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The Historical Nights' Entertainment
The Historical Nights' Entertainment

Chapter XXIV · Chapter 24

Chapter 24 of The Historical Nights' Entertainment is here in full — 173 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Historical Nights' Entertainment
Context Illustration Reading 1/34 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Ah, but the price, my dear,” she sobbed.
Price?” quoth he in sudden, fierce contempt.
What price is too great to pay for life?
Does this Rhynsault want all our wealth, then yield it to him yield it so that I may live--” Should I have hesitated had it been but that?” she interrupted.
And then she told him, whilst he sat there hunched and shuddering.
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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 Historical Nights' Entertainment

Chapter XXIV · Chapter 24

Chapter 24 of The Historical Nights' Entertainment is here in full — 173 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/34 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Ah, but the price, my dear,” she sobbed.
Line 2
Price?” quoth he in sudden, fierce contempt.
Line 3
What price is too great to pay for life?
/wʌt praɪs ɪz tuː ɡreɪt tuː peɪ fɔːr laɪf/
Line 4
Does this Rhynsault want all our wealth, then yield it to him yield it so that I may live--” “Should I have hesitated had it been but that?” she interrupted.
Line 5
And then she told him, whilst he sat there hunched and shuddering.
/ənd ðen ʃiː toʊld hɪm waɪlst hiː sæt ðer hʌntʃt ənd ˈʃʌdərɪŋ/

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.

contempt noun US /kənˈtempt/

lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike

From this reading ““Price?” quoth he in sudden, fierce contempt.”

fierce adjective US /fɪrs/

marked by extreme and violent energy

From this reading ““Price?” quoth he in sudden, fierce contempt.”

hesitated verb US /ˈhezɪteɪtɪd/

past form of “hesitate” — pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness

From this reading “Does this Rhynsault want all our wealth, then yield it to him yield it so that I may live--” “Should I have hesitated had it been but that?” she interrupted.”

hunched adjective US /hʌntʃt/

having the back and shoulders rounded; not erect

From this reading “And then she told him, whilst he sat there hunched and shuddering.”

shuddering adjective US /ˈʃʌdərɪŋ/

shaking convulsively or violently

From this reading “And then she told him, whilst he sat there hunched and shuddering.”

sobbed verb US /sɑːbd/

inflected form of “sob” — weep convulsively

From this reading ““Ah, but the price, my dear,” she sobbed.”

whilst conjunction US /waɪlst/

an old and formal word for “while”

From this reading “And then she told him, whilst he sat there hunched and shuddering.”

yield verb US /jiːld/

be the cause or source of

From this reading “Does this Rhynsault want all our wealth, then yield it to him yield it so that I may live--” “Should I have hesitated had it been but that?” she interrupted.”

All words in this reading · 51

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.

Ah

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

From this reading “Ah, but the price, my dear,” she sobbed.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading Does this Rhynsault want all our wealth, then yield it to him yield it so that I may live--” “Should I have hesitated had it been but that?” she interrupted.

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading And then she told him, whilst he sat there hunched and shuddering.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Does this Rhynsault want all our wealth, then yield it to him yield it so that I may live--” “Should I have hesitated had it been but that?” she interrupted.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading “Ah, but the price, my dear,” she sobbed.

contemptnounUS /kənˈtempt/

lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike

From this reading “Price?” quoth he in sudden, fierce contempt.

dearadjectiveUS /dɪr/

dearly loved

From this reading “Ah, but the price, my dear,” she sobbed.

Doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/

the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Does this Rhynsault want all our wealth, then yield it to him yield it so that I may live--” “Should I have hesitated had it been but that?” she interrupted.

fierceadjectiveUS /fɪrs/

marked by extreme and violent energy

From this reading “Price?” quoth he in sudden, fierce contempt.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading “What price is too great to pay for life?

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

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

From this reading “What price is too great to pay for life?

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Does this Rhynsault want all our wealth, then yield it to him yield it so that I may live--” “Should I have hesitated had it been but that?” she interrupted.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Does this Rhynsault want all our wealth, then yield it to him yield it so that I may live--” “Should I have hesitated had it been but that?” she interrupted.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading “Price?” quoth he in sudden, fierce contempt.

hesitatedverbUS /ˈhezɪteɪtɪd/

past form of “hesitate” — pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness

From this reading Does this Rhynsault want all our wealth, then yield it to him yield it so that I may live--” “Should I have hesitated had it been but that?” she interrupted.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading Does this Rhynsault want all our wealth, then yield it to him yield it so that I may live--” “Should I have hesitated had it been but that?” she interrupted.

hunchedadjectiveUS /hʌntʃt/

having the back and shoulders rounded; not erect

From this reading And then she told him, whilst he sat there hunched and shuddering.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading Does this Rhynsault want all our wealth, then yield it to him yield it so that I may live--” “Should I have hesitated had it been but that?” she interrupted.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading “Price?” quoth he in sudden, fierce contempt.

interruptedadjectiveUS /ˌɪntərˈʌptɪd/

discontinued temporarily

From this reading Does this Rhynsault want all our wealth, then yield it to him yield it so that I may live--” “Should I have hesitated had it been but that?” she interrupted.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading “What price is too great to pay for life?

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Does this Rhynsault want all our wealth, then yield it to him yield it so that I may live--” “Should I have hesitated had it been but that?” she interrupted.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading “What price is too great to pay for life?

liveverbUS /laɪv/

be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading Does this Rhynsault want all our wealth, then yield it to him yield it so that I may live--” “Should I have hesitated had it been but that?” she interrupted.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading Does this Rhynsault want all our wealth, then yield it to him yield it so that I may live--” “Should I have hesitated had it been but that?” she interrupted.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading “Ah, but the price, my dear,” she sobbed.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading Does this Rhynsault want all our wealth, then yield it to him yield it so that I may live--” “Should I have hesitated had it been but that?” she interrupted.

payverbUS /peɪ/

give money, usually in exchange for goods or services

From this reading “What price is too great to pay for life?

pricenounUS /praɪs/

the property of having material worth (often indicated by the amount of money something would bring if sold)

From this reading “Ah, but the price, my dear,” she sobbed.

quoth

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

From this reading “Price?” quoth he in sudden, fierce contempt.

Rhynsault

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

From this reading Does this Rhynsault want all our wealth, then yield it to him yield it so that I may live--” “Should I have hesitated had it been but that?” she interrupted.

satnounUS /sæt/

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

From this reading And then she told him, whilst he sat there hunched and shuddering.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading “Ah, but the price, my dear,” she sobbed.

Shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading Does this Rhynsault want all our wealth, then yield it to him yield it so that I may live--” “Should I have hesitated had it been but that?” she interrupted.

shudderingadjectiveUS /ˈʃʌdərɪŋ/

shaking convulsively or violently

From this reading And then she told him, whilst he sat there hunched and shuddering.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Does this Rhynsault want all our wealth, then yield it to him yield it so that I may live--” “Should I have hesitated had it been but that?” she interrupted.

sobbedverbUS /sɑːbd/

inflected form of “sob” — weep convulsively

From this reading “Ah, but the price, my dear,” she sobbed.

suddenadjectiveUS /ˈsʌdən/

happening without warning or in a short space of time

From this reading “Price?” quoth he in sudden, fierce contempt.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Does this Rhynsault want all our wealth, then yield it to him yield it so that I may live--” “Should I have hesitated had it been but that?” she interrupted.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading “Ah, but the price, my dear,” she sobbed.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Does this Rhynsault want all our wealth, then yield it to him yield it so that I may live--” “Should I have hesitated had it been but that?” she interrupted.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading And then she told him, whilst he sat there hunched and shuddering.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading Does this Rhynsault want all our wealth, then yield it to him yield it so that I may live--” “Should I have hesitated had it been but that?” she interrupted.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading “What price is too great to pay for life?

toldverbUS /toʊld/

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading And then she told him, whilst he sat there hunched and shuddering.

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading “What price is too great to pay for life?

wantverbUS /wɑːnt/

feel or have a desire for; want strongly

From this reading Does this Rhynsault want all our wealth, then yield it to him yield it so that I may live--” “Should I have hesitated had it been but that?” she interrupted.

wealthnounUS /welθ/

the state of being rich and affluent; having a plentiful supply of material goods and money

From this reading Does this Rhynsault want all our wealth, then yield it to him yield it so that I may live--” “Should I have hesitated had it been but that?” she interrupted.

WhatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading “What price is too great to pay for life?

whilstconjunctionUS /waɪlst/

an old and formal word for “while”

From this reading And then she told him, whilst he sat there hunched and shuddering.

yieldverbUS /jiːld/

be the cause or source of

From this reading Does this Rhynsault want all our wealth, then yield it to him yield it so that I may live--” “Should I have hesitated had it been but that?” she interrupted.

Chapter 24 of The Historical Nights' Entertainment by Rafael Sabatini holds 173 sentences, grouped into 35 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.

What does chapter 24 of The Historical Nights' Entertainment contain?

Chapter 24 holds 173 sentences of The Historical Nights' Entertainment, unabridged, divided into 35 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 24 of The Historical Nights' Entertainment by Rafael Sabatini exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 173 sentences, grouped into 35 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 24 of The Historical Nights' Entertainment?

Work through the 35 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 35 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 24 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 24 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 Historical Nights' Entertainment

Common questions about reading The Historical Nights' Entertainment by Rafael Sabatini on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Historical Nights' Entertainment?

Yes. All 5642 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2636 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Historical Nights' Entertainment is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #2636, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Historical Nights' Entertainment take to read?

About 470 minutes of reading across 1129 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Historical Nights' Entertainment section by section

How to work through The Historical Nights' Entertainment section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 31 chapters of The Historical Nights' Entertainment 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 Historical Nights' Entertainment

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Historical Nights' Entertainment, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Approaching
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Historical Nights' Entertainment; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Historical
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Historical Nights' Entertainment; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Nights'
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Historical Nights' Entertainment; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Entertainment
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Historical Nights' Entertainment; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.