The Deaves Affair

Chapter XX · Chapter 20

Chapter 20 of The Deaves Affair is here in full — 248 sentences across 50 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Hulbert Footner • Curated US English Learning Edition

Cover illustration for The Deaves Affair

English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

THE BEGINNING OF THE NIGHT George Deaves and Evan sat in the Deaves limousine with the package of bonds between them.

Deaves was perspiring and fidgetty, Evan the picture of imperturbability--not but what Evan was excited too, but the display of agitation the other was making put Evan on his mettle to show nothing.

The car was lying against the curb on the North side of the Queensboro Bridge Plaza, and they were watching the hands of a clock in a bank building creep to half-past eight.

"Why do you suppose they insisted on our waiting here?" said Deaves querulously.

"Can't say," answered Evan.

Narrator

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.

Chapter XX Reading 1/49

The Deaves Affair Hulbert Footner

Chapter XX

Chapter 20

Chapter 20 of The Deaves Affair is here in full — 248 sentences across 50 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

THE BEGINNING OF THE NIGHT George Deaves and Evan sat in the Deaves limousine with the package of bonds between them. Deaves was perspiring and fidgetty, Evan the picture of imperturbability--not but what Evan was excited too, but the display of agitation the other was making put Evan on his mettle to show nothing. The car was lying against the curb on the North side of the Queensboro Bridge Plaza, and they were watching the hands of a clock in a bank building creep to half-past eight. "Why do you suppose they insisted on our waiting here?" said Deaves querulously. "Can't say," answered Evan.

The Deaves Affair

Chapter XX · Chapter 20

Chapter 20 of The Deaves Affair is here in full — 248 sentences across 50 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/49 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

THE BEGINNING OF THE NIGHT George Deaves and Evan sat in the Deaves limousine with the package of bonds between them.

Line 2

Deaves was perspiring and fidgetty, Evan the picture of imperturbability--not but what Evan was excited too, but the display of agitation the other was making put Evan on his mettle to show nothing.

Line 3

The car was lying against the curb on the North side of the Queensboro Bridge Plaza, and they were watching the hands of a clock in a bank building creep to half-past eight.

Line 4

"Why do you suppose they insisted on our waiting here?" said Deaves querulously.

Line 5

"Can't say," answered Evan.

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.

bonds noun US /bɑːndz/

plural of “bond” — an electrical force linking atoms

From this reading “THE BEGINNING OF THE NIGHT George Deaves and Evan sat in the Deaves limousine with the package of bonds between them.”

creep verb US /kriːp/

move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground

From this reading “The car was lying against the curb on the North side of the Queensboro Bridge Plaza, and they were watching the hands of a clock in a bank building creep to half-past eight.”

curb noun US /kɜːrb/

an edge between a sidewalk and a roadway consisting of a line of curbstones (usually forming part of a gutter)

From this reading “The car was lying against the curb on the North side of the Queensboro Bridge Plaza, and they were watching the hands of a clock in a bank building creep to half-past eight.”

limousine noun US /ˈlɪməziːn/

large luxurious car; usually driven by a chauffeur

From this reading “THE BEGINNING OF THE NIGHT George Deaves and Evan sat in the Deaves limousine with the package of bonds between them.”

mettle noun US /ˈmetəl/

the courage to carry on

From this reading “Deaves was perspiring and fidgetty, Evan the picture of imperturbability--not but what Evan was excited too, but the display of agitation the other was making put Evan on his mettle to show nothing.”

package noun US /ˈpækədʒ/

a collection of things wrapped or boxed together

From this reading “THE BEGINNING OF THE NIGHT George Deaves and Evan sat in the Deaves limousine with the package of bonds between them.”

perspiring verb US /pərˈspaɪrɪŋ/

-ing form of “perspire” — excrete perspiration through the pores in the skin

Plaza noun US /ˈplɑːzə/

a public square with room for pedestrians

From this reading “The car was lying against the curb on the North side of the Queensboro Bridge Plaza, and they were watching the hands of a clock in a bank building creep to half-past eight.”

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.

insisted on verb + particle counted as “insist on”

In this reading “"Why do you suppose they insisted on our waiting here?" said Deaves querulously.”

North side noun + noun

the side that is on the north

In this reading “The car was lying against the curb on the North side of the Queensboro Bridge Plaza, and they were watching the hands of a clock in a bank building creep to half-past eight.”

bank building noun + noun

a building in which the business of banking transacted

In this reading “The car was lying against the curb on the North side of the Queensboro Bridge Plaza, and they were watching the hands of a clock in a bank building creep to half-past eight.”

on the North preposition + article + noun counted as “on … north”

In this reading “The car was lying against the curb on the North side of the Queensboro Bridge Plaza, and they were watching the hands of a clock in a bank building creep to half-past eight.”

All words in this reading · 70

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading The car was lying against the curb on the North side of the Queensboro Bridge Plaza, and they were watching the hands of a clock in a bank building creep to half-past eight.

againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading The car was lying against the curb on the North side of the Queensboro Bridge Plaza, and they were watching the hands of a clock in a bank building creep to half-past eight.

agitationnounUS /ˌædʒəˈteɪʃən/

a mental state of extreme emotional disturbance

From this reading Deaves was perspiring and fidgetty, Evan the picture of imperturbability--not but what Evan was excited too, but the display of agitation the other was making put Evan on his mettle to show nothing.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading THE BEGINNING OF THE NIGHT George Deaves and Evan sat in the Deaves limousine with the package of bonds between them.

answeredverbUS /ˈænsərd/

past form of “answer” — react verbally

From this reading "Can't say," answered Evan.

banknounUS /bæŋk/

sloping land (especially the slope beside a body of water)

From this reading The car was lying against the curb on the North side of the Queensboro Bridge Plaza, and they were watching the hands of a clock in a bank building creep to half-past eight.

BEGINNINGnounUS /bɪˈɡɪnɪŋ/

the event consisting of the start of something

From this reading THE BEGINNING OF THE NIGHT George Deaves and Evan sat in the Deaves limousine with the package of bonds between them.

betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading THE BEGINNING OF THE NIGHT George Deaves and Evan sat in the Deaves limousine with the package of bonds between them.

bondsnounUS /bɑːndz/

plural of “bond” — an electrical force linking atoms

From this reading THE BEGINNING OF THE NIGHT George Deaves and Evan sat in the Deaves limousine with the package of bonds between them.

BridgenounUS /brɪdʒ/

a structure that allows people or vehicles to cross an obstacle such as a river or canal or railway etc.

From this reading The car was lying against the curb on the North side of the Queensboro Bridge Plaza, and they were watching the hands of a clock in a bank building creep to half-past eight.

buildingnounUS /ˈbɪldɪŋ/

a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place

From this reading The car was lying against the curb on the North side of the Queensboro Bridge Plaza, and they were watching the hands of a clock in a bank building creep to half-past eight.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

Can't

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

From this reading "Can't say," answered Evan.

carnounUS /kɑːr/

a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine

From this reading The car was lying against the curb on the North side of the Queensboro Bridge Plaza, and they were watching the hands of a clock in a bank building creep to half-past eight.

clocknounUS /klɑːk/

a timepiece that shows the time of day

From this reading The car was lying against the curb on the North side of the Queensboro Bridge Plaza, and they were watching the hands of a clock in a bank building creep to half-past eight.

creepverbUS /kriːp/

move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground

From this reading The car was lying against the curb on the North side of the Queensboro Bridge Plaza, and they were watching the hands of a clock in a bank building creep to half-past eight.

curbnounUS /kɜːrb/

an edge between a sidewalk and a roadway consisting of a line of curbstones (usually forming part of a gutter)

From this reading The car was lying against the curb on the North side of the Queensboro Bridge Plaza, and they were watching the hands of a clock in a bank building creep to half-past eight.

Deaves

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

From this reading THE BEGINNING OF THE NIGHT George Deaves and Evan sat in the Deaves limousine with the package of bonds between them.

displaynounUS /dɪˈspleɪ/

something intended to communicate a particular impression

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading "Why do you suppose they insisted on our waiting here?" said Deaves querulously.

eightadjectiveUS /eɪt/

being one more than seven

From this reading The car was lying against the curb on the North side of the Queensboro Bridge Plaza, and they were watching the hands of a clock in a bank building creep to half-past eight.

Evan

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

From this reading THE BEGINNING OF THE NIGHT George Deaves and Evan sat in the Deaves limousine with the package of bonds between them.

excitedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈsaɪtəd/

(of persons) excessively affected by emotion

fidgetty

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

GeorgenounUS /dʒɔːrdʒ/

Christian martyr; patron saint of England; hero of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon in which he slew a dragon and saved a princess (?-303)

From this reading THE BEGINNING OF THE NIGHT George Deaves and Evan sat in the Deaves limousine with the package of bonds between them.

half-past

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

From this reading The car was lying against the curb on the North side of the Queensboro Bridge Plaza, and they were watching the hands of a clock in a bank building creep to half-past eight.

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 The car was lying against the curb on the North side of the Queensboro Bridge Plaza, and they were watching the hands of a clock in a bank building creep to half-past eight.

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading "Why do you suppose they insisted on our waiting here?" said Deaves querulously.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

imperturbabilitynoun

calm and unruffled self-assurance

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading THE BEGINNING OF THE NIGHT George Deaves and Evan sat in the Deaves limousine with the package of bonds between them.

insistedverbUS /ˌɪnˈsɪstəd/

past form of “insist” — be emphatic or resolute and refuse to budge

From this reading "Why do you suppose they insisted on our waiting here?" said Deaves querulously.

limousinenounUS /ˈlɪməziːn/

large luxurious car; usually driven by a chauffeur

From this reading THE BEGINNING OF THE NIGHT George Deaves and Evan sat in the Deaves limousine with the package of bonds between them.

lyingnounUS /ˈlaɪɪŋ/

the deliberate act of deviating from the truth

From this reading The car was lying against the curb on the North side of the Queensboro Bridge Plaza, and they were watching the hands of a clock in a bank building creep to half-past eight.

makingnounUS /ˈmeɪkɪŋ/

the act that results in something coming to be

mettlenounUS /ˈmetəl/

the courage to carry on

NIGHTnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading THE BEGINNING OF THE NIGHT George Deaves and Evan sat in the Deaves limousine with the package of bonds between them.

NorthnounUS /nɔːrθ/

the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading The car was lying against the curb on the North side of the Queensboro Bridge Plaza, and they were watching the hands of a clock in a bank building creep to half-past eight.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE BEGINNING OF THE NIGHT George Deaves and Evan sat in the Deaves limousine with the package of bonds between them.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading "Why do you suppose they insisted on our waiting here?" said Deaves querulously.

packagenounUS /ˈpækədʒ/

a collection of things wrapped or boxed together

From this reading THE BEGINNING OF THE NIGHT George Deaves and Evan sat in the Deaves limousine with the package of bonds between them.

perspiringverbUS /pərˈspaɪrɪŋ/

-ing form of “perspire” — excrete perspiration through the pores in the skin

picturenounUS /ˈpɪktʃər/

a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface

PlazanounUS /ˈplɑːzə/

a public square with room for pedestrians

From this reading The car was lying against the curb on the North side of the Queensboro Bridge Plaza, and they were watching the hands of a clock in a bank building creep to half-past eight.

putverbUS /pʊt/

put into a certain place or abstract location

Queensboro

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

From this reading The car was lying against the curb on the North side of the Queensboro Bridge Plaza, and they were watching the hands of a clock in a bank building creep to half-past eight.

querulouslyadverb

in a peevish manner

From this reading "Why do you suppose they insisted on our waiting here?" said Deaves querulously.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading "Why do you suppose they insisted on our waiting here?" said Deaves querulously.

satnounUS /sæt/

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading THE BEGINNING OF THE NIGHT George Deaves and Evan sat in the Deaves limousine with the package of bonds between them.

sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading "Can't say," answered Evan.

showverbUS /ʃoʊ/

give an exhibition of to an interested audience

sidenounUS /saɪd/

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

From this reading The car was lying against the curb on the North side of the Queensboro Bridge Plaza, and they were watching the hands of a clock in a bank building creep to half-past eight.

supposeverbUS /səˈpoʊz/

express a supposition

From this reading "Why do you suppose they insisted on our waiting here?" said Deaves querulously.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE BEGINNING OF THE NIGHT George Deaves and Evan sat in the Deaves limousine with the package of bonds between them.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading THE BEGINNING OF THE NIGHT George Deaves and Evan sat in the Deaves limousine with the package of bonds between them.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading The car was lying against the curb on the North side of the Queensboro Bridge Plaza, and they were watching the hands of a clock in a bank building creep to half-past eight.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

waitingnounUS /ˈweɪtɪŋ/

the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)

From this reading "Why do you suppose they insisted on our waiting here?" said Deaves querulously.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

watchingnounUS /ˈwɑːtʃɪŋ/

the act of observing; taking a patient look

From this reading The car was lying against the curb on the North side of the Queensboro Bridge Plaza, and they were watching the hands of a clock in a bank building creep to half-past eight.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading The car was lying against the curb on the North side of the Queensboro Bridge Plaza, and they were watching the hands of a clock in a bank building creep to half-past eight.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

WhynounUS /waɪ/

the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”

From this reading "Why do you suppose they insisted on our waiting here?" said Deaves querulously.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading THE BEGINNING OF THE NIGHT George Deaves and Evan sat in the Deaves limousine with the package of bonds between them.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "Why do you suppose they insisted on our waiting here?" said Deaves querulously.

Chapter 20 of The Deaves Affair by Hulbert Footner holds 248 sentences, grouped into 50 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 20 of The Deaves Affair contain?

Chapter 20 holds 248 sentences of The Deaves Affair, unabridged, divided into 50 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 20 of The Deaves Affair by Hulbert Footner exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 248 sentences, grouped into 50 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 20 of The Deaves Affair?

Work through the 50 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 50 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 20 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 20 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 Deaves Affair

Common questions about reading The Deaves Affair by Hulbert Footner on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Deaves Affair?

Yes. All 7031 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #31361 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Deaves Affair is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #31361, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Deaves Affair take to read?

About 585 minutes of reading across 1407 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Deaves Affair section by section

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

Open a chapter

Choose one of the 24 chapters of The Deaves Affair to begin.
Read one section

Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Listen and tap

Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in The Deaves Affair

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

Substitute: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Deaves Affair; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Millionaire: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Deaves Affair; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Bringers: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Deaves Affair; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Woman: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Deaves Affair; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.

Chapter XX · Chapter 20

What does chapter 20 of The Deaves Affair contain?

How do I study chapter 20 of The Deaves Affair?

Can chapter 20 be read aloud to me?

Questions about reading The Deaves Affair

How to read The Deaves Affair section by section

Open a chapter

Read one section

Listen and tap

Vocabulary met early in The Deaves Affair