Chapter XIII · In Which Great Good Fortune Befalls the Heroine

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

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of

From this reading Yet there were of necessity times when Philomène was left to amuse herself, and it was then that Speedwell and Spirea came skimming towards her through the air, or peeped up at her out of the flowers, or hopped down to her from the trees.

(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 “If Balaam’s donkey talked to him when he was unkind and stupid and hit it,” she reasoned persuasively, “I think the least you can do is to talk to me when I am giving you all this sugar.

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading “If Balaam’s donkey talked to him when he was unkind and stupid and hit it,” she reasoned persuasively, “I think the least you can do is to talk to me when I am giving you all this sugar.

occupy in an agreeable, entertaining or pleasant fashion

From this reading Yet there were of necessity times when Philomène was left to amuse herself, and it was then that Speedwell and Spirea came skimming towards her through the air, or peeped up at her out of the flowers, or hopped down to her from the trees.

a feeling of delight at being entertained

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

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

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

any thing at all

From this reading It was not, however, till August that anything of importance befell.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

the month following July and preceding September

From this reading It was not, however, till August that anything of importance befell.

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

From this reading “If Balaam’s donkey talked to him when he was unkind and stupid and hit it,” she reasoned persuasively, “I think the least you can do is to talk to me when I am giving you all this sugar.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

inflected form of “befall” — become of; happen to

From this reading It was not, however, till August that anything of importance befell.

a solicitation for money or food (especially in the street by an apparently penniless person)

From this reading Philomène was in the stable, feeding the white donkey with sugar, and begging him to talk to her if he could.

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading Yet there were of necessity times when Philomène was left to amuse herself, and it was then that Speedwell and Spirea came skimming towards her through the air, or peeped up at her out of the flowers, or hopped down to her from the trees.

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading “If Balaam’s donkey talked to him when he was unkind and stupid and hit it,” she reasoned persuasively, “I think the least you can do is to talk to me when I am giving you all this sugar.

a person who is being chased

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading Philomène was in the stable, feeding the white donkey with sugar, and begging him to talk to her if he could.

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

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

zealous in devotion or affection

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading “If Balaam’s donkey talked to him when he was unkind and stupid and hit it,” she reasoned persuasively, “I think the least you can do is to talk to me when I am giving you all this sugar.

the symbol of the Democratic Party; introduced in cartoons by Thomas Nast in 1874

From this reading Philomène was in the stable, feeding the white donkey with sugar, and begging him to talk to her if he could.

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading Yet there were of necessity times when Philomène was left to amuse herself, and it was then that Speedwell and Spirea came skimming towards her through the air, or peeped up at her out of the flowers, or hopped down to her from the trees.

plural of “drive” — the act of applying force to propel something

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

a positive feeling of wanting to push ahead with something

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

a small being, human in form, playful and having magical powers

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

the act of consuming food

From this reading Philomène was in the stable, feeding the white donkey with sugar, and begging him to talk to her if he could.

plural of “flower” — a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms

From this reading Yet there were of necessity times when Philomène was left to amuse herself, and it was then that Speedwell and Spirea came skimming towards her through the air, or peeped up at her out of the flowers, or hopped down to her from the trees.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

inflected form of “foretell” — foreshadow or presage

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

recently made, produced, or harvested

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Yet there were of necessity times when Philomène was left to amuse herself, and it was then that Speedwell and Spirea came skimming towards her through the air, or peeped up at her out of the flowers, or hopped down to her from the trees.

the act of giving

From this reading “If Balaam’s donkey talked to him when he was unkind and stupid and hit it,” she reasoned persuasively, “I think the least you can do is to talk to me when I am giving you all this sugar.

an infant who is sponsored by an adult (the godparent) at baptism

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Philomène was in the stable, feeding the white donkey with sugar, and begging him to talk to her if he could.

cause to move by striking

From this reading “If Balaam’s donkey talked to him when he was unkind and stupid and hit it,” she reasoned persuasively, “I think the least you can do is to talk to me when I am giving you all this sugar.

inflected form of “hop” — jump lightly

From this reading Yet there were of necessity times when Philomène was left to amuse herself, and it was then that Speedwell and Spirea came skimming towards her through the air, or peeped up at her out of the flowers, or hopped down to her from the trees.

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading It was not, however, till August that anything of importance befell.

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

From this reading “If Balaam’s donkey talked to him when he was unkind and stupid and hit it,” she reasoned persuasively, “I think the least you can do is to talk to me when I am giving you all this sugar.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Philomène was in the stable, feeding the white donkey with sugar, and begging him to talk to her if he could.

the quality of being important and worthy of note

From this reading It was not, however, till August that anything of importance befell.

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

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

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

From this reading “If Balaam’s donkey talked to him when he was unkind and stupid and hit it,” she reasoned persuasively, “I think the least you can do is to talk to me when I am giving you all this sugar.

(Middle Ages) the bride of the king of Cornwall who (according to legend) fell in love with the king's nephew (Tristan) after they mistakenly drank a love potion that left them eternally in love with each other

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Yet there were of necessity times when Philomène was left to amuse herself, and it was then that Speedwell and Spirea came skimming towards her through the air, or peeped up at her out of the flowers, or hopped down to her from the trees.

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree

From this reading “If Balaam’s donkey talked to him when he was unkind and stupid and hit it,” she reasoned persuasively, “I think the least you can do is to talk to me when I am giving you all this sugar.

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 Yet there were of necessity times when Philomène was left to amuse herself, and it was then that Speedwell and Spirea came skimming towards her through the air, or peeped up at her out of the flowers, or hopped down to her from the trees.

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

From this reading “If Balaam’s donkey talked to him when he was unkind and stupid and hit it,” she reasoned persuasively, “I think the least you can do is to talk to me when I am giving you all this sugar.

to a great degree or extent

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

the condition of being essential or indispensable

From this reading Yet there were of necessity times when Philomène was left to amuse herself, and it was then that Speedwell and Spirea came skimming towards her through the air, or peeped up at her out of the flowers, or hopped down to her from the trees.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Yet there were of necessity times when Philomène was left to amuse herself, and it was then that Speedwell and Spirea came skimming towards her through the air, or peeped up at her out of the flowers, or hopped down to her from the trees.

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Yet there were of necessity times when Philomène was left to amuse herself, and it was then that Speedwell and Spirea came skimming towards her through the air, or peeped up at her out of the flowers, or hopped down to her from the trees.

past form of “peep” — look furtively

From this reading Yet there were of necessity times when Philomène was left to amuse herself, and it was then that Speedwell and Spirea came skimming towards her through the air, or peeped up at her out of the flowers, or hopped down to her from the trees.

in a persuasive manner

From this reading “If Balaam’s donkey talked to him when he was unkind and stupid and hit it,” she reasoned persuasively, “I think the least you can do is to talk to me when I am giving you all this sugar.

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

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

plural of “picnic” — a day devoted to an outdoor social gathering

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

logically valid

From this reading “If Balaam’s donkey talked to him when he was unkind and stupid and hit it,” she reasoned persuasively, “I think the least you can do is to talk to me when I am giving you all this sugar.

precisely, exactly

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading “If Balaam’s donkey talked to him when he was unkind and stupid and hit it,” she reasoned persuasively, “I think the least you can do is to talk to me when I am giving you all this sugar.

the act of removing floating material from the surface of a liquid

From this reading Yet there were of necessity times when Philomène was left to amuse herself, and it was then that Speedwell and Spirea came skimming towards her through the air, or peeped up at her out of the flowers, or hopped down to her from the trees.

any plant of the genus Veronica

From this reading Yet there were of necessity times when Philomène was left to amuse herself, and it was then that Speedwell and Spirea came skimming towards her through the air, or peeped up at her out of the flowers, or hopped down to her from the trees.

a Japanese shrub that resembles members of the genus Spiraea; widely cultivated in many varieties for its dense panicles of flowers in many colors; often forced by florists for Easter blooming

From this reading Yet there were of necessity times when Philomène was left to amuse herself, and it was then that Speedwell and Spirea came skimming towards her through the air, or peeped up at her out of the flowers, or hopped down to her from the trees.

resistant to change of position or condition

From this reading Philomène was in the stable, feeding the white donkey with sugar, and begging him to talk to her if he could.

lacking or marked by lack of intellectual acuity

From this reading “If Balaam’s donkey talked to him when he was unkind and stupid and hit it,” she reasoned persuasively, “I think the least you can do is to talk to me when I am giving you all this sugar.

a following of one thing after another in time

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

a white crystalline carbohydrate used as a sweetener and preservative

From this reading Philomène was in the stable, feeding the white donkey with sugar, and begging him to talk to her if he could.

having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

exchange thoughts; talk with

From this reading Philomène was in the stable, feeding the white donkey with sugar, and begging him to talk to her if he could.

past form of “talk” — exchange thoughts; talk with

From this reading “If Balaam’s donkey talked to him when he was unkind and stupid and hit it,” she reasoned persuasively, “I think the least you can do is to talk to me when I am giving you all this sugar.

a discussion intended to produce an agreement

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

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

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Yet there were of necessity times when Philomène was left to amuse herself, and it was then that Speedwell and Spirea came skimming towards her through the air, or peeped up at her out of the flowers, or hopped down to her from the trees.

in or at that place or location

From this reading Yet there were of necessity times when Philomène was left to amuse herself, and it was then that Speedwell and Spirea came skimming towards her through the air, or peeped up at her out of the flowers, or hopped down to her from the trees.

judge or regard; look upon; judge

From this reading “If Balaam’s donkey talked to him when he was unkind and stupid and hit it,” she reasoned persuasively, “I think the least you can do is to talk to me when I am giving you all this sugar.

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

From this reading “If Balaam’s donkey talked to him when he was unkind and stupid and hit it,” she reasoned persuasively, “I think the least you can do is to talk to me when I am giving you all this sugar.

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading Yet there were of necessity times when Philomène was left to amuse herself, and it was then that Speedwell and Spirea came skimming towards her through the air, or peeped up at her out of the flowers, or hopped down to her from the trees.

up to a particular time

From this reading It was not, however, till August that anything of importance befell.

a more or less definite period of time now or previously present

From this reading Yet there were of necessity times when Philomène was left to amuse herself, and it was then that Speedwell and Spirea came skimming towards her through the air, or peeped up at her out of the flowers, or hopped down to her from the trees.

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

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

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

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

in the direction of

From this reading Yet there were of necessity times when Philomène was left to amuse herself, and it was then that Speedwell and Spirea came skimming towards her through the air, or peeped up at her out of the flowers, or hopped down to her from the trees.

plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms

From this reading Yet there were of necessity times when Philomène was left to amuse herself, and it was then that Speedwell and Spirea came skimming towards her through the air, or peeped up at her out of the flowers, or hopped down to her from the trees.

change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

lacking kindness

From this reading “If Balaam’s donkey talked to him when he was unkind and stupid and hit it,” she reasoned persuasively, “I think the least you can do is to talk to me when I am giving you all this sugar.

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

From this reading Yet there were of necessity times when Philomène was left to amuse herself, and it was then that Speedwell and Spirea came skimming towards her through the air, or peeped up at her out of the flowers, or hopped down to her from the trees.

plural of “walk” — the act of traveling by foot

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

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

From this reading Yet there were of necessity times when Philomène was left to amuse herself, and it was then that Speedwell and Spirea came skimming towards her through the air, or peeped up at her out of the flowers, or hopped down to her from the trees.

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

From this reading Yet there were of necessity times when Philomène was left to amuse herself, and it was then that Speedwell and Spirea came skimming towards her through the air, or peeped up at her out of the flowers, or hopped down to her from the trees.

at the time that

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

a Caucasian

From this reading Philomène was in the stable, feeding the white donkey with sugar, and begging him to talk to her if he could.

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

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

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

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

in the company of; together with

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading Sweet William had been right when he foretold that Philomène would not see much of the fairy agent at the Cushats, for Isolde devoted herself whole-heartedly to the amusement of her godchild, and the days chased each other in their eagerness to turn into to-morrow, with its fresh succession of walks and talks and drives and picnics.

but in spite of that

From this reading Yet there were of necessity times when Philomène was left to amuse herself, and it was then that Speedwell and Spirea came skimming towards her through the air, or peeped up at her out of the flowers, or hopped down to her from the trees.

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “If Balaam’s donkey talked to him when he was unkind and stupid and hit it,” she reasoned persuasively, “I think the least you can do is to talk to me when I am giving you all this sugar.