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The Crooked House
The Crooked House

Chapter XVI · Chapter 16

Chapter 16 of The Crooked House is here in full — 148 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/29 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
MR.
GLUCKSTEIN IN CONFIDENCE Mrs. Astley-Rolfe invariably received her creditors in pink deshabille.
The financier, Mr. Solomon Gluckstein, original and senior representative of John Brown & Co., Jermyn Street, was particularly fond of pink, and extremely susceptible to deshabille.
Whiskey-and-soda, personally prepared for him in sufficient strength by his charming debtor, increased the fondness and the susceptibility.
"Ma tear lady," said Mr. Gluckstein, with desperate firmness, "I have come on an unplethant errand."
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Crooked House

Chapter XVI · Chapter 16

Chapter 16 of The Crooked House is here in full — 148 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/29 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
MR.
/ˈmɪstər/
Line 2
GLUCKSTEIN IN CONFIDENCE Mrs. Astley-Rolfe invariably received her creditors in pink deshabille.
Line 3
The financier, Mr. Solomon Gluckstein, original and senior representative of John Brown & Co., Jermyn Street, was particularly fond of pink, and extremely susceptible to deshabille.
Line 4
Whiskey-and-soda, personally prepared for him in sufficient strength by his charming debtor, increased the fondness and the susceptibility.
Line 5
"Ma tear lady," said Mr. Gluckstein, with desperate firmness, "I have come on an unplethant errand."

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.

creditors noun US /ˈkredɪtərz/

plural of “creditor” — a person to whom money is owed by a debtor; someone to whom an obligation exists

From this reading “GLUCKSTEIN IN CONFIDENCE Mrs. Astley-Rolfe invariably received her creditors in pink deshabille.”

debtor noun US /ˈdetər/

a person who owes a creditor; someone who has the obligation of paying a debt

From this reading “Whiskey-and-soda, personally prepared for him in sufficient strength by his charming debtor, increased the fondness and the susceptibility.”

financier noun US /ˌfɪnənˈsɪr/

a person skilled in large scale financial transactions

From this reading “The financier, Mr. Solomon Gluckstein, original and senior representative of John Brown & Co., Jermyn Street, was particularly fond of pink, and extremely susceptible to deshabille.”

firmness noun US /ˈfɜːrmnəs/

the muscle tone of healthy tissue

From this reading “"Ma tear lady," said Mr. Gluckstein, with desperate firmness, "I have come on an unplethant errand."”

fondness noun US /ˈfɑːndnəs/

a predisposition to like something

From this reading “Whiskey-and-soda, personally prepared for him in sufficient strength by his charming debtor, increased the fondness and the susceptibility.”

senior adjective US /ˈsiːnjər/

older; higher in rank; longer in length of tenure or service

From this reading “The financier, Mr. Solomon Gluckstein, original and senior representative of John Brown & Co., Jermyn Street, was particularly fond of pink, and extremely susceptible to deshabille.”

susceptibility noun US /səˌseptəˈbɪləti/

the state of being susceptible; easily affected

From this reading “Whiskey-and-soda, personally prepared for him in sufficient strength by his charming debtor, increased the fondness and the susceptibility.”

susceptible adjective US /səˈseptəbəl/

(often followed by “of” or “to”) yielding readily to or capable of

From this reading “The financier, Mr. Solomon Gluckstein, original and senior representative of John Brown & Co., Jermyn Street, was particularly fond of pink, and extremely susceptible to deshabille.”

All words in this reading · 59

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.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading "Ma tear lady," said Mr. Gluckstein, with desperate firmness, "I have come on an unplethant errand."

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The financier, Mr. Solomon Gluckstein, original and senior representative of John Brown & Co., Jermyn Street, was particularly fond of pink, and extremely susceptible to deshabille.

Astley-Rolfe

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

From this reading GLUCKSTEIN IN CONFIDENCE Mrs. Astley-Rolfe invariably received her creditors in pink deshabille.

BrownnounUS /braʊn/

an orange of low brightness and saturation

From this reading The financier, Mr. Solomon Gluckstein, original and senior representative of John Brown & Co., Jermyn Street, was particularly fond of pink, and extremely susceptible to deshabille.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Whiskey-and-soda, personally prepared for him in sufficient strength by his charming debtor, increased the fondness and the susceptibility.

charmingadjectiveUS /ˈtʃɑːrmɪŋ/

pleasing or delighting

From this reading Whiskey-and-soda, personally prepared for him in sufficient strength by his charming debtor, increased the fondness and the susceptibility.

ConounUS /koʊ/

an odorless very poisonous gas that is a product of incomplete combustion of carbon

From this reading The financier, Mr. Solomon Gluckstein, original and senior representative of John Brown & Co., Jermyn Street, was particularly fond of pink, and extremely susceptible to deshabille.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading "Ma tear lady," said Mr. Gluckstein, with desperate firmness, "I have come on an unplethant errand."

CONFIDENCEnounUS /ˈkɑːnfədəns/

freedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities

From this reading GLUCKSTEIN IN CONFIDENCE Mrs. Astley-Rolfe invariably received her creditors in pink deshabille.

creditorsnounUS /ˈkredɪtərz/

plural of “creditor” — a person to whom money is owed by a debtor; someone to whom an obligation exists

From this reading GLUCKSTEIN IN CONFIDENCE Mrs. Astley-Rolfe invariably received her creditors in pink deshabille.

debtornounUS /ˈdetər/

a person who owes a creditor; someone who has the obligation of paying a debt

From this reading Whiskey-and-soda, personally prepared for him in sufficient strength by his charming debtor, increased the fondness and the susceptibility.

deshabillenoun

the state of being carelessly or partially dressed

From this reading GLUCKSTEIN IN CONFIDENCE Mrs. Astley-Rolfe invariably received her creditors in pink deshabille.

desperateadjectiveUS /ˈdesprɪt/

arising from or marked by despair or loss of hope

From this reading "Ma tear lady," said Mr. Gluckstein, with desperate firmness, "I have come on an unplethant errand."

errandnounUS /ˈerənd/

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

From this reading "Ma tear lady," said Mr. Gluckstein, with desperate firmness, "I have come on an unplethant errand."

extremelyadverbUS /ekˈstriːmli/

to a high degree or extent; favorably or with much respect

From this reading The financier, Mr. Solomon Gluckstein, original and senior representative of John Brown & Co., Jermyn Street, was particularly fond of pink, and extremely susceptible to deshabille.

financiernounUS /ˌfɪnənˈsɪr/

a person skilled in large scale financial transactions

From this reading The financier, Mr. Solomon Gluckstein, original and senior representative of John Brown & Co., Jermyn Street, was particularly fond of pink, and extremely susceptible to deshabille.

firmnessnounUS /ˈfɜːrmnəs/

the muscle tone of healthy tissue

From this reading "Ma tear lady," said Mr. Gluckstein, with desperate firmness, "I have come on an unplethant errand."

fondadjectiveUS /fɑːnd/

having or displaying warmth or affection

From this reading The financier, Mr. Solomon Gluckstein, original and senior representative of John Brown & Co., Jermyn Street, was particularly fond of pink, and extremely susceptible to deshabille.

fondnessnounUS /ˈfɑːndnəs/

a predisposition to like something

From this reading Whiskey-and-soda, personally prepared for him in sufficient strength by his charming debtor, increased the fondness and the susceptibility.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Whiskey-and-soda, personally prepared for him in sufficient strength by his charming debtor, increased the fondness and the susceptibility.

GLUCKSTEIN

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

From this reading GLUCKSTEIN IN CONFIDENCE Mrs. Astley-Rolfe invariably received her creditors in pink deshabille.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading "Ma tear lady," said Mr. Gluckstein, with desperate firmness, "I have come on an unplethant errand."

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading GLUCKSTEIN IN CONFIDENCE Mrs. Astley-Rolfe invariably received her creditors in pink deshabille.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Whiskey-and-soda, personally prepared for him in sufficient strength by his charming debtor, increased the fondness and the susceptibility.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Whiskey-and-soda, personally prepared for him in sufficient strength by his charming debtor, increased the fondness and the susceptibility.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading "Ma tear lady," said Mr. Gluckstein, with desperate firmness, "I have come on an unplethant errand."

INprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading GLUCKSTEIN IN CONFIDENCE Mrs. Astley-Rolfe invariably received her creditors in pink deshabille.

increasedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkriːst/

made greater in size or amount or degree

From this reading Whiskey-and-soda, personally prepared for him in sufficient strength by his charming debtor, increased the fondness and the susceptibility.

invariablyadverbUS /ˌɪnˈveriəbli/

without variation or change, in every case

From this reading GLUCKSTEIN IN CONFIDENCE Mrs. Astley-Rolfe invariably received her creditors in pink deshabille.

Jermyn

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

From this reading The financier, Mr. Solomon Gluckstein, original and senior representative of John Brown & Co., Jermyn Street, was particularly fond of pink, and extremely susceptible to deshabille.

JohnnounUS /dʒɑːn/

a room or building equipped with one or more toilets

From this reading The financier, Mr. Solomon Gluckstein, original and senior representative of John Brown & Co., Jermyn Street, was particularly fond of pink, and extremely susceptible to deshabille.

ladynounUS /ˈleɪdi/

a polite name for any woman

From this reading "Ma tear lady," said Mr. Gluckstein, with desperate firmness, "I have come on an unplethant errand."

ManounUS /mɑː/

informal terms for a mother

From this reading "Ma tear lady," said Mr. Gluckstein, with desperate firmness, "I have come on an unplethant errand."

MRnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading MR.

MrsnounUS /ˈmɪsɪz/

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading GLUCKSTEIN IN CONFIDENCE Mrs. Astley-Rolfe invariably received her creditors in pink deshabille.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The financier, Mr. Solomon Gluckstein, original and senior representative of John Brown & Co., Jermyn Street, was particularly fond of pink, and extremely susceptible to deshabille.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading "Ma tear lady," said Mr. Gluckstein, with desperate firmness, "I have come on an unplethant errand."

originaladjectiveUS /ərˈɪdʒənəl/

preceding all others in time or being as first made or performed

From this reading The financier, Mr. Solomon Gluckstein, original and senior representative of John Brown & Co., Jermyn Street, was particularly fond of pink, and extremely susceptible to deshabille.

particularlyadverbUS /ˌpɑːrˈtɪkjələrli/

to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common

From this reading The financier, Mr. Solomon Gluckstein, original and senior representative of John Brown & Co., Jermyn Street, was particularly fond of pink, and extremely susceptible to deshabille.

personallyadverbUS /ˈpɜːrsənəli/

as yourself

From this reading Whiskey-and-soda, personally prepared for him in sufficient strength by his charming debtor, increased the fondness and the susceptibility.

pinknounUS /pɪŋk/

a light shade of red

From this reading GLUCKSTEIN IN CONFIDENCE Mrs. Astley-Rolfe invariably received her creditors in pink deshabille.

preparedadjectiveUS /priˈperd/

made ready or fit or suitable beforehand

From this reading Whiskey-and-soda, personally prepared for him in sufficient strength by his charming debtor, increased the fondness and the susceptibility.

receivedadjectiveUS /rəˈsiːvd/

conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers

From this reading GLUCKSTEIN IN CONFIDENCE Mrs. Astley-Rolfe invariably received her creditors in pink deshabille.

representativenounUS /ˌreprəˈzentətɪv/

a person who represents others

From this reading The financier, Mr. Solomon Gluckstein, original and senior representative of John Brown & Co., Jermyn Street, was particularly fond of pink, and extremely susceptible to deshabille.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading "Ma tear lady," said Mr. Gluckstein, with desperate firmness, "I have come on an unplethant errand."

senioradjectiveUS /ˈsiːnjər/

older; higher in rank; longer in length of tenure or service

From this reading The financier, Mr. Solomon Gluckstein, original and senior representative of John Brown & Co., Jermyn Street, was particularly fond of pink, and extremely susceptible to deshabille.

Solomonproper nounUS /ˈsɒl.ə.mən/

A legendary king renowned for his wisdom and fabulous hidden mines.

From this reading The financier, Mr. Solomon Gluckstein, original and senior representative of John Brown & Co., Jermyn Street, was particularly fond of pink, and extremely susceptible to deshabille.

StreetnounUS /striːt/

a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading The financier, Mr. Solomon Gluckstein, original and senior representative of John Brown & Co., Jermyn Street, was particularly fond of pink, and extremely susceptible to deshabille.

strengthnounUS /streŋkθ/

the property of being physically or mentally strong

From this reading Whiskey-and-soda, personally prepared for him in sufficient strength by his charming debtor, increased the fondness and the susceptibility.

sufficientadjectiveUS /səˈfɪʃənt/

of a quantity that can fulfill a need or requirement but without being abundant

From this reading Whiskey-and-soda, personally prepared for him in sufficient strength by his charming debtor, increased the fondness and the susceptibility.

susceptibilitynounUS /səˌseptəˈbɪləti/

the state of being susceptible; easily affected

From this reading Whiskey-and-soda, personally prepared for him in sufficient strength by his charming debtor, increased the fondness and the susceptibility.

susceptibleadjectiveUS /səˈseptəbəl/

(often followed by “of” or “to”) yielding readily to or capable of

From this reading The financier, Mr. Solomon Gluckstein, original and senior representative of John Brown & Co., Jermyn Street, was particularly fond of pink, and extremely susceptible to deshabille.

tearverbUS /ter/

separate or cause to separate abruptly

From this reading "Ma tear lady," said Mr. Gluckstein, with desperate firmness, "I have come on an unplethant errand."

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The financier, Mr. Solomon Gluckstein, original and senior representative of John Brown & Co., Jermyn Street, was particularly fond of pink, and extremely susceptible to deshabille.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The financier, Mr. Solomon Gluckstein, original and senior representative of John Brown & Co., Jermyn Street, was particularly fond of pink, and extremely susceptible to deshabille.

unplethant

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

From this reading "Ma tear lady," said Mr. Gluckstein, with desperate firmness, "I have come on an unplethant errand."

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The financier, Mr. Solomon Gluckstein, original and senior representative of John Brown & Co., Jermyn Street, was particularly fond of pink, and extremely susceptible to deshabille.

Whiskey-and-soda

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

From this reading Whiskey-and-soda, personally prepared for him in sufficient strength by his charming debtor, increased the fondness and the susceptibility.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading "Ma tear lady," said Mr. Gluckstein, with desperate firmness, "I have come on an unplethant errand."

Chapter 16 of The Crooked House by Brandon Fleming holds 148 sentences, grouped into 30 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 16 of The Crooked House contain?

Chapter 16 holds 148 sentences of The Crooked House, unabridged, divided into 30 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 16 of The Crooked House by Brandon Fleming exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 148 sentences, grouped into 30 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 16 of The Crooked House?

Work through the 30 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 30 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 16 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 16 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 Crooked House

Common questions about reading The Crooked House by Brandon Fleming on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Crooked House?

Yes. All 4272 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #22820 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Crooked House is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #22820, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Crooked House take to read?

About 356 minutes of reading across 855 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Crooked House section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 33 chapters of The Crooked House 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 Crooked House

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Crooked House, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Unusual
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Crooked House; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Thing
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Crooked House; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
George
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Crooked House; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Copplestone
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Crooked House; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.