

Chapter XVII · Chapter 17

Chapter 17 of The Count of Monte Cristo is here in full — 196 sentences across 40 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/39 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
When Dantès returned next morning to the chamber of his companion in captivity, he found Faria seated and looking composed.
Line 2
In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.
Line 3
He did not speak, but showed the paper to Dantès.
Line 4
“What is that?” he inquired.
Line 5
“Look at it,” said the abbé with a smile.

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.

Alone adjective US /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading “In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.”

Velmora curated lexicon
Cell noun US /sel/

A small stone room in a prison where an inmate is locked behind iron bars.

From this reading “In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.”

Velmora curated lexicon
Open verb US /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading “In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.”

Velmora curated lexicon

All words in this reading · 70

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 In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.

Pending verification
abbé

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

From this reading “Look at it,” said the abbé with a smile.

Pending verification
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.

Velmora curated lexicon
and

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

From this reading When Dantès returned next morning to the chamber of his companion in captivity, he found Faria seated and looking composed.

Pending verification
at

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

From this reading “Look at it,” said the abbé with a smile.

Pending verification
be

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

From this reading In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.

Pending verification
being

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

From this reading In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.

Pending verification
but

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

From this reading He did not speak, but showed the paper to Dantès.

Pending verification
by

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

From this reading In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.

Pending verification
captivity

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

From this reading When Dantès returned next morning to the chamber of his companion in captivity, he found Faria seated and looking composed.

Pending verification
cellnounUS /sel/

A small stone room in a prison where an inmate is locked behind iron bars.

From this reading In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.

Velmora curated lexicon
chamber

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

From this reading When Dantès returned next morning to the chamber of his companion in captivity, he found Faria seated and looking composed.

Pending verification
companion

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

From this reading When Dantès returned next morning to the chamber of his companion in captivity, he found Faria seated and looking composed.

Pending verification
compass

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

From this reading In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.

Pending verification
composed

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

From this reading When Dantès returned next morning to the chamber of his companion in captivity, he found Faria seated and looking composed.

Pending verification
constantly

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

From this reading In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.

Pending verification
cylinder

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

From this reading In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.

Pending verification
Dantès

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

From this reading When Dantès returned next morning to the chamber of his companion in captivity, he found Faria seated and looking composed.

Pending verification
did

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

From this reading He did not speak, but showed the paper to Dantès.

Pending verification
easily

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

From this reading In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.

Pending verification
entered

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

From this reading In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.

Pending verification
Faria

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

From this reading When Dantès returned next morning to the chamber of his companion in captivity, he found Faria seated and looking composed.

Pending verification
form

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

From this reading In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.

Pending verification
found

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

From this reading When Dantès returned next morning to the chamber of his companion in captivity, he found Faria seated and looking composed.

Pending verification
from

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

From this reading In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.

Pending verification
had

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

From this reading In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.

Pending verification
hand

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

From this reading In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.

Pending verification
he

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

From this reading When Dantès returned next morning to the chamber of his companion in captivity, he found Faria seated and looking composed.

Pending verification
held

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

From this reading In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.

Pending verification
his

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

From this reading When Dantès returned next morning to the chamber of his companion in captivity, he found Faria seated and looking composed.

Pending verification
in

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

From this reading When Dantès returned next morning to the chamber of his companion in captivity, he found Faria seated and looking composed.

Pending verification
inquired

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

From this reading “What is that?” he inquired.

Pending verification
into

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

From this reading In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.

Pending verification
is

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

From this reading “What is that?” he inquired.

Pending verification
it

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

From this reading In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.

Pending verification
kept

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

From this reading In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.

Pending verification
left

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

From this reading In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.

Pending verification
light

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

From this reading In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.

Pending verification
Look

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

From this reading “Look at it,” said the abbé with a smile.

Pending verification
looking

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

From this reading When Dantès returned next morning to the chamber of his companion in captivity, he found Faria seated and looking composed.

Pending verification
morning

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

From this reading When Dantès returned next morning to the chamber of his companion in captivity, he found Faria seated and looking composed.

Pending verification
narrow

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

From this reading In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.

Pending verification
next

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

From this reading When Dantès returned next morning to the chamber of his companion in captivity, he found Faria seated and looking composed.

Pending verification
not

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

From this reading In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.

Pending verification
of

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

From this reading When Dantès returned next morning to the chamber of his companion in captivity, he found Faria seated and looking composed.

Pending verification
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.

Velmora curated lexicon
paper

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

From this reading In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.

Pending verification
ray

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

From this reading In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.

Pending verification
recollected

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

From this reading In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.

Pending verification
retained

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

From this reading In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.

Pending verification
returned

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

From this reading When Dantès returned next morning to the chamber of his companion in captivity, he found Faria seated and looking composed.

Pending verification
rolled

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

From this reading In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.

Pending verification
said

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

From this reading “Look at it,” said the abbé with a smile.

Pending verification
seated

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

From this reading When Dantès returned next morning to the chamber of his companion in captivity, he found Faria seated and looking composed.

Pending verification
sheet

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

From this reading In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.

Pending verification
showed

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

From this reading He did not speak, but showed the paper to Dantès.

Pending verification
small

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

From this reading In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.

Pending verification
smile

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

From this reading “Look at it,” said the abbé with a smile.

Pending verification
speak

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

From this reading He did not speak, but showed the paper to Dantès.

Pending verification
that

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

From this reading “What is that?” he inquired.

Pending verification
the

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

From this reading When Dantès returned next morning to the chamber of his companion in captivity, he found Faria seated and looking composed.

Pending verification
to

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

From this reading When Dantès returned next morning to the chamber of his companion in captivity, he found Faria seated and looking composed.

Pending verification
use

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

From this reading In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.

Pending verification
was

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

From this reading In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.

Pending verification
What

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

From this reading “What is that?” he inquired.

Pending verification
When

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

From this reading When Dantès returned next morning to the chamber of his companion in captivity, he found Faria seated and looking composed.

Pending verification
which

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

From this reading In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.

Pending verification
will

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

From this reading In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.

Pending verification
window

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

From this reading In the ray of light which entered by the narrow window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected, he retained the use, a sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass, had the form of a cylinder, and was not easily kept open.

Pending verification
with

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

From this reading “Look at it,” said the abbé with a smile.

Pending verification

Chapter Quiz

Use these questions to verify literal comprehension before continuing to the next chapter.

What is the central narrative or theme conveyed in this section of Chapter 015: Number 34 and Number 27?

Which core linguistic virtue or character attribute is emphasized in this passage?

According to the text: "Dantès passed through all the stages of torture natural to prisoners in...", what tone does the author establish?

Shadowing Practice

Repeat the selected source lines aloud to practice rhythm, stress, and clear US English pronunciation.

Narrator: Dantès passed through all the stages of torture natural to prisoners in
Narrator: Three days passed—seventy-two long tedious hours which he counted off

Chapter 17 of The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas holds 196 sentences, grouped into 40 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 17 of The Count of Monte Cristo contain?

Chapter 17 holds 196 sentences of The Count of Monte Cristo, unabridged, divided into 40 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 17 of The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 196 sentences, grouped into 40 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 17 of The Count of Monte Cristo?

Work through the 40 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 40 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 17 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 17 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 Count of Monte Cristo

Common questions about reading The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Count of Monte Cristo?

Yes. All 24157 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1184 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Count of Monte Cristo is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #1184, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Count of Monte Cristo take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 4832 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Count of Monte Cristo section by section

How to work through The Count of Monte Cristo section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 119 chapters of The Count of Monte Cristo 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 Count of Monte Cristo

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Count of Monte Cristo, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

February
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Count of Monte Cristo; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Look-out
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Count of Monte Cristo; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Notre-dame
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Count of Monte Cristo; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Garde
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Count of Monte Cristo; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.