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The Hermit Of ——— Street 1898
The Hermit Of ——— Street 1898

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of The Hermit Of ——— Street 1898 is here in full — 160 sentences across 32 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/32 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
I was too young to reason in those days.
Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.
That the recognition of this fact imposed upon me two almost irreconcilable duties I was slower to perceive.
But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.
That I might have time to think, and that I might be saved, if but for one day, contact with one it was almost my duty to hate, I came back to him with the plea that I might spend the day with the Vandykes instead of accompanying him down town as usual.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Hermit Of ——— Street 1898

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of The Hermit Of ——— Street 1898 is here in full — 160 sentences across 32 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/32 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
I was too young to reason in those days.
/aɪ wɑːz tuː jʌŋ tuː ˈriːzən ɪn ðoʊz deɪz/
Line 2
Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.
/hæd aɪ nɑːt bɪn hæd aɪ bɪn ˈeɪbəl tuː seɪ tuː ˌmaɪˈself ðæt noʊ ækt riˈkwaɪərɪŋ sʌtʃ kənˈtɪnjuːd priˈkɔːʃən kʊd teɪk pleɪs ɪn ðə hɑːrt ʌv ə ɡreɪt ˈsɪti wɪˈθaʊt ˈʌltəmət ɪf nɑːt ˈɪnstənt dɪˈtekʃən ˈɪnstɪŋkt wʊd stɪl hæv əˈʃʊrd miː ðæt wʌt aɪ red wɑːz truː ˌhaʊˈevər ˌɪmˈprɑːbəbəl ɔːr ənˈhɜːrd ʌv ɪt maɪt siːm/
Line 3
That the recognition of this fact imposed upon me two almost irreconcilable duties I was slower to perceive.
/ðæt ðə ˌrekəɡˈnɪʃən ʌv ðɪs fækt ˌɪmˈpoʊzd əˈpɑːn miː tuː ˈɔːlmoʊst ˌɪˈrekənsaɪləbəl ˈduːtiz aɪ wɑːz ˈsloʊər tuː pərˈsiːv/
Line 4
But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.
/bʌt suːn tuː suːn ɪt bɪˈkeɪm əˈperənt ˈiːvɪn tuː maɪ ˈɡɜːrlɪʃ maɪnd ðæt æz ðə waɪf ʌv ðə mæn huː hæd kəˈmɪtɪd ðɪs ɡreɪt ənd ˌɪnkənˈsiːvəbəl rɔːŋ aɪ wɑːz baʊnd nɑːt ˈoʊnli tuː meɪk æn ˌɪˈmiːdiːət əˈtempt tuː riˈliːs ðə ˈwɪmən hiː soʊ ˌaʊˈtreɪdʒəsli held ˌɪmˈprɪzənd ɪn ðer oʊn haʊs bʌt tuː soʊ riˈliːs ðem ðæt hiː ʃʊd ɪˈskeɪp ðə əˈproʊbriəm ʌv hɪz oʊn ækt/
Line 5
That I might have time to think, and that I might be saved, if but for one day, contact with one it was almost my duty to hate, I came back to him with the plea that I might spend the day with the Vandykes instead of accompanying him down town as usual.

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.

detection noun US /dɪˈtekʃən/

the perception that something has occurred or some state exists

From this reading “Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.”

inconceivable adjective US /ˌɪnkənˈsiːvəbəl/

totally unlikely

From this reading “But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.”

irreconcilable adjective US /ˌɪˈrekənsaɪləbəl/

impossible to reconcile

From this reading “That the recognition of this fact imposed upon me two almost irreconcilable duties I was slower to perceive.”

opprobrium noun US /əˈproʊbriəm/

state of disgrace resulting from public abuse

From this reading “But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.”

outrageously adverb US /ˌaʊˈtreɪdʒəsli/

in a very offensive manner

From this reading “But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.”

requiring verb US /riˈkwaɪərɪŋ/

-ing form of “require” — require as useful, just, or proper

From this reading “Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.”

slower adverb US /ˈsloʊər/

more slowly

From this reading “That the recognition of this fact imposed upon me two almost irreconcilable duties I was slower to perceive.”

unheard adjective US /ənˈhɜːrd/

not necessarily inaudible but not heard

From this reading “Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.”

All words in this reading · 122

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 Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

ableadjectiveUS /ˈeɪbəl/

(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

accompanyingadjectiveUS /əˈkʌmpəniɪŋ/

occurring with or following as a consequence

From this reading That I might have time to think, and that I might be saved, if but for one day, contact with one it was almost my duty to hate, I came back to him with the plea that I might spend the day with the Vandykes instead of accompanying him down town as usual.

actverbUS /ækt/

perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

almostadverbUS /ˈɔːlmoʊst/

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading That the recognition of this fact imposed upon me two almost irreconcilable duties I was slower to perceive.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.

apparentadjectiveUS /əˈperənt/

clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment

From this reading But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.

assuredadjectiveUS /əˈʃʊrd/

marked by assurance; exhibiting confidence

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

attemptnounUS /əˈtempt/

earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something

From this reading But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading That I might have time to think, and that I might be saved, if but for one day, contact with one it was almost my duty to hate, I came back to him with the plea that I might spend the day with the Vandykes instead of accompanying him down town as usual.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading That I might have time to think, and that I might be saved, if but for one day, contact with one it was almost my duty to hate, I came back to him with the plea that I might spend the day with the Vandykes instead of accompanying him down town as usual.

becameverbUS /bɪˈkeɪm/

inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

boundadjectiveUS /baʊnd/

confined by bonds

From this reading But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

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

From this reading That I might have time to think, and that I might be saved, if but for one day, contact with one it was almost my duty to hate, I came back to him with the plea that I might spend the day with the Vandykes instead of accompanying him down town as usual.

citynounUS /ˈsɪti/

a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

committedadjectiveUS /kəˈmɪtɪd/

bound or obligated, as under a pledge to a particular cause, action, or attitude

From this reading But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.

contactnounUS /ˈkɑːntækt/

close interaction

From this reading That I might have time to think, and that I might be saved, if but for one day, contact with one it was almost my duty to hate, I came back to him with the plea that I might spend the day with the Vandykes instead of accompanying him down town as usual.

continuedadjectiveUS /kənˈtɪnjuːd/

without stop or interruption

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading That I might have time to think, and that I might be saved, if but for one day, contact with one it was almost my duty to hate, I came back to him with the plea that I might spend the day with the Vandykes instead of accompanying him down town as usual.

daysnounUS /deɪz/

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading I was too young to reason in those days.

detectionnounUS /dɪˈtekʃən/

the perception that something has occurred or some state exists

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading That I might have time to think, and that I might be saved, if but for one day, contact with one it was almost my duty to hate, I came back to him with the plea that I might spend the day with the Vandykes instead of accompanying him down town as usual.

dutiesnounUS /ˈduːtiz/

plural of “duty” — the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force

From this reading That the recognition of this fact imposed upon me two almost irreconcilable duties I was slower to perceive.

dutynounUS /ˈduːti/

the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force

From this reading That I might have time to think, and that I might be saved, if but for one day, contact with one it was almost my duty to hate, I came back to him with the plea that I might spend the day with the Vandykes instead of accompanying him down town as usual.

escapenounUS /ɪˈskeɪp/

the act of escaping physically

From this reading But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.

evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.

factnounUS /fækt/

a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred

From this reading That the recognition of this fact imposed upon me two almost irreconcilable duties I was slower to perceive.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading That I might have time to think, and that I might be saved, if but for one day, contact with one it was almost my duty to hate, I came back to him with the plea that I might spend the day with the Vandykes instead of accompanying him down town as usual.

girlishadjectiveUS /ˈɡɜːrlɪʃ/

befitting or characteristic of a young girl

From this reading But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

Hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

hatenounUS /heɪt/

the emotion of intense dislike; a feeling of dislike so strong that it demands action

From this reading That I might have time to think, and that I might be saved, if but for one day, contact with one it was almost my duty to hate, I came back to him with the plea that I might spend the day with the Vandykes instead of accompanying him down town as usual.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.

heartnounUS /hɑːrt/

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

heldadjectiveUS /held/

occupied or in the control of; often used in combination

From this reading But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading That I might have time to think, and that I might be saved, if but for one day, contact with one it was almost my duty to hate, I came back to him with the plea that I might spend the day with the Vandykes instead of accompanying him down town as usual.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.

housenounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.

howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I was too young to reason in those days.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

immediateadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈmiːdiːət/

of the present time and place

From this reading But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.

imposedadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpoʊzd/

set forth authoritatively as obligatory

From this reading That the recognition of this fact imposed upon me two almost irreconcilable duties I was slower to perceive.

imprisonedadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈprɪzənd/

being in captivity

From this reading But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.

improbableadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈprɑːbəbəl/

not likely to be true or to occur or to have occurred

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading I was too young to reason in those days.

inconceivableadjectiveUS /ˌɪnkənˈsiːvəbəl/

totally unlikely

From this reading But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.

instantnounUS /ˈɪnstənt/

a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

insteadadverbUS /ˌɪnˈsted/

in place of, or as an alternative to

From this reading That I might have time to think, and that I might be saved, if but for one day, contact with one it was almost my duty to hate, I came back to him with the plea that I might spend the day with the Vandykes instead of accompanying him down town as usual.

instinctnounUS /ˈɪnstɪŋkt/

inborn pattern of behavior often responsive to specific stimuli

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

irreconcilableadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈrekənsaɪləbəl/

impossible to reconcile

From this reading That the recognition of this fact imposed upon me two almost irreconcilable duties I was slower to perceive.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.

mannounUS /mæn/

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

From this reading But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.

myselfpronounUS /ˌmaɪˈself/

used when the speaker is also the object of the action

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading That I might have time to think, and that I might be saved, if but for one day, contact with one it was almost my duty to hate, I came back to him with the plea that I might spend the day with the Vandykes instead of accompanying him down town as usual.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.

opprobriumnounUS /əˈproʊbriəm/

state of disgrace resulting from public abuse

From this reading But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

outrageouslyadverbUS /ˌaʊˈtreɪdʒəsli/

in a very offensive manner

From this reading But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.

perceiveverbUS /pərˈsiːv/

to become aware of through the senses

From this reading That the recognition of this fact imposed upon me two almost irreconcilable duties I was slower to perceive.

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

pleanounUS /pliː/

a humble request for help from someone in authority

From this reading That I might have time to think, and that I might be saved, if but for one day, contact with one it was almost my duty to hate, I came back to him with the plea that I might spend the day with the Vandykes instead of accompanying him down town as usual.

precautionnounUS /priˈkɔːʃən/

a precautionary measure warding off impending danger or damage or injury etc.

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

readverbUS /red/

interpret something that is written or printed

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

reasonnounUS /ˈriːzən/

a rational motive for a belief or action

From this reading I was too young to reason in those days.

recognitionnounUS /ˌrekəɡˈnɪʃən/

the state or quality of being recognized or acknowledged

From this reading That the recognition of this fact imposed upon me two almost irreconcilable duties I was slower to perceive.

releaseverbUS /riˈliːs/

release, as from one's grip

From this reading But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.

requiringverbUS /riˈkwaɪərɪŋ/

-ing form of “require” — require as useful, just, or proper

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

savedadjectiveUS /seɪvd/

rescued; especially from the power and consequences of sin

From this reading That I might have time to think, and that I might be saved, if but for one day, contact with one it was almost my duty to hate, I came back to him with the plea that I might spend the day with the Vandykes instead of accompanying him down town as usual.

sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

seemverbUS /siːm/

give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.

sloweradverbUS /ˈsloʊər/

more slowly

From this reading That the recognition of this fact imposed upon me two almost irreconcilable duties I was slower to perceive.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.

soonadverbUS /suːn/

in the near future

From this reading But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.

spendverbUS /spend/

use up a period of time in a specific way

From this reading That I might have time to think, and that I might be saved, if but for one day, contact with one it was almost my duty to hate, I came back to him with the plea that I might spend the day with the Vandykes instead of accompanying him down town as usual.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

takeverbUS /teɪk/

carry out

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.

thinkverbUS /θɪŋk/

judge or regard; look upon; judge

From this reading That I might have time to think, and that I might be saved, if but for one day, contact with one it was almost my duty to hate, I came back to him with the plea that I might spend the day with the Vandykes instead of accompanying him down town as usual.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading That the recognition of this fact imposed upon me two almost irreconcilable duties I was slower to perceive.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

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

From this reading I was too young to reason in those days.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading That I might have time to think, and that I might be saved, if but for one day, contact with one it was almost my duty to hate, I came back to him with the plea that I might spend the day with the Vandykes instead of accompanying him down town as usual.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading I was too young to reason in those days.

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading I was too young to reason in those days.

townnounUS /taʊn/

an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city

From this reading That I might have time to think, and that I might be saved, if but for one day, contact with one it was almost my duty to hate, I came back to him with the plea that I might spend the day with the Vandykes instead of accompanying him down town as usual.

trueadjectiveUS /truː/

consistent with fact or reality; not false

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading That the recognition of this fact imposed upon me two almost irreconcilable duties I was slower to perceive.

ultimateadjectiveUS /ˈʌltəmət/

furthest or highest in degree or order; utmost or extreme

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

unheardadjectiveUS /ənˈhɜːrd/

not necessarily inaudible but not heard

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading That the recognition of this fact imposed upon me two almost irreconcilable duties I was slower to perceive.

usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/

occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure

From this reading That I might have time to think, and that I might be saved, if but for one day, contact with one it was almost my duty to hate, I came back to him with the plea that I might spend the day with the Vandykes instead of accompanying him down town as usual.

Vandykes

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

From this reading That I might have time to think, and that I might be saved, if but for one day, contact with one it was almost my duty to hate, I came back to him with the plea that I might spend the day with the Vandykes instead of accompanying him down town as usual.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading I was too young to reason in those days.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.

wifenounUS /waɪf/

a married woman; a man's partner in marriage

From this reading But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading That I might have time to think, and that I might be saved, if but for one day, contact with one it was almost my duty to hate, I came back to him with the plea that I might spend the day with the Vandykes instead of accompanying him down town as usual.

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

womennounUS /ˈwɪmən/

plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading Had I not been, had I been able to say to myself that no act requiring such continued precaution could take place in the heart of a great city without ultimate, if not instant, detection, instinct would still have assured me that what I read was true, however improbable or unheard of it might seem.

wrongadjectiveUS /rɔːŋ/

not correct; not in conformity with fact or truth

From this reading But soon, too soon, it became apparent even to my girlish mind, that, as the wife of the man who had committed this great and inconceivable wrong, I was bound, not only to make an immediate attempt to release the women he so outrageously held imprisoned in their own house, but to so release them that he should escape the opprobrium of his own act.

youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading I was too young to reason in those days.

Chapter 5 of The Hermit Of ——— Street 1898 by Anna Katharine Green holds 160 sentences, grouped into 32 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 5 of The Hermit Of ——— Street 1898 contain?

Chapter 5 holds 160 sentences of The Hermit Of ——— Street 1898, unabridged, divided into 32 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 5 of The Hermit Of ——— Street 1898 by Anna Katharine Green exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 160 sentences, grouped into 32 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 5 of The Hermit Of ——— Street 1898?

Work through the 32 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 32 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 5 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 5 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 Hermit Of ——— Street 1898

Common questions about reading The Hermit Of ——— Street 1898 by Anna Katharine Green on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Hermit Of ——— Street 1898?

Yes. All 652 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #22809 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Hermit Of ——— Street 1898 is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #22809, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Hermit Of ——— Street 1898 take to read?

About 54 minutes of reading across 131 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Hermit Of ——— Street 1898 section by section

How to work through The Hermit Of ——— Street 1898 section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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    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 Hermit Of ——— Street 1898

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Hermit Of ——— Street 1898, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Brilliant
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Hermit Of ——— Street 1898; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Interesting
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Hermit Of ——— Street 1898; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Sights
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Hermit Of ——— Street 1898; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Constantly
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Hermit Of ——— Street 1898; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.