Chapter 16 of The Flame is here in full — 137 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XVI
Chapter 16 of The Flame is here in full — 137 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near. "What is the matter with you to-day, Fosca? What has happened to you? Why are you so distant to me? Speak!
Chapter 16 of The Flame 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
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.
Extreme physical or mental suffering; intense anguish.
From this reading “ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.”
gradual healing (through rest) after sickness or injury
From this reading “ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.”
plural of “draw” — a gully that is shallower than a ravine
From this reading “ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.”
plural of “fancy” — something many people believe that is false
From this reading “ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.”
plural of “feel” — an intuitive awareness
From this reading “ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.”
the month following October and preceding December
From this reading “ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.”
the taste experience when sugar dissolves in the mouth
From this reading “ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.”
a contented state of being happy and healthy and prosperous
From this reading “ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.”
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.
move towards
In this reading “ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.”
a person suffering from an illness
In this reading “ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.”
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 ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.
Extreme physical or mental suffering; intense anguish.
From this reading ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Why are you so distant to me?
a state at a particular time
From this reading ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.
gradual healing (through rest) after sickness or injury
From this reading ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.
separated in space or coming from or going to a distance
From this reading Why are you so distant to me?
plural of “draw” — a gully that is shallower than a ravine
From this reading ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.
plural of “fancy” — something many people believe that is false
From this reading ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.
plural of “feel” — an intuitive awareness
From this reading ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "What is the matter with you to-day, Fosca?
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading What has happened to you?
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading What has happened to you?
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.
causing or marked by grief or anguish
From this reading ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "What is the matter with you to-day, Fosca?
evidencing the possession of inside information
From this reading ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading "What is the matter with you to-day, Fosca?
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Why are you so distant to me?
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.
the month following October and preceding December
From this reading ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.
and nothing more
From this reading ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.
a human being
From this reading ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.
the feeling that comes when something burdensome is removed or reduced
From this reading ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.
a general conscious awareness
From this reading ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.
affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function
From this reading ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.
a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement
From this reading ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Why are you so distant to me?
express in speech
From this reading Speak!
the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation
From this reading ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.
the taste experience when sugar dissolves in the mouth
From this reading ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "What is the matter with you to-day, Fosca?
not usual or common or ordinary
From this reading ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.
a contented state of being happy and healthy and prosperous
From this reading ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "What is the matter with you to-day, Fosca?
which person or people
From this reading ONLY ONE CONDITION Heartrending was the sweetness of that November, smiling like a sick person who fancies himself to have reached a state of convalescence and feels an unusual sense of relief and well-being, knowing not that his hour of agony draws near.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading Why are you so distant to me?
in the company of; together with
From this reading "What is the matter with you to-day, Fosca?
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "What is the matter with you to-day, Fosca?
Chapter 16 of The Flame by Gabriele D'Annunzio 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.
Chapter 16 holds 137 sentences of The Flame, unabridged, divided into 28 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 16 of The Flame by Gabriele D'Annunzio 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.
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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 16 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.
Common questions about reading The Flame by Gabriele D'Annunzio on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4469 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #60601 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #60601, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 372 minutes of reading across 894 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Flame section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 24 chapters of The Flame to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in The Flame, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
