Chapter 12 of The Flight of the Shadow is here in full — 102 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XII
Chapter 12 of The Flight of the Shadow is here in full — 102 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
OLD LOVE AND NEW. While I waited, as nearly a log, under the weariness of spiritual unrest, as a girl could well be, the door opened. Very seldom did that door open to any one but my uncle or myself: he would let no one but me touch his books, or even dust the room. I jumped from the chest where I sat. It was only Martha Moon.
Chapter 12 of The Flight of the Shadow is here in full — 102 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/20 · 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.
the part of the human torso between the neck and the diaphragm or the corresponding part in other vertebrates
From this reading “I jumped from the chest where I sat.”
remove the dust from
From this reading “Very seldom did that door open to any one but my uncle or myself: he would let no one but me touch his books, or even dust the room.”
past form of “jump” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading “I jumped from the chest where I sat.”
enter into a log, as on ships and planes
From this reading “While I waited, as nearly a log, under the weariness of spiritual unrest, as a girl could well be, the door opened.”
not often
From this reading “Very seldom did that door open to any one but my uncle or myself: he would let no one but me touch his books, or even dust the room.”
concerned with sacred matters or religion or the church
From this reading “While I waited, as nearly a log, under the weariness of spiritual unrest, as a girl could well be, the door opened.”
a state of agitation or turbulent change or development
From this reading “While I waited, as nearly a log, under the weariness of spiritual unrest, as a girl could well be, the door opened.”
temporary loss of strength and energy resulting from hard physical or mental work
From this reading “While I waited, as nearly a log, under the weariness of spiritual unrest, as a girl could well be, the door opened.”
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 While I waited, as nearly a log, under the weariness of spiritual unrest, as a girl could well be, the door opened.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading OLD LOVE AND NEW.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Very seldom did that door open to any one but my uncle or myself: he would let no one but me touch his books, or even dust the room.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading While I waited, as nearly a log, under the weariness of spiritual unrest, as a girl could well be, the door opened.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading While I waited, as nearly a log, under the weariness of spiritual unrest, as a girl could well be, the door opened.
Bound written or printed works.
From this reading Very seldom did that door open to any one but my uncle or myself: he would let no one but me touch his books, or even dust the room.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Very seldom did that door open to any one but my uncle or myself: he would let no one but me touch his books, or even dust the room.
the part of the human torso between the neck and the diaphragm or the corresponding part in other vertebrates
From this reading I jumped from the chest where I sat.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading While I waited, as nearly a log, under the weariness of spiritual unrest, as a girl could well be, the door opened.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Very seldom did that door open to any one but my uncle or myself: he would let no one but me touch his books, or even dust the room.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading While I waited, as nearly a log, under the weariness of spiritual unrest, as a girl could well be, the door opened.
remove the dust from
From this reading Very seldom did that door open to any one but my uncle or myself: he would let no one but me touch his books, or even dust the room.
divisible by two
From this reading Very seldom did that door open to any one but my uncle or myself: he would let no one but me touch his books, or even dust the room.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading I jumped from the chest where I sat.
a young female
From this reading While I waited, as nearly a log, under the weariness of spiritual unrest, as a girl could well be, the door opened.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Very seldom did that door open to any one but my uncle or myself: he would let no one but me touch his books, or even dust the room.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Very seldom did that door open to any one but my uncle or myself: he would let no one but me touch his books, or even dust the room.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading While I waited, as nearly a log, under the weariness of spiritual unrest, as a girl could well be, the door opened.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was only Martha Moon.
past form of “jump” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading I jumped from the chest where I sat.
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading Very seldom did that door open to any one but my uncle or myself: he would let no one but me touch his books, or even dust the room.
enter into a log, as on ships and planes
From this reading While I waited, as nearly a log, under the weariness of spiritual unrest, as a girl could well be, the door opened.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading OLD LOVE AND NEW.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was only Martha Moon.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Very seldom did that door open to any one but my uncle or myself: he would let no one but me touch his books, or even dust the room.
the natural satellite of the Earth
From this reading It was only Martha Moon.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Very seldom did that door open to any one but my uncle or myself: he would let no one but me touch his books, or even dust the room.
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading Very seldom did that door open to any one but my uncle or myself: he would let no one but me touch his books, or even dust the room.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading While I waited, as nearly a log, under the weariness of spiritual unrest, as a girl could well be, the door opened.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading OLD LOVE AND NEW.
not any; not one
From this reading Very seldom did that door open to any one but my uncle or myself: he would let no one but me touch his books, or even dust the room.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading While I waited, as nearly a log, under the weariness of spiritual unrest, as a girl could well be, the door opened.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading OLD LOVE AND NEW.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Very seldom did that door open to any one but my uncle or myself: he would let no one but me touch his books, or even dust the room.
and nothing more
From this reading It was only Martha Moon.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading Very seldom did that door open to any one but my uncle or myself: he would let no one but me touch his books, or even dust the room.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading While I waited, as nearly a log, under the weariness of spiritual unrest, as a girl could well be, the door opened.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Very seldom did that door open to any one but my uncle or myself: he would let no one but me touch his books, or even dust the room.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Very seldom did that door open to any one but my uncle or myself: he would let no one but me touch his books, or even dust the room.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading I jumped from the chest where I sat.
not often
From this reading Very seldom did that door open to any one but my uncle or myself: he would let no one but me touch his books, or even dust the room.
concerned with sacred matters or religion or the church
From this reading While I waited, as nearly a log, under the weariness of spiritual unrest, as a girl could well be, the door opened.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Very seldom did that door open to any one but my uncle or myself: he would let no one but me touch his books, or even dust the room.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading While I waited, as nearly a log, under the weariness of spiritual unrest, as a girl could well be, the door opened.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Very seldom did that door open to any one but my uncle or myself: he would let no one but me touch his books, or even dust the room.
make physical contact with, come in contact with
From this reading Very seldom did that door open to any one but my uncle or myself: he would let no one but me touch his books, or even dust the room.
the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt
From this reading Very seldom did that door open to any one but my uncle or myself: he would let no one but me touch his books, or even dust the room.
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading While I waited, as nearly a log, under the weariness of spiritual unrest, as a girl could well be, the door opened.
a state of agitation or turbulent change or development
From this reading While I waited, as nearly a log, under the weariness of spiritual unrest, as a girl could well be, the door opened.
precisely as stated
From this reading Very seldom did that door open to any one but my uncle or myself: he would let no one but me touch his books, or even dust the room.
past form of “wait” — stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading While I waited, as nearly a log, under the weariness of spiritual unrest, as a girl could well be, the door opened.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was only Martha Moon.
temporary loss of strength and energy resulting from hard physical or mental work
From this reading While I waited, as nearly a log, under the weariness of spiritual unrest, as a girl could well be, the door opened.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading While I waited, as nearly a log, under the weariness of spiritual unrest, as a girl could well be, the door opened.
in or at the place that
From this reading I jumped from the chest where I sat.
during the time that
From this reading While I waited, as nearly a log, under the weariness of spiritual unrest, as a girl could well be, the door opened.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Very seldom did that door open to any one but my uncle or myself: he would let no one but me touch his books, or even dust the room.
Chapter 12 of The Flight of the Shadow by George MacDonald holds 102 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.
Chapter 12 holds 102 sentences of The Flight of the Shadow, unabridged, divided into 21 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 12 of The Flight of the Shadow by George MacDonald exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 102 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.
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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 12 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 Flight of the Shadow by George MacDonald on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3898 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #8902 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #8902, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 324 minutes of reading across 780 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Flight of the Shadow section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 35 chapters of The Flight of the Shadow 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 Flight of the Shadow, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
