Chapter 38 of The Italians: A Novel is here in full — 63 sentences across 13 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXXVIII
Chapter 38 of The Italians: A Novel is here in full — 63 sentences across 13 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
OH BELLO! An hour or two has passed. A slow and cautious step, accompanied with the tapping of a stick upon the stone flags of the floor, is audible along the narrow passage leading from the sala to Pipa's room. It is as dark as pitch. Whoever it is, is afraid of falling, and creeps along cautiously, feeling by the wall.
Chapter 38 of The Italians: A Novel is here in full — 63 sentences across 13 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/12 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
having companions or an escort
From this reading “A slow and cautious step, accompanied with the tapping of a stick upon the stone flags of the floor, is audible along the narrow passage leading from the sala to Pipa's room.”
heard or perceptible by the ear
From this reading “A slow and cautious step, accompanied with the tapping of a stick upon the stone flags of the floor, is audible along the narrow passage leading from the sala to Pipa's room.”
showing careful forethought
From this reading “A slow and cautious step, accompanied with the tapping of a stick upon the stone flags of the floor, is audible along the narrow passage leading from the sala to Pipa's room.”
as if with kid gloves; with caution or prudence or tact
From this reading “Whoever it is, is afraid of falling, and creeps along cautiously, feeling by the wall.”
a disease of cattle and sheep attributed to a dietary deficiency; characterized by anemia and softening of the bones and a slow stiff gait
From this reading “Whoever it is, is afraid of falling, and creeps along cautiously, feeling by the wall.”
plural of “flag” — emblem usually consisting of a rectangular piece of cloth of distinctive design
From this reading “A slow and cautious step, accompanied with the tapping of a stick upon the stone flags of the floor, is audible along the narrow passage leading from the sala to Pipa's room.”
the property of sound that varies with variation in the frequency of vibration
From this reading “It is as dark as pitch.”
the sound of light blow or knock
From this reading “A slow and cautious step, accompanied with the tapping of a stick upon the stone flags of the floor, is audible along the narrow passage leading from the sala to Pipa's room.”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A slow and cautious step, accompanied with the tapping of a stick upon the stone flags of the floor, is audible along the narrow passage leading from the sala to Pipa's room.
having companions or an escort
From this reading A slow and cautious step, accompanied with the tapping of a stick upon the stone flags of the floor, is audible along the narrow passage leading from the sala to Pipa's room.
filled with fear or apprehension
From this reading Whoever it is, is afraid of falling, and creeps along cautiously, feeling by the wall.
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading A slow and cautious step, accompanied with the tapping of a stick upon the stone flags of the floor, is audible along the narrow passage leading from the sala to Pipa's room.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading An hour or two has passed.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A slow and cautious step, accompanied with the tapping of a stick upon the stone flags of the floor, is audible along the narrow passage leading from the sala to Pipa's room.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It is as dark as pitch.
heard or perceptible by the ear
From this reading A slow and cautious step, accompanied with the tapping of a stick upon the stone flags of the floor, is audible along the narrow passage leading from the sala to Pipa's room.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading OH BELLO!
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Whoever it is, is afraid of falling, and creeps along cautiously, feeling by the wall.
showing careful forethought
From this reading A slow and cautious step, accompanied with the tapping of a stick upon the stone flags of the floor, is audible along the narrow passage leading from the sala to Pipa's room.
as if with kid gloves; with caution or prudence or tact
From this reading Whoever it is, is afraid of falling, and creeps along cautiously, feeling by the wall.
a disease of cattle and sheep attributed to a dietary deficiency; characterized by anemia and softening of the bones and a slow stiff gait
From this reading Whoever it is, is afraid of falling, and creeps along cautiously, feeling by the wall.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading It is as dark as pitch.
decreasing in amount or degree
From this reading Whoever it is, is afraid of falling, and creeps along cautiously, feeling by the wall.
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading Whoever it is, is afraid of falling, and creeps along cautiously, feeling by the wall.
plural of “flag” — emblem usually consisting of a rectangular piece of cloth of distinctive design
From this reading A slow and cautious step, accompanied with the tapping of a stick upon the stone flags of the floor, is audible along the narrow passage leading from the sala to Pipa's room.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading A slow and cautious step, accompanied with the tapping of a stick upon the stone flags of the floor, is audible along the narrow passage leading from the sala to Pipa's room.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A slow and cautious step, accompanied with the tapping of a stick upon the stone flags of the floor, is audible along the narrow passage leading from the sala to Pipa's room.
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading An hour or two has passed.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading An hour or two has passed.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A slow and cautious step, accompanied with the tapping of a stick upon the stone flags of the floor, is audible along the narrow passage leading from the sala to Pipa's room.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It is as dark as pitch.
indicating the most important performer or role
From this reading A slow and cautious step, accompanied with the tapping of a stick upon the stone flags of the floor, is audible along the narrow passage leading from the sala to Pipa's room.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading A slow and cautious step, accompanied with the tapping of a stick upon the stone flags of the floor, is audible along the narrow passage leading from the sala to Pipa's room.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A slow and cautious step, accompanied with the tapping of a stick upon the stone flags of the floor, is audible along the narrow passage leading from the sala to Pipa's room.
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading OH BELLO!
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading An hour or two has passed.
the act of passing from one state or place to the next
From this reading A slow and cautious step, accompanied with the tapping of a stick upon the stone flags of the floor, is audible along the narrow passage leading from the sala to Pipa's room.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading An hour or two has passed.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A slow and cautious step, accompanied with the tapping of a stick upon the stone flags of the floor, is audible along the narrow passage leading from the sala to Pipa's room.
the property of sound that varies with variation in the frequency of vibration
From this reading It is as dark as pitch.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading A slow and cautious step, accompanied with the tapping of a stick upon the stone flags of the floor, is audible along the narrow passage leading from the sala to Pipa's room.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A slow and cautious step, accompanied with the tapping of a stick upon the stone flags of the floor, is audible along the narrow passage leading from the sala to Pipa's room.
not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time
From this reading A slow and cautious step, accompanied with the tapping of a stick upon the stone flags of the floor, is audible along the narrow passage leading from the sala to Pipa's room.
any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal
From this reading A slow and cautious step, accompanied with the tapping of a stick upon the stone flags of the floor, is audible along the narrow passage leading from the sala to Pipa's room.
put, fix, force, or implant
From this reading A slow and cautious step, accompanied with the tapping of a stick upon the stone flags of the floor, is audible along the narrow passage leading from the sala to Pipa's room.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading A slow and cautious step, accompanied with the tapping of a stick upon the stone flags of the floor, is audible along the narrow passage leading from the sala to Pipa's room.
the sound of light blow or knock
From this reading A slow and cautious step, accompanied with the tapping of a stick upon the stone flags of the floor, is audible along the narrow passage leading from the sala to Pipa's room.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A slow and cautious step, accompanied with the tapping of a stick upon the stone flags of the floor, is audible along the narrow passage leading from the sala to Pipa's room.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A slow and cautious step, accompanied with the tapping of a stick upon the stone flags of the floor, is audible along the narrow passage leading from the sala to Pipa's room.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading An hour or two has passed.
a formal word for “on”
From this reading A slow and cautious step, accompanied with the tapping of a stick upon the stone flags of the floor, is audible along the narrow passage leading from the sala to Pipa's room.
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading Whoever it is, is afraid of falling, and creeps along cautiously, feeling by the wall.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Whoever it is, is afraid of falling, and creeps along cautiously, feeling by the wall.
in the company of; together with
From this reading A slow and cautious step, accompanied with the tapping of a stick upon the stone flags of the floor, is audible along the narrow passage leading from the sala to Pipa's room.
Chapter 38 of The Italians: A Novel by Frances Minto Dickinson Elliot holds 63 sentences, grouped into 13 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.
Chapter 38 holds 63 sentences of The Italians: A Novel, unabridged, divided into 13 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 38 of The Italians: A Novel by Frances Minto Dickinson Elliot exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 63 sentences, grouped into 13 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 13 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 13 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 38 can be played aloud in United States English.
Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.
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Yes. All 8182 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #12385 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #12385, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 1637 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Italians: A Novel section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
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Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in The Italians: A Novel, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
