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The Man Who Laughs
The Man Who Laughs

Chapter XLV · Chapter 45

Chapter 45 of The Man Who Laughs is here in full — 106 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Victor Hugo • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for The Man Who Laughs
Context Illustration Reading 1/21 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
WHEREIN WE SEE THE FACE OF HIM OF WHOM WE HAVE HITHERTO SEEN ONLY THE ACTS.
Nature had been prodigal of her kindness to Gwynplaine.
She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.
We have just said that nature had loaded Gwynplaine with her gifts.
But was it nature?
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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 Who Laughs

Chapter XLV · Chapter 45

Chapter 45 of The Man Who Laughs is here in full — 106 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/21 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
WHEREIN WE SEE THE FACE OF HIM OF WHOM WE HAVE HITHERTO SEEN ONLY THE ACTS.
Line 2
Nature had been prodigal of her kindness to Gwynplaine.
Line 3
She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.
/ʃiː hæd bɪˈstoʊd ɑːn hɪm ə maʊθ ˈoʊpənɪŋ tuː hɪz ɪrz ɪrz ˈfoʊldɪŋ ˈoʊvər tuː hɪz aɪz ə ˈʃeɪpləs noʊz tuː səˈpɔːrt ðə ˈspektəkəlz ʌv ðə ˈɡrɪməs ˈmeɪkər ənd ə feɪs ðæt noʊ wʌn kʊd lʊk əˈpɑːn wɪˈθaʊt ˈlæfɪŋ/
Line 4
We have just said that nature had loaded Gwynplaine with her gifts.
Line 5
But was it nature?
/bʌt wɑːz ɪt ˈneɪtʃər/

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.

bestowed verb US /bɪˈstoʊd/

past form of “bestow” — present

From this reading “She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
folding noun US /ˈfoʊldɪŋ/

the process whereby a protein molecule assumes its intricate three-dimensional shape

From this reading “She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
grimace verb US /ˈɡrɪməs/

contort the face to indicate a certain mental or emotional state

From this reading “She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
loaded adjective US /ˈloʊdɪd/

filled with a great quantity

From this reading “We have just said that nature had loaded Gwynplaine with her gifts.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
maker noun US /ˈmeɪkər/

a person who makes things

From this reading “She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
prodigal noun US /ˈprɑːdɪɡəl/

a recklessly extravagant consumer

From this reading “Nature had been prodigal of her kindness to Gwynplaine.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
shapeless adjective US /ˈʃeɪpləs/

having no definite form or distinct shape

From this reading “She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
spectacles noun US /ˈspektəkəlz/

(plural) optical instrument consisting of a frame that holds a pair of lenses for correcting defective vision

From this reading “She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

All words in this reading · 55

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 She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ACTSnounUS /ækts/

a New Testament book describing the development of the early church from Christ's Ascension to Paul's sojourn at Rome

From this reading WHEREIN WE SEE THE FACE OF HIM OF WHOM WE HAVE HITHERTO SEEN ONLY THE ACTS.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Nature had been prodigal of her kindness to Gwynplaine.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
bestowedverbUS /bɪˈstoʊd/

past form of “bestow” — present

From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But was it nature?

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
earsnounUS /ɪrz/

plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium

From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
FACEnounUS /feɪs/

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading WHEREIN WE SEE THE FACE OF HIM OF WHOM WE HAVE HITHERTO SEEN ONLY THE ACTS.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
foldingnounUS /ˈfoʊldɪŋ/

the process whereby a protein molecule assumes its intricate three-dimensional shape

From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
giftsnounUS /ɡɪfts/

plural of “gift” — something acquired without compensation

From this reading We have just said that nature had loaded Gwynplaine with her gifts.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
grimaceverbUS /ˈɡrɪməs/

contort the face to indicate a certain mental or emotional state

From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Gwynplaine

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

From this reading Nature had been prodigal of her kindness to Gwynplaine.

Pending verification
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Nature had been prodigal of her kindness to Gwynplaine.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
HAVEauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading WHEREIN WE SEE THE FACE OF HIM OF WHOM WE HAVE HITHERTO SEEN ONLY THE ACTS.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Nature had been prodigal of her kindness to Gwynplaine.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
HIMpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading WHEREIN WE SEE THE FACE OF HIM OF WHOM WE HAVE HITHERTO SEEN ONLY THE ACTS.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
HITHERTOadverbUS /ˈhɪðɜːrˈtuː/

used in negative statement to describe a situation that has existed up to this point or up to the present time

From this reading WHEREIN WE SEE THE FACE OF HIM OF WHOM WE HAVE HITHERTO SEEN ONLY THE ACTS.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading But was it nature?

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading We have just said that nature had loaded Gwynplaine with her gifts.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
kindnessnounUS /ˈkaɪndnəs/

the quality of being warmhearted and considerate and humane and sympathetic

From this reading Nature had been prodigal of her kindness to Gwynplaine.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
laughingadjectiveUS /ˈlæfɪŋ/

showing or feeling mirth or pleasure or happiness

From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
loadedadjectiveUS /ˈloʊdɪd/

filled with a great quantity

From this reading We have just said that nature had loaded Gwynplaine with her gifts.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lookverbUS /lʊk/

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
makernounUS /ˈmeɪkər/

a person who makes things

From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mouthnounUS /maʊθ/

the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge

From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
NaturenounUS /ˈneɪtʃər/

the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized

From this reading Nature had been prodigal of her kindness to Gwynplaine.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
nosenounUS /noʊz/

the organ of smell and entrance to the respiratory tract; the prominent part of the face of man or other mammals

From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading WHEREIN WE SEE THE FACE OF HIM OF WHOM WE HAVE HITHERTO SEEN ONLY THE ACTS.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ONLYadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading WHEREIN WE SEE THE FACE OF HIM OF WHOM WE HAVE HITHERTO SEEN ONLY THE ACTS.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
openingnounUS /ˈoʊpənɪŋ/

an open or empty space in or between things

From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
prodigalnounUS /ˈprɑːdɪɡəl/

a recklessly extravagant consumer

From this reading Nature had been prodigal of her kindness to Gwynplaine.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading We have just said that nature had loaded Gwynplaine with her gifts.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SEEverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading WHEREIN WE SEE THE FACE OF HIM OF WHOM WE HAVE HITHERTO SEEN ONLY THE ACTS.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SEENverbUS /siːn/

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading WHEREIN WE SEE THE FACE OF HIM OF WHOM WE HAVE HITHERTO SEEN ONLY THE ACTS.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
shapelessadjectiveUS /ˈʃeɪpləs/

having no definite form or distinct shape

From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
spectaclesnounUS /ˈspektəkəlz/

(plural) optical instrument consisting of a frame that holds a pair of lenses for correcting defective vision

From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
supportnounUS /səˈpɔːrt/

the activity of providing for or maintaining by supplying with money or necessities

From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading WHEREIN WE SEE THE FACE OF HIM OF WHOM WE HAVE HITHERTO SEEN ONLY THE ACTS.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Nature had been prodigal of her kindness to Gwynplaine.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading But was it nature?

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
WEpronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading WHEREIN WE SEE THE FACE OF HIM OF WHOM WE HAVE HITHERTO SEEN ONLY THE ACTS.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
WHEREIN

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

From this reading WHEREIN WE SEE THE FACE OF HIM OF WHOM WE HAVE HITHERTO SEEN ONLY THE ACTS.

Pending verification
WHOMpronounUS /huːm/

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading WHEREIN WE SEE THE FACE OF HIM OF WHOM WE HAVE HITHERTO SEEN ONLY THE ACTS.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading We have just said that nature had loaded Gwynplaine with her gifts.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 45 of The Man Who Laughs by Victor Hugo holds 106 sentences, grouped into 22 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 45 of The Man Who Laughs contain?

Chapter 45 holds 106 sentences of The Man Who Laughs, unabridged, divided into 22 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 45 of The Man Who Laughs by Victor Hugo exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 106 sentences, grouped into 22 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 45 of The Man Who Laughs?

Work through the 22 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 22 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 45 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 45 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 Who Laughs

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Vocabulary met early in The Man Who Laughs

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Man Who Laughs, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Chapter 1
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Chapter 2
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Chapter 3
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