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The Devil Doctor
The Devil Doctor

Chapter XXVIII · Chapter 28

Chapter 28 of The Devil Doctor is here in full — 137 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/27 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE SAMURAI'S SWORD The muffled drumming of sleepless London seemed very remote from us, as side by side we crept up the narrow path to the studio.
This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.
This line of reflection proved unpleasant, and I dismissed it sternly from my mind.
The shriek of a train-whistle reached me, a sound which breaks the stillness of the most silent London night, telling of the ceaseless, febrile life of the great world-capital whose activity ceases not with the coming of darkness.
Around and about us a very great stillness reigned, however, and the velvet dusk--which, with the star-jewelled sky, was strongly suggestive of an Eastern night--gave up no sign to show that it masked the presence of more than twenty men.
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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 XXVIII · Chapter 28

Chapter 28 of The Devil Doctor is here in full — 137 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/27 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE SAMURAI'S SWORD The muffled drumming of sleepless London seemed very remote from us, as side by side we crept up the narrow path to the studio.
/ðə ˈsæməraɪz sɔːrd ðə ˈmʌfəld ˈdrʌmɪŋ ʌv ˈsliːpləs ˈlʌndən siːmd ˈveri rɪˈmoʊt frʌm ʌs æz saɪd baɪ saɪd wiː krept ʌp ðə ˈneroʊ pæθ tuː ðə ˈstuːdioʊ/
Line 2
This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.
Line 3
This line of reflection proved unpleasant, and I dismissed it sternly from my mind.
/ðɪs laɪn ʌv rɪˈflekʃən pruːvd ənˈplezənt ənd aɪ dɪˈsmɪst ɪt ˈstɜːrnli frʌm maɪ maɪnd/
Line 4
The shriek of a train-whistle reached me, a sound which breaks the stillness of the most silent London night, telling of the ceaseless, febrile life of the great world-capital whose activity ceases not with the coming of darkness.
Line 5
Around and about us a very great stillness reigned, however, and the velvet dusk--which, with the star-jewelled sky, was strongly suggestive of an Eastern night--gave up no sign to show that it masked the presence of more than twenty men.

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.

ceaseless adjective US /ˈsiːslɪs/

uninterrupted in time and indefinitely long continuing

From this reading “The shriek of a train-whistle reached me, a sound which breaks the stillness of the most silent London night, telling of the ceaseless, febrile life of the great world-capital whose activity ceases not with the coming of darkness.”

ceases noun US /ˈsiːsɪz/

plural of “cease” — (“cease” is a noun only in the phrase “without cease”) end

From this reading “The shriek of a train-whistle reached me, a sound which breaks the stillness of the most silent London night, telling of the ceaseless, febrile life of the great world-capital whose activity ceases not with the coming of darkness.”

drumming noun US /ˈdrʌmɪŋ/

the act of playing drums

From this reading “THE SAMURAI'S SWORD The muffled drumming of sleepless London seemed very remote from us, as side by side we crept up the narrow path to the studio.”

glazed adjective US /ɡleɪzd/

(used of eyes) lacking liveliness

From this reading “This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.”

masked adjective US /mæskt/

having its true character concealed with the intent of misleading

From this reading “Around and about us a very great stillness reigned, however, and the velvet dusk--which, with the star-jewelled sky, was strongly suggestive of an Eastern night--gave up no sign to show that it masked the presence of more than twenty men.”

samurai's noun US /ˈsæməraɪz/

possessive form of “samurai” — a Japanese warrior who was a member of the feudal military aristocracy

From this reading “THE SAMURAI'S SWORD The muffled drumming of sleepless London seemed very remote from us, as side by side we crept up the narrow path to the studio.”

silhouette verb US /ˌsɪləˈwet/

project on a background, such as a screen, like a silhouette

From this reading “This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.”

tombs noun US /tuːmz/

plural of “tomb” — a place for the burial of a corpse (especially beneath the ground and marked by a tombstone)

From this reading “This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.”

All words in this reading · 116

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 This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading Around and about us a very great stillness reigned, however, and the velvet dusk--which, with the star-jewelled sky, was strongly suggestive of an Eastern night--gave up no sign to show that it masked the presence of more than twenty men.

aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/

higher than, or over, something

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

activitynounUS /ækˈtɪvəti/

any specific behavior

From this reading The shriek of a train-whistle reached me, a sound which breaks the stillness of the most silent London night, telling of the ceaseless, febrile life of the great world-capital whose activity ceases not with the coming of darkness.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

AroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading Around and about us a very great stillness reigned, however, and the velvet dusk--which, with the star-jewelled sky, was strongly suggestive of an Eastern night--gave up no sign to show that it masked the presence of more than twenty men.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading THE SAMURAI'S SWORD The muffled drumming of sleepless London seemed very remote from us, as side by side we crept up the narrow path to the studio.

boreverbUS /bɔːr/

cause to be bored

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

breaksnounUS /breɪks/

plural of “break” — some abrupt occurrence that interrupts an ongoing activity

From this reading The shriek of a train-whistle reached me, a sound which breaks the stillness of the most silent London night, telling of the ceaseless, febrile life of the great world-capital whose activity ceases not with the coming of darkness.

buildingnounUS /ˈbɪldɪŋ/

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

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading THE SAMURAI'S SWORD The muffled drumming of sleepless London seemed very remote from us, as side by side we crept up the narrow path to the studio.

ceaselessadjectiveUS /ˈsiːslɪs/

uninterrupted in time and indefinitely long continuing

From this reading The shriek of a train-whistle reached me, a sound which breaks the stillness of the most silent London night, telling of the ceaseless, febrile life of the great world-capital whose activity ceases not with the coming of darkness.

ceasesnounUS /ˈsiːsɪz/

plural of “cease” — (“cease” is a noun only in the phrase “without cease”) end

From this reading The shriek of a train-whistle reached me, a sound which breaks the stillness of the most silent London night, telling of the ceaseless, febrile life of the great world-capital whose activity ceases not with the coming of darkness.

citynounUS /ˈsɪti/

a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

comingnounUS /ˈkʌmɪŋ/

the act of drawing spatially closer to something

From this reading The shriek of a train-whistle reached me, a sound which breaks the stillness of the most silent London night, telling of the ceaseless, febrile life of the great world-capital whose activity ceases not with the coming of darkness.

creptverbUS /krept/

inflected form of “creep” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground

From this reading THE SAMURAI'S SWORD The muffled drumming of sleepless London seemed very remote from us, as side by side we crept up the narrow path to the studio.

darknessnounUS /ˈdɑːrknəs/

absence of light or illumination

From this reading The shriek of a train-whistle reached me, a sound which breaks the stillness of the most silent London night, telling of the ceaseless, febrile life of the great world-capital whose activity ceases not with the coming of darkness.

deadadjectiveUS /ded/

no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

dingyadjectiveUS /ˈdɪndʒi/

thickly covered with ingrained dirt or soot

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

dismissedadjectiveUS /dɪˈsmɪst/

having lost your job

From this reading This line of reflection proved unpleasant, and I dismissed it sternly from my mind.

drummingnounUS /ˈdrʌmɪŋ/

the act of playing drums

From this reading THE SAMURAI'S SWORD The muffled drumming of sleepless London seemed very remote from us, as side by side we crept up the narrow path to the studio.

dusknounUS /dʌsk/

the time of day immediately following sunset

From this reading Around and about us a very great stillness reigned, however, and the velvet dusk--which, with the star-jewelled sky, was strongly suggestive of an Eastern night--gave up no sign to show that it masked the presence of more than twenty men.

EasternadjectiveUS /ˈiːstərn/

lying toward or situated in the east

From this reading Around and about us a very great stillness reigned, however, and the velvet dusk--which, with the star-jewelled sky, was strongly suggestive of an Eastern night--gave up no sign to show that it masked the presence of more than twenty men.

febrileadjective

of or relating to or characterized by fever

From this reading The shriek of a train-whistle reached me, a sound which breaks the stillness of the most silent London night, telling of the ceaseless, febrile life of the great world-capital whose activity ceases not with the coming of darkness.

feverishadjectiveUS /ˈfiːvərɪʃ/

marked by intense agitation or emotion

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

formnounUS /fɔːrm/

the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading THE SAMURAI'S SWORD The muffled drumming of sleepless London seemed very remote from us, as side by side we crept up the narrow path to the studio.

gaveverbUS /ɡeɪv/

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

From this reading Around and about us a very great stillness reigned, however, and the velvet dusk--which, with the star-jewelled sky, was strongly suggestive of an Eastern night--gave up no sign to show that it masked the presence of more than twenty men.

glazedadjectiveUS /ɡleɪzd/

(used of eyes) lacking liveliness

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading The shriek of a train-whistle reached me, a sound which breaks the stillness of the most silent London night, telling of the ceaseless, febrile life of the great world-capital whose activity ceases not with the coming of darkness.

HillsnounUS /hɪlz/

plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading Around and about us a very great stillness reigned, however, and the velvet dusk--which, with the star-jewelled sky, was strongly suggestive of an Eastern night--gave up no sign to show that it masked the presence of more than twenty men.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading This line of reflection proved unpleasant, and I dismissed it sternly from my mind.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading This line of reflection proved unpleasant, and I dismissed it sternly from my mind.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

linenounUS /laɪn/

a formation of people or things one beside another

From this reading This line of reflection proved unpleasant, and I dismissed it sternly from my mind.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

LondonnounUS /ˈlʌndən/

the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center

From this reading THE SAMURAI'S SWORD The muffled drumming of sleepless London seemed very remote from us, as side by side we crept up the narrow path to the studio.

maskedadjectiveUS /mæskt/

having its true character concealed with the intent of misleading

From this reading Around and about us a very great stillness reigned, however, and the velvet dusk--which, with the star-jewelled sky, was strongly suggestive of an Eastern night--gave up no sign to show that it masked the presence of more than twenty men.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading The shriek of a train-whistle reached me, a sound which breaks the stillness of the most silent London night, telling of the ceaseless, febrile life of the great world-capital whose activity ceases not with the coming of darkness.

mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading Around and about us a very great stillness reigned, however, and the velvet dusk--which, with the star-jewelled sky, was strongly suggestive of an Eastern night--gave up no sign to show that it masked the presence of more than twenty men.

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading This line of reflection proved unpleasant, and I dismissed it sternly from my mind.

Mokattam

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

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

moonlessadjective

without a moon or a visible moon

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading Around and about us a very great stillness reigned, however, and the velvet dusk--which, with the star-jewelled sky, was strongly suggestive of an Eastern night--gave up no sign to show that it masked the presence of more than twenty men.

mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading The shriek of a train-whistle reached me, a sound which breaks the stillness of the most silent London night, telling of the ceaseless, febrile life of the great world-capital whose activity ceases not with the coming of darkness.

muffledadjectiveUS /ˈmʌfəld/

being or made softer or less loud or clear

From this reading THE SAMURAI'S SWORD The muffled drumming of sleepless London seemed very remote from us, as side by side we crept up the narrow path to the studio.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading This line of reflection proved unpleasant, and I dismissed it sternly from my mind.

narrowverbUS /ˈneroʊ/

make or become more narrow or restricted

From this reading THE SAMURAI'S SWORD The muffled drumming of sleepless London seemed very remote from us, as side by side we crept up the narrow path to the studio.

nearadverbUS /nɪr/

near in time or place or relationship

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

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

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading Around and about us a very great stillness reigned, however, and the velvet dusk--which, with the star-jewelled sky, was strongly suggestive of an Eastern night--gave up no sign to show that it masked the presence of more than twenty men.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The shriek of a train-whistle reached me, a sound which breaks the stillness of the most silent London night, telling of the ceaseless, febrile life of the great world-capital whose activity ceases not with the coming of darkness.

oddadjectiveUS /ɑːd/

not divisible by two

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE SAMURAI'S SWORD The muffled drumming of sleepless London seemed very remote from us, as side by side we crept up the narrow path to the studio.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

pathnounUS /pæθ/

a course of conduct

From this reading THE SAMURAI'S SWORD The muffled drumming of sleepless London seemed very remote from us, as side by side we crept up the narrow path to the studio.

peepingverbUS /ˈpiːpɪŋ/

-ing form of “peep” — look furtively

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

presencenounUS /ˈprezəns/

the state of being present; current existence

From this reading Around and about us a very great stillness reigned, however, and the velvet dusk--which, with the star-jewelled sky, was strongly suggestive of an Eastern night--gave up no sign to show that it masked the presence of more than twenty men.

provedadjectiveUS /pruːvd/

established beyond doubt

From this reading This line of reflection proved unpleasant, and I dismissed it sternly from my mind.

reachedverbUS /riːtʃt/

past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract

From this reading The shriek of a train-whistle reached me, a sound which breaks the stillness of the most silent London night, telling of the ceaseless, febrile life of the great world-capital whose activity ceases not with the coming of darkness.

reflectionnounUS /rɪˈflekʃən/

a calm, lengthy, intent consideration

From this reading This line of reflection proved unpleasant, and I dismissed it sternly from my mind.

reignedverbUS /reɪnd/

past form of “reign” — have sovereign power

From this reading Around and about us a very great stillness reigned, however, and the velvet dusk--which, with the star-jewelled sky, was strongly suggestive of an Eastern night--gave up no sign to show that it masked the presence of more than twenty men.

remoteadjectiveUS /rɪˈmoʊt/

located far away spatially

From this reading THE SAMURAI'S SWORD The muffled drumming of sleepless London seemed very remote from us, as side by side we crept up the narrow path to the studio.

resemblancenounUS /rɪˈzembləns/

similarity in appearance or external or superficial details

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

roofnounUS /ruːf/

a protective covering that covers or forms the top of a building

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

SAMURAI'SnounUS /ˈsæməraɪz/

possessive form of “samurai” — a Japanese warrior who was a member of the feudal military aristocracy

From this reading THE SAMURAI'S SWORD The muffled drumming of sleepless London seemed very remote from us, as side by side we crept up the narrow path to the studio.

seemedverbUS /siːmd/

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading THE SAMURAI'S SWORD The muffled drumming of sleepless London seemed very remote from us, as side by side we crept up the narrow path to the studio.

showverbUS /ʃoʊ/

give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading Around and about us a very great stillness reigned, however, and the velvet dusk--which, with the star-jewelled sky, was strongly suggestive of an Eastern night--gave up no sign to show that it masked the presence of more than twenty men.

shrieknounUS /ʃriːk/

sharp piercing cry

From this reading The shriek of a train-whistle reached me, a sound which breaks the stillness of the most silent London night, telling of the ceaseless, febrile life of the great world-capital whose activity ceases not with the coming of darkness.

sidenounUS /saɪd/

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

From this reading THE SAMURAI'S SWORD The muffled drumming of sleepless London seemed very remote from us, as side by side we crept up the narrow path to the studio.

signnounUS /saɪn/

a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)

From this reading Around and about us a very great stillness reigned, however, and the velvet dusk--which, with the star-jewelled sky, was strongly suggestive of an Eastern night--gave up no sign to show that it masked the presence of more than twenty men.

silentadjectiveUS /ˈsaɪlənt/

marked by absence of sound

From this reading The shriek of a train-whistle reached me, a sound which breaks the stillness of the most silent London night, telling of the ceaseless, febrile life of the great world-capital whose activity ceases not with the coming of darkness.

silhouetteverbUS /ˌsɪləˈwet/

project on a background, such as a screen, like a silhouette

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

skynounUS /skaɪ/

the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth

From this reading Around and about us a very great stillness reigned, however, and the velvet dusk--which, with the star-jewelled sky, was strongly suggestive of an Eastern night--gave up no sign to show that it masked the presence of more than twenty men.

sleeplessadjectiveUS /ˈsliːpləs/

experiencing or accompanied by sleeplessness

From this reading THE SAMURAI'S SWORD The muffled drumming of sleepless London seemed very remote from us, as side by side we crept up the narrow path to the studio.

slopesnounUS /sloʊps/

plural of “slope” — an elevated geological formation

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

solitaryadjectiveUS /ˈsɑːləteri/

characterized by or preferring solitude

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

soundnounUS /saʊnd/

the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause

From this reading The shriek of a train-whistle reached me, a sound which breaks the stillness of the most silent London night, telling of the ceaseless, febrile life of the great world-capital whose activity ceases not with the coming of darkness.

star-jewelled

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

From this reading Around and about us a very great stillness reigned, however, and the velvet dusk--which, with the star-jewelled sky, was strongly suggestive of an Eastern night--gave up no sign to show that it masked the presence of more than twenty men.

starryadjectiveUS /ˈstɑːriː/

abounding with or resembling stars

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

sternlyadverbUS /ˈstɜːrnli/

with sternness; in a severe manner

From this reading This line of reflection proved unpleasant, and I dismissed it sternly from my mind.

stillnessnounUS /ˈstɪlnəs/

(poetic) tranquil silence

From this reading The shriek of a train-whistle reached me, a sound which breaks the stillness of the most silent London night, telling of the ceaseless, febrile life of the great world-capital whose activity ceases not with the coming of darkness.

stronglyadverbUS /ˈstrɔːŋli/

with strength or in a strong manner

From this reading Around and about us a very great stillness reigned, however, and the velvet dusk--which, with the star-jewelled sky, was strongly suggestive of an Eastern night--gave up no sign to show that it masked the presence of more than twenty men.

studionounUS /ˈstuːdioʊ/

workplace for the teaching or practice of an art

From this reading THE SAMURAI'S SWORD The muffled drumming of sleepless London seemed very remote from us, as side by side we crept up the narrow path to the studio.

suggestiveadjectiveUS /səˈdʒestɪv/

tending to suggest or imply

From this reading Around and about us a very great stillness reigned, however, and the velvet dusk--which, with the star-jewelled sky, was strongly suggestive of an Eastern night--gave up no sign to show that it masked the presence of more than twenty men.

SWORDnounUS /sɔːrd/

a cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guard

From this reading THE SAMURAI'S SWORD The muffled drumming of sleepless London seemed very remote from us, as side by side we crept up the narrow path to the studio.

tellingadjectiveUS /ˈtelɪŋ/

disclosing unintentionally something concealed

From this reading The shriek of a train-whistle reached me, a sound which breaks the stillness of the most silent London night, telling of the ceaseless, febrile life of the great world-capital whose activity ceases not with the coming of darkness.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading Around and about us a very great stillness reigned, however, and the velvet dusk--which, with the star-jewelled sky, was strongly suggestive of an Eastern night--gave up no sign to show that it masked the presence of more than twenty men.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Around and about us a very great stillness reigned, however, and the velvet dusk--which, with the star-jewelled sky, was strongly suggestive of an Eastern night--gave up no sign to show that it masked the presence of more than twenty men.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE SAMURAI'S SWORD The muffled drumming of sleepless London seemed very remote from us, as side by side we crept up the narrow path to the studio.

ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading THE SAMURAI'S SWORD The muffled drumming of sleepless London seemed very remote from us, as side by side we crept up the narrow path to the studio.

tombsnounUS /tuːmz/

plural of “tomb” — a place for the burial of a corpse (especially beneath the ground and marked by a tombstone)

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

train-whistle

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

From this reading The shriek of a train-whistle reached me, a sound which breaks the stillness of the most silent London night, telling of the ceaseless, febrile life of the great world-capital whose activity ceases not with the coming of darkness.

treenounUS /triː/

a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

twentynounUS /ˈtwenti/

the cardinal number that is the sum of nineteen and one

From this reading Around and about us a very great stillness reigned, however, and the velvet dusk--which, with the star-jewelled sky, was strongly suggestive of an Eastern night--gave up no sign to show that it masked the presence of more than twenty men.

unpleasantadjectiveUS /ənˈplezənt/

offensive or disagreeable; causing discomfort or unhappiness

From this reading This line of reflection proved unpleasant, and I dismissed it sternly from my mind.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading THE SAMURAI'S SWORD The muffled drumming of sleepless London seemed very remote from us, as side by side we crept up the narrow path to the studio.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading THE SAMURAI'S SWORD The muffled drumming of sleepless London seemed very remote from us, as side by side we crept up the narrow path to the studio.

velvetnounUS /ˈvelvət/

a silky densely piled fabric with a plain back

From this reading Around and about us a very great stillness reigned, however, and the velvet dusk--which, with the star-jewelled sky, was strongly suggestive of an Eastern night--gave up no sign to show that it masked the presence of more than twenty men.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading THE SAMURAI'S SWORD The muffled drumming of sleepless London seemed very remote from us, as side by side we crept up the narrow path to the studio.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading THE SAMURAI'S SWORD The muffled drumming of sleepless London seemed very remote from us, as side by side we crept up the narrow path to the studio.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

whitenounUS /waɪt/

a Caucasian

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading The shriek of a train-whistle reached me, a sound which breaks the stillness of the most silent London night, telling of the ceaseless, febrile life of the great world-capital whose activity ceases not with the coming of darkness.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading This was a starry but moonless night, and the little dingy white building with a solitary tree peeping, in silhouette above its glazed roof, bore an odd resemblance to one of those tombs which form a city of the dead so near to the city of feverish life, on the slopes of the Mokattam Hills.

world-capital

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

From this reading The shriek of a train-whistle reached me, a sound which breaks the stillness of the most silent London night, telling of the ceaseless, febrile life of the great world-capital whose activity ceases not with the coming of darkness.

Chapter 28 of The Devil Doctor by Sax Rohmer holds 137 sentences, grouped into 28 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 28 of The Devil Doctor contain?

Chapter 28 holds 137 sentences of The Devil Doctor, unabridged, divided into 28 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 28 of The Devil Doctor by Sax Rohmer exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 137 sentences, grouped into 28 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 28 of The Devil Doctor?

Work through the 28 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 28 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 28 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 28 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.