Chapter 23 of The Lair of the White Worm is here in full — 136 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXIII
Chapter 23 of The Lair of the White Worm is here in full — 136 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Sir Nathaniel was in the library next morning, after breakfast, when Adam came to him carrying a letter. "Her ladyship doesn't lose any time. She has begun work already!" Sir Nathaniel, who was writing at a table near the window, looked up. "What is it?" said he.
Chapter 23 of The Lair of the White Worm is here in full — 136 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/27 · 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.
(Old Testament) in Judeo-Christian mythology; the first man and the husband of Eve and the progenitor of the human race
From this reading “Sir Nathaniel was in the library next morning, after breakfast, when Adam came to him carrying a letter.”
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading “She has begun work already!"”
eat an early morning meal
From this reading “Sir Nathaniel was in the library next morning, after breakfast, when Adam came to him carrying a letter.”
-ing form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading “Sir Nathaniel was in the library next morning, after breakfast, when Adam came to him carrying a letter.”
a room where books are kept
From this reading “Sir Nathaniel was in the library next morning, after breakfast, when Adam came to him carrying a letter.”
fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading “"Her ladyship doesn't lose any time.”
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading “Sir Nathaniel, who was writing at a table near the window, looked up.”
the act of creating written works
From this reading “Sir Nathaniel, who was writing at a table near the window, looked up.”
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 Sir Nathaniel was in the library next morning, after breakfast, when Adam came to him carrying a letter.
(Old Testament) in Judeo-Christian mythology; the first man and the husband of Eve and the progenitor of the human race
From this reading Sir Nathaniel was in the library next morning, after breakfast, when Adam came to him carrying a letter.
later than; following
From this reading Sir Nathaniel was in the library next morning, after breakfast, when Adam came to him carrying a letter.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading She has begun work already!"
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading "Her ladyship doesn't lose any time.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Sir Nathaniel, who was writing at a table near the window, looked up.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading She has begun work already!"
eat an early morning meal
From this reading Sir Nathaniel was in the library next morning, after breakfast, when Adam came to him carrying a letter.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Sir Nathaniel was in the library next morning, after breakfast, when Adam came to him carrying a letter.
-ing form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading Sir Nathaniel was in the library next morning, after breakfast, when Adam came to him carrying a letter.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Her ladyship doesn't lose any time.
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She has begun work already!"
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "What is it?" said he.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading "Her ladyship doesn't lose any time.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Sir Nathaniel was in the library next morning, after breakfast, when Adam came to him carrying a letter.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Sir Nathaniel was in the library next morning, after breakfast, when Adam came to him carrying a letter.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "What is it?" said he.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "What is it?" said he.
a title used to address any peeress except a duchess
From this reading "Her ladyship doesn't lose any time.
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading Sir Nathaniel was in the library next morning, after breakfast, when Adam came to him carrying a letter.
a room where books are kept
From this reading Sir Nathaniel was in the library next morning, after breakfast, when Adam came to him carrying a letter.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Sir Nathaniel, who was writing at a table near the window, looked up.
fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading "Her ladyship doesn't lose any time.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading Sir Nathaniel was in the library next morning, after breakfast, when Adam came to him carrying a letter.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sir Nathaniel was in the library next morning, after breakfast, when Adam came to him carrying a letter.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading Sir Nathaniel, who was writing at a table near the window, looked up.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading Sir Nathaniel was in the library next morning, after breakfast, when Adam came to him carrying a letter.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "What is it?" said he.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She has begun work already!"
term of address for a man
From this reading Sir Nathaniel was in the library next morning, after breakfast, when Adam came to him carrying a letter.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading Sir Nathaniel, who was writing at a table near the window, looked up.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Sir Nathaniel was in the library next morning, after breakfast, when Adam came to him carrying a letter.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading "Her ladyship doesn't lose any time.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Sir Nathaniel was in the library next morning, after breakfast, when Adam came to him carrying a letter.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Sir Nathaniel, who was writing at a table near the window, looked up.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Sir Nathaniel was in the library next morning, after breakfast, when Adam came to him carrying a letter.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "What is it?" said he.
at the time that
From this reading Sir Nathaniel was in the library next morning, after breakfast, when Adam came to him carrying a letter.
which person or people
From this reading Sir Nathaniel, who was writing at a table near the window, looked up.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading Sir Nathaniel, who was writing at a table near the window, looked up.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading She has begun work already!"
the act of creating written works
From this reading Sir Nathaniel, who was writing at a table near the window, looked up.
Chapter 23 of The Lair of the White Worm by Bram Stoker holds 136 sentences, grouped into 28 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.
Chapter 23 holds 136 sentences of The Lair of the White Worm, unabridged, divided into 28 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 23 of The Lair of the White Worm by Bram Stoker exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 136 sentences, grouped into 28 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 28 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 28 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 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.
Common questions about reading The Lair of the White Worm by Bram Stoker on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3102 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1188 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #1188, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 258 minutes of reading across 621 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Lair of the White Worm section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 28 chapters of The Lair of the White Worm to begin.
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 Lair of the White Worm, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
