Chapter 16 of The Historical Nights' Entertainment is here in full — 179 sentences across 36 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XVI
Chapter 16 of The Historical Nights' Entertainment is here in full — 179 sentences across 36 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Nevers was the first to answer. “There is no other way,” he said stiffly, “but that which Her Majesty advises. The danger is grave. If it is to be averted, action must be prompt and effective.” Tavannes clasped his hands behind him and said much the same, as did presently the Chancellor.
Chapter 16 of The Historical Nights' Entertainment is here in full — 179 sentences across 36 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/35 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
third-person singular of “advise” — give advice to
From this reading ““There is no other way,” he said stiffly, “but that which Her Majesty advises.”
past form of “avert” — prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening
From this reading “If it is to be averted, action must be prompt and effective.””
the British cabinet minister responsible for finance
From this reading “Tavannes clasped his hands behind him and said much the same, as did presently the Chancellor.”
past form of “clasp” — hold firmly and tightly
From this reading “Tavannes clasped his hands behind him and said much the same, as did presently the Chancellor.”
producing or capable of producing an intended result or having a striking effect
From this reading “If it is to be averted, action must be prompt and effective.””
impressiveness in scale or proportion
From this reading ““There is no other way,” he said stiffly, “but that which Her Majesty advises.”
give an incentive for action
From this reading “If it is to be averted, action must be prompt and effective.””
in a stiff manner
From this reading ““There is no other way,” he said stiffly, “but that which Her Majesty advises.”
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.
something done (usually as opposed to something said)
From this reading If it is to be averted, action must be prompt and effective.”
third-person singular of “advise” — give advice to
From this reading “There is no other way,” he said stiffly, “but that which Her Majesty advises.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading If it is to be averted, action must be prompt and effective.”
react verbally
From this reading Nevers was the first to answer.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Tavannes clasped his hands behind him and said much the same, as did presently the Chancellor.
past form of “avert” — prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening
From this reading If it is to be averted, action must be prompt and effective.”
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading If it is to be averted, action must be prompt and effective.”
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Tavannes clasped his hands behind him and said much the same, as did presently the Chancellor.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “There is no other way,” he said stiffly, “but that which Her Majesty advises.
the British cabinet minister responsible for finance
From this reading Tavannes clasped his hands behind him and said much the same, as did presently the Chancellor.
past form of “clasp” — hold firmly and tightly
From this reading Tavannes clasped his hands behind him and said much the same, as did presently the Chancellor.
the condition of being susceptible to harm or injury
From this reading The danger is grave.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Tavannes clasped his hands behind him and said much the same, as did presently the Chancellor.
producing or capable of producing an intended result or having a striking effect
From this reading If it is to be averted, action must be prompt and effective.”
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Nevers was the first to answer.
death of a person
From this reading The danger is grave.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading Tavannes clasped his hands behind him and said much the same, as did presently the Chancellor.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “There is no other way,” he said stiffly, “but that which Her Majesty advises.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading “There is no other way,” he said stiffly, “but that which Her Majesty advises.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Tavannes clasped his hands behind him and said much the same, as did presently the Chancellor.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Tavannes clasped his hands behind him and said much the same, as did presently the Chancellor.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If it is to be averted, action must be prompt and effective.”
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “There is no other way,” he said stiffly, “but that which Her Majesty advises.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading If it is to be averted, action must be prompt and effective.”
impressiveness in scale or proportion
From this reading “There is no other way,” he said stiffly, “but that which Her Majesty advises.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Tavannes clasped his hands behind him and said much the same, as did presently the Chancellor.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading If it is to be averted, action must be prompt and effective.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nevers was the first to answer.
not any; not one
From this reading “There is no other way,” he said stiffly, “but that which Her Majesty advises.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading “There is no other way,” he said stiffly, “but that which Her Majesty advises.
in the near future
From this reading Tavannes clasped his hands behind him and said much the same, as did presently the Chancellor.
give an incentive for action
From this reading If it is to be averted, action must be prompt and effective.”
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “There is no other way,” he said stiffly, “but that which Her Majesty advises.
Identical; not different.
From this reading Tavannes clasped his hands behind him and said much the same, as did presently the Chancellor.
in a stiff manner
From this reading “There is no other way,” he said stiffly, “but that which Her Majesty advises.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tavannes clasped his hands behind him and said much the same, as did presently the Chancellor.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “There is no other way,” he said stiffly, “but that which Her Majesty advises.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Nevers was the first to answer.
in or at that place or location
From this reading “There is no other way,” he said stiffly, “but that which Her Majesty advises.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Nevers was the first to answer.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Nevers was the first to answer.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading “There is no other way,” he said stiffly, “but that which Her Majesty advises.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading “There is no other way,” he said stiffly, “but that which Her Majesty advises.
Chapter 16 of The Historical Nights' Entertainment by Rafael Sabatini holds 179 sentences, grouped into 36 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
Chapter 16 holds 179 sentences of The Historical Nights' Entertainment, unabridged, divided into 36 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 16 of The Historical Nights' Entertainment by Rafael Sabatini exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 179 sentences, grouped into 36 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 36 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 36 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 16 can be played aloud in United States English.
Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.
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Yes. All 5642 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2636 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #2636, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 470 minutes of reading across 1129 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Historical Nights' Entertainment section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 31 chapters of The Historical Nights' Entertainment to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in The Historical Nights' Entertainment, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
