Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
The Count of the Saxon Shore
The Count of the Saxon Shore

Chapter XIII

Chapter 13 of The Count of the Saxon Shore is here in full — 99 sentences across 20 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Alfred John Church • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for The Count of the Saxon Shore
Context Illustration Reading 1/19 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
It was some time before the prolonged absence of Carna caused any alarm at the villa.
When she was on one of her errands of kindness among the sick, it was difficult to say when she would return.
But in the course of the afternoon the old physician returned, not a little wrath that he had been sent on a fool’s errand.
He had been told that an old farmer, living close to the north-west of the island some seven or eight miles from the villa was lying dangerously ill, and he had found the supposed patient in vigorous health, and not a little angry at being supposed to be anything else.
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 the Saxon Shore

Chapter XIII

Chapter 13 of The Count of the Saxon Shore is here in full — 99 sentences across 20 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/19 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
/wʌt dʌz ɪt miːn/
Line 2
It was some time before the prolonged absence of Carna caused any alarm at the villa.
Line 3
When she was on one of her errands of kindness among the sick, it was difficult to say when she would return.
/wen ʃiː wɑːz ɑːn wʌn ʌv hɜːr ˈerəndz ʌv ˈkaɪndnəs əˈmʌŋ ðə sɪk ɪt wɑːz ˈdɪfəkəlt tuː seɪ wen ʃiː wʊd rɪˈtɜːrn/
Line 4
But in the course of the afternoon the old physician returned, not a little wrath that he had been sent on a fool’s errand.
/bʌt ɪn ðə kɔːrs ʌv ðə ˌæftərˈnuːn ðə oʊld fəˈzɪʃən rɪˈtɜːrnd nɑːt ə ˈlɪtəl ræθ ðæt hiː hæd bɪn sent ɑːn ə fuːlz ˈerənd/
Line 5
He had been told that an old farmer, living close to the north-west of the island some seven or eight miles from the villa was lying dangerously ill, and he had found the supposed patient in vigorous health, and not a little angry at being supposed to be anything else.

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.

dangerously adverb US /ˈdeɪn.dʒər.əs.li/

In a way that involves danger or risk.

From this reading “He had been told that an old farmer, living close to the north-west of the island some seven or eight miles from the villa was lying dangerously ill, and he had found the supposed patient in vigorous health, and not a little angry at being supposed to be anything else.”

Velmora curated lexicon
errand noun US /ˈerənd/

a short trip that is taken in the performance of a necessary task or mission

From this reading “But in the course of the afternoon the old physician returned, not a little wrath that he had been sent on a fool’s errand.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
errands noun US /ˈerəndz/

plural of “errand” — a short trip that is taken in the performance of a necessary task or mission

From this reading “When she was on one of her errands of kindness among the sick, it was difficult to say when she would return.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fool's noun US /fuːlz/

possessive form of “fool” — a person who lacks good judgment

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
physician noun US /fəˈzɪʃən/

a licensed medical practitioner

From this reading “But in the course of the afternoon the old physician returned, not a little wrath that he had been sent on a fool’s errand.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
prolonged adjective US /prəˈlɔːŋd/

relatively long in duration; tediously protracted

From this reading “It was some time before the prolonged absence of Carna caused any alarm at the villa.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
vigorous adjective US /ˈvɪɡərəs/

characterized by forceful and energetic action or activity

From this reading “He had been told that an old farmer, living close to the north-west of the island some seven or eight miles from the villa was lying dangerously ill, and he had found the supposed patient in vigorous health, and not a little angry at being supposed to be anything else.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
villa noun US /ˈvɪlə/

Mexican revolutionary leader (1877-1923)

From this reading “It was some time before the prolonged absence of Carna caused any alarm at the villa.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Word partnerships in these lines

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.

dangerously ill adverb + adjective

In this reading “He had been told that an old farmer, living close to the north-west of the island some seven or eight miles from the villa was lying dangerously ill, and he had found the supposed patient in vigorous health, and not a little angry at being supposed to be anything else.”

797 times in 426,211 chapters
prolonged absence adjective + noun

In this reading “It was some time before the prolonged absence of Carna caused any alarm at the villa.”

457 times in 426,211 chapters
eight miles adjective + noun counted as “eight mile”

In this reading “He had been told that an old farmer, living close to the north-west of the island some seven or eight miles from the villa was lying dangerously ill, and he had found the supposed patient in vigorous health, and not a little angry at being supposed to be anything else.”

2,424 times in 426,211 chapters
some time adjective + noun

In this reading “It was some time before the prolonged absence of Carna caused any alarm at the villa.”

77,244 times in 426,211 chapters
old farmer adjective + noun

In this reading “He had been told that an old farmer, living close to the north-west of the island some seven or eight miles from the villa was lying dangerously ill, and he had found the supposed patient in vigorous health, and not a little angry at being supposed to be anything else.”

1,177 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 76

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 But in the course of the afternoon the old physician returned, not a little wrath that he had been sent on a fool’s errand.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
absencenounUS /ˈæbsəns/

the state of being absent

From this reading It was some time before the prolonged absence of Carna caused any alarm at the villa.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
afternoonnounUS /ˌæftərˈnuːn/

the part of the day between noon and evening

From this reading But in the course of the afternoon the old physician returned, not a little wrath that he had been sent on a fool’s errand.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
alarmnounUS /əˈlɑːrm/

fear resulting from the awareness of danger

From this reading It was some time before the prolonged absence of Carna caused any alarm at the villa.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/

surrounded by; in the middle of a group

From this reading When she was on one of her errands of kindness among the sick, it was difficult to say when she would return.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading He had been told that an old farmer, living close to the north-west of the island some seven or eight miles from the villa was lying dangerously ill, and he had found the supposed patient in vigorous health, and not a little angry at being supposed to be anything else.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading He had been told that an old farmer, living close to the north-west of the island some seven or eight miles from the villa was lying dangerously ill, and he had found the supposed patient in vigorous health, and not a little angry at being supposed to be anything else.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
angryadjectiveUS /ˈæŋɡri/

feeling or showing anger

From this reading He had been told that an old farmer, living close to the north-west of the island some seven or eight miles from the villa was lying dangerously ill, and he had found the supposed patient in vigorous health, and not a little angry at being supposed to be anything else.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading It was some time before the prolonged absence of Carna caused any alarm at the villa.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
anythingpronounUS /ˈeniθɪŋ/

any thing at all

From this reading He had been told that an old farmer, living close to the north-west of the island some seven or eight miles from the villa was lying dangerously ill, and he had found the supposed patient in vigorous health, and not a little angry at being supposed to be anything else.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading It was some time before the prolonged absence of Carna caused any alarm at the villa.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading He had been told that an old farmer, living close to the north-west of the island some seven or eight miles from the villa was lying dangerously ill, and he had found the supposed patient in vigorous health, and not a little angry at being supposed to be anything else.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading But in the course of the afternoon the old physician returned, not a little wrath that he had been sent on a fool’s errand.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading It was some time before the prolonged absence of Carna caused any alarm at the villa.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading He had been told that an old farmer, living close to the north-west of the island some seven or eight miles from the villa was lying dangerously ill, and he had found the supposed patient in vigorous health, and not a little angry at being supposed to be anything else.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But in the course of the afternoon the old physician returned, not a little wrath that he had been sent on a fool’s errand.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
Carna

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

From this reading It was some time before the prolonged absence of Carna caused any alarm at the villa.

Pending verification
causedverbUS /kɑːzd/

past form of “cause” — give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally

From this reading It was some time before the prolonged absence of Carna caused any alarm at the villa.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
closeadjectiveUS /kloʊs/

at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other

From this reading He had been told that an old farmer, living close to the north-west of the island some seven or eight miles from the villa was lying dangerously ill, and he had found the supposed patient in vigorous health, and not a little angry at being supposed to be anything else.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
coursenounUS /kɔːrs/

education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings

From this reading But in the course of the afternoon the old physician returned, not a little wrath that he had been sent on a fool’s errand.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
dangerouslyadverbUS /ˈdeɪn.dʒər.əs.li/

In a way that involves danger or risk.

From this reading He had been told that an old farmer, living close to the north-west of the island some seven or eight miles from the villa was lying dangerously ill, and he had found the supposed patient in vigorous health, and not a little angry at being supposed to be anything else.

Velmora curated lexicon
difficultadjectiveUS /ˈdɪfəkəlt/

not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure

From this reading When she was on one of her errands of kindness among the sick, it was difficult to say when she would return.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
DOESauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/

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

From this reading WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
eightadjectiveUS /eɪt/

being one more than seven

From this reading He had been told that an old farmer, living close to the north-west of the island some seven or eight miles from the villa was lying dangerously ill, and he had found the supposed patient in vigorous health, and not a little angry at being supposed to be anything else.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
else

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

From this reading He had been told that an old farmer, living close to the north-west of the island some seven or eight miles from the villa was lying dangerously ill, and he had found the supposed patient in vigorous health, and not a little angry at being supposed to be anything else.

Pending verification
errandnounUS /ˈerənd/

a short trip that is taken in the performance of a necessary task or mission

From this reading But in the course of the afternoon the old physician returned, not a little wrath that he had been sent on a fool’s errand.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
errandsnounUS /ˈerəndz/

plural of “errand” — a short trip that is taken in the performance of a necessary task or mission

From this reading When she was on one of her errands of kindness among the sick, it was difficult to say when she would return.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
farmernounUS /ˈfɑːrmər/

a person who operates a farm

From this reading He had been told that an old farmer, living close to the north-west of the island some seven or eight miles from the villa was lying dangerously ill, and he had found the supposed patient in vigorous health, and not a little angry at being supposed to be anything else.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fool'snounUS /fuːlz/

possessive form of “fool” — a person who lacks good judgment

From this reading But in the course of the afternoon the old physician returned, not a little wrath that he had been sent on a fool’s errand.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
foundverbUS /faʊnd/

set up or found

From this reading He had been told that an old farmer, living close to the north-west of the island some seven or eight miles from the villa was lying dangerously ill, and he had found the supposed patient in vigorous health, and not a little angry at being supposed to be anything else.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading He had been told that an old farmer, living close to the north-west of the island some seven or eight miles from the villa was lying dangerously ill, and he had found the supposed patient in vigorous health, and not a little angry at being supposed to be anything else.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading But in the course of the afternoon the old physician returned, not a little wrath that he had been sent on a fool’s errand.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading But in the course of the afternoon the old physician returned, not a little wrath that he had been sent on a fool’s errand.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
healthnounUS /helθ/

a healthy state of wellbeing free from disease

From this reading He had been told that an old farmer, living close to the north-west of the island some seven or eight miles from the villa was lying dangerously ill, and he had found the supposed patient in vigorous health, and not a little angry at being supposed to be anything else.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading When she was on one of her errands of kindness among the sick, it was difficult to say when she would return.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
illadjectiveUS /ɪl/

affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function

From this reading He had been told that an old farmer, living close to the north-west of the island some seven or eight miles from the villa was lying dangerously ill, and he had found the supposed patient in vigorous health, and not a little angry at being supposed to be anything else.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading But in the course of the afternoon the old physician returned, not a little wrath that he had been sent on a fool’s errand.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
islandnounUS /ˈaɪlənd/

a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water

From this reading He had been told that an old farmer, living close to the north-west of the island some seven or eight miles from the villa was lying dangerously ill, and he had found the supposed patient in vigorous health, and not a little angry at being supposed to be anything else.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ITpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
kindnessnounUS /ˈkaɪndnəs/

the quality of being warmhearted and considerate and humane and sympathetic

From this reading When she was on one of her errands of kindness among the sick, it was difficult to say when she would return.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading But in the course of the afternoon the old physician returned, not a little wrath that he had been sent on a fool’s errand.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
livingnounUS /ˈlɪvɪŋ/

the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities

From this reading He had been told that an old farmer, living close to the north-west of the island some seven or eight miles from the villa was lying dangerously ill, and he had found the supposed patient in vigorous health, and not a little angry at being supposed to be anything else.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lyingnounUS /ˈlaɪɪŋ/

the deliberate act of deviating from the truth

From this reading He had been told that an old farmer, living close to the north-west of the island some seven or eight miles from the villa was lying dangerously ill, and he had found the supposed patient in vigorous health, and not a little angry at being supposed to be anything else.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MEANverbUS /miːn/

mean or intend to express or convey

From this reading WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
milesnounUS /maɪlz/

plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters

From this reading He had been told that an old farmer, living close to the north-west of the island some seven or eight miles from the villa was lying dangerously ill, and he had found the supposed patient in vigorous health, and not a little angry at being supposed to be anything else.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
north-westadverb

to, toward, or in the northwest

From this reading He had been told that an old farmer, living close to the north-west of the island some seven or eight miles from the villa was lying dangerously ill, and he had found the supposed patient in vigorous health, and not a little angry at being supposed to be anything else.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading But in the course of the afternoon the old physician returned, not a little wrath that he had been sent on a fool’s errand.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It was some time before the prolonged absence of Carna caused any alarm at the villa.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading But in the course of the afternoon the old physician returned, not a little wrath that he had been sent on a fool’s errand.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading When she was on one of her errands of kindness among the sick, it was difficult to say when she would return.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading When she was on one of her errands of kindness among the sick, it was difficult to say when she would return.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading He had been told that an old farmer, living close to the north-west of the island some seven or eight miles from the villa was lying dangerously ill, and he had found the supposed patient in vigorous health, and not a little angry at being supposed to be anything else.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
patientnounUS /ˈpeɪʃənt/

a person who requires medical care

From this reading He had been told that an old farmer, living close to the north-west of the island some seven or eight miles from the villa was lying dangerously ill, and he had found the supposed patient in vigorous health, and not a little angry at being supposed to be anything else.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
physiciannounUS /fəˈzɪʃən/

a licensed medical practitioner

From this reading But in the course of the afternoon the old physician returned, not a little wrath that he had been sent on a fool’s errand.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
prolongedadjectiveUS /prəˈlɔːŋd/

relatively long in duration; tediously protracted

From this reading It was some time before the prolonged absence of Carna caused any alarm at the villa.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
returnverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrn/

go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading When she was on one of her errands of kindness among the sick, it was difficult to say when she would return.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
returnedverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrnd/

past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading But in the course of the afternoon the old physician returned, not a little wrath that he had been sent on a fool’s errand.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading When she was on one of her errands of kindness among the sick, it was difficult to say when she would return.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sentnounUS /sent/

100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia

From this reading But in the course of the afternoon the old physician returned, not a little wrath that he had been sent on a fool’s errand.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sevennounUS /ˈsevən/

the cardinal number that is the sum of six and one

From this reading He had been told that an old farmer, living close to the north-west of the island some seven or eight miles from the villa was lying dangerously ill, and he had found the supposed patient in vigorous health, and not a little angry at being supposed to be anything else.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading When she was on one of her errands of kindness among the sick, it was difficult to say when she would return.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
sickadjectiveUS /sɪk/

affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function

From this reading When she was on one of her errands of kindness among the sick, it was difficult to say when she would return.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading It was some time before the prolonged absence of Carna caused any alarm at the villa.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
supposedadjectiveUS /səˈpoʊzd/

required or under orders

From this reading He had been told that an old farmer, living close to the north-west of the island some seven or eight miles from the villa was lying dangerously ill, and he had found the supposed patient in vigorous health, and not a little angry at being supposed to be anything else.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading But in the course of the afternoon the old physician returned, not a little wrath that he had been sent on a fool’s errand.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading It was some time before the prolonged absence of Carna caused any alarm at the villa.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading It was some time before the prolonged absence of Carna caused any alarm at the villa.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading When she was on one of her errands of kindness among the sick, it was difficult to say when she would return.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toldverbUS /toʊld/

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading He had been told that an old farmer, living close to the north-west of the island some seven or eight miles from the villa was lying dangerously ill, and he had found the supposed patient in vigorous health, and not a little angry at being supposed to be anything else.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
vigorousadjectiveUS /ˈvɪɡərəs/

characterized by forceful and energetic action or activity

From this reading He had been told that an old farmer, living close to the north-west of the island some seven or eight miles from the villa was lying dangerously ill, and he had found the supposed patient in vigorous health, and not a little angry at being supposed to be anything else.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
villanounUS /ˈvɪlə/

Mexican revolutionary leader (1877-1923)

From this reading It was some time before the prolonged absence of Carna caused any alarm at the villa.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was some time before the prolonged absence of Carna caused any alarm at the villa.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
WHATpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When she was on one of her errands of kindness among the sick, it was difficult to say when she would return.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading When she was on one of her errands of kindness among the sick, it was difficult to say when she would return.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
wrathnounUS /ræθ/

intense anger (usually on an epic scale)

From this reading But in the course of the afternoon the old physician returned, not a little wrath that he had been sent on a fool’s errand.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Chapter 13 of The Count of the Saxon Shore by Alfred John Church holds 99 sentences, grouped into 20 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 13 of The Count of the Saxon Shore contain?

Chapter 13 holds 99 sentences of The Count of the Saxon Shore, unabridged, divided into 20 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 13 of The Count of the Saxon Shore by Alfred John Church exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 99 sentences, grouped into 20 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 13 of The Count of the Saxon Shore?

Work through the 20 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 20 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 13 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 13 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 the Saxon Shore

Common questions about reading The Count of the Saxon Shore by Alfred John Church on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Count of the Saxon Shore?

Yes. All 3376 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #44083 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Count of the Saxon Shore is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #44083, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Count of the Saxon Shore take to read?

About 281 minutes of reading across 676 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Count of the Saxon Shore section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 30 chapters of The Count of the Saxon Shore 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 the Saxon Shore

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Count of the Saxon Shore, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Entered
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Count of the Saxon Shore; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Stationers
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Count of the Saxon Shore; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Seeley
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Count of the Saxon Shore; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Preface
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Count of the Saxon Shore; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.