Chapter 12 of The Man Who Knew Too Much is here in full — 168 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XII
Chapter 12 of The Man Who Knew Too Much is here in full — 168 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"Oh, but my brother has dressed up!" cried the girl. "Very much so. No end, if I may say so. Why he's bearing down on you now in all his glory." The noble lord was indeed marching toward them in a magnificent sixteenth-century costume of purple and gold, with a gold-hilted sword and a plumed cap, and manners to match.
Chapter 12 of The Man Who Knew Too Much is here in full — 168 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/33 · 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.
relevant relation or interconnection
From this reading “Why he's bearing down on you now in all his glory."”
a tight-fitting headdress
From this reading “The noble lord was indeed marching toward them in a magnificent sixteenth-century costume of purple and gold, with a gold-hilted sword and a plumed cap, and manners to match.”
the attire worn in a play or at a fancy dress ball
From this reading “The noble lord was indeed marching toward them in a magnificent sixteenth-century costume of purple and gold, with a gold-hilted sword and a plumed cap, and manners to match.”
characterized by grandeur
From this reading “The noble lord was indeed marching toward them in a magnificent sixteenth-century costume of purple and gold, with a gold-hilted sword and a plumed cap, and manners to match.”
social deportment
From this reading “The noble lord was indeed marching toward them in a magnificent sixteenth-century costume of purple and gold, with a gold-hilted sword and a plumed cap, and manners to match.”
the act of marching; walking with regular steps (especially in a procession of some kind)
From this reading “The noble lord was indeed marching toward them in a magnificent sixteenth-century costume of purple and gold, with a gold-hilted sword and a plumed cap, and manners to match.”
be compatible, similar or consistent; coincide in their characteristics
From this reading “The noble lord was indeed marching toward them in a magnificent sixteenth-century costume of purple and gold, with a gold-hilted sword and a plumed cap, and manners to match.”
a purple color or pigment
From this reading “The noble lord was indeed marching toward them in a magnificent sixteenth-century costume of purple and gold, with a gold-hilted sword and a plumed cap, and manners to match.”
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 The noble lord was indeed marching toward them in a magnificent sixteenth-century costume of purple and gold, with a gold-hilted sword and a plumed cap, and manners to match.
(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 Why he's bearing down on you now in all his glory."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The noble lord was indeed marching toward them in a magnificent sixteenth-century costume of purple and gold, with a gold-hilted sword and a plumed cap, and manners to match.
relevant relation or interconnection
From this reading Why he's bearing down on you now in all his glory."
a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading "Oh, but my brother has dressed up!" cried the girl.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "Oh, but my brother has dressed up!" cried the girl.
a tight-fitting headdress
From this reading The noble lord was indeed marching toward them in a magnificent sixteenth-century costume of purple and gold, with a gold-hilted sword and a plumed cap, and manners to match.
the attire worn in a play or at a fancy dress ball
From this reading The noble lord was indeed marching toward them in a magnificent sixteenth-century costume of purple and gold, with a gold-hilted sword and a plumed cap, and manners to match.
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading "Oh, but my brother has dressed up!" cried the girl.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Why he's bearing down on you now in all his glory."
dressed or clothed especially in fine attire; often used in combination
From this reading "Oh, but my brother has dressed up!" cried the girl.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading No end, if I may say so.
a young female
From this reading "Oh, but my brother has dressed up!" cried the girl.
a state of high honor
From this reading Why he's bearing down on you now in all his glory."
coins made of gold
From this reading The noble lord was indeed marching toward them in a magnificent sixteenth-century costume of purple and gold, with a gold-hilted sword and a plumed cap, and manners to match.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The noble lord was indeed marching toward them in a magnificent sixteenth-century costume of purple and gold, with a gold-hilted sword and a plumed cap, and manners to match.
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Oh, but my brother has dressed up!" cried the girl.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Why he's bearing down on you now in all his glory."
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Why he's bearing down on you now in all his glory."
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading No end, if I may say so.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading No end, if I may say so.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Why he's bearing down on you now in all his glory."
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading The noble lord was indeed marching toward them in a magnificent sixteenth-century costume of purple and gold, with a gold-hilted sword and a plumed cap, and manners to match.
terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading The noble lord was indeed marching toward them in a magnificent sixteenth-century costume of purple and gold, with a gold-hilted sword and a plumed cap, and manners to match.
characterized by grandeur
From this reading The noble lord was indeed marching toward them in a magnificent sixteenth-century costume of purple and gold, with a gold-hilted sword and a plumed cap, and manners to match.
social deportment
From this reading The noble lord was indeed marching toward them in a magnificent sixteenth-century costume of purple and gold, with a gold-hilted sword and a plumed cap, and manners to match.
the act of marching; walking with regular steps (especially in a procession of some kind)
From this reading The noble lord was indeed marching toward them in a magnificent sixteenth-century costume of purple and gold, with a gold-hilted sword and a plumed cap, and manners to match.
be compatible, similar or consistent; coincide in their characteristics
From this reading The noble lord was indeed marching toward them in a magnificent sixteenth-century costume of purple and gold, with a gold-hilted sword and a plumed cap, and manners to match.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading No end, if I may say so.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading "Very much so.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "Oh, but my brother has dressed up!" cried the girl.
not any; not one
From this reading No end, if I may say so.
impressive in appearance
From this reading The noble lord was indeed marching toward them in a magnificent sixteenth-century costume of purple and gold, with a gold-hilted sword and a plumed cap, and manners to match.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Why he's bearing down on you now in all his glory."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The noble lord was indeed marching toward them in a magnificent sixteenth-century costume of purple and gold, with a gold-hilted sword and a plumed cap, and manners to match.
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading "Oh, but my brother has dressed up!" cried the girl.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Why he's bearing down on you now in all his glory."
having or covered with or abounding in plumes
From this reading The noble lord was indeed marching toward them in a magnificent sixteenth-century costume of purple and gold, with a gold-hilted sword and a plumed cap, and manners to match.
a purple color or pigment
From this reading The noble lord was indeed marching toward them in a magnificent sixteenth-century costume of purple and gold, with a gold-hilted sword and a plumed cap, and manners to match.
express in words
From this reading No end, if I may say so.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The noble lord was indeed marching toward them in a magnificent sixteenth-century costume of purple and gold, with a gold-hilted sword and a plumed cap, and manners to match.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading "Very much so.
a cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guard
From this reading The noble lord was indeed marching toward them in a magnificent sixteenth-century costume of purple and gold, with a gold-hilted sword and a plumed cap, and manners to match.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Oh, but my brother has dressed up!" cried the girl.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The noble lord was indeed marching toward them in a magnificent sixteenth-century costume of purple and gold, with a gold-hilted sword and a plumed cap, and manners to match.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The noble lord was indeed marching toward them in a magnificent sixteenth-century costume of purple and gold, with a gold-hilted sword and a plumed cap, and manners to match.
in the direction of
From this reading The noble lord was indeed marching toward them in a magnificent sixteenth-century costume of purple and gold, with a gold-hilted sword and a plumed cap, and manners to match.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading "Oh, but my brother has dressed up!" cried the girl.
precisely as stated
From this reading "Very much so.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The noble lord was indeed marching toward them in a magnificent sixteenth-century costume of purple and gold, with a gold-hilted sword and a plumed cap, and manners to match.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading Why he's bearing down on you now in all his glory."
in the company of; together with
From this reading The noble lord was indeed marching toward them in a magnificent sixteenth-century costume of purple and gold, with a gold-hilted sword and a plumed cap, and manners to match.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Why he's bearing down on you now in all his glory."
Chapter 12 of The Man Who Knew Too Much by G. K. (Gilbert Keith) Chesterton holds 168 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.
Chapter 12 holds 168 sentences of The Man Who Knew Too Much, unabridged, divided into 34 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 12 of The Man Who Knew Too Much by G. K. (Gilbert Keith) Chesterton exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 168 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.
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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 12 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 Man Who Knew Too Much by G. K. (Gilbert Keith) Chesterton on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3097 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1720 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #1720, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 258 minutes of reading across 620 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Man Who Knew Too Much section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 18 chapters of The Man Who Knew Too Much 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 Man Who Knew Too Much, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
