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

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of The Custom of the Country is here in full — 404 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Custom of the Country
Context Illustration Reading 1/80 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Matters were not improved by the return of the men from the smoking-room.
Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.
This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.
In the hall, where young Marvell had managed to precede her.
Undine found Mrs. Van Degen putting on her cloak.
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 Custom of the Country

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of The Custom of the Country is here in full — 404 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/80 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Matters were not improved by the return of the men from the smoking-room.
Line 2
Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.
Line 3
This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.
Line 4
In the hall, where young Marvell had managed to precede her.
/ɪn ðə hɔːl wer jʌŋ mɑːrˈvel hæd ˈmænədʒd tuː prɪˈsiːd hɜːr/
Line 5
Undine found Mrs. Van Degen putting on her cloak.

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.

Apex noun US /ˈeɪpeks/

the highest point (of something)

From this reading “Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.”

inferred verb US /ˌɪnˈfɜːrd/

inflected form of “infer” — reason by deduction; establish by deduction

From this reading “Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.”

league noun US /liːɡ/

an association of sports teams that organizes matches for its members

From this reading “Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.”

Marvell noun US /mɑːrˈvel/

English poet (1621-1678)

From this reading “In the hall, where young Marvell had managed to precede her.”

precede verb US /prɪˈsiːd/

be earlier in time; go back further

From this reading “In the hall, where young Marvell had managed to precede her.”

resulted verb US /rɪˈzʌltɪd/

past form of “result” — issue or terminate (in a specified way, state, etc.); end

From this reading “This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.”

Undine noun US /ˈʌndiːn/

any of various female water spirits

From this reading “Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.”

ventures noun US /ˈventʃərz/

plural of “venture” — any venturesome undertaking especially one with an uncertain outcome

From this reading “This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.”

All words in this reading · 99

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 Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(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 This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

answeringadjectiveUS /ˈænsərɪŋ/

replying

From this reading This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.

ApexnounUS /ˈeɪpeks/

the highest point (of something)

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

bothdeterminerUS /boʊθ/

the two together, not just one

From this reading This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Matters were not improved by the return of the men from the smoking-room.

carenounUS /ker/

the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

cloaknounUS /kloʊk/

anything that covers or conceals

From this reading Undine found Mrs. Van Degen putting on her cloak.

couldn't

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

From this reading This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.

Degen

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

From this reading Undine found Mrs. Van Degen putting on her cloak.

departurenounUS /dɪˈpɑːrtʃər/

the act of departing

From this reading This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.

didn't

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

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

discoverynounUS /dɪˈskʌvəri/

the act of discovering something

From this reading This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.

elderlyadjectiveUS /ˈeldərli/

advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)

From this reading This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.

Fairford

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

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

Fairford's

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

From this reading This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

forcenounUS /fɔːrs/

a powerful effect or influence

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

foundverbUS /faʊnd/

set up or found

From this reading Undine found Mrs. Van Degen putting on her cloak.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Matters were not improved by the return of the men from the smoking-room.

gaveverbUS /ɡeɪv/

inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.

girlnounUS /ɡɜːrl/

a young female

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading In the hall, where young Marvell had managed to precede her.

hallnounUS /hɔːl/

an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open

From this reading In the hall, where young Marvell had managed to precede her.

handsnounUS /hændz/

(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

headnounUS /hed/

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.

Henley

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

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

highadjectiveUS /haɪ/

greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

holdingnounUS /ˈhoʊldɪŋ/

the act of retaining something

From this reading This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.

hostnounUS /hoʊst/

a person who invites guests to a social event (such as a party in his or her own home) and who is responsible for them while they are there

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

hostessnounUS /ˈhoʊstəs/

a woman host

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.

improvedadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpruːvd/

made more desirable or valuable or profitable; especially made ready for use or marketing

From this reading Matters were not improved by the return of the men from the smoking-room.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

inferredverbUS /ˌɪnˈfɜːrd/

inflected form of “infer” — reason by deduction; establish by deduction

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

Isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

ladynounUS /ˈleɪdi/

a polite name for any woman

From this reading This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.

leaguenounUS /liːɡ/

an association of sports teams that organizes matches for its members

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

managedverbUS /ˈmænədʒd/

past form of “manage” — be successful; achieve a goal

From this reading In the hall, where young Marvell had managed to precede her.

marriedadjectiveUS /ˈmerid/

joined in matrimony

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

MarvellnounUS /mɑːrˈvel/

English poet (1621-1678)

From this reading In the hall, where young Marvell had managed to precede her.

MattersnounUS /ˈmætərz/

plural of “matter” — a vaguely specified concern

From this reading Matters were not improved by the return of the men from the smoking-room.

mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading Matters were not improved by the return of the men from the smoking-room.

MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.

MrsnounUS /ˈmɪsɪz/

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading Undine found Mrs. Van Degen putting on her cloak.

neitherdeterminerUS /ˈniːðər/

not one and not the other of two

From this reading This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.

norconjunctionUS /nɔːr/

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Matters were not improved by the return of the men from the smoking-room.

numerousadjectiveUS /ˈnuːmərəs/

amounting to a large indefinite number

From this reading This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Matters were not improved by the return of the men from the smoking-room.

offadverbUS /ɔːf/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.

others

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

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

precedeverbUS /prɪˈsiːd/

be earlier in time; go back further

From this reading In the hall, where young Marvell had managed to precede her.

puttingnounUS /ˈpʌtɪŋ/

hitting a golf ball that is on the green using a putter

From this reading Undine found Mrs. Van Degen putting on her cloak.

reallyadverbUS /ˈrɪli/

in accordance with truth or fact or reality

From this reading This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.

reliefnounUS /rɪˈliːf/

the feeling that comes when something burdensome is removed or reduced

From this reading This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.

replacedverbUS /ˌriːˈpleɪst/

past form of “replace” — substitute a person or thing for (another that is broken or inefficient or lost or no longer working or yielding what is expected)

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

resultedverbUS /rɪˈzʌltɪd/

past form of “result” — issue or terminate (in a specified way, state, etc.); end

From this reading This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.

returnverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrn/

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

From this reading Matters were not improved by the return of the men from the smoking-room.

risingadjectiveUS /ˈraɪzɪŋ/

advancing or becoming higher or greater in degree or value or status

From this reading This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.

sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

sidenounUS /saɪd/

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

signalnounUS /ˈsɪɡnəl/

any nonverbal action or gesture that encodes a message

From this reading This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.

sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

smoking-room

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

From this reading Matters were not improved by the return of the men from the smoking-room.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.

societynounUS /səˈsaɪəti/

an extended social group having a distinctive cultural and economic organization

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

strikingadjectiveUS /ˈstraɪkɪŋ/

sensational in appearance or thrilling in effect

From this reading This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.

takeverbUS /teɪk/

carry out

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

talkverbUS /tɔːk/

exchange thoughts; talk with

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Matters were not improved by the return of the men from the smoking-room.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.

ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

UndinenounUS /ˈʌndiːn/

any of various female water spirits

From this reading Undine found Mrs. Van Degen putting on her cloak.

Undine's

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

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

unheard-ofadjective

previously unknown

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

VannounUS /væn/

any creative group active in the innovation and application of new concepts and techniques in a given field (especially in the arts)

From this reading Undine found Mrs. Van Degen putting on her cloak.

venturesnounUS /ˈventʃərz/

plural of “venture” — any venturesome undertaking especially one with an uncertain outcome

From this reading This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.

vividadjectiveUS /ˈvɪvəd/

evoking lifelike images within the mind

From this reading This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Matters were not improved by the return of the men from the smoking-room.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading This discovery resulted in her holding her vivid head very high, and answering "I couldn't really say," or "Is that so?" to all Mr. Fairford's ventures; and as these were neither numerous nor striking it was a relief to both when the rising of the elderly lady gave the signal for departure.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading In the hall, where young Marvell had managed to precede her.

wifenounUS /waɪf/

a married woman; a man's partner in marriage

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading Henley Fairford replaced his wife at Undine's side; and since it was unheard-of at Apex for a married man to force his society on a young girl, she inferred that the others didn't care to talk to her, and that her host and hostess were in league to take her off their hands.

Chapter 2 of The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton holds 404 sentences, grouped into 81 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 2 of The Custom of the Country contain?

Chapter 2 holds 404 sentences of The Custom of the Country, unabridged, divided into 81 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 404 sentences, grouped into 81 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 2 of The Custom of the Country?

Work through the 81 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 81 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 2 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 2 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 Custom of the Country

Common questions about reading The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Custom of the Country?

Yes. All 7166 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #11052 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Custom of the Country is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #11052, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Custom of the Country take to read?

About 597 minutes of reading across 1434 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Custom of the Country section by section

How to work through The Custom of the Country section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 18 chapters of The Custom of the Country 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 Custom of the Country

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Custom of the Country, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Undine
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Custom of the Country; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Spragg--how
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Custom of the Country; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Mother
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Custom of the Country; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Wailed
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Custom of the Country; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.