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The Devil Doctor
The Devil Doctor

Chapter VIII · Chapter 8

Chapter 8 of The Devil Doctor is here in full — 207 sentences across 42 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Devil Doctor
Context Illustration Reading 1/41 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
DR.
FU-MANCHU STRIKES Together we marched down the slope of the quiet, suburban avenue; to take pause before a small, detached house displaying the hatchet boards of the estate agent.
Here we found unkempt laurel bushes, and acacias run riot, from which arboreal tangle protruded the notice: "To be Let or Sold."
Smith, with an alert glance to right and left, pushed open the wooden gate and drew me in upon the gravel path.
Darkness mantled all; for the nearest street lamp was fully twenty yards beyond.
0:00 / 0:00
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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 Devil Doctor

Chapter VIII · Chapter 8

Chapter 8 of The Devil Doctor is here in full — 207 sentences across 42 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/41 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
DR.
Line 2
FU-MANCHU STRIKES Together we marched down the slope of the quiet, suburban avenue; to take pause before a small, detached house displaying the hatchet boards of the estate agent.
Line 3
Here we found unkempt laurel bushes, and acacias run riot, from which arboreal tangle protruded the notice: "To be Let or Sold."
Line 4
Smith, with an alert glance to right and left, pushed open the wooden gate and drew me in upon the gravel path.
/smɪθ wɪð æn əˈlɜːrt ɡlæns tuː raɪt ənd left pʊʃt ˈoʊ.pən ðə ˈwʊdən ɡeɪt ənd druː miː ɪn əˈpɑːn ðə ˈɡrævəl pæθ/
Line 5
Darkness mantled all; for the nearest street lamp was fully twenty yards beyond.

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.

arboreal adjective US /ɑːrˈbɔːriəl/

of or relating to or formed by trees

From this reading “Here we found unkempt laurel bushes, and acacias run riot, from which arboreal tangle protruded the notice: "To be Let or Sold."”

displaying verb US /dɪˈspleɪɪŋ/

-ing form of “display” — to show, make visible or apparent

From this reading “FU-MANCHU STRIKES Together we marched down the slope of the quiet, suburban avenue; to take pause before a small, detached house displaying the hatchet boards of the estate agent.”

hatchet noun US /ˈhætʃət/

weapon consisting of a fighting ax; used by North American Indians

From this reading “FU-MANCHU STRIKES Together we marched down the slope of the quiet, suburban avenue; to take pause before a small, detached house displaying the hatchet boards of the estate agent.”

laurel noun US /ˈlɔːrəl/

any of various aromatic trees of the laurel family

From this reading “Here we found unkempt laurel bushes, and acacias run riot, from which arboreal tangle protruded the notice: "To be Let or Sold."”

riot noun US /ˈraɪət/

a public act of violence by an unruly mob

From this reading “Here we found unkempt laurel bushes, and acacias run riot, from which arboreal tangle protruded the notice: "To be Let or Sold."”

suburban adjective US /səˈbɜːrbən/

relating to or characteristic of or situated in suburbs

From this reading “FU-MANCHU STRIKES Together we marched down the slope of the quiet, suburban avenue; to take pause before a small, detached house displaying the hatchet boards of the estate agent.”

tangle noun US /ˈtæŋɡəl/

a twisted and tangled mass that is highly interwoven

From this reading “Here we found unkempt laurel bushes, and acacias run riot, from which arboreal tangle protruded the notice: "To be Let or Sold."”

unkempt adjective US /ənˈkempt/

not neatly combed

From this reading “Here we found unkempt laurel bushes, and acacias run riot, from which arboreal tangle protruded the notice: "To be Let or Sold."”

All words in this reading · 74

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 FU-MANCHU STRIKES Together we marched down the slope of the quiet, suburban avenue; to take pause before a small, detached house displaying the hatchet boards of the estate agent.

acacias

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

From this reading Here we found unkempt laurel bushes, and acacias run riot, from which arboreal tangle protruded the notice: "To be Let or Sold."

agentnounUS /ˈeɪdʒənt/

an active and efficient cause; capable of producing a certain effect

From this reading FU-MANCHU STRIKES Together we marched down the slope of the quiet, suburban avenue; to take pause before a small, detached house displaying the hatchet boards of the estate agent.

alertadjectiveUS /əˈlɜːrt/

engaged in or accustomed to close observation

From this reading Smith, with an alert glance to right and left, pushed open the wooden gate and drew me in upon the gravel path.

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 Darkness mantled all; for the nearest street lamp was fully twenty yards beyond.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading Smith, with an alert glance to right and left, pushed open the wooden gate and drew me in upon the gravel path.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Here we found unkempt laurel bushes, and acacias run riot, from which arboreal tangle protruded the notice: "To be Let or Sold."

arborealadjectiveUS /ɑːrˈbɔːriəl/

of or relating to or formed by trees

From this reading Here we found unkempt laurel bushes, and acacias run riot, from which arboreal tangle protruded the notice: "To be Let or Sold."

avenuenounUS /ˈævənuː/

a line of approach

From this reading FU-MANCHU STRIKES Together we marched down the slope of the quiet, suburban avenue; to take pause before a small, detached house displaying the hatchet boards of the estate agent.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Here we found unkempt laurel bushes, and acacias run riot, from which arboreal tangle protruded the notice: "To be Let or Sold."

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading FU-MANCHU STRIKES Together we marched down the slope of the quiet, suburban avenue; to take pause before a small, detached house displaying the hatchet boards of the estate agent.

beyondprepositionUS /bɪˈɑːnd/

on the far side of; further than

From this reading Darkness mantled all; for the nearest street lamp was fully twenty yards beyond.

boardsnounUS /bɔːrdz/

(used in the plural) the stage of a theater

From this reading FU-MANCHU STRIKES Together we marched down the slope of the quiet, suburban avenue; to take pause before a small, detached house displaying the hatchet boards of the estate agent.

bushesnounUS /ˈbʊʃəz/

plural of “bush” — a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems

From this reading Here we found unkempt laurel bushes, and acacias run riot, from which arboreal tangle protruded the notice: "To be Let or Sold."

DarknessnounUS /ˈdɑːrknəs/

absence of light or illumination

From this reading Darkness mantled all; for the nearest street lamp was fully twenty yards beyond.

detachedadjectiveUS /dɪˈtætʃt/

showing lack of emotional involvement

From this reading FU-MANCHU STRIKES Together we marched down the slope of the quiet, suburban avenue; to take pause before a small, detached house displaying the hatchet boards of the estate agent.

displayingverbUS /dɪˈspleɪɪŋ/

-ing form of “display” — to show, make visible or apparent

From this reading FU-MANCHU STRIKES Together we marched down the slope of the quiet, suburban avenue; to take pause before a small, detached house displaying the hatchet boards of the estate agent.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading FU-MANCHU STRIKES Together we marched down the slope of the quiet, suburban avenue; to take pause before a small, detached house displaying the hatchet boards of the estate agent.

DR

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

From this reading DR.

drewnounUS /druː/

United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)

From this reading Smith, with an alert glance to right and left, pushed open the wooden gate and drew me in upon the gravel path.

estatenounUS /ɪˈsteɪt/

everything you own; all of your assets (whether real property or personal property) and liabilities

From this reading FU-MANCHU STRIKES Together we marched down the slope of the quiet, suburban avenue; to take pause before a small, detached house displaying the hatchet boards of the estate agent.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Darkness mantled all; for the nearest street lamp was fully twenty yards beyond.

foundverbUS /faʊnd/

set up or found

From this reading Here we found unkempt laurel bushes, and acacias run riot, from which arboreal tangle protruded the notice: "To be Let or Sold."

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Here we found unkempt laurel bushes, and acacias run riot, from which arboreal tangle protruded the notice: "To be Let or Sold."

FU-MANCHU

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

From this reading FU-MANCHU STRIKES Together we marched down the slope of the quiet, suburban avenue; to take pause before a small, detached house displaying the hatchet boards of the estate agent.

fullyadverbUS /ˈfʊli/

to the greatest degree or extent; completely or entirely; (“full” in this sense is used as a combining form)

From this reading Darkness mantled all; for the nearest street lamp was fully twenty yards beyond.

gatenounUS /ɡeɪt/

a movable barrier in a fence or wall

From this reading Smith, with an alert glance to right and left, pushed open the wooden gate and drew me in upon the gravel path.

glanceverbUS /ɡlæns/

throw a glance at; take a brief look at

From this reading Smith, with an alert glance to right and left, pushed open the wooden gate and drew me in upon the gravel path.

gravelnounUS /ˈɡrævəl/

rock fragments and pebbles

From this reading Smith, with an alert glance to right and left, pushed open the wooden gate and drew me in upon the gravel path.

hatchetnounUS /ˈhætʃət/

weapon consisting of a fighting ax; used by North American Indians

From this reading FU-MANCHU STRIKES Together we marched down the slope of the quiet, suburban avenue; to take pause before a small, detached house displaying the hatchet boards of the estate agent.

HereadverbUS /hiːr/

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

From this reading Here we found unkempt laurel bushes, and acacias run riot, from which arboreal tangle protruded the notice: "To be Let or Sold."

housenounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading FU-MANCHU STRIKES Together we marched down the slope of the quiet, suburban avenue; to take pause before a small, detached house displaying the hatchet boards of the estate agent.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Smith, with an alert glance to right and left, pushed open the wooden gate and drew me in upon the gravel path.

lampnounUS /læmp/

an artificial source of visible illumination

From this reading Darkness mantled all; for the nearest street lamp was fully twenty yards beyond.

laurelnounUS /ˈlɔːrəl/

any of various aromatic trees of the laurel family

From this reading Here we found unkempt laurel bushes, and acacias run riot, from which arboreal tangle protruded the notice: "To be Let or Sold."

leftnounUS /left/

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading Smith, with an alert glance to right and left, pushed open the wooden gate and drew me in upon the gravel path.

Letauxiliary verbUS /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading Here we found unkempt laurel bushes, and acacias run riot, from which arboreal tangle protruded the notice: "To be Let or Sold."

mantledadjective

covered with or as if with clothes or a wrap or cloak

From this reading Darkness mantled all; for the nearest street lamp was fully twenty yards beyond.

marchedverbUS /mɑːrtʃt/

past form of “march” — march in a procession

From this reading FU-MANCHU STRIKES Together we marched down the slope of the quiet, suburban avenue; to take pause before a small, detached house displaying the hatchet boards of the estate agent.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Smith, with an alert glance to right and left, pushed open the wooden gate and drew me in upon the gravel path.

nearestadverbUS /ˈnɪrəst/

(superlative of “near” or “close”) within the shortest distance

From this reading Darkness mantled all; for the nearest street lamp was fully twenty yards beyond.

noticenounUS /ˈnoʊtəs/

an announcement containing information about an event

From this reading Here we found unkempt laurel bushes, and acacias run riot, from which arboreal tangle protruded the notice: "To be Let or Sold."

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading FU-MANCHU STRIKES Together we marched down the slope of the quiet, suburban avenue; to take pause before a small, detached house displaying the hatchet boards of the estate agent.

openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading Smith, with an alert glance to right and left, pushed open the wooden gate and drew me in upon the gravel path.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Here we found unkempt laurel bushes, and acacias run riot, from which arboreal tangle protruded the notice: "To be Let or Sold."

pathnounUS /pæθ/

a course of conduct

From this reading Smith, with an alert glance to right and left, pushed open the wooden gate and drew me in upon the gravel path.

pausenounUS /pɔːz/

a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something

From this reading FU-MANCHU STRIKES Together we marched down the slope of the quiet, suburban avenue; to take pause before a small, detached house displaying the hatchet boards of the estate agent.

protruded

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

From this reading Here we found unkempt laurel bushes, and acacias run riot, from which arboreal tangle protruded the notice: "To be Let or Sold."

pushedverbUS /pʊʃt/

past form of “push” — move with force

From this reading Smith, with an alert glance to right and left, pushed open the wooden gate and drew me in upon the gravel path.

quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/

characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity

From this reading FU-MANCHU STRIKES Together we marched down the slope of the quiet, suburban avenue; to take pause before a small, detached house displaying the hatchet boards of the estate agent.

rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading Smith, with an alert glance to right and left, pushed open the wooden gate and drew me in upon the gravel path.

riotnounUS /ˈraɪət/

a public act of violence by an unruly mob

From this reading Here we found unkempt laurel bushes, and acacias run riot, from which arboreal tangle protruded the notice: "To be Let or Sold."

runverbUS /rʌn/

move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time

From this reading Here we found unkempt laurel bushes, and acacias run riot, from which arboreal tangle protruded the notice: "To be Let or Sold."

slopenounUS /sloʊp/

an elevated geological formation

From this reading FU-MANCHU STRIKES Together we marched down the slope of the quiet, suburban avenue; to take pause before a small, detached house displaying the hatchet boards of the estate agent.

smalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/

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

From this reading FU-MANCHU STRIKES Together we marched down the slope of the quiet, suburban avenue; to take pause before a small, detached house displaying the hatchet boards of the estate agent.

SmithnounUS /smɪθ/

Rhodesian statesman who declared independence of Zimbabwe from Great Britain (born in 1919)

From this reading Smith, with an alert glance to right and left, pushed open the wooden gate and drew me in upon the gravel path.

SoldadjectiveUS /soʊld/

disposed of to a purchaser

From this reading Here we found unkempt laurel bushes, and acacias run riot, from which arboreal tangle protruded the notice: "To be Let or Sold."

streetnounUS /striːt/

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

From this reading Darkness mantled all; for the nearest street lamp was fully twenty yards beyond.

STRIKESnounUS /straɪks/

plural of “strike” — a group's refusal to work in protest against low pay or bad work conditions

From this reading FU-MANCHU STRIKES Together we marched down the slope of the quiet, suburban avenue; to take pause before a small, detached house displaying the hatchet boards of the estate agent.

suburbanadjectiveUS /səˈbɜːrbən/

relating to or characteristic of or situated in suburbs

From this reading FU-MANCHU STRIKES Together we marched down the slope of the quiet, suburban avenue; to take pause before a small, detached house displaying the hatchet boards of the estate agent.

takeverbUS /teɪk/

carry out

From this reading FU-MANCHU STRIKES Together we marched down the slope of the quiet, suburban avenue; to take pause before a small, detached house displaying the hatchet boards of the estate agent.

tanglenounUS /ˈtæŋɡəl/

a twisted and tangled mass that is highly interwoven

From this reading Here we found unkempt laurel bushes, and acacias run riot, from which arboreal tangle protruded the notice: "To be Let or Sold."

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading FU-MANCHU STRIKES Together we marched down the slope of the quiet, suburban avenue; to take pause before a small, detached house displaying the hatchet boards of the estate agent.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading FU-MANCHU STRIKES Together we marched down the slope of the quiet, suburban avenue; to take pause before a small, detached house displaying the hatchet boards of the estate agent.

TogetheradverbUS /təˈɡeðər/

in contact with each other or in proximity

From this reading FU-MANCHU STRIKES Together we marched down the slope of the quiet, suburban avenue; to take pause before a small, detached house displaying the hatchet boards of the estate agent.

twentynounUS /ˈtwenti/

the cardinal number that is the sum of nineteen and one

From this reading Darkness mantled all; for the nearest street lamp was fully twenty yards beyond.

unkemptadjectiveUS /ənˈkempt/

not neatly combed

From this reading Here we found unkempt laurel bushes, and acacias run riot, from which arboreal tangle protruded the notice: "To be Let or Sold."

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading Smith, with an alert glance to right and left, pushed open the wooden gate and drew me in upon the gravel path.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Darkness mantled all; for the nearest street lamp was fully twenty yards beyond.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading FU-MANCHU STRIKES Together we marched down the slope of the quiet, suburban avenue; to take pause before a small, detached house displaying the hatchet boards of the estate agent.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading Here we found unkempt laurel bushes, and acacias run riot, from which arboreal tangle protruded the notice: "To be Let or Sold."

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Smith, with an alert glance to right and left, pushed open the wooden gate and drew me in upon the gravel path.

woodenadjectiveUS /ˈwʊdən/

made or consisting of (entirely or in part) or employing wood

From this reading Smith, with an alert glance to right and left, pushed open the wooden gate and drew me in upon the gravel path.

yardsnounUS /jɑːrdz/

plural of “yard” — a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride

From this reading Darkness mantled all; for the nearest street lamp was fully twenty yards beyond.

Chapter 8 of The Devil Doctor by Sax Rohmer holds 207 sentences, grouped into 42 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 8 of The Devil Doctor contain?

Chapter 8 holds 207 sentences of The Devil Doctor, unabridged, divided into 42 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 8 of The Devil Doctor by Sax Rohmer exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 207 sentences, grouped into 42 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 8 of The Devil Doctor?

Work through the 42 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 42 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 8 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 8 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 Devil Doctor

Common questions about reading The Devil Doctor by Sax Rohmer on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Devil Doctor?

Yes. All 4102 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #19142 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Devil Doctor is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #19142, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Devil Doctor take to read?

About 341 minutes of reading across 821 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Devil Doctor section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 33 chapters of The Devil Doctor 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 Devil Doctor

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

Nayland
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Devil Doctor; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Smith
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Devil Doctor; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Asked
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Devil Doctor; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Visitor
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Devil Doctor; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.