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The Disturbing Charm
The Disturbing Charm

Chapter VIII

Chapter 8 of The Disturbing Charm is here in full — 103 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/20 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE FIRST ENGAGEMENT BY THE CHARM "Artill.
38 ans, celib., ser., demande marraine affect, desinteressee."
La Vie Parisienne.
Astonishment, incredulity, excitement and delight, reigned in the hotel at Les Pins.
One thought only pervaded the place, from the topmost attics inhabited by Marie the Bretonne and the other _femmes-de-chambre_, down through the other floors to the wide _salons_ and to the shut-off wing that was the domain of the management.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Disturbing Charm

Chapter VIII

Chapter 8 of The Disturbing Charm is here in full — 103 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/20 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE FIRST ENGAGEMENT BY THE CHARM "Artill.
Line 2
38 ans, celib., ser., demande marraine affect, desinteressee."
Line 3
La Vie Parisienne.
/lɑː vaɪ pərˈɪsien/
Line 4
Astonishment, incredulity, excitement and delight, reigned in the hotel at Les Pins.
/əˈstɑːnɪʃmənt ˌɪnkrəˈduːlɪti ɪkˈsaɪtmənt ənd dɪˈlaɪt reɪnd ɪn ðə hoʊˈtel æt les pɪnz/
Line 5
One thought only pervaded the place, from the topmost attics inhabited by Marie the Bretonne and the other _femmes-de-chambre_, down through the other floors to the wide _salons_ and to the shut-off wing that was the domain of the management.

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.

attics noun US /ˈætɪks/

plural of “attic” — floor consisting of open space at the top of a house just below roof; often used for storage

From this reading “One thought only pervaded the place, from the topmost attics inhabited by Marie the Bretonne and the other _femmes-de-chambre_, down through the other floors to the wide _salons_ and to the shut-off wing that was the domain of the management.”

domain noun US /doʊˈmeɪn/

a particular environment or walk of life

From this reading “One thought only pervaded the place, from the topmost attics inhabited by Marie the Bretonne and the other _femmes-de-chambre_, down through the other floors to the wide _salons_ and to the shut-off wing that was the domain of the management.”

floors noun US /flɔːrz/

plural of “floor” — the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)

From this reading “One thought only pervaded the place, from the topmost attics inhabited by Marie the Bretonne and the other _femmes-de-chambre_, down through the other floors to the wide _salons_ and to the shut-off wing that was the domain of the management.”

incredulity noun US /ˌɪnkrəˈduːlɪti/

doubt about the truth of something

From this reading “Astonishment, incredulity, excitement and delight, reigned in the hotel at Les Pins.”

Parisienne noun US /pərˈɪsien/

a female native or resident of Paris

From this reading “La Vie Parisienne.”

pervaded verb US /pərˈveɪdɪd/

past form of “pervade” — spread or diffuse through

From this reading “One thought only pervaded the place, from the topmost attics inhabited by Marie the Bretonne and the other _femmes-de-chambre_, down through the other floors to the wide _salons_ and to the shut-off wing that was the domain of the management.”

salons noun US /səˈlɑːnz/

plural of “salon” — gallery where works of art can be displayed

Vie verb US /vaɪ/

compete for something; engage in a contest; measure oneself against others

From this reading “La Vie Parisienne.”

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.

pervaded the place verb + article + noun counted as “pervade … place”

In this reading “One thought only pervaded the place, from the topmost attics inhabited by Marie the Bretonne and the other _femmes-de-chambre_, down through the other floors to the wide _salons_ and to the shut-off wing that was the domain of the management.”

reigned in verb + particle counted as “reign in”

In this reading “Astonishment, incredulity, excitement and delight, reigned in the hotel at Les Pins.”

All words in this reading · 54

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.

38

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

From this reading 38 ans, celib., ser., demande marraine affect, desinteressee."

affectverbUS /əˈfekt/

have an effect upon

From this reading 38 ans, celib., ser., demande marraine affect, desinteressee."

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Astonishment, incredulity, excitement and delight, reigned in the hotel at Les Pins.

ansnoun

the part of the nervous system of vertebrates that controls involuntary actions of the smooth muscles and heart and glands

From this reading 38 ans, celib., ser., demande marraine affect, desinteressee."

Artill

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

From this reading THE FIRST ENGAGEMENT BY THE CHARM "Artill.

AstonishmentnounUS /əˈstɑːnɪʃmənt/

the feeling that accompanies something extremely surprising

From this reading Astonishment, incredulity, excitement and delight, reigned in the hotel at Les Pins.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Astonishment, incredulity, excitement and delight, reigned in the hotel at Les Pins.

atticsnounUS /ˈætɪks/

plural of “attic” — floor consisting of open space at the top of a house just below roof; often used for storage

From this reading One thought only pervaded the place, from the topmost attics inhabited by Marie the Bretonne and the other _femmes-de-chambre_, down through the other floors to the wide _salons_ and to the shut-off wing that was the domain of the management.

Bretonne

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

From this reading One thought only pervaded the place, from the topmost attics inhabited by Marie the Bretonne and the other _femmes-de-chambre_, down through the other floors to the wide _salons_ and to the shut-off wing that was the domain of the management.

BYprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading THE FIRST ENGAGEMENT BY THE CHARM "Artill.

celib

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

From this reading 38 ans, celib., ser., demande marraine affect, desinteressee."

CHARMnounUS /tʃɑːrm/

attractiveness that interests or pleases or stimulates

From this reading THE FIRST ENGAGEMENT BY THE CHARM "Artill.

delightverbUS /dɪˈlaɪt/

give pleasure to or be pleasing to

From this reading Astonishment, incredulity, excitement and delight, reigned in the hotel at Les Pins.

demande

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

From this reading 38 ans, celib., ser., demande marraine affect, desinteressee."

desinteressee

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

From this reading 38 ans, celib., ser., demande marraine affect, desinteressee."

domainnounUS /doʊˈmeɪn/

a particular environment or walk of life

From this reading One thought only pervaded the place, from the topmost attics inhabited by Marie the Bretonne and the other _femmes-de-chambre_, down through the other floors to the wide _salons_ and to the shut-off wing that was the domain of the management.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading One thought only pervaded the place, from the topmost attics inhabited by Marie the Bretonne and the other _femmes-de-chambre_, down through the other floors to the wide _salons_ and to the shut-off wing that was the domain of the management.

ENGAGEMENTnounUS /enˈɡeɪdʒmənt/

a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war

From this reading THE FIRST ENGAGEMENT BY THE CHARM "Artill.

excitementnounUS /ɪkˈsaɪtmənt/

the feeling of lively and cheerful joy

From this reading Astonishment, incredulity, excitement and delight, reigned in the hotel at Les Pins.

femmes-de-chambre

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

From this reading One thought only pervaded the place, from the topmost attics inhabited by Marie the Bretonne and the other _femmes-de-chambre_, down through the other floors to the wide _salons_ and to the shut-off wing that was the domain of the management.

FIRSTadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading THE FIRST ENGAGEMENT BY THE CHARM "Artill.

floorsnounUS /flɔːrz/

plural of “floor” — the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)

From this reading One thought only pervaded the place, from the topmost attics inhabited by Marie the Bretonne and the other _femmes-de-chambre_, down through the other floors to the wide _salons_ and to the shut-off wing that was the domain of the management.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading One thought only pervaded the place, from the topmost attics inhabited by Marie the Bretonne and the other _femmes-de-chambre_, down through the other floors to the wide _salons_ and to the shut-off wing that was the domain of the management.

hotelnounUS /hoʊˈtel/

a building where travelers can pay for lodging and meals and other services

From this reading Astonishment, incredulity, excitement and delight, reigned in the hotel at Les Pins.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Astonishment, incredulity, excitement and delight, reigned in the hotel at Les Pins.

incredulitynounUS /ˌɪnkrəˈduːlɪti/

doubt about the truth of something

From this reading Astonishment, incredulity, excitement and delight, reigned in the hotel at Les Pins.

inhabitedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈhæbətəd/

having inhabitants; lived in

From this reading One thought only pervaded the place, from the topmost attics inhabited by Marie the Bretonne and the other _femmes-de-chambre_, down through the other floors to the wide _salons_ and to the shut-off wing that was the domain of the management.

LanounUS /lɑː/

a white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily; occurs in rare earth minerals and is usually classified as a rare earth

From this reading La Vie Parisienne.

LesnounUS /les/

plural of “le” — a chronic inflammatory collagen disease affecting connective tissue (skin or joints)

From this reading Astonishment, incredulity, excitement and delight, reigned in the hotel at Les Pins.

managementnounUS /ˈmænədʒmənt/

the act of managing something

From this reading One thought only pervaded the place, from the topmost attics inhabited by Marie the Bretonne and the other _femmes-de-chambre_, down through the other floors to the wide _salons_ and to the shut-off wing that was the domain of the management.

Marie

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

From this reading One thought only pervaded the place, from the topmost attics inhabited by Marie the Bretonne and the other _femmes-de-chambre_, down through the other floors to the wide _salons_ and to the shut-off wing that was the domain of the management.

marraine

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

From this reading 38 ans, celib., ser., demande marraine affect, desinteressee."

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading One thought only pervaded the place, from the topmost attics inhabited by Marie the Bretonne and the other _femmes-de-chambre_, down through the other floors to the wide _salons_ and to the shut-off wing that was the domain of the management.

OnepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading One thought only pervaded the place, from the topmost attics inhabited by Marie the Bretonne and the other _femmes-de-chambre_, down through the other floors to the wide _salons_ and to the shut-off wing that was the domain of the management.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading One thought only pervaded the place, from the topmost attics inhabited by Marie the Bretonne and the other _femmes-de-chambre_, down through the other floors to the wide _salons_ and to the shut-off wing that was the domain of the management.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading One thought only pervaded the place, from the topmost attics inhabited by Marie the Bretonne and the other _femmes-de-chambre_, down through the other floors to the wide _salons_ and to the shut-off wing that was the domain of the management.

ParisiennenounUS /pərˈɪsien/

a female native or resident of Paris

From this reading La Vie Parisienne.

pervadedverbUS /pərˈveɪdɪd/

past form of “pervade” — spread or diffuse through

From this reading One thought only pervaded the place, from the topmost attics inhabited by Marie the Bretonne and the other _femmes-de-chambre_, down through the other floors to the wide _salons_ and to the shut-off wing that was the domain of the management.

PinsnounUS /pɪnz/

plural of “pin” — a piece of jewelry that is pinned onto the wearer's garment

From this reading Astonishment, incredulity, excitement and delight, reigned in the hotel at Les Pins.

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading One thought only pervaded the place, from the topmost attics inhabited by Marie the Bretonne and the other _femmes-de-chambre_, down through the other floors to the wide _salons_ and to the shut-off wing that was the domain of the management.

reignedverbUS /reɪnd/

past form of “reign” — have sovereign power

From this reading Astonishment, incredulity, excitement and delight, reigned in the hotel at Les Pins.

salonsnounUS /səˈlɑːnz/

plural of “salon” — gallery where works of art can be displayed

From this reading One thought only pervaded the place, from the topmost attics inhabited by Marie the Bretonne and the other _femmes-de-chambre_, down through the other floors to the wide _salons_ and to the shut-off wing that was the domain of the management.

ser

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

From this reading 38 ans, celib., ser., demande marraine affect, desinteressee."

shut-off

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

From this reading One thought only pervaded the place, from the topmost attics inhabited by Marie the Bretonne and the other _femmes-de-chambre_, down through the other floors to the wide _salons_ and to the shut-off wing that was the domain of the management.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading One thought only pervaded the place, from the topmost attics inhabited by Marie the Bretonne and the other _femmes-de-chambre_, down through the other floors to the wide _salons_ and to the shut-off wing that was the domain of the management.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE FIRST ENGAGEMENT BY THE CHARM "Artill.

thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading One thought only pervaded the place, from the topmost attics inhabited by Marie the Bretonne and the other _femmes-de-chambre_, down through the other floors to the wide _salons_ and to the shut-off wing that was the domain of the management.

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading One thought only pervaded the place, from the topmost attics inhabited by Marie the Bretonne and the other _femmes-de-chambre_, down through the other floors to the wide _salons_ and to the shut-off wing that was the domain of the management.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading One thought only pervaded the place, from the topmost attics inhabited by Marie the Bretonne and the other _femmes-de-chambre_, down through the other floors to the wide _salons_ and to the shut-off wing that was the domain of the management.

topmostadjective

at or nearest to the top

From this reading One thought only pervaded the place, from the topmost attics inhabited by Marie the Bretonne and the other _femmes-de-chambre_, down through the other floors to the wide _salons_ and to the shut-off wing that was the domain of the management.

VieverbUS /vaɪ/

compete for something; engage in a contest; measure oneself against others

From this reading La Vie Parisienne.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading One thought only pervaded the place, from the topmost attics inhabited by Marie the Bretonne and the other _femmes-de-chambre_, down through the other floors to the wide _salons_ and to the shut-off wing that was the domain of the management.

wideadjectiveUS /waɪd/

having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other

From this reading One thought only pervaded the place, from the topmost attics inhabited by Marie the Bretonne and the other _femmes-de-chambre_, down through the other floors to the wide _salons_ and to the shut-off wing that was the domain of the management.

wingnounUS /wɪŋ/

a movable organ for flying (one of a pair)

From this reading One thought only pervaded the place, from the topmost attics inhabited by Marie the Bretonne and the other _femmes-de-chambre_, down through the other floors to the wide _salons_ and to the shut-off wing that was the domain of the management.

Chapter 8 of The Disturbing Charm by Berta Ruck holds 103 sentences, grouped into 21 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 Disturbing Charm contain?

Chapter 8 holds 103 sentences of The Disturbing Charm, unabridged, divided into 21 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 8 of The Disturbing Charm by Berta Ruck exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 103 sentences, grouped into 21 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 Disturbing Charm?

Work through the 21 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 21 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 Disturbing Charm

Common questions about reading The Disturbing Charm by Berta Ruck on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Disturbing Charm?

Yes. All 5925 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #36442 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Disturbing Charm is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #36442, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Disturbing Charm take to read?

About 493 minutes of reading across 1185 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Disturbing Charm section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 32 chapters of The Disturbing Charm 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 Disturbing Charm

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

Bewitched
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Disturbing Charm; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Rogue's
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Disturbing Charm; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Company
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Disturbing Charm; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Rascal
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Disturbing Charm; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.