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The Initials: A Story of Modern Life
The Initials: A Story of Modern Life

Chapter XXI

Chapter 21 of The Initials: A Story of Modern Life is here in full — 162 sentences across 33 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/32 · 5 lines
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THE GARRET.
“STOP, stop, if you please,” cried Zedwitz’s servant to Hamilton, who was beginning to run down the street, “Count Max is not in his own house—he is here just opposite—at the brazier’s.”
“At the brazier’s!” exclaimed Hamilton, “what induced him to go there?”
“Don’t know, sir,” replied the man, “he has been lodging there the last week or two.”
“Lodging there?” repeated Hamilton, as he crossed the street, “that is an odd idea.”
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Initials: A Story of Modern Life

Chapter XXI

Chapter 21 of The Initials: A Story of Modern Life is here in full — 162 sentences across 33 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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

Line 1
THE GARRET.
/ðə ˈɡerɪt/
Line 2
“STOP, stop, if you please,” cried Zedwitz’s servant to Hamilton, who was beginning to run down the street, “Count Max is not in his own house—he is here just opposite—at the brazier’s.”
Line 3
“At the brazier’s!” exclaimed Hamilton, “what induced him to go there?”
Line 4
“Don’t know, sir,” replied the man, “he has been lodging there the last week or two.”
Line 5
“Lodging there?” repeated Hamilton, as he crossed the street, “that is an odd idea.”
/ˈlɑːdʒɪŋ ðer rɪˈpiːtɪd ˈhæməltən æz hiː krɔːst ðə striːt ðæt ɪz æn ɑːd aɪˈdiːə/

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.

crossed adjective US /krɔːst/

placed crosswise

From this reading ““Lodging there?” repeated Hamilton, as he crossed the street, “that is an odd idea.””

garret noun US /ˈɡerɪt/

floor consisting of open space at the top of a house just below roof; often used for storage

From this reading “THE GARRET.”

Hamilton noun US /ˈhæməltən/

Irish mathematician (1806-1865)

From this reading ““STOP, stop, if you please,” cried Zedwitz’s servant to Hamilton, who was beginning to run down the street, “Count Max is not in his own house—he is here just opposite—at the brazier’s.””

induced adjective US /ˌɪnˈduːst/

brought about or caused; not spontaneous

From this reading ““At the brazier’s!” exclaimed Hamilton, “what induced him to go there?””

lodging noun US /ˈlɑːdʒɪŋ/

structures collectively in which people are housed

From this reading ““Don’t know, sir,” replied the man, “he has been lodging there the last week or two.””

Max noun US /mæks/

street names for gamma hydroxybutyrate

From this reading ““STOP, stop, if you please,” cried Zedwitz’s servant to Hamilton, who was beginning to run down the street, “Count Max is not in his own house—he is here just opposite—at the brazier’s.””

odd adjective US /ɑːd/

not divisible by two

From this reading ““Lodging there?” repeated Hamilton, as he crossed the street, “that is an odd idea.””

servant noun US /ˈsɜːrvənt/

a person working in the service of another (especially in the household)

From this reading ““STOP, stop, if you please,” cried Zedwitz’s servant to Hamilton, who was beginning to run down the street, “Count Max is not in his own house—he is here just opposite—at the brazier’s.””

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

last week adjective + noun

In this reading ““Don’t know, sir,” replied the man, “he has been lodging there the last week or two.””

run down verb + adjective

trace

In this reading ““STOP, stop, if you please,” cried Zedwitz’s servant to Hamilton, who was beginning to run down the street, “Count Max is not in his own house—he is here just opposite—at the brazier’s.””

just opposite adverb + adjective

In this reading ““STOP, stop, if you please,” cried Zedwitz’s servant to Hamilton, who was beginning to run down the street, “Count Max is not in his own house—he is here just opposite—at the brazier’s.””

odd idea adjective + noun

In this reading ““Lodging there?” repeated Hamilton, as he crossed the street, “that is an odd idea.””

own house verb + noun

In this reading ““STOP, stop, if you please,” cried Zedwitz’s servant to Hamilton, who was beginning to run down the street, “Count Max is not in his own house—he is here just opposite—at the brazier’s.””

All words in this reading · 56

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.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading “Lodging there?” repeated Hamilton, as he crossed the street, “that is an odd idea.”

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading “Lodging there?” repeated Hamilton, as he crossed the street, “that is an odd idea.”

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading “STOP, stop, if you please,” cried Zedwitz’s servant to Hamilton, who was beginning to run down the street, “Count Max is not in his own house—he is here just opposite—at the brazier’s.”

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “Don’t know, sir,” replied the man, “he has been lodging there the last week or two.”

beginningnounUS /bɪˈɡɪnɪŋ/

the event consisting of the start of something

From this reading “STOP, stop, if you please,” cried Zedwitz’s servant to Hamilton, who was beginning to run down the street, “Count Max is not in his own house—he is here just opposite—at the brazier’s.”

brazier's

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

From this reading “STOP, stop, if you please,” cried Zedwitz’s servant to Hamilton, who was beginning to run down the street, “Count Max is not in his own house—he is here just opposite—at the brazier’s.”

CountverbUS /kaʊnt/

determine the number or amount of

From this reading “STOP, stop, if you please,” cried Zedwitz’s servant to Hamilton, who was beginning to run down the street, “Count Max is not in his own house—he is here just opposite—at the brazier’s.”

criedverbUS /kraɪd/

inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry

From this reading “STOP, stop, if you please,” cried Zedwitz’s servant to Hamilton, who was beginning to run down the street, “Count Max is not in his own house—he is here just opposite—at the brazier’s.”

crossedadjectiveUS /krɔːst/

placed crosswise

From this reading “Lodging there?” repeated Hamilton, as he crossed the street, “that is an odd idea.”

Don't

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

From this reading “Don’t know, sir,” replied the man, “he has been lodging there the last week or two.”

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading “STOP, stop, if you please,” cried Zedwitz’s servant to Hamilton, who was beginning to run down the street, “Count Max is not in his own house—he is here just opposite—at the brazier’s.”

exclaimedverbUS /ɪkˈskleɪmd/

past form of “exclaim” — utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy

From this reading “At the brazier’s!” exclaimed Hamilton, “what induced him to go there?”

GARRETnounUS /ˈɡerɪt/

floor consisting of open space at the top of a house just below roof; often used for storage

From this reading THE GARRET.

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

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

From this reading “At the brazier’s!” exclaimed Hamilton, “what induced him to go there?”

HamiltonnounUS /ˈhæməltən/

Irish mathematician (1806-1865)

From this reading “STOP, stop, if you please,” cried Zedwitz’s servant to Hamilton, who was beginning to run down the street, “Count Max is not in his own house—he is here just opposite—at the brazier’s.”

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading “Don’t know, sir,” replied the man, “he has been lodging there the last week or two.”

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading “STOP, stop, if you please,” cried Zedwitz’s servant to Hamilton, who was beginning to run down the street, “Count Max is not in his own house—he is here just opposite—at the brazier’s.”

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading “STOP, stop, if you please,” cried Zedwitz’s servant to Hamilton, who was beginning to run down the street, “Count Max is not in his own house—he is here just opposite—at the brazier’s.”

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading “At the brazier’s!” exclaimed Hamilton, “what induced him to go there?”

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading “STOP, stop, if you please,” cried Zedwitz’s servant to Hamilton, who was beginning to run down the street, “Count Max is not in his own house—he is here just opposite—at the brazier’s.”

housenounUS /haʊs/

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

From this reading “STOP, stop, if you please,” cried Zedwitz’s servant to Hamilton, who was beginning to run down the street, “Count Max is not in his own house—he is here just opposite—at the brazier’s.”

ideanounUS /aɪˈdiːə/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading “Lodging there?” repeated Hamilton, as he crossed the street, “that is an odd idea.”

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading “STOP, stop, if you please,” cried Zedwitz’s servant to Hamilton, who was beginning to run down the street, “Count Max is not in his own house—he is here just opposite—at the brazier’s.”

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading “STOP, stop, if you please,” cried Zedwitz’s servant to Hamilton, who was beginning to run down the street, “Count Max is not in his own house—he is here just opposite—at the brazier’s.”

inducedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈduːst/

brought about or caused; not spontaneous

From this reading “At the brazier’s!” exclaimed Hamilton, “what induced him to go there?”

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading “STOP, stop, if you please,” cried Zedwitz’s servant to Hamilton, who was beginning to run down the street, “Count Max is not in his own house—he is here just opposite—at the brazier’s.”

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading “STOP, stop, if you please,” cried Zedwitz’s servant to Hamilton, who was beginning to run down the street, “Count Max is not in his own house—he is here just opposite—at the brazier’s.”

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading “Don’t know, sir,” replied the man, “he has been lodging there the last week or two.”

lastadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading “Don’t know, sir,” replied the man, “he has been lodging there the last week or two.”

lodgingnounUS /ˈlɑːdʒɪŋ/

structures collectively in which people are housed

From this reading “Don’t know, sir,” replied the man, “he has been lodging there the last week or two.”

mannounUS /mæn/

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

From this reading “Don’t know, sir,” replied the man, “he has been lodging there the last week or two.”

MaxnounUS /mæks/

street names for gamma hydroxybutyrate

From this reading “STOP, stop, if you please,” cried Zedwitz’s servant to Hamilton, who was beginning to run down the street, “Count Max is not in his own house—he is here just opposite—at the brazier’s.”

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading “STOP, stop, if you please,” cried Zedwitz’s servant to Hamilton, who was beginning to run down the street, “Count Max is not in his own house—he is here just opposite—at the brazier’s.”

oddadjectiveUS /ɑːd/

not divisible by two

From this reading “Lodging there?” repeated Hamilton, as he crossed the street, “that is an odd idea.”

oppositeadjectiveUS /ˈɑːpəzət/

being directly across from each other; facing

From this reading “STOP, stop, if you please,” cried Zedwitz’s servant to Hamilton, who was beginning to run down the street, “Count Max is not in his own house—he is here just opposite—at the brazier’s.”

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading “Don’t know, sir,” replied the man, “he has been lodging there the last week or two.”

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading “STOP, stop, if you please,” cried Zedwitz’s servant to Hamilton, who was beginning to run down the street, “Count Max is not in his own house—he is here just opposite—at the brazier’s.”

pleaseverbUS /pliːz/

give pleasure to or be pleasing to

From this reading “STOP, stop, if you please,” cried Zedwitz’s servant to Hamilton, who was beginning to run down the street, “Count Max is not in his own house—he is here just opposite—at the brazier’s.”

repeatedadjectiveUS /rɪˈpiːtɪd/

recurring again and again

From this reading “Lodging there?” repeated Hamilton, as he crossed the street, “that is an odd idea.”

repliedverbUS /rɪˈplaɪd/

inflected form of “reply” — react verbally

From this reading “Don’t know, sir,” replied the man, “he has been lodging there the last week or two.”

runverbUS /rʌn/

move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time

From this reading “STOP, stop, if you please,” cried Zedwitz’s servant to Hamilton, who was beginning to run down the street, “Count Max is not in his own house—he is here just opposite—at the brazier’s.”

servantnounUS /ˈsɜːrvənt/

a person working in the service of another (especially in the household)

From this reading “STOP, stop, if you please,” cried Zedwitz’s servant to Hamilton, who was beginning to run down the street, “Count Max is not in his own house—he is here just opposite—at the brazier’s.”

sirnounUS /sɜːr/

term of address for a man

From this reading “Don’t know, sir,” replied the man, “he has been lodging there the last week or two.”

STOPverbUS /stɑːp/

come to a halt, stop moving

From this reading “STOP, stop, if you please,” cried Zedwitz’s servant to Hamilton, who was beginning to run down the street, “Count Max is not in his own house—he is here just opposite—at the brazier’s.”

streetnounUS /striːt/

a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading “STOP, stop, if you please,” cried Zedwitz’s servant to Hamilton, who was beginning to run down the street, “Count Max is not in his own house—he is here just opposite—at the brazier’s.”

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading “Lodging there?” repeated Hamilton, as he crossed the street, “that is an odd idea.”

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE GARRET.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading “At the brazier’s!” exclaimed Hamilton, “what induced him to go there?”

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading “STOP, stop, if you please,” cried Zedwitz’s servant to Hamilton, who was beginning to run down the street, “Count Max is not in his own house—he is here just opposite—at the brazier’s.”

twonounUS /tuː/

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

From this reading “Don’t know, sir,” replied the man, “he has been lodging there the last week or two.”

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading “STOP, stop, if you please,” cried Zedwitz’s servant to Hamilton, who was beginning to run down the street, “Count Max is not in his own house—he is here just opposite—at the brazier’s.”

weeknounUS /wiːk/

any period of seven consecutive days

From this reading “Don’t know, sir,” replied the man, “he has been lodging there the last week or two.”

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading “At the brazier’s!” exclaimed Hamilton, “what induced him to go there?”

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading “STOP, stop, if you please,” cried Zedwitz’s servant to Hamilton, who was beginning to run down the street, “Count Max is not in his own house—he is here just opposite—at the brazier’s.”

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “STOP, stop, if you please,” cried Zedwitz’s servant to Hamilton, who was beginning to run down the street, “Count Max is not in his own house—he is here just opposite—at the brazier’s.”

Zedwitz's

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

From this reading “STOP, stop, if you please,” cried Zedwitz’s servant to Hamilton, who was beginning to run down the street, “Count Max is not in his own house—he is here just opposite—at the brazier’s.”

Chapter 21 of The Initials: A Story of Modern Life by Jemima Montgomery, Baroness Tautphoeus holds 162 sentences, grouped into 33 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 21 of The Initials: A Story of Modern Life contain?

Chapter 21 holds 162 sentences of The Initials: A Story of Modern Life, unabridged, divided into 33 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 21 of The Initials: A Story of Modern Life by Jemima Montgomery, Baroness Tautphoeus exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 162 sentences, grouped into 33 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 21 of The Initials: A Story of Modern Life?

Work through the 33 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 33 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 21 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 21 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 Initials: A Story of Modern Life

Common questions about reading The Initials: A Story of Modern Life by Jemima Montgomery, Baroness Tautphoeus on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Initials: A Story of Modern Life?

Yes. All 8526 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #58908 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Initials: A Story of Modern Life is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #58908, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Initials: A Story of Modern Life take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1706 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Initials: A Story of Modern Life section by section

How to work through The Initials: A Story of Modern Life section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  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 Initials: A Story of Modern Life

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Initials: A Story of Modern Life, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Baroness
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Initials: A Story of Modern Life; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Tautph
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Initials: A Story of Modern Life; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Initials: A Story of Modern Life; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Quits
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Initials: A Story of Modern Life; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.