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The Man and the Moment
The Man and the Moment

Chapter XXI

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Context Illustration Reading 1/34 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.
It almost seemed that each time he had intended to do a good thing, he had been punished.
He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.
But, awful as the discovery was now, it was not half so terrible as it would have been if the truth had only come to him later, when Sabine had become his wife.
He must be thankful for that.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
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A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Man and the Moment

Chapter XXI

Reading 1/34 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.
Line 2
It almost seemed that each time he had intended to do a good thing, he had been punished.
Line 3
He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.
Line 4
But, awful as the discovery was now, it was not half so terrible as it would have been if the truth had only come to him later, when Sabine had become his wife.
Line 5
He must be thankful for that.

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

Agony noun US /ˈæɡ.ə.ni/

Extreme physical or mental suffering; intense anguish.

From this reading “When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.”

Alone noun US /alone/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.”

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “It almost seemed that each time he had intended to do a good thing, he had been punished.”

Come noun US /come/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “But, awful as the discovery was now, it was not half so terrible as it would have been if the truth had only come to him later, when Sabine had become his wife.”

Found noun US /found/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.”

Good noun US /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It almost seemed that each time he had intended to do a good thing, he had been punished.”

Great noun US /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.”

Half noun US /half/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “But, awful as the discovery was now, it was not half so terrible as it would have been if the truth had only come to him later, when Sabine had become his wife.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “But, awful as the discovery was now, it was not half so terrible as it would have been if the truth had only come to him later, when Sabine had become his wife.”

Himself pronoun US /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading “When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.”

Itself pronoun US /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading “When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.”

Left noun US /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.”

Life noun US /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.”

Must modal verb US /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading “When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.”

Saved noun US /saved/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.”

Seemed noun US /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It almost seemed that each time he had intended to do a good thing, he had been punished.”

Terrible noun US /ˈterrible/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “But, awful as the discovery was now, it was not half so terrible as it would have been if the truth had only come to him later, when Sabine had become his wife.”

Thing noun US /thing/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It almost seemed that each time he had intended to do a good thing, he had been punished.”

Time noun US /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It almost seemed that each time he had intended to do a good thing, he had been punished.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading “But, awful as the discovery was now, it was not half so terrible as it would have been if the truth had only come to him later, when Sabine had become his wife.”

All words in this reading · 79

Every word is available to listen to. 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 It almost seemed that each time he had intended to do a good thing, he had been punished.

agonynounUS /ˈæɡ.ə.ni/

Extreme physical or mental suffering; intense anguish.

From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.

almost

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

From this reading It almost seemed that each time he had intended to do a good thing, he had been punished.

alonenounUS /alone/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.

Arranstoun

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

From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.

awful

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

From this reading But, awful as the discovery was now, it was not half so terrible as it would have been if the truth had only come to him later, when Sabine had become his wife.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading He must be thankful for that.

become

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

From this reading But, awful as the discovery was now, it was not half so terrible as it would have been if the truth had only come to him later, when Sabine had become his wife.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading It almost seemed that each time he had intended to do a good thing, he had been punished.

best

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

From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But, awful as the discovery was now, it was not half so terrible as it would have been if the truth had only come to him later, when Sabine had become his wife.

circumstances

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

From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.

comenounUS /come/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading But, awful as the discovery was now, it was not half so terrible as it would have been if the truth had only come to him later, when Sabine had become his wife.

discovery

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

From this reading But, awful as the discovery was now, it was not half so terrible as it would have been if the truth had only come to him later, when Sabine had become his wife.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading It almost seemed that each time he had intended to do a good thing, he had been punished.

eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading It almost seemed that each time he had intended to do a good thing, he had been punished.

felt

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

From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.

fiendish

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

From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.

Fordyce

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

From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.

foundnounUS /found/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.

friendship

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

From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.

future

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

From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.

goodnounUS /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It almost seemed that each time he had intended to do a good thing, he had been punished.

greatnounUS /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading It almost seemed that each time he had intended to do a good thing, he had been punished.

halfnounUS /half/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading But, awful as the discovery was now, it was not half so terrible as it would have been if the truth had only come to him later, when Sabine had become his wife.

happiness

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

From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading But, awful as the discovery was now, it was not half so terrible as it would have been if the truth had only come to him later, when Sabine had become his wife.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading It almost seemed that each time he had intended to do a good thing, he had been punished.

Heronac

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

From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.

intended

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

From this reading It almost seemed that each time he had intended to do a good thing, he had been punished.

irony

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

From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.

itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.

kindly

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

From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.

later

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

From this reading But, awful as the discovery was now, it was not half so terrible as it would have been if the truth had only come to him later, when Sabine had become his wife.

leave

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

From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.

leftnounUS /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.

lifenounUS /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.

Lord

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

From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.

Michael

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

From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.

motive

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

From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.

now

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

From this reading But, awful as the discovery was now, it was not half so terrible as it would have been if the truth had only come to him later, when Sabine had become his wife.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.

only

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

From this reading But, awful as the discovery was now, it was not half so terrible as it would have been if the truth had only come to him later, when Sabine had become his wife.

out

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

From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.

pain

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

From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.

punished

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

From this reading It almost seemed that each time he had intended to do a good thing, he had been punished.

robbed

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

From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.

Sabine

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

From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.

savednounUS /saved/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.

seemednounUS /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It almost seemed that each time he had intended to do a good thing, he had been punished.

seen

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

From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.

taken

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

From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.

terriblenounUS /ˈterrible/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading But, awful as the discovery was now, it was not half so terrible as it would have been if the truth had only come to him later, when Sabine had become his wife.

thankful

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

From this reading He must be thankful for that.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It almost seemed that each time he had intended to do a good thing, he had been punished.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.

thingnounUS /thing/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It almost seemed that each time he had intended to do a good thing, he had been punished.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.

thus

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

From this reading He had left Arranstoun for the best motive, and so had not seen Sabine and thus saved himself from future pain; he had taken Michael to Heronac out of kindly friendship, and this had robbed him of his happiness.

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It almost seemed that each time he had intended to do a good thing, he had been punished.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It almost seemed that each time he had intended to do a good thing, he had been punished.

truth

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

From this reading But, awful as the discovery was now, it was not half so terrible as it would have been if the truth had only come to him later, when Sabine had become his wife.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When Lord Fordyce found himself alone, it felt as if life itself must leave him, the agony of pain was so great, the fiendish irony of circumstances.

wife

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

From this reading But, awful as the discovery was now, it was not half so terrible as it would have been if the truth had only come to him later, when Sabine had become his wife.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading But, awful as the discovery was now, it was not half so terrible as it would have been if the truth had only come to him later, when Sabine had become his wife.