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The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu
The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu

Chapter XXIII · Chapter 23

Chapter 23 of The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu is here in full — 166 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu
Context Illustration Reading 1/33 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"YOUR extraordinary proposal fills me with horror, Mr. Smith!"
The sleek little man in the dress suit, who looked like a head waiter (but was the trusted legal adviser of the house of Southery) puffed at his cigar indignantly.
Nayland Smith, whose restless pacing had led him to the far end of the library, turned, a remote but virile figure, and looked back to where I stood by the open hearth with the solicitor.
"I am in your hands, Mr. Henderson," he said, and advanced upon the latter, his gray eyes ablaze.
"Save for the heir, who is abroad on foreign service, you say there is no kin of Lord Southery to consider.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
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 Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu

Chapter XXIII · Chapter 23

Chapter 23 of The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu is here in full — 166 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/33 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"YOUR extraordinary proposal fills me with horror, Mr. Smith!"
Line 2
The sleek little man in the dress suit, who looked like a head waiter (but was the trusted legal adviser of the house of Southery) puffed at his cigar indignantly.
Line 3
Nayland Smith, whose restless pacing had led him to the far end of the library, turned, a remote but virile figure, and looked back to where I stood by the open hearth with the solicitor.
Line 4
"I am in your hands, Mr. Henderson," he said, and advanced upon the latter, his gray eyes ablaze.
Line 5
"Save for the heir, who is abroad on foreign service, you say there is no kin of Lord Southery to consider.

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.

Heir noun US /er/

A person legally or magically entitled to the property or rank of another on that person's death.

From this reading “"Save for the heir, who is abroad on foreign service, you say there is no kin of Lord Southery to consider.”

Open verb US /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading “Nayland Smith, whose restless pacing had led him to the far end of the library, turned, a remote but virile figure, and looked back to where I stood by the open hearth with the solicitor.”

Stood verb US /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading “Nayland Smith, whose restless pacing had led him to the far end of the library, turned, a remote but virile figure, and looked back to where I stood by the open hearth with the solicitor.”

All words in this reading · 85

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.

a

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

From this reading The sleek little man in the dress suit, who looked like a head waiter (but was the trusted legal adviser of the house of Southery) puffed at his cigar indignantly.

ablaze

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

From this reading "I am in your hands, Mr. Henderson," he said, and advanced upon the latter, his gray eyes ablaze.

abroad

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

From this reading "Save for the heir, who is abroad on foreign service, you say there is no kin of Lord Southery to consider.

advanced

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

From this reading "I am in your hands, Mr. Henderson," he said, and advanced upon the latter, his gray eyes ablaze.

adviser

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

From this reading The sleek little man in the dress suit, who looked like a head waiter (but was the trusted legal adviser of the house of Southery) puffed at his cigar indignantly.

am

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

From this reading "I am in your hands, Mr. Henderson," he said, and advanced upon the latter, his gray eyes ablaze.

and

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

From this reading Nayland Smith, whose restless pacing had led him to the far end of the library, turned, a remote but virile figure, and looked back to where I stood by the open hearth with the solicitor.

at

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

From this reading The sleek little man in the dress suit, who looked like a head waiter (but was the trusted legal adviser of the house of Southery) puffed at his cigar indignantly.

back

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

From this reading Nayland Smith, whose restless pacing had led him to the far end of the library, turned, a remote but virile figure, and looked back to where I stood by the open hearth with the solicitor.

but

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

From this reading The sleek little man in the dress suit, who looked like a head waiter (but was the trusted legal adviser of the house of Southery) puffed at his cigar indignantly.

by

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

From this reading Nayland Smith, whose restless pacing had led him to the far end of the library, turned, a remote but virile figure, and looked back to where I stood by the open hearth with the solicitor.

cigar

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

From this reading The sleek little man in the dress suit, who looked like a head waiter (but was the trusted legal adviser of the house of Southery) puffed at his cigar indignantly.

consider

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

From this reading "Save for the heir, who is abroad on foreign service, you say there is no kin of Lord Southery to consider.

dress

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

From this reading The sleek little man in the dress suit, who looked like a head waiter (but was the trusted legal adviser of the house of Southery) puffed at his cigar indignantly.

end

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

From this reading Nayland Smith, whose restless pacing had led him to the far end of the library, turned, a remote but virile figure, and looked back to where I stood by the open hearth with the solicitor.

extraordinary

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

From this reading "YOUR extraordinary proposal fills me with horror, Mr. Smith!"

eyes

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

From this reading "I am in your hands, Mr. Henderson," he said, and advanced upon the latter, his gray eyes ablaze.

far

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

From this reading Nayland Smith, whose restless pacing had led him to the far end of the library, turned, a remote but virile figure, and looked back to where I stood by the open hearth with the solicitor.

figure

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

From this reading Nayland Smith, whose restless pacing had led him to the far end of the library, turned, a remote but virile figure, and looked back to where I stood by the open hearth with the solicitor.

fills

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

From this reading "YOUR extraordinary proposal fills me with horror, Mr. Smith!"

for

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

From this reading "Save for the heir, who is abroad on foreign service, you say there is no kin of Lord Southery to consider.

foreign

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

From this reading "Save for the heir, who is abroad on foreign service, you say there is no kin of Lord Southery to consider.

gray

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

From this reading "I am in your hands, Mr. Henderson," he said, and advanced upon the latter, his gray eyes ablaze.

had

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

From this reading Nayland Smith, whose restless pacing had led him to the far end of the library, turned, a remote but virile figure, and looked back to where I stood by the open hearth with the solicitor.

hands

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

From this reading "I am in your hands, Mr. Henderson," he said, and advanced upon the latter, his gray eyes ablaze.

he

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

From this reading "I am in your hands, Mr. Henderson," he said, and advanced upon the latter, his gray eyes ablaze.

head

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

From this reading The sleek little man in the dress suit, who looked like a head waiter (but was the trusted legal adviser of the house of Southery) puffed at his cigar indignantly.

hearth

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

From this reading Nayland Smith, whose restless pacing had led him to the far end of the library, turned, a remote but virile figure, and looked back to where I stood by the open hearth with the solicitor.

heirnounUS /er/

A person legally or magically entitled to the property or rank of another on that person's death.

From this reading "Save for the heir, who is abroad on foreign service, you say there is no kin of Lord Southery to consider.

Henderson

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

From this reading "I am in your hands, Mr. Henderson," he said, and advanced upon the latter, his gray eyes ablaze.

him

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

From this reading Nayland Smith, whose restless pacing had led him to the far end of the library, turned, a remote but virile figure, and looked back to where I stood by the open hearth with the solicitor.

his

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

From this reading The sleek little man in the dress suit, who looked like a head waiter (but was the trusted legal adviser of the house of Southery) puffed at his cigar indignantly.

horror

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

From this reading "YOUR extraordinary proposal fills me with horror, Mr. Smith!"

house

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

From this reading The sleek little man in the dress suit, who looked like a head waiter (but was the trusted legal adviser of the house of Southery) puffed at his cigar indignantly.

I

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

From this reading Nayland Smith, whose restless pacing had led him to the far end of the library, turned, a remote but virile figure, and looked back to where I stood by the open hearth with the solicitor.

in

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

From this reading The sleek little man in the dress suit, who looked like a head waiter (but was the trusted legal adviser of the house of Southery) puffed at his cigar indignantly.

indignantly

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

From this reading The sleek little man in the dress suit, who looked like a head waiter (but was the trusted legal adviser of the house of Southery) puffed at his cigar indignantly.

is

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

From this reading "Save for the heir, who is abroad on foreign service, you say there is no kin of Lord Southery to consider.

kin

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

From this reading "Save for the heir, who is abroad on foreign service, you say there is no kin of Lord Southery to consider.

latter

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

From this reading "I am in your hands, Mr. Henderson," he said, and advanced upon the latter, his gray eyes ablaze.

led

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

From this reading Nayland Smith, whose restless pacing had led him to the far end of the library, turned, a remote but virile figure, and looked back to where I stood by the open hearth with the solicitor.

legal

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

From this reading The sleek little man in the dress suit, who looked like a head waiter (but was the trusted legal adviser of the house of Southery) puffed at his cigar indignantly.

library

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

From this reading Nayland Smith, whose restless pacing had led him to the far end of the library, turned, a remote but virile figure, and looked back to where I stood by the open hearth with the solicitor.

like

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

From this reading The sleek little man in the dress suit, who looked like a head waiter (but was the trusted legal adviser of the house of Southery) puffed at his cigar indignantly.

little

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

From this reading The sleek little man in the dress suit, who looked like a head waiter (but was the trusted legal adviser of the house of Southery) puffed at his cigar indignantly.

looked

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

From this reading The sleek little man in the dress suit, who looked like a head waiter (but was the trusted legal adviser of the house of Southery) puffed at his cigar indignantly.

Lord

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

From this reading "Save for the heir, who is abroad on foreign service, you say there is no kin of Lord Southery to consider.

man

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

From this reading The sleek little man in the dress suit, who looked like a head waiter (but was the trusted legal adviser of the house of Southery) puffed at his cigar indignantly.

me

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

From this reading "YOUR extraordinary proposal fills me with horror, Mr. Smith!"

Mr

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

From this reading "YOUR extraordinary proposal fills me with horror, Mr. Smith!"

Nayland

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

From this reading Nayland Smith, whose restless pacing had led him to the far end of the library, turned, a remote but virile figure, and looked back to where I stood by the open hearth with the solicitor.

no

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

From this reading "Save for the heir, who is abroad on foreign service, you say there is no kin of Lord Southery to consider.

of

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

From this reading The sleek little man in the dress suit, who looked like a head waiter (but was the trusted legal adviser of the house of Southery) puffed at his cigar indignantly.

on

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

From this reading "Save for the heir, who is abroad on foreign service, you say there is no kin of Lord Southery to consider.

openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading Nayland Smith, whose restless pacing had led him to the far end of the library, turned, a remote but virile figure, and looked back to where I stood by the open hearth with the solicitor.

pacing

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

From this reading Nayland Smith, whose restless pacing had led him to the far end of the library, turned, a remote but virile figure, and looked back to where I stood by the open hearth with the solicitor.

proposal

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

From this reading "YOUR extraordinary proposal fills me with horror, Mr. Smith!"

puffed

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

From this reading The sleek little man in the dress suit, who looked like a head waiter (but was the trusted legal adviser of the house of Southery) puffed at his cigar indignantly.

remote

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

From this reading Nayland Smith, whose restless pacing had led him to the far end of the library, turned, a remote but virile figure, and looked back to where I stood by the open hearth with the solicitor.

restless

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

From this reading Nayland Smith, whose restless pacing had led him to the far end of the library, turned, a remote but virile figure, and looked back to where I stood by the open hearth with the solicitor.

said

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

From this reading "I am in your hands, Mr. Henderson," he said, and advanced upon the latter, his gray eyes ablaze.

Save

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

From this reading "Save for the heir, who is abroad on foreign service, you say there is no kin of Lord Southery to consider.

say

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

From this reading "Save for the heir, who is abroad on foreign service, you say there is no kin of Lord Southery to consider.

service

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

From this reading "Save for the heir, who is abroad on foreign service, you say there is no kin of Lord Southery to consider.

sleek

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

From this reading The sleek little man in the dress suit, who looked like a head waiter (but was the trusted legal adviser of the house of Southery) puffed at his cigar indignantly.

Smith

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

From this reading "YOUR extraordinary proposal fills me with horror, Mr. Smith!"

solicitor

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

From this reading Nayland Smith, whose restless pacing had led him to the far end of the library, turned, a remote but virile figure, and looked back to where I stood by the open hearth with the solicitor.

Southery

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

From this reading The sleek little man in the dress suit, who looked like a head waiter (but was the trusted legal adviser of the house of Southery) puffed at his cigar indignantly.

stoodverbUS /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading Nayland Smith, whose restless pacing had led him to the far end of the library, turned, a remote but virile figure, and looked back to where I stood by the open hearth with the solicitor.

suit

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

From this reading The sleek little man in the dress suit, who looked like a head waiter (but was the trusted legal adviser of the house of Southery) puffed at his cigar indignantly.

The

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

From this reading The sleek little man in the dress suit, who looked like a head waiter (but was the trusted legal adviser of the house of Southery) puffed at his cigar indignantly.

there

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

From this reading "Save for the heir, who is abroad on foreign service, you say there is no kin of Lord Southery to consider.

to

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

From this reading Nayland Smith, whose restless pacing had led him to the far end of the library, turned, a remote but virile figure, and looked back to where I stood by the open hearth with the solicitor.

trusted

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

From this reading The sleek little man in the dress suit, who looked like a head waiter (but was the trusted legal adviser of the house of Southery) puffed at his cigar indignantly.

turned

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

From this reading Nayland Smith, whose restless pacing had led him to the far end of the library, turned, a remote but virile figure, and looked back to where I stood by the open hearth with the solicitor.

upon

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

From this reading "I am in your hands, Mr. Henderson," he said, and advanced upon the latter, his gray eyes ablaze.

virile

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

From this reading Nayland Smith, whose restless pacing had led him to the far end of the library, turned, a remote but virile figure, and looked back to where I stood by the open hearth with the solicitor.

waiter

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

From this reading The sleek little man in the dress suit, who looked like a head waiter (but was the trusted legal adviser of the house of Southery) puffed at his cigar indignantly.

was

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

From this reading The sleek little man in the dress suit, who looked like a head waiter (but was the trusted legal adviser of the house of Southery) puffed at his cigar indignantly.

where

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

From this reading Nayland Smith, whose restless pacing had led him to the far end of the library, turned, a remote but virile figure, and looked back to where I stood by the open hearth with the solicitor.

who

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

From this reading The sleek little man in the dress suit, who looked like a head waiter (but was the trusted legal adviser of the house of Southery) puffed at his cigar indignantly.

whose

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

From this reading Nayland Smith, whose restless pacing had led him to the far end of the library, turned, a remote but virile figure, and looked back to where I stood by the open hearth with the solicitor.

with

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

From this reading "YOUR extraordinary proposal fills me with horror, Mr. Smith!"

you

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

From this reading "Save for the heir, who is abroad on foreign service, you say there is no kin of Lord Southery to consider.

YOUR

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

From this reading "YOUR extraordinary proposal fills me with horror, Mr. Smith!"

Chapter 23 of The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu by Sax Rohmer holds 166 sentences, grouped into 34 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 23 of The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu contain?

Chapter 23 holds 166 sentences of The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu, unabridged, divided into 34 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 23 of The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu by Sax Rohmer exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 166 sentences, grouped into 34 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 23 of The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu?

Work through the 34 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 34 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 23 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 23 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 Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu

Common questions about reading The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu by Sax Rohmer on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu?

Yes. All 5373 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #173 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #173, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu take to read?

About 447 minutes of reading across 1075 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu section by section

How to work through The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 30 chapters of The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu 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 Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Gentleman
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Doctor
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Across
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Common
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.