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The Highwayman
The Highwayman

Chapter XIII · Chapter 13

Chapter 13 of The Highwayman is here in full — 233 sentences across 47 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Highwayman
Context Illustration Reading 1/46 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
SPECTATORS OF PARADISE In the old house on the hill Mrs. Weston sat alone.
She was looking out of the oriel window at a garden of wintry emptiness and wind swept.
The westerly gale roared and moaned, the heavy earth was sodden and beaten into hollows and pools through which broke tiny pale points of snowdrops.
Away beyond the first terrace of lawn the roses bowed and tossed wild arms.
A silvery gleam of sunlight fell on the turf, glistened, and was gone.
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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 Highwayman

Chapter XIII · Chapter 13

Chapter 13 of The Highwayman is here in full — 233 sentences across 47 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/46 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
SPECTATORS OF PARADISE In the old house on the hill Mrs. Weston sat alone.
/ˈspekteɪtərz ʌv ˈperədaɪs ɪn ðə oʊld haʊs ɑːn ðə hɪl ˈmɪsɪz ˈwestən sæt əˈloʊn/
Line 2
She was looking out of the oriel window at a garden of wintry emptiness and wind swept.
Line 3
The westerly gale roared and moaned, the heavy earth was sodden and beaten into hollows and pools through which broke tiny pale points of snowdrops.
Line 4
Away beyond the first terrace of lawn the roses bowed and tossed wild arms.
/əˈweɪ bɪˈɑːnd ðə fɜːrst ˈterəs ʌv lɔːn ðə ˈroʊzɪz baʊd ənd tɔːst waɪld ɑːrmz/
Line 5
A silvery gleam of sunlight fell on the turf, glistened, and was gone.
/ə ˈsɪlvəri ɡliːm ʌv ˈsʌnlaɪt fel ɑːn ðə tɜːrf ˈɡlɪsənd ənd wɑːz ɡɔːn/

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.

emptiness noun US /ˈemptinəs/

the state of containing nothing

From this reading “She was looking out of the oriel window at a garden of wintry emptiness and wind swept.”

glistened verb US /ˈɡlɪsənd/

past form of “glisten” — be shiny, as if wet

From this reading “A silvery gleam of sunlight fell on the turf, glistened, and was gone.”

hollows noun US /ˈhɑːloʊz/

plural of “hollow” — a cavity or space in something

From this reading “The westerly gale roared and moaned, the heavy earth was sodden and beaten into hollows and pools through which broke tiny pale points of snowdrops.”

pools noun US /puːlz/

plural of “pool” — an excavation that is (usually) filled with water

From this reading “The westerly gale roared and moaned, the heavy earth was sodden and beaten into hollows and pools through which broke tiny pale points of snowdrops.”

sodden adjective US /ˈsɑːdən/

wet through and through; thoroughly wet

From this reading “The westerly gale roared and moaned, the heavy earth was sodden and beaten into hollows and pools through which broke tiny pale points of snowdrops.”

westerly adverb US /ˈwestərli/

toward the west

From this reading “The westerly gale roared and moaned, the heavy earth was sodden and beaten into hollows and pools through which broke tiny pale points of snowdrops.”

Weston noun US /ˈwestən/

United States photographer(1886-1958)

From this reading “SPECTATORS OF PARADISE In the old house on the hill Mrs. Weston sat alone.”

wintry adjective US /ˈwɪntri/

characteristic of or occurring in winter

From this reading “She was looking out of the oriel window at a garden of wintry emptiness and wind swept.”

All words in this reading · 62

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 She was looking out of the oriel window at a garden of wintry emptiness and wind swept.

aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading SPECTATORS OF PARADISE In the old house on the hill Mrs. Weston sat alone.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading She was looking out of the oriel window at a garden of wintry emptiness and wind swept.

armsnounUS /ɑːrmz/

weapons considered collectively

From this reading Away beyond the first terrace of lawn the roses bowed and tossed wild arms.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading She was looking out of the oriel window at a garden of wintry emptiness and wind swept.

AwayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

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

From this reading Away beyond the first terrace of lawn the roses bowed and tossed wild arms.

beatenadjectiveUS /ˈbiːtən/

formed or made thin by hammering

From this reading The westerly gale roared and moaned, the heavy earth was sodden and beaten into hollows and pools through which broke tiny pale points of snowdrops.

beyondprepositionUS /bɪˈɑːnd/

on the far side of; further than

From this reading Away beyond the first terrace of lawn the roses bowed and tossed wild arms.

bowedadjectiveUS /baʊd/

of a stringed instrument; sounded by stroking with a bow

From this reading Away beyond the first terrace of lawn the roses bowed and tossed wild arms.

brokeadjectiveUS /broʊk/

lacking funds

From this reading The westerly gale roared and moaned, the heavy earth was sodden and beaten into hollows and pools through which broke tiny pale points of snowdrops.

earthnounUS /ɜːrθ/

the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on

From this reading The westerly gale roared and moaned, the heavy earth was sodden and beaten into hollows and pools through which broke tiny pale points of snowdrops.

emptinessnounUS /ˈemptinəs/

the state of containing nothing

From this reading She was looking out of the oriel window at a garden of wintry emptiness and wind swept.

fellverbUS /fel/

cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow

From this reading A silvery gleam of sunlight fell on the turf, glistened, and was gone.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading Away beyond the first terrace of lawn the roses bowed and tossed wild arms.

galenounUS /ɡeɪl/

a strong wind moving 45-90 knots; force 7 to 10 on Beaufort scale

From this reading The westerly gale roared and moaned, the heavy earth was sodden and beaten into hollows and pools through which broke tiny pale points of snowdrops.

gardennounUS /ˈɡɑːrdən/

a plot of ground where plants are cultivated

From this reading She was looking out of the oriel window at a garden of wintry emptiness and wind swept.

gleamverbUS /ɡliːm/

be shiny, as if wet

From this reading A silvery gleam of sunlight fell on the turf, glistened, and was gone.

glistenedverbUS /ˈɡlɪsənd/

past form of “glisten” — be shiny, as if wet

From this reading A silvery gleam of sunlight fell on the turf, glistened, and was gone.

goneadjectiveUS /ɡɔːn/

destroyed or killed

From this reading A silvery gleam of sunlight fell on the turf, glistened, and was gone.

heavyadjectiveUS /ˈhevi/

of comparatively great physical weight or density

From this reading The westerly gale roared and moaned, the heavy earth was sodden and beaten into hollows and pools through which broke tiny pale points of snowdrops.

hillnounUS /hɪl/

a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading SPECTATORS OF PARADISE In the old house on the hill Mrs. Weston sat alone.

hollowsnounUS /ˈhɑːloʊz/

plural of “hollow” — a cavity or space in something

From this reading The westerly gale roared and moaned, the heavy earth was sodden and beaten into hollows and pools through which broke tiny pale points of snowdrops.

housenounUS /haʊs/

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

From this reading SPECTATORS OF PARADISE In the old house on the hill Mrs. Weston sat alone.

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading SPECTATORS OF PARADISE In the old house on the hill Mrs. Weston sat alone.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading The westerly gale roared and moaned, the heavy earth was sodden and beaten into hollows and pools through which broke tiny pale points of snowdrops.

lawnnounUS /lɔːn/

a field of cultivated and mowed grass

From this reading Away beyond the first terrace of lawn the roses bowed and tossed wild arms.

lookingnounUS /ˈlʊkɪŋ/

the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually

From this reading She was looking out of the oriel window at a garden of wintry emptiness and wind swept.

moanedverbUS /moʊnd/

past form of “moan” — indicate pain, discomfort, or displeasure

From this reading The westerly gale roared and moaned, the heavy earth was sodden and beaten into hollows and pools through which broke tiny pale points of snowdrops.

MrsnounUS /ˈmɪsɪz/

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading SPECTATORS OF PARADISE In the old house on the hill Mrs. Weston sat alone.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading SPECTATORS OF PARADISE In the old house on the hill Mrs. Weston sat alone.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading SPECTATORS OF PARADISE In the old house on the hill Mrs. Weston sat alone.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading SPECTATORS OF PARADISE In the old house on the hill Mrs. Weston sat alone.

orielnoun

a projecting bay window corbeled or cantilevered out from a wall

From this reading She was looking out of the oriel window at a garden of wintry emptiness and wind swept.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading She was looking out of the oriel window at a garden of wintry emptiness and wind swept.

paleadjectiveUS /peɪl/

very light colored; highly diluted with white

From this reading The westerly gale roared and moaned, the heavy earth was sodden and beaten into hollows and pools through which broke tiny pale points of snowdrops.

PARADISEnounUS /ˈperədaɪs/

any place of complete bliss and delight and peace

From this reading SPECTATORS OF PARADISE In the old house on the hill Mrs. Weston sat alone.

pointsnounUS /pɔɪnts/

plural of “point” — a geometric element that has position but no extension

From this reading The westerly gale roared and moaned, the heavy earth was sodden and beaten into hollows and pools through which broke tiny pale points of snowdrops.

poolsnounUS /puːlz/

plural of “pool” — an excavation that is (usually) filled with water

From this reading The westerly gale roared and moaned, the heavy earth was sodden and beaten into hollows and pools through which broke tiny pale points of snowdrops.

roaredverbUS /rɔːrd/

past form of “roar” — make a loud noise, as of wind, water, or vehicles

From this reading The westerly gale roared and moaned, the heavy earth was sodden and beaten into hollows and pools through which broke tiny pale points of snowdrops.

rosesnounUS /ˈroʊzɪz/

plural of “rose” — any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses

From this reading Away beyond the first terrace of lawn the roses bowed and tossed wild arms.

satnounUS /sæt/

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading SPECTATORS OF PARADISE In the old house on the hill Mrs. Weston sat alone.

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading She was looking out of the oriel window at a garden of wintry emptiness and wind swept.

silveryadjectiveUS /ˈsɪlvəri/

resembling or reminiscent of silver

From this reading A silvery gleam of sunlight fell on the turf, glistened, and was gone.

snowdrops

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

From this reading The westerly gale roared and moaned, the heavy earth was sodden and beaten into hollows and pools through which broke tiny pale points of snowdrops.

soddenadjectiveUS /ˈsɑːdən/

wet through and through; thoroughly wet

From this reading The westerly gale roared and moaned, the heavy earth was sodden and beaten into hollows and pools through which broke tiny pale points of snowdrops.

SPECTATORSnounUS /ˈspekteɪtərz/

plural of “spectator” — a close observer; someone who looks at something (such as an exhibition of some kind)

From this reading SPECTATORS OF PARADISE In the old house on the hill Mrs. Weston sat alone.

sunlightnounUS /ˈsʌnlaɪt/

the rays of the sun

From this reading A silvery gleam of sunlight fell on the turf, glistened, and was gone.

sweptadjectiveUS /swept/

possessing sweep

From this reading She was looking out of the oriel window at a garden of wintry emptiness and wind swept.

terracenounUS /ˈterəs/

usually paved outdoor area adjoining a residence

From this reading Away beyond the first terrace of lawn the roses bowed and tossed wild arms.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading SPECTATORS OF PARADISE In the old house on the hill Mrs. Weston sat alone.

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading The westerly gale roared and moaned, the heavy earth was sodden and beaten into hollows and pools through which broke tiny pale points of snowdrops.

tinyadjectiveUS /ˈtaɪni/

very small

From this reading The westerly gale roared and moaned, the heavy earth was sodden and beaten into hollows and pools through which broke tiny pale points of snowdrops.

tossedverbUS /tɔːst/

past form of “toss” — throw or toss with a light motion

From this reading Away beyond the first terrace of lawn the roses bowed and tossed wild arms.

turfnounUS /tɜːrf/

surface layer of ground containing a mat of grass and grass roots

From this reading A silvery gleam of sunlight fell on the turf, glistened, and was gone.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading She was looking out of the oriel window at a garden of wintry emptiness and wind swept.

westerlyadverbUS /ˈwestərli/

toward the west

From this reading The westerly gale roared and moaned, the heavy earth was sodden and beaten into hollows and pools through which broke tiny pale points of snowdrops.

WestonnounUS /ˈwestən/

United States photographer(1886-1958)

From this reading SPECTATORS OF PARADISE In the old house on the hill Mrs. Weston sat alone.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading The westerly gale roared and moaned, the heavy earth was sodden and beaten into hollows and pools through which broke tiny pale points of snowdrops.

wildadjectiveUS /waɪld/

marked by extreme lack of restraint or control

From this reading Away beyond the first terrace of lawn the roses bowed and tossed wild arms.

windnounUS /waɪnd/

air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure

From this reading She was looking out of the oriel window at a garden of wintry emptiness and wind swept.

windownounUS /ˈwɪndoʊ/

a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air

From this reading She was looking out of the oriel window at a garden of wintry emptiness and wind swept.

wintryadjectiveUS /ˈwɪntri/

characteristic of or occurring in winter

From this reading She was looking out of the oriel window at a garden of wintry emptiness and wind swept.

Chapter 13 of The Highwayman by H. C. (Henry Christopher) Bailey holds 233 sentences, grouped into 47 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 13 of The Highwayman contain?

Chapter 13 holds 233 sentences of The Highwayman, unabridged, divided into 47 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 13 of The Highwayman by H. C. (Henry Christopher) Bailey exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 233 sentences, grouped into 47 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 13 of The Highwayman?

Work through the 47 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 47 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 13 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 13 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 Highwayman

Common questions about reading The Highwayman by H. C. (Henry Christopher) Bailey on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Highwayman?

Yes. All 6421 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #9749 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Highwayman is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #9749, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Highwayman take to read?

About 535 minutes of reading across 1285 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Highwayman section by section

How to work through The Highwayman section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 30 chapters of The Highwayman 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 Highwayman

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Highwayman, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Waverton
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Highwayman; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Least
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Highwayman; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Unusual
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Highwayman; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Unhappily
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Highwayman; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.