Chapter 28 of The education of Uncle Paul is here in full — 245 sentences across 49 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXVIII
Chapter 28 of The education of Uncle Paul is here in full — 245 sentences across 49 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said. But there The silver answer rang—‘Not Death, but Love.’ E. B. B.
Chapter 28 of The education of Uncle Paul is here in full — 245 sentences across 49 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/49 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
at or to or toward the back or rear
From this reading “Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.”
plural of “hold” — the act of grasping
From this reading “Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.”
great skillfulness and knowledge of some subject or activity
From this reading “Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.”
having an import not apparent to the senses nor obvious to the intelligence; beyond ordinary understanding
From this reading “Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.”
inflected form of “ring” — sound loudly and sonorously
From this reading “But there The silver answer rang—‘Not Death, but Love.’”
inflected form of “strive” — attempt by employing effort
From this reading “Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.”
articles of the same kind or material; usually used in combination: “silverware”, “software”
From this reading “Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.”
showing sorrow
From this reading “Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.”
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.
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.
react verbally
From this reading But there The silver answer rang—‘Not Death, but Love.’
aerobic rod-shaped spore-producing bacterium; often occurring in chainlike formations; found primarily in soil
From this reading E. B. B.
at or to or toward the back or rear
From this reading Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But there The silver answer rang—‘Not Death, but Love.’
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.
United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)
From this reading Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.
a fat-soluble vitamin that is essential for normal reproduction; an important antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals in the body
From this reading E. B. B.
expect, believe, or suppose
From this reading Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.
plural of “hold” — the act of grasping
From this reading Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading But there The silver answer rang—‘Not Death, but Love.’
great skillfulness and knowledge of some subject or activity
From this reading Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.
having an import not apparent to the senses nor obvious to the intelligence; beyond ordinary understanding
From this reading Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But there The silver answer rang—‘Not Death, but Love.’
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.
inflected form of “ring” — sound loudly and sonorously
From this reading But there The silver answer rang—‘Not Death, but Love.’
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.
any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline)
From this reading Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.
a soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal; occurs in argentite and in free form; used in coins and jewelry and tableware and photography
From this reading But there The silver answer rang—‘Not Death, but Love.’
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.
at once
From this reading Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.
inflected form of “strive” — attempt by employing effort
From this reading Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.
an old word for “you”, as the object, speaking to one person
From this reading Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.
in or at that place or location
From this reading But there The silver answer rang—‘Not Death, but Love.’
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.
articles of the same kind or material; usually used in combination: “silverware”, “software”
From this reading Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.
showing sorrow
From this reading Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.
during the time that
From this reading Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.
which person or people
From this reading Straightway I was ’ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair; And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, ‘Guess now who holds thee?’—‘Death,’ I said.
Chapter 28 of The education of Uncle Paul by Algernon Blackwood holds 245 sentences, grouped into 49 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.
Chapter 28 holds 245 sentences of The education of Uncle Paul, unabridged, divided into 49 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 28 of The education of Uncle Paul by Algernon Blackwood exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 245 sentences, grouped into 49 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.
Work through the 49 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 49 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.
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.
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Words and structures a reader meets early in The education of Uncle Paul, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
