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The Lesser Bourgeoisie
The Lesser Bourgeoisie

Chapter XXV · Chapter 25

Chapter 25 of The Lesser Bourgeoisie is here in full — 166 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/33 · 5 lines
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On the staircase la Peyrade stopped to exhale, if we may so express it, the happiness of which his heart was full.
The words of the countess, the ingenious preparation she had made to put him on the track of her sentiments, seemed to him the guarantee of her sincerity, and he left her full of faith.
Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers apartment.
At last!” he cried, fame, fortune, happiness have come to me; but, above all, I can now give myself the joy of vengeance.
After Dutocq and Cerizet, I will crush _you_, vile bourgeois brood!”
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Lesser Bourgeoisie

Chapter XXV · Chapter 25

Chapter 25 of The Lesser Bourgeoisie 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
On the staircase la Peyrade stopped to exhale, if we may so express it, the happiness of which his heart was full.
Line 2
The words of the countess, the ingenious preparation she had made to put him on the track of her sentiments, seemed to him the guarantee of her sincerity, and he left her full of faith.
/ðə wɜːrdz ʌv ðə ˈkaʊntəs ðə ɪnˈdʒiː.ni.əs ˌprepərˈeɪʃən ʃiː hæd meɪd tuː pʊt hɪm ɑːn ðə træk ʌv hɜːr ˈsentəmənts siːmd tuː hɪm ðə ˌɡerənˈtiː ʌv hɜːr sɪnˈserəti ənd hiː left hɜːr fʊl ʌv feɪθ/
Line 3
Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliersapartment.
Line 4
At last!” he cried, “fame, fortune, happiness have come to me; but, above all, I can now give myself the joy of vengeance.
/æt læst hiː kraɪd feɪm ˈfɔːrtʃən ˈhæpinəs hæv kʌm tuː miː bʌt əˈbʌv ɔːl aɪ kæn naʊ ɡɪv ˌmaɪˈself ðə dʒɔɪ ʌv ˈvendʒəns/
Line 5
After Dutocq and Cerizet, I will crush _you_, vile bourgeois brood!”

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.

authorized adjective US /ˈɔːθəraɪzd/

endowed with authority

From this reading “Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.”

bourgeois adjective US /bʊrʒˈwɑː/

(according to Marxist thought) being of the property-owning class and exploitive of the working class

From this reading “After Dutocq and Cerizet, I will crush _you_, vile bourgeois brood!””

brood verb US /bruːd/

think moodily or anxiously about something

From this reading “After Dutocq and Cerizet, I will crush _you_, vile bourgeois brood!””

exhale verb US /eksˈheɪl/

expel air

From this reading “On the staircase la Peyrade stopped to exhale, if we may so express it, the happiness of which his heart was full.”

gait noun US /ɡeɪt/

the rate of moving (especially walking or running)

From this reading “Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.”

guarantee verb US /ˌɡerənˈtiː/

give surety or assume responsibility

From this reading “The words of the countess, the ingenious preparation she had made to put him on the track of her sentiments, seemed to him the guarantee of her sincerity, and he left her full of faith.”

intoxication noun US /ˌɪntɑːksəˈkeɪʃən/

the physiological state produced by a poison or other toxic substance

From this reading “Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.”

pausing verb US /ˈpɔːzɪŋ/

-ing form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing

From this reading “Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.”

All words in this reading · 101

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 Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.

aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/

higher than, or over, something

From this reading “At last!” he cried, “fame, fortune, happiness have come to me; but, above all, I can now give myself the joy of vengeance.

actionsnounUS /ˈækʃənz/

plural of “action” — something done (usually as opposed to something said)

From this reading Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading “At last!” he cried, “fame, fortune, happiness have come to me; but, above all, I can now give myself the joy of vengeance.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The words of the countess, the ingenious preparation she had made to put him on the track of her sentiments, seemed to him the guarantee of her sincerity, and he left her full of faith.

apartmentnounUS /əˈpɑːrtmənt/

a suite of rooms usually on one floor of an apartment house

From this reading Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.

AtprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading “At last!” he cried, “fame, fortune, happiness have come to me; but, above all, I can now give myself the joy of vengeance.

authorizedadjectiveUS /ˈɔːθəraɪzd/

endowed with authority

From this reading Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.

bourgeoisadjectiveUS /bʊrʒˈwɑː/

(according to Marxist thought) being of the property-owning class and exploitive of the working class

From this reading After Dutocq and Cerizet, I will crush _you_, vile bourgeois brood!”

broodverbUS /bruːd/

think moodily or anxiously about something

From this reading After Dutocq and Cerizet, I will crush _you_, vile bourgeois brood!”

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading “At last!” he cried, “fame, fortune, happiness have come to me; but, above all, I can now give myself the joy of vengeance.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading “At last!” he cried, “fame, fortune, happiness have come to me; but, above all, I can now give myself the joy of vengeance.

Cerizet

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

From this reading After Dutocq and Cerizet, I will crush _you_, vile bourgeois brood!”

comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading “At last!” he cried, “fame, fortune, happiness have come to me; but, above all, I can now give myself the joy of vengeance.

common-sense

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

From this reading Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.

countessnounUS /ˈkaʊntəs/

female equivalent of a count or earl

From this reading The words of the countess, the ingenious preparation she had made to put him on the track of her sentiments, seemed to him the guarantee of her sincerity, and he left her full of faith.

criedverbUS /kraɪd/

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

From this reading “At last!” he cried, “fame, fortune, happiness have come to me; but, above all, I can now give myself the joy of vengeance.

crushverbUS /krʌʃ/

come down on or keep down by unjust use of one's authority

From this reading After Dutocq and Cerizet, I will crush _you_, vile bourgeois brood!”

doornounUS /dɔːr/

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.

Dutocq

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

From this reading After Dutocq and Cerizet, I will crush _you_, vile bourgeois brood!”

exhaleverbUS /eksˈheɪl/

expel air

From this reading On the staircase la Peyrade stopped to exhale, if we may so express it, the happiness of which his heart was full.

expressverbUS /ɪkˈspres/

give expression to

From this reading On the staircase la Peyrade stopped to exhale, if we may so express it, the happiness of which his heart was full.

faithnounUS /feɪθ/

a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny

From this reading The words of the countess, the ingenious preparation she had made to put him on the track of her sentiments, seemed to him the guarantee of her sincerity, and he left her full of faith.

famenounUS /feɪm/

the state or quality of being widely honored and acclaimed

From this reading “At last!” he cried, “fame, fortune, happiness have come to me; but, above all, I can now give myself the joy of vengeance.

fewadjectiveUS /fjuː/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.

fortunenounUS /ˈfɔːrtʃən/

an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another

From this reading “At last!” he cried, “fame, fortune, happiness have come to me; but, above all, I can now give myself the joy of vengeance.

fulladjectiveUS /fʊl/

containing as much or as many as is possible or normal

From this reading On the staircase la Peyrade stopped to exhale, if we may so express it, the happiness of which his heart was full.

gaitnounUS /ɡeɪt/

the rate of moving (especially walking or running)

From this reading Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.

gesturesnounUS /ˈdʒestʃərz/

plural of “gesture” — motion of hands or body to emphasize or help to express a thought or feeling

From this reading Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.

giveverbUS /ɡɪv/

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading “At last!” he cried, “fame, fortune, happiness have come to me; but, above all, I can now give myself the joy of vengeance.

guaranteeverbUS /ˌɡerənˈtiː/

give surety or assume responsibility

From this reading The words of the countess, the ingenious preparation she had made to put him on the track of her sentiments, seemed to him the guarantee of her sincerity, and he left her full of faith.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading The words of the countess, the ingenious preparation she had made to put him on the track of her sentiments, seemed to him the guarantee of her sincerity, and he left her full of faith.

happinessnounUS /ˈhæpinəs/

state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy

From this reading On the staircase la Peyrade stopped to exhale, if we may so express it, the happiness of which his heart was full.

happyadjectiveUS /ˈhæpi/

enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure

From this reading Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading The words of the countess, the ingenious preparation she had made to put him on the track of her sentiments, seemed to him the guarantee of her sincerity, and he left her full of faith.

heartnounUS /hɑːrt/

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading On the staircase la Peyrade stopped to exhale, if we may so express it, the happiness of which his heart was full.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading The words of the countess, the ingenious preparation she had made to put him on the track of her sentiments, seemed to him the guarantee of her sincerity, and he left her full of faith.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading The words of the countess, the ingenious preparation she had made to put him on the track of her sentiments, seemed to him the guarantee of her sincerity, and he left her full of faith.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading On the staircase la Peyrade stopped to exhale, if we may so express it, the happiness of which his heart was full.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading “At last!” he cried, “fame, fortune, happiness have come to me; but, above all, I can now give myself the joy of vengeance.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading On the staircase la Peyrade stopped to exhale, if we may so express it, the happiness of which his heart was full.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.

ingeniousadjectiveUS /ɪnˈdʒiː.ni.əs/

Clever, original, and remarkably inventive in design and execution.

From this reading The words of the countess, the ingenious preparation she had made to put him on the track of her sentiments, seemed to him the guarantee of her sincerity, and he left her full of faith.

intoxicationnounUS /ˌɪntɑːksəˈkeɪʃən/

the physiological state produced by a poison or other toxic substance

From this reading Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading On the staircase la Peyrade stopped to exhale, if we may so express it, the happiness of which his heart was full.

itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.

joynounUS /dʒɔɪ/

the emotion of great happiness

From this reading “At last!” he cried, “fame, fortune, happiness have come to me; but, above all, I can now give myself the joy of vengeance.

lanounUS /lɑː/

a white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily; occurs in rare earth minerals and is usually classified as a rare earth

From this reading On the staircase la Peyrade stopped to exhale, if we may so express it, the happiness of which his heart was full.

lastadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading “At last!” he cried, “fame, fortune, happiness have come to me; but, above all, I can now give myself the joy of vengeance.

leftnounUS /left/

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading The words of the countess, the ingenious preparation she had made to put him on the track of her sentiments, seemed to him the guarantee of her sincerity, and he left her full of faith.

looksnounUS /lʊks/

plural of “look” — the feelings expressed on a person's face

From this reading Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading The words of the countess, the ingenious preparation she had made to put him on the track of her sentiments, seemed to him the guarantee of her sincerity, and he left her full of faith.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading On the staircase la Peyrade stopped to exhale, if we may so express it, the happiness of which his heart was full.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading “At last!” he cried, “fame, fortune, happiness have come to me; but, above all, I can now give myself the joy of vengeance.

momentnounUS /ˈmoʊmənt/

a particular point in time

From this reading Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.

myselfpronounUS /ˌmaɪˈself/

used when the speaker is also the object of the action

From this reading “At last!” he cried, “fame, fortune, happiness have come to me; but, above all, I can now give myself the joy of vengeance.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading “At last!” he cried, “fame, fortune, happiness have come to me; but, above all, I can now give myself the joy of vengeance.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading On the staircase la Peyrade stopped to exhale, if we may so express it, the happiness of which his heart was full.

OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading On the staircase la Peyrade stopped to exhale, if we may so express it, the happiness of which his heart was full.

pausingverbUS /ˈpɔːzɪŋ/

-ing form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing

From this reading Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.

personsnounUS /ˈpɜːrsənz/

plural of “person” — a human being

From this reading Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.

Peyrade

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

From this reading On the staircase la Peyrade stopped to exhale, if we may so express it, the happiness of which his heart was full.

PossessedadjectiveUS /pəˈzest/

influenced or controlled by a powerful force such as a strong emotion

From this reading Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.

preparationnounUS /ˌprepərˈeɪʃən/

the activity of putting or setting in order in advance of some act or purpose

From this reading The words of the countess, the ingenious preparation she had made to put him on the track of her sentiments, seemed to him the guarantee of her sincerity, and he left her full of faith.

putverbUS /pʊt/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading The words of the countess, the ingenious preparation she had made to put him on the track of her sentiments, seemed to him the guarantee of her sincerity, and he left her full of faith.

ranverbUS /ræn/

inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time

From this reading Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.

seemedverbUS /siːmd/

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading The words of the countess, the ingenious preparation she had made to put him on the track of her sentiments, seemed to him the guarantee of her sincerity, and he left her full of faith.

sentimentsnounUS /ˈsentəmənts/

plural of “sentiment” — tender, romantic, or nostalgic feeling or emotion

From this reading The words of the countess, the ingenious preparation she had made to put him on the track of her sentiments, seemed to him the guarantee of her sincerity, and he left her full of faith.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading The words of the countess, the ingenious preparation she had made to put him on the track of her sentiments, seemed to him the guarantee of her sincerity, and he left her full of faith.

showsnounUS /ʃoʊz/

plural of “show” — the act of publicly exhibiting or entertaining

From this reading Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.

sinceritynounUS /sɪnˈserəti/

an earnest and sincere feeling

From this reading The words of the countess, the ingenious preparation she had made to put him on the track of her sentiments, seemed to him the guarantee of her sincerity, and he left her full of faith.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading On the staircase la Peyrade stopped to exhale, if we may so express it, the happiness of which his heart was full.

sometimesadverbUS /səmˈtaɪmz/

on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always

From this reading Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.

staircasenounUS /ˈsterkeɪs/

a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps

From this reading On the staircase la Peyrade stopped to exhale, if we may so express it, the happiness of which his heart was full.

stepsnounUS /steps/

a flight of stairs or a flight of steps

From this reading Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.

stoppedadjectiveUS /stɑːpt/

(of a nose) blocked

From this reading On the staircase la Peyrade stopped to exhale, if we may so express it, the happiness of which his heart was full.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading On the staircase la Peyrade stopped to exhale, if we may so express it, the happiness of which his heart was full.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.

Thuilliers

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

From this reading Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.

tillprepositionUS /tɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading On the staircase la Peyrade stopped to exhale, if we may so express it, the happiness of which his heart was full.

tracknounUS /træk/

a line or route along which something travels or moves

From this reading The words of the countess, the ingenious preparation she had made to put him on the track of her sentiments, seemed to him the guarantee of her sincerity, and he left her full of faith.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.

vengeancenounUS /ˈvendʒəns/

the act of taking revenge (harming someone in retaliation for something harmful that they have done) especially in the next life

From this reading “At last!” he cried, “fame, fortune, happiness have come to me; but, above all, I can now give myself the joy of vengeance.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in their gestures, their looks, their very gait, and sometimes in actions not authorized by their common-sense, after pausing a moment, as we have said, on the staircase, he ran up a few steps till he could see the door of the Thuilliers’ apartment.

vileadjectiveUS /vaɪl/

morally reprehensible

From this reading After Dutocq and Cerizet, I will crush _you_, vile bourgeois brood!”

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading On the staircase la Peyrade stopped to exhale, if we may so express it, the happiness of which his heart was full.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading On the staircase la Peyrade stopped to exhale, if we may so express it, the happiness of which his heart was full.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading On the staircase la Peyrade stopped to exhale, if we may so express it, the happiness of which his heart was full.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading After Dutocq and Cerizet, I will crush _you_, vile bourgeois brood!”

wordsnounUS /wɜːrdz/

the words that are spoken

From this reading The words of the countess, the ingenious preparation she had made to put him on the track of her sentiments, seemed to him the guarantee of her sincerity, and he left her full of faith.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading After Dutocq and Cerizet, I will crush _you_, vile bourgeois brood!”

Chapter 25 of The Lesser Bourgeoisie by Honoré de Balzac holds 166 sentences, grouped into 34 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 25 of The Lesser Bourgeoisie contain?

Chapter 25 holds 166 sentences of The Lesser Bourgeoisie, unabridged, divided into 34 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 25 of The Lesser Bourgeoisie by Honoré de Balzac exactly as it stands in the 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 25 of The Lesser Bourgeoisie?

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 25 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 25 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 Lesser Bourgeoisie

Common questions about reading The Lesser Bourgeoisie by Honoré de Balzac on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Lesser Bourgeoisie?

Yes. All 7414 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1641 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Lesser Bourgeoisie is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #1641, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Lesser Bourgeoisie take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1483 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Lesser Bourgeoisie section by section

How to work through The Lesser Bourgeoisie section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in The Lesser Bourgeoisie

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Lesser Bourgeoisie, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Tourniquet
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Lesser Bourgeoisie; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Saint-jean
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Lesser Bourgeoisie; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Narrow
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Lesser Bourgeoisie; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Passage
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Lesser Bourgeoisie; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.