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The Man in Ratcatcher, and Other Stories
The Man in Ratcatcher, and Other Stories

Chapter III

Chapter 3 of The Man in Ratcatcher, and Other Stories is here in full — 400 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Man in Ratcatcher, and Other Stories
Context Illustration Reading 1/80 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"I like Mr. Fordingham, Hugh.
And you will have to understand that if I consent to come back to you, it will only be on the condition that if I want to I can go out and dine with him."
It was at that moment that once again there came a knock on the door.
The Colt looked up quickly, and Hugh rose.
"In case it’s a message," he whispered, "I’ll get over here."
0:00 / 0:00
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Man in Ratcatcher, and Other Stories

Chapter III

Chapter 3 of The Man in Ratcatcher, and Other Stories is here in full — 400 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/80 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"I like Mr. Fordingham, Hugh.
Line 2
And you will have to understand that if I consent to come back to you, it will only be on the condition that if I want to I can go out and dine with him."
/ənd juː wɪl hæv tuː ˌʌndərˈstænd ðæt ɪf aɪ kənˈsent tuː kʌm bæk tuː juː ɪt wɪl ˈoʊnli biː ɑːn ðə kənˈdɪʃən ðæt ɪf aɪ wɑːnt tuː aɪ kæn ɡoʊ aʊt ənd daɪn wɪð hɪm/
Line 3
It was at that moment that once again there came a knock on the door.
/ɪt wɑːz æt ðæt ˈmoʊmənt ðæt wʌns əˈɡen ðer keɪm ə nɑːk ɑːn ðə dɔːr/
Line 4
The Colt looked up quickly, and Hugh rose.
Line 5
"In case it’s a message," he whispered, "I’ll get over here."

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.

Colt noun US /koʊlt/

a young male horse under the age of four

From this reading “The Colt looked up quickly, and Hugh rose.”

condition noun US /kənˈdɪʃən/

a state at a particular time

From this reading “And you will have to understand that if I consent to come back to you, it will only be on the condition that if I want to I can go out and dine with him."”

consent noun US /kənˈsent/

permission to do something

From this reading “And you will have to understand that if I consent to come back to you, it will only be on the condition that if I want to I can go out and dine with him."”

dine verb US /daɪn/

have supper; eat dinner

From this reading “And you will have to understand that if I consent to come back to you, it will only be on the condition that if I want to I can go out and dine with him."”

knock verb US /nɑːk/

deliver a sharp blow or push

From this reading “It was at that moment that once again there came a knock on the door.”

message noun US /ˈmesədʒ/

a communication (usually brief) that is written or spoken or signaled

From this reading “"In case it’s a message," he whispered, "I’ll get over here."”

quickly adverb US /ˈkwɪkli/

with speed

From this reading “The Colt looked up quickly, and Hugh rose.”

whispered adjective US /ˈwɪspərd/

spoken in soft hushed tones without vibrations of the vocal cords

From this reading “"In case it’s a message," he whispered, "I’ll get over here."”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

come back verb + particle

be restored

In this reading “And you will have to understand that if I consent to come back to you, it will only be on the condition that if I want to I can go out and dine with him."”

dine with verb + particle

In this reading “And you will have to understand that if I consent to come back to you, it will only be on the condition that if I want to I can go out and dine with him."”

go out verb + adjective

move out of or depart from

In this reading “And you will have to understand that if I consent to come back to you, it will only be on the condition that if I want to I can go out and dine with him."”

looked up verb + adjective counted as “look up”

seek information from

In this reading “The Colt looked up quickly, and Hugh rose.”

knock on verb + particle

(rugby) knocking the ball forward while trying to catch it (a foul)

In this reading “It was at that moment that once again there came a knock on the door.”

get over verb + particle

travel across or pass over

In this reading “"In case it’s a message," he whispered, "I’ll get over here."”

In case preposition + noun

if there happens to be need

In this reading “"In case it’s a message," he whispered, "I’ll get over here."”

All words in this reading · 54

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 It was at that moment that once again there came a knock on the door.

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading It was at that moment that once again there came a knock on the door.

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading And you will have to understand that if I consent to come back to you, it will only be on the condition that if I want to I can go out and dine with him."

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading It was at that moment that once again there came a knock on the door.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading And you will have to understand that if I consent to come back to you, it will only be on the condition that if I want to I can go out and dine with him."

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading And you will have to understand that if I consent to come back to you, it will only be on the condition that if I want to I can go out and dine with him."

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading It was at that moment that once again there came a knock on the door.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading And you will have to understand that if I consent to come back to you, it will only be on the condition that if I want to I can go out and dine with him."

casenounUS /keɪs/

an occurrence of something

From this reading "In case it’s a message," he whispered, "I’ll get over here."

ColtnounUS /koʊlt/

a young male horse under the age of four

From this reading The Colt looked up quickly, and Hugh rose.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

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

From this reading And you will have to understand that if I consent to come back to you, it will only be on the condition that if I want to I can go out and dine with him."

conditionnounUS /kənˈdɪʃən/

a state at a particular time

From this reading And you will have to understand that if I consent to come back to you, it will only be on the condition that if I want to I can go out and dine with him."

consentnounUS /kənˈsent/

permission to do something

From this reading And you will have to understand that if I consent to come back to you, it will only be on the condition that if I want to I can go out and dine with him."

dineverbUS /daɪn/

have supper; eat dinner

From this reading And you will have to understand that if I consent to come back to you, it will only be on the condition that if I want to I can go out and dine with him."

doornounUS /dɔːr/

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

From this reading It was at that moment that once again there came a knock on the door.

Fordingham

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

From this reading "I like Mr. Fordingham, Hugh.

getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading "In case it’s a message," he whispered, "I’ll get over here."

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading And you will have to understand that if I consent to come back to you, it will only be on the condition that if I want to I can go out and dine with him."

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading And you will have to understand that if I consent to come back to you, it will only be on the condition that if I want to I can go out and dine with him."

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading "In case it’s a message," he whispered, "I’ll get over here."

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading "In case it’s a message," he whispered, "I’ll get over here."

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading And you will have to understand that if I consent to come back to you, it will only be on the condition that if I want to I can go out and dine with him."

Hugh

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

From this reading "I like Mr. Fordingham, Hugh.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading "I like Mr. Fordingham, Hugh.

I'll

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

From this reading "In case it’s a message," he whispered, "I’ll get over here."

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading And you will have to understand that if I consent to come back to you, it will only be on the condition that if I want to I can go out and dine with him."

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading "In case it’s a message," he whispered, "I’ll get over here."

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading And you will have to understand that if I consent to come back to you, it will only be on the condition that if I want to I can go out and dine with him."

it's

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

From this reading "In case it’s a message," he whispered, "I’ll get over here."

knockverbUS /nɑːk/

deliver a sharp blow or push

From this reading It was at that moment that once again there came a knock on the door.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading "I like Mr. Fordingham, Hugh.

lookedverbUS /lʊkt/

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading The Colt looked up quickly, and Hugh rose.

messagenounUS /ˈmesədʒ/

a communication (usually brief) that is written or spoken or signaled

From this reading "In case it’s a message," he whispered, "I’ll get over here."

momentnounUS /ˈmoʊmənt/

a particular point in time

From this reading It was at that moment that once again there came a knock on the door.

MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading "I like Mr. Fordingham, Hugh.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading And you will have to understand that if I consent to come back to you, it will only be on the condition that if I want to I can go out and dine with him."

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading It was at that moment that once again there came a knock on the door.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading And you will have to understand that if I consent to come back to you, it will only be on the condition that if I want to I can go out and dine with him."

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading And you will have to understand that if I consent to come back to you, it will only be on the condition that if I want to I can go out and dine with him."

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading "In case it’s a message," he whispered, "I’ll get over here."

quicklyadverbUS /ˈkwɪkli/

with speed

From this reading The Colt looked up quickly, and Hugh rose.

rosenounUS /roʊz/

any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses

From this reading The Colt looked up quickly, and Hugh rose.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading And you will have to understand that if I consent to come back to you, it will only be on the condition that if I want to I can go out and dine with him."

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading And you will have to understand that if I consent to come back to you, it will only be on the condition that if I want to I can go out and dine with him."

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading It was at that moment that once again there came a knock on the door.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading And you will have to understand that if I consent to come back to you, it will only be on the condition that if I want to I can go out and dine with him."

understandverbUS /ˌʌndərˈstænd/

know and comprehend the nature or meaning of

From this reading And you will have to understand that if I consent to come back to you, it will only be on the condition that if I want to I can go out and dine with him."

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading The Colt looked up quickly, and Hugh rose.

wantverbUS /wɑːnt/

feel or have a desire for; want strongly

From this reading And you will have to understand that if I consent to come back to you, it will only be on the condition that if I want to I can go out and dine with him."

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was at that moment that once again there came a knock on the door.

whisperedadjectiveUS /ˈwɪspərd/

spoken in soft hushed tones without vibrations of the vocal cords

From this reading "In case it’s a message," he whispered, "I’ll get over here."

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading And you will have to understand that if I consent to come back to you, it will only be on the condition that if I want to I can go out and dine with him."

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading And you will have to understand that if I consent to come back to you, it will only be on the condition that if I want to I can go out and dine with him."

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading And you will have to understand that if I consent to come back to you, it will only be on the condition that if I want to I can go out and dine with him."

Chapter 3 of The Man in Ratcatcher, and Other Stories by H. C. (Herman Cyril) McNeile holds 400 sentences, grouped into 80 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 3 of The Man in Ratcatcher, and Other Stories contain?

Chapter 3 holds 400 sentences of The Man in Ratcatcher, and Other Stories, unabridged, divided into 80 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 3 of The Man in Ratcatcher, and Other Stories by H. C. (Herman Cyril) McNeile exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 400 sentences, grouped into 80 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 3 of The Man in Ratcatcher, and Other Stories?

Work through the 80 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 80 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 3 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 3 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 Man in Ratcatcher, and Other Stories

Common questions about reading The Man in Ratcatcher, and Other Stories by H. C. (Herman Cyril) McNeile on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Man in Ratcatcher, and Other Stories?

Yes. All 4866 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #49590 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Man in Ratcatcher, and Other Stories is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #49590, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Man in Ratcatcher, and Other Stories take to read?

About 405 minutes of reading across 974 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Man in Ratcatcher, and Other Stories section by section

How to work through The Man in Ratcatcher, and Other Stories section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 12 chapters of The Man in Ratcatcher, and Other Stories to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

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

Vocabulary met early in The Man in Ratcatcher, and Other Stories

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Man in Ratcatcher, and Other Stories, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Man in Ratcatcher, and Other Stories; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Bull-dog
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Man in Ratcatcher, and Other Stories; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Drummond
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Man in Ratcatcher, and Other Stories; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Black
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Man in Ratcatcher, and Other Stories; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.