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The Harlequin Opal: A Romance. Vol. 3 (of 3)
The Harlequin Opal: A Romance. Vol. 3 (of 3)

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of The Harlequin Opal: A Romance. Vol. 3 (of 3) is here in full — 236 sentences across 48 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Harlequin Opal: A Romance. Vol. 3 (of 3)
Context Illustration Reading 1/47 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE FALL OF JANJALLA.
They mount the ramparts, and they man the walls, Resolved to keep the climbing foe at bay, The hot-mouthed cannon hurl a thousand balls, A thousand swords flash forth to wound and slay.
Down in the fosse the planted ladder falls, And smoke sulphurous spreads its veil of grey; Like incense from an altar up it rolls, To tell the war-god that a thousand souls Are to his honour sacrificed this day.
Oh, Mars!
Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Harlequin Opal: A Romance. Vol. 3 (of 3)

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of The Harlequin Opal: A Romance. Vol. 3 (of 3) is here in full — 236 sentences across 48 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/47 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE FALL OF JANJALLA.
Line 2
They mount the ramparts, and they man the walls, Resolved to keep the climbing foe at bay, The hot-mouthed cannon hurl a thousand balls, A thousand swords flash forth to wound and slay.
Line 3
Down in the fosse the planted ladder falls, And smoke sulphurous spreads its veil of grey; Like incense from an altar up it rolls, To tell the war-god that a thousand souls Are to his honour sacrificed this day.
Line 4
Oh, Mars!
/oʊ mɑːrz/
Line 5
Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.

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.

cutlery noun US /ˈkʌtləri/

a cutting implement; a tool for cutting

From this reading “Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.”

fosse noun US /fɑːs/

ditch dug as a fortification and usually filled with water

From this reading “Down in the fosse the planted ladder falls, And smoke sulphurous spreads its veil of grey; Like incense from an altar up it rolls, To tell the war-god that a thousand souls Are to his honour sacrificed this day.”

hurl verb US /hɜːrl/

throw forcefully

From this reading “They mount the ramparts, and they man the walls, Resolved to keep the climbing foe at bay, The hot-mouthed cannon hurl a thousand balls, A thousand swords flash forth to wound and slay.”

ramparts noun US /ˈræmpɑːrts/

plural of “rampart” — an embankment built around a space for defensive purposes

From this reading “They mount the ramparts, and they man the walls, Resolved to keep the climbing foe at bay, The hot-mouthed cannon hurl a thousand balls, A thousand swords flash forth to wound and slay.”

Revolvers noun US /rɪˈvɑːlvərz/

plural of “revolver” — a pistol with a revolving cylinder (usually having six chambers for bullets)

From this reading “Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.”

shields noun US /ʃiːldz/

plural of “shield” — a protective covering or structure

From this reading “Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.”

shrines noun US /ʃraɪnz/

plural of “shrine” — a place of worship hallowed by association with some sacred thing or person

From this reading “Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.”

spreads noun US /spredz/

plural of “spread” — process or result of distributing or extending over a wide expanse of space

From this reading “Down in the fosse the planted ladder falls, And smoke sulphurous spreads its veil of grey; Like incense from an altar up it rolls, To tell the war-god that a thousand souls Are to his honour sacrificed this day.”

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.

much more adverb + adjective

In this reading “Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.”

flash forth verb + particle

In this reading “They mount the ramparts, and they man the walls, Resolved to keep the climbing foe at bay, The hot-mouthed cannon hurl a thousand balls, A thousand swords flash forth to wound and slay.”

at bay preposition + noun

forced to turn and face attackers

In this reading “They mount the ramparts, and they man the walls, Resolved to keep the climbing foe at bay, The hot-mouthed cannon hurl a thousand balls, A thousand swords flash forth to wound and slay.”

All words in this reading · 96

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.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading They mount the ramparts, and they man the walls, Resolved to keep the climbing foe at bay, The hot-mouthed cannon hurl a thousand balls, A thousand swords flash forth to wound and slay.

altarnounUS /ˈɔːltər/

the table in Christian churches where communion is given

From this reading Down in the fosse the planted ladder falls, And smoke sulphurous spreads its veil of grey; Like incense from an altar up it rolls, To tell the war-god that a thousand souls Are to his honour sacrificed this day.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading Down in the fosse the planted ladder falls, And smoke sulphurous spreads its veil of grey; Like incense from an altar up it rolls, To tell the war-god that a thousand souls Are to his honour sacrificed this day.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading They mount the ramparts, and they man the walls, Resolved to keep the climbing foe at bay, The hot-mouthed cannon hurl a thousand balls, A thousand swords flash forth to wound and slay.

Areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading Down in the fosse the planted ladder falls, And smoke sulphurous spreads its veil of grey; Like incense from an altar up it rolls, To tell the war-god that a thousand souls Are to his honour sacrificed this day.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading They mount the ramparts, and they man the walls, Resolved to keep the climbing foe at bay, The hot-mouthed cannon hurl a thousand balls, A thousand swords flash forth to wound and slay.

ballsnounUS /bɔːlz/

plural of “ball” — round object that is hit or thrown or kicked in games

From this reading They mount the ramparts, and they man the walls, Resolved to keep the climbing foe at bay, The hot-mouthed cannon hurl a thousand balls, A thousand swords flash forth to wound and slay.

baynounUS /beɪ/

an indentation of a shoreline larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf

From this reading They mount the ramparts, and they man the walls, Resolved to keep the climbing foe at bay, The hot-mouthed cannon hurl a thousand balls, A thousand swords flash forth to wound and slay.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.

Bellona

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

From this reading Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.

bendverbUS /bend/

form a curve

From this reading Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.

BornadjectiveUS /bɔːrn/

brought into existence

From this reading Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.

cannonnounUS /ˈkænən/

a large artillery gun that is usually on wheels

From this reading They mount the ramparts, and they man the walls, Resolved to keep the climbing foe at bay, The hot-mouthed cannon hurl a thousand balls, A thousand swords flash forth to wound and slay.

civilisedadjective

having a high state of culture and development both social and technological

From this reading Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.

climbingnounUS /ˈklaɪmɪŋ/

an event that involves rising to a higher point (as in altitude or temperature or intensity etc.)

From this reading They mount the ramparts, and they man the walls, Resolved to keep the climbing foe at bay, The hot-mouthed cannon hurl a thousand balls, A thousand swords flash forth to wound and slay.

cutlerynounUS /ˈkʌtləri/

a cutting implement; a tool for cutting

From this reading Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading Down in the fosse the planted ladder falls, And smoke sulphurous spreads its veil of grey; Like incense from an altar up it rolls, To tell the war-god that a thousand souls Are to his honour sacrificed this day.

DownadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading Down in the fosse the planted ladder falls, And smoke sulphurous spreads its veil of grey; Like incense from an altar up it rolls, To tell the war-god that a thousand souls Are to his honour sacrificed this day.

FALLverbUS /fɔːl/

descend in free fall under the influence of gravity

From this reading THE FALL OF JANJALLA.

fallenadjectiveUS /ˈfɑːlən/

having dropped by the force of gravity

From this reading Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.

fallsnounUS /fɔːlz/

the petals or sepals of a flower that bend downward (especially the outer perianth of an iris)

From this reading Down in the fosse the planted ladder falls, And smoke sulphurous spreads its veil of grey; Like incense from an altar up it rolls, To tell the war-god that a thousand souls Are to his honour sacrificed this day.

fireverbUS /ˈfaɪər/

start firing a weapon

From this reading Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.

flashverbUS /flæʃ/

gleam or glow intermittently

From this reading They mount the ramparts, and they man the walls, Resolved to keep the climbing foe at bay, The hot-mouthed cannon hurl a thousand balls, A thousand swords flash forth to wound and slay.

foenounUS /foʊ/

an armed adversary (especially a member of an opposing military force)

From this reading They mount the ramparts, and they man the walls, Resolved to keep the climbing foe at bay, The hot-mouthed cannon hurl a thousand balls, A thousand swords flash forth to wound and slay.

folknounUS /foʊk/

people in general (often used in the plural)

From this reading Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.

forthadverbUS /fɔːrθ/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading They mount the ramparts, and they man the walls, Resolved to keep the climbing foe at bay, The hot-mouthed cannon hurl a thousand balls, A thousand swords flash forth to wound and slay.

fossenounUS /fɑːs/

ditch dug as a fortification and usually filled with water

From this reading Down in the fosse the planted ladder falls, And smoke sulphurous spreads its veil of grey; Like incense from an altar up it rolls, To tell the war-god that a thousand souls Are to his honour sacrificed this day.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Down in the fosse the planted ladder falls, And smoke sulphurous spreads its veil of grey; Like incense from an altar up it rolls, To tell the war-god that a thousand souls Are to his honour sacrificed this day.

GreeksnounUS /ɡriːks/

plural of “greek” — the Hellenic branch of the Indo-European family of languages

From this reading Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.

greyadjectiveUS /ɡreɪ/

of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black

From this reading Down in the fosse the planted ladder falls, And smoke sulphurous spreads its veil of grey; Like incense from an altar up it rolls, To tell the war-god that a thousand souls Are to his honour sacrificed this day.

gunsnounUS /ɡʌnz/

plural of “gun” — a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)

From this reading Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Down in the fosse the planted ladder falls, And smoke sulphurous spreads its veil of grey; Like incense from an altar up it rolls, To tell the war-god that a thousand souls Are to his honour sacrificed this day.

honournounUS /ˈɑːnər/

the state of being honored

From this reading Down in the fosse the planted ladder falls, And smoke sulphurous spreads its veil of grey; Like incense from an altar up it rolls, To tell the war-god that a thousand souls Are to his honour sacrificed this day.

hot-mouthed

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

From this reading They mount the ramparts, and they man the walls, Resolved to keep the climbing foe at bay, The hot-mouthed cannon hurl a thousand balls, A thousand swords flash forth to wound and slay.

hurlverbUS /hɜːrl/

throw forcefully

From this reading They mount the ramparts, and they man the walls, Resolved to keep the climbing foe at bay, The hot-mouthed cannon hurl a thousand balls, A thousand swords flash forth to wound and slay.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Down in the fosse the planted ladder falls, And smoke sulphurous spreads its veil of grey; Like incense from an altar up it rolls, To tell the war-god that a thousand souls Are to his honour sacrificed this day.

incensenounUS /ˌɪnˈsens/

a substance that produces a fragrant odor when burned

From this reading Down in the fosse the planted ladder falls, And smoke sulphurous spreads its veil of grey; Like incense from an altar up it rolls, To tell the war-god that a thousand souls Are to his honour sacrificed this day.

InsteadadverbUS /ˌɪnˈsted/

in place of, or as an alternative to

From this reading Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Down in the fosse the planted ladder falls, And smoke sulphurous spreads its veil of grey; Like incense from an altar up it rolls, To tell the war-god that a thousand souls Are to his honour sacrificed this day.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Down in the fosse the planted ladder falls, And smoke sulphurous spreads its veil of grey; Like incense from an altar up it rolls, To tell the war-god that a thousand souls Are to his honour sacrificed this day.

JANJALLA

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

From this reading THE FALL OF JANJALLA.

keepverbUS /kiːp/

cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”

From this reading They mount the ramparts, and they man the walls, Resolved to keep the climbing foe at bay, The hot-mouthed cannon hurl a thousand balls, A thousand swords flash forth to wound and slay.

laddernounUS /ˈlædər/

steps consisting of two parallel members connected by rungs; for climbing up or down

From this reading Down in the fosse the planted ladder falls, And smoke sulphurous spreads its veil of grey; Like incense from an altar up it rolls, To tell the war-god that a thousand souls Are to his honour sacrificed this day.

lateradverbUS /ˈleɪtər/

happening at a time subsequent to a reference time

From this reading Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.

LikeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading Down in the fosse the planted ladder falls, And smoke sulphurous spreads its veil of grey; Like incense from an altar up it rolls, To tell the war-god that a thousand souls Are to his honour sacrificed this day.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading They mount the ramparts, and they man the walls, Resolved to keep the climbing foe at bay, The hot-mouthed cannon hurl a thousand balls, A thousand swords flash forth to wound and slay.

MarsnounUS /mɑːrz/

a small reddish planet that is the 4th from the sun and is periodically visible to the naked eye; minerals rich in iron cover its surface and are responsible for its characteristic color

From this reading Oh, Mars!

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.

mountverbUS /maʊnt/

attach to a support

From this reading They mount the ramparts, and they man the walls, Resolved to keep the climbing foe at bay, The hot-mouthed cannon hurl a thousand balls, A thousand swords flash forth to wound and slay.

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.

neath

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

From this reading Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.

NotadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE FALL OF JANJALLA.

OhnounUS /oʊ/

a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region

From this reading Oh, Mars!

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.

plantedadjectiveUS /ˈplæntɪd/

(used especially of ideas or principles) deeply rooted; firmly fixed or held

From this reading Down in the fosse the planted ladder falls, And smoke sulphurous spreads its veil of grey; Like incense from an altar up it rolls, To tell the war-god that a thousand souls Are to his honour sacrificed this day.

rampartsnounUS /ˈræmpɑːrts/

plural of “rampart” — an embankment built around a space for defensive purposes

From this reading They mount the ramparts, and they man the walls, Resolved to keep the climbing foe at bay, The hot-mouthed cannon hurl a thousand balls, A thousand swords flash forth to wound and slay.

rednounUS /red/

red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood

From this reading Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.

ResolvedadjectiveUS /riˈzɑːlvd/

determined

From this reading They mount the ramparts, and they man the walls, Resolved to keep the climbing foe at bay, The hot-mouthed cannon hurl a thousand balls, A thousand swords flash forth to wound and slay.

RevolversnounUS /rɪˈvɑːlvərz/

plural of “revolver” — a pistol with a revolving cylinder (usually having six chambers for bullets)

From this reading Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.

riflesnounUS /ˈraɪfəlz/

plural of “rifle” — a shoulder firearm with a long barrel and a rifled bore

From this reading Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.

rollsnounUS /roʊlz/

plural of “roll” — rotary motion of an object around its own axis

From this reading Down in the fosse the planted ladder falls, And smoke sulphurous spreads its veil of grey; Like incense from an altar up it rolls, To tell the war-god that a thousand souls Are to his honour sacrificed this day.

sacrificedverbUS /ˈsækrəfaɪst/

past form of “sacrifice” — endure the loss of

From this reading Down in the fosse the planted ladder falls, And smoke sulphurous spreads its veil of grey; Like incense from an altar up it rolls, To tell the war-god that a thousand souls Are to his honour sacrificed this day.

seemverbUS /siːm/

give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.

shieldsnounUS /ʃiːldz/

plural of “shield” — a protective covering or structure

From this reading Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.

shrinesnounUS /ʃraɪnz/

plural of “shrine” — a place of worship hallowed by association with some sacred thing or person

From this reading Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.

slayverbUS /sleɪ/

kill intentionally and with premeditation

From this reading They mount the ramparts, and they man the walls, Resolved to keep the climbing foe at bay, The hot-mouthed cannon hurl a thousand balls, A thousand swords flash forth to wound and slay.

smokenounUS /smoʊk/

a cloud of fine particles suspended in a gas

From this reading Down in the fosse the planted ladder falls, And smoke sulphurous spreads its veil of grey; Like incense from an altar up it rolls, To tell the war-god that a thousand souls Are to his honour sacrificed this day.

soulsnounUS /soʊlz/

plural of “soul” — the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life

From this reading Down in the fosse the planted ladder falls, And smoke sulphurous spreads its veil of grey; Like incense from an altar up it rolls, To tell the war-god that a thousand souls Are to his honour sacrificed this day.

spearsnounUS /spɪrz/

plural of “spear” — a long pointed rod used as a tool or weapon

From this reading Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.

spitverbUS /spɪt/

expel or eject (saliva or phlegm or sputum) from the mouth

From this reading Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.

spreadsnounUS /spredz/

plural of “spread” — process or result of distributing or extending over a wide expanse of space

From this reading Down in the fosse the planted ladder falls, And smoke sulphurous spreads its veil of grey; Like incense from an altar up it rolls, To tell the war-god that a thousand souls Are to his honour sacrificed this day.

sulphurousadjective

of or related to or containing sulfur or derived from sulfur

From this reading Down in the fosse the planted ladder falls, And smoke sulphurous spreads its veil of grey; Like incense from an altar up it rolls, To tell the war-god that a thousand souls Are to his honour sacrificed this day.

swordsnounUS /sɔːrdz/

plural of “sword” — a cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guard

From this reading They mount the ramparts, and they man the walls, Resolved to keep the climbing foe at bay, The hot-mouthed cannon hurl a thousand balls, A thousand swords flash forth to wound and slay.

tellverbUS /tel/

express in words

From this reading Down in the fosse the planted ladder falls, And smoke sulphurous spreads its veil of grey; Like incense from an altar up it rolls, To tell the war-god that a thousand souls Are to his honour sacrificed this day.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Down in the fosse the planted ladder falls, And smoke sulphurous spreads its veil of grey; Like incense from an altar up it rolls, To tell the war-god that a thousand souls Are to his honour sacrificed this day.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE FALL OF JANJALLA.

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading They mount the ramparts, and they man the walls, Resolved to keep the climbing foe at bay, The hot-mouthed cannon hurl a thousand balls, A thousand swords flash forth to wound and slay.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading Down in the fosse the planted ladder falls, And smoke sulphurous spreads its veil of grey; Like incense from an altar up it rolls, To tell the war-god that a thousand souls Are to his honour sacrificed this day.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.

ThoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.

thousandnounUS /ˈθaʊzənd/

the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100

From this reading They mount the ramparts, and they man the walls, Resolved to keep the climbing foe at bay, The hot-mouthed cannon hurl a thousand balls, A thousand swords flash forth to wound and slay.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading They mount the ramparts, and they man the walls, Resolved to keep the climbing foe at bay, The hot-mouthed cannon hurl a thousand balls, A thousand swords flash forth to wound and slay.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading Down in the fosse the planted ladder falls, And smoke sulphurous spreads its veil of grey; Like incense from an altar up it rolls, To tell the war-god that a thousand souls Are to his honour sacrificed this day.

veilnounUS /veɪl/

a garment that covers the head and face

From this reading Down in the fosse the planted ladder falls, And smoke sulphurous spreads its veil of grey; Like incense from an altar up it rolls, To tell the war-god that a thousand souls Are to his honour sacrificed this day.

wallsnounUS /wɔːlz/

plural of “wall” — an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure

From this reading They mount the ramparts, and they man the walls, Resolved to keep the climbing foe at bay, The hot-mouthed cannon hurl a thousand balls, A thousand swords flash forth to wound and slay.

war-god

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

From this reading Down in the fosse the planted ladder falls, And smoke sulphurous spreads its veil of grey; Like incense from an altar up it rolls, To tell the war-god that a thousand souls Are to his honour sacrificed this day.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.

woundnounUS /waʊnd/

an injury to living tissue (especially an injury involving a cut or break in the skin)

From this reading They mount the ramparts, and they man the walls, Resolved to keep the climbing foe at bay, The hot-mouthed cannon hurl a thousand balls, A thousand swords flash forth to wound and slay.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.

yokenounUS /joʊk/

fabric comprising a fitted part at the top of a garment

From this reading Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Oh, red Bellona! he or she, Though fallen your shrines, we bend yet 'neath your yoke; Born later than the Greeks, we seem to be Not much more civilised than were those folk, Instead of spears, and shields, and cutlery, Revolvers, rifles, guns, spit fire and smoke.

Chapter 2 of The Harlequin Opal: A Romance. Vol. 3 (of 3) by Fergus Hume holds 236 sentences, grouped into 48 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 2 of The Harlequin Opal: A Romance. Vol. 3 (of 3) contain?

Chapter 2 holds 236 sentences of The Harlequin Opal: A Romance. Vol. 3 (of 3), unabridged, divided into 48 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of The Harlequin Opal: A Romance. Vol. 3 (of 3) by Fergus Hume exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 236 sentences, grouped into 48 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 2 of The Harlequin Opal: A Romance. Vol. 3 (of 3)?

Work through the 48 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 48 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 2 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 2 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 Harlequin Opal: A Romance. Vol. 3 (of 3)

Common questions about reading The Harlequin Opal: A Romance. Vol. 3 (of 3) by Fergus Hume on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Harlequin Opal: A Romance. Vol. 3 (of 3)?

Yes. All 2524 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #43189 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Harlequin Opal: A Romance. Vol. 3 (of 3) is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #43189, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Harlequin Opal: A Romance. Vol. 3 (of 3) take to read?

About 210 minutes of reading across 505 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Harlequin Opal: A Romance. Vol. 3 (of 3) section by section

How to work through The Harlequin Opal: A Romance. Vol. 3 (of 3) section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 12 chapters of The Harlequin Opal: A Romance. Vol. 3 (of 3) 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 Harlequin Opal: A Romance. Vol. 3 (of 3)

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Harlequin Opal: A Romance. Vol. 3 (of 3), each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Harlequin Opal: A Romance. Vol. 3 (of 3); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Island
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Harlequin Opal: A Romance. Vol. 3 (of 3); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Fantasy
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Harlequin Opal: A Romance. Vol. 3 (of 3); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Aladdin
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Harlequin Opal: A Romance. Vol. 3 (of 3); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.