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The House of Souls
The House of Souls

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of The House of Souls is here in full — 415 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The House of Souls
Context Illustration Reading 1/83 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
'So with the sinners, as with the saints.
If you met a very evil man, and recognized his evil; he would, no doubt, fill you with horror and awe; but there is no reason why you should "dislike" him.
On the contrary, it is quite possible that if you could succeed in putting the sin out of your mind you might find the sinner capital company, and in a little while you might have to reason yourself back into horror.
Still, how awful it is.
If the roses and the lilies suddenly sang on this coming morning; if the furniture began to move in procession, as in De Maupassant's tale!'
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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 House of Souls

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of The House of Souls is here in full — 415 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/83 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
'So with the sinners, as with the saints.
/soʊ wɪð ðə ˈsɪnərz æz wɪð ðə seɪnts/
Line 2
If you met a very evil man, and recognized his evil; he would, no doubt, fill you with horror and awe; but there is no reason why you should "dislike" him.
/ɪf juː met ə ˈveri ˈiːvəl mæn ənd ˈrekəɡnaɪzd hɪz ˈiːvəl hiː wʊd noʊ daʊt fɪl juː wɪð ˈhɔːrər ənd ɑː bʌt ðer ɪz noʊ ˈriːzən waɪ juː ʃʊd dɪˈslaɪk hɪm/
Line 3
On the contrary, it is quite possible that if you could succeed in putting the sin out of your mind you might find the sinner capital company, and in a little while you might have to reason yourself back into horror.
/ɑːn ðə ˈkɑːntreri ɪt ɪz kwaɪt ˈpɑːsəbəl ðæt ɪf juː kʊd səkˈsiːd ɪn ˈpʌtɪŋ ðə sɪn aʊt ʌv jɔːr maɪnd juː maɪt faɪnd ðə ˈsɪnər ˈkæpətəl ˈkʌmpəniː ənd ɪn ə ˈlɪtəl waɪl juː maɪt hæv tuː ˈriːzən jərˈself bæk ˈɪntuː ˈhɔːrər/
Line 4
Still, how awful it is.
Line 5
If the roses and the lilies suddenly sang on this coming morning; if the furniture began to move in procession, as in De Maupassant's tale!'

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.

awe noun US /ɑː/

an overwhelming feeling of wonder or admiration

From this reading “If you met a very evil man, and recognized his evil; he would, no doubt, fill you with horror and awe; but there is no reason why you should "dislike" him.”

dislike noun US /dɪˈslaɪk/

an inclination to withhold approval from some person or group

From this reading “If you met a very evil man, and recognized his evil; he would, no doubt, fill you with horror and awe; but there is no reason why you should "dislike" him.”

lilies noun US /ˈlɪliz/

plural of “lily” — any liliaceous plant of the genus Lilium having showy pendulous flowers

From this reading “If the roses and the lilies suddenly sang on this coming morning; if the furniture began to move in procession, as in De Maupassant's tale!'”

procession noun US /prəˈseʃən/

(theology) the origination of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost

From this reading “If the roses and the lilies suddenly sang on this coming morning; if the furniture began to move in procession, as in De Maupassant's tale!'”

saints noun US /seɪnts/

plural of “saint” — a person who has died and has been declared a saint by canonization

From this reading “'So with the sinners, as with the saints.”

sinner noun US /ˈsɪnər/

a person who sins (without repenting)

From this reading “On the contrary, it is quite possible that if you could succeed in putting the sin out of your mind you might find the sinner capital company, and in a little while you might have to reason yourself back into horror.”

sinners noun US /ˈsɪnərz/

plural of “sinner” — a person who sins (without repenting)

From this reading “'So with the sinners, as with the saints.”

succeed verb US /səkˈsiːd/

attain success or reach a desired goal

From this reading “On the contrary, it is quite possible that if you could succeed in putting the sin out of your mind you might find the sinner capital company, and in a little while you might have to reason yourself back into horror.”

All words in this reading · 75

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 If you met a very evil man, and recognized his evil; he would, no doubt, fill you with horror and awe; but there is no reason why you should "dislike" him.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading If you met a very evil man, and recognized his evil; he would, no doubt, fill you with horror and awe; but there is no reason why you should "dislike" him.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading 'So with the sinners, as with the saints.

awenounUS /ɑː/

an overwhelming feeling of wonder or admiration

From this reading If you met a very evil man, and recognized his evil; he would, no doubt, fill you with horror and awe; but there is no reason why you should "dislike" him.

awfuladjectiveUS /ˈɑːfəl/

exceptionally bad or displeasing

From this reading Still, how awful it is.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading On the contrary, it is quite possible that if you could succeed in putting the sin out of your mind you might find the sinner capital company, and in a little while you might have to reason yourself back into horror.

beganverbUS /bɪˈɡæn/

inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading If the roses and the lilies suddenly sang on this coming morning; if the furniture began to move in procession, as in De Maupassant's tale!'

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading If you met a very evil man, and recognized his evil; he would, no doubt, fill you with horror and awe; but there is no reason why you should "dislike" him.

capitalnounUS /ˈkæpətəl/

assets available for use in the production of further assets

From this reading On the contrary, it is quite possible that if you could succeed in putting the sin out of your mind you might find the sinner capital company, and in a little while you might have to reason yourself back into horror.

comingnounUS /ˈkʌmɪŋ/

the act of drawing spatially closer to something

From this reading If the roses and the lilies suddenly sang on this coming morning; if the furniture began to move in procession, as in De Maupassant's tale!'

companynounUS /ˈkʌmpəniː/

an institution created to conduct business

From this reading On the contrary, it is quite possible that if you could succeed in putting the sin out of your mind you might find the sinner capital company, and in a little while you might have to reason yourself back into horror.

contraryadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːntreri/

very opposed in nature or character or purpose

From this reading On the contrary, it is quite possible that if you could succeed in putting the sin out of your mind you might find the sinner capital company, and in a little while you might have to reason yourself back into horror.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading On the contrary, it is quite possible that if you could succeed in putting the sin out of your mind you might find the sinner capital company, and in a little while you might have to reason yourself back into horror.

DenounUS /diː/

a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies

From this reading If the roses and the lilies suddenly sang on this coming morning; if the furniture began to move in procession, as in De Maupassant's tale!'

dislikenounUS /dɪˈslaɪk/

an inclination to withhold approval from some person or group

From this reading If you met a very evil man, and recognized his evil; he would, no doubt, fill you with horror and awe; but there is no reason why you should "dislike" him.

doubtnounUS /daʊt/

the state of being unsure of something

From this reading If you met a very evil man, and recognized his evil; he would, no doubt, fill you with horror and awe; but there is no reason why you should "dislike" him.

evilnounUS /ˈiːvəl/

morally objectionable behavior

From this reading If you met a very evil man, and recognized his evil; he would, no doubt, fill you with horror and awe; but there is no reason why you should "dislike" him.

fillverbUS /fɪl/

make full, also in a metaphorical sense

From this reading If you met a very evil man, and recognized his evil; he would, no doubt, fill you with horror and awe; but there is no reason why you should "dislike" him.

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading On the contrary, it is quite possible that if you could succeed in putting the sin out of your mind you might find the sinner capital company, and in a little while you might have to reason yourself back into horror.

furniturenounUS /ˈfɜːrnɪtʃər/

furnishings that make a room or other area ready for occupancy

From this reading If the roses and the lilies suddenly sang on this coming morning; if the furniture began to move in procession, as in De Maupassant's tale!'

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading On the contrary, it is quite possible that if you could succeed in putting the sin out of your mind you might find the sinner capital company, and in a little while you might have to reason yourself back into horror.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading If you met a very evil man, and recognized his evil; he would, no doubt, fill you with horror and awe; but there is no reason why you should "dislike" him.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading If you met a very evil man, and recognized his evil; he would, no doubt, fill you with horror and awe; but there is no reason why you should "dislike" him.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading If you met a very evil man, and recognized his evil; he would, no doubt, fill you with horror and awe; but there is no reason why you should "dislike" him.

horrornounUS /ˈhɔːrər/

intense and profound fear

From this reading If you met a very evil man, and recognized his evil; he would, no doubt, fill you with horror and awe; but there is no reason why you should "dislike" him.

how

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

From this reading Still, how awful it is.

IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading If you met a very evil man, and recognized his evil; he would, no doubt, fill you with horror and awe; but there is no reason why you should "dislike" him.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading On the contrary, it is quite possible that if you could succeed in putting the sin out of your mind you might find the sinner capital company, and in a little while you might have to reason yourself back into horror.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading On the contrary, it is quite possible that if you could succeed in putting the sin out of your mind you might find the sinner capital company, and in a little while you might have to reason yourself back into horror.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading If you met a very evil man, and recognized his evil; he would, no doubt, fill you with horror and awe; but there is no reason why you should "dislike" him.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading On the contrary, it is quite possible that if you could succeed in putting the sin out of your mind you might find the sinner capital company, and in a little while you might have to reason yourself back into horror.

liliesnounUS /ˈlɪliz/

plural of “lily” — any liliaceous plant of the genus Lilium having showy pendulous flowers

From this reading If the roses and the lilies suddenly sang on this coming morning; if the furniture began to move in procession, as in De Maupassant's tale!'

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading On the contrary, it is quite possible that if you could succeed in putting the sin out of your mind you might find the sinner capital company, and in a little while you might have to reason yourself back into horror.

mannounUS /mæn/

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

From this reading If you met a very evil man, and recognized his evil; he would, no doubt, fill you with horror and awe; but there is no reason why you should "dislike" him.

Maupassant's

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

From this reading If the roses and the lilies suddenly sang on this coming morning; if the furniture began to move in procession, as in De Maupassant's tale!'

metverbUS /met/

inflected form of “meet” — come together

From this reading If you met a very evil man, and recognized his evil; he would, no doubt, fill you with horror and awe; but there is no reason why you should "dislike" him.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading On the contrary, it is quite possible that if you could succeed in putting the sin out of your mind you might find the sinner capital company, and in a little while you might have to reason yourself back into horror.

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading On the contrary, it is quite possible that if you could succeed in putting the sin out of your mind you might find the sinner capital company, and in a little while you might have to reason yourself back into horror.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading If the roses and the lilies suddenly sang on this coming morning; if the furniture began to move in procession, as in De Maupassant's tale!'

moveverbUS /muːv/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading If the roses and the lilies suddenly sang on this coming morning; if the furniture began to move in procession, as in De Maupassant's tale!'

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading If you met a very evil man, and recognized his evil; he would, no doubt, fill you with horror and awe; but there is no reason why you should "dislike" him.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading On the contrary, it is quite possible that if you could succeed in putting the sin out of your mind you might find the sinner capital company, and in a little while you might have to reason yourself back into horror.

OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading On the contrary, it is quite possible that if you could succeed in putting the sin out of your mind you might find the sinner capital company, and in a little while you might have to reason yourself back into horror.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading On the contrary, it is quite possible that if you could succeed in putting the sin out of your mind you might find the sinner capital company, and in a little while you might have to reason yourself back into horror.

possibleadjectiveUS /ˈpɑːsəbəl/

capable of happening or existing

From this reading On the contrary, it is quite possible that if you could succeed in putting the sin out of your mind you might find the sinner capital company, and in a little while you might have to reason yourself back into horror.

processionnounUS /prəˈseʃən/

(theology) the origination of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost

From this reading If the roses and the lilies suddenly sang on this coming morning; if the furniture began to move in procession, as in De Maupassant's tale!'

puttingnounUS /ˈpʌtɪŋ/

hitting a golf ball that is on the green using a putter

From this reading On the contrary, it is quite possible that if you could succeed in putting the sin out of your mind you might find the sinner capital company, and in a little while you might have to reason yourself back into horror.

quiteadverbUS /kwaɪt/

to a degree (not used with a negative)

From this reading On the contrary, it is quite possible that if you could succeed in putting the sin out of your mind you might find the sinner capital company, and in a little while you might have to reason yourself back into horror.

reasonnounUS /ˈriːzən/

a rational motive for a belief or action

From this reading If you met a very evil man, and recognized his evil; he would, no doubt, fill you with horror and awe; but there is no reason why you should "dislike" him.

recognizedadjectiveUS /ˈrekəɡnaɪzd/

generally approved or compelling recognition

From this reading If you met a very evil man, and recognized his evil; he would, no doubt, fill you with horror and awe; but there is no reason why you should "dislike" him.

rosesnounUS /ˈroʊzɪz/

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

From this reading If the roses and the lilies suddenly sang on this coming morning; if the furniture began to move in procession, as in De Maupassant's tale!'

saintsnounUS /seɪnts/

plural of “saint” — a person who has died and has been declared a saint by canonization

From this reading 'So with the sinners, as with the saints.

sangnounUS /sæŋ/

North American woodland herb similar to and used as substitute for the Chinese ginseng

From this reading If the roses and the lilies suddenly sang on this coming morning; if the furniture began to move in procession, as in De Maupassant's tale!'

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading If you met a very evil man, and recognized his evil; he would, no doubt, fill you with horror and awe; but there is no reason why you should "dislike" him.

sinnounUS /sɪn/

estrangement from god

From this reading On the contrary, it is quite possible that if you could succeed in putting the sin out of your mind you might find the sinner capital company, and in a little while you might have to reason yourself back into horror.

sinnernounUS /ˈsɪnər/

a person who sins (without repenting)

From this reading On the contrary, it is quite possible that if you could succeed in putting the sin out of your mind you might find the sinner capital company, and in a little while you might have to reason yourself back into horror.

sinnersnounUS /ˈsɪnərz/

plural of “sinner” — a person who sins (without repenting)

From this reading 'So with the sinners, as with the saints.

SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading 'So with the sinners, as with the saints.

StilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading Still, how awful it is.

succeedverbUS /səkˈsiːd/

attain success or reach a desired goal

From this reading On the contrary, it is quite possible that if you could succeed in putting the sin out of your mind you might find the sinner capital company, and in a little while you might have to reason yourself back into horror.

suddenlyadverbUS /ˈsʌdənli/

happening unexpectedly

From this reading If the roses and the lilies suddenly sang on this coming morning; if the furniture began to move in procession, as in De Maupassant's tale!'

talenounUS /teɪl/

a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program

From this reading If the roses and the lilies suddenly sang on this coming morning; if the furniture began to move in procession, as in De Maupassant's tale!'

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading On the contrary, it is quite possible that if you could succeed in putting the sin out of your mind you might find the sinner capital company, and in a little while you might have to reason yourself back into horror.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading 'So with the sinners, as with the saints.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading If you met a very evil man, and recognized his evil; he would, no doubt, fill you with horror and awe; but there is no reason why you should "dislike" him.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading If the roses and the lilies suddenly sang on this coming morning; if the furniture began to move in procession, as in De Maupassant's tale!'

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading On the contrary, it is quite possible that if you could succeed in putting the sin out of your mind you might find the sinner capital company, and in a little while you might have to reason yourself back into horror.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading If you met a very evil man, and recognized his evil; he would, no doubt, fill you with horror and awe; but there is no reason why you should "dislike" him.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading On the contrary, it is quite possible that if you could succeed in putting the sin out of your mind you might find the sinner capital company, and in a little while you might have to reason yourself back into horror.

whynounUS /waɪ/

the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”

From this reading If you met a very evil man, and recognized his evil; he would, no doubt, fill you with horror and awe; but there is no reason why you should "dislike" him.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading 'So with the sinners, as with the saints.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading If you met a very evil man, and recognized his evil; he would, no doubt, fill you with horror and awe; but there is no reason why you should "dislike" him.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading If you met a very evil man, and recognized his evil; he would, no doubt, fill you with horror and awe; but there is no reason why you should "dislike" him.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading On the contrary, it is quite possible that if you could succeed in putting the sin out of your mind you might find the sinner capital company, and in a little while you might have to reason yourself back into horror.

yourselfpronounUS /jərˈself/

used when the person spoken to is also the object of the action

From this reading On the contrary, it is quite possible that if you could succeed in putting the sin out of your mind you might find the sinner capital company, and in a little while you might have to reason yourself back into horror.

Chapter 5 of The House of Souls by Arthur Machen holds 415 sentences, grouped into 83 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 House of Souls contain?

Chapter 5 holds 415 sentences of The House of Souls, unabridged, divided into 83 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 5 of The House of Souls by Arthur Machen exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 415 sentences, grouped into 83 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 House of Souls?

Work through the 83 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 83 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 House of Souls

Common questions about reading The House of Souls by Arthur Machen on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The House of Souls?

Yes. All 3621 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #25016 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The House of Souls is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #25016, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The House of Souls take to read?

About 301 minutes of reading across 725 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The House of Souls section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 9 chapters of The House of Souls 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 House of Souls

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

Minor
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The House of Souls; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Typographical
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The House of Souls; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Errors
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The House of Souls; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Corrected
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The House of Souls; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.