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The Man with the Black Feather
The Man with the Black Feather

Chapter XII

Chapter 12 of The Man with the Black Feather is here in full — 105 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Gaston Leroux • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for The Man with the Black Feather
Context Illustration Reading 1/21 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.
He seems far more deeply concerned with the psychology of Mme. Longuet.
"The soul of woman," he writes, "is a very delicate thing.
I gathered this from the emotion of my dear Marceline.
She would not admit that I was obliged to clip the ears of Signor Petito; and her process of reasoning was incredible and indeed incomprehensible.
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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 with the Black Feather

Chapter XII

Chapter 12 of The Man with the Black Feather is here in full — 105 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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

Line 1
THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.
Line 2
He seems far more deeply concerned with the psychology of Mme. Longuet.
Line 3
"The soul of woman," he writes, "is a very delicate thing.
/ðə soʊl ʌv ˈwʊmən hiː raɪts ɪz ə ˈveri ˈdeləkət θɪŋ/
Line 4
I gathered this from the emotion of my dear Marceline.
Line 5
She would not admit that I was obliged to clip the ears of Signor Petito; and her process of reasoning was incredible and indeed incomprehensible.

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.

attach verb US /əˈtætʃ/

cause to be attached

From this reading “THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
clip noun US /klɪp/

a metal frame or container holding cartridges; can be inserted into an automatic gun

From this reading “She would not admit that I was obliged to clip the ears of Signor Petito; and her process of reasoning was incredible and indeed incomprehensible.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
clipping noun US /ˈklɪpɪŋ/

an excerpt cut from a newspaper or magazine

From this reading “THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
incomprehensible adjective US /ˌɪŋkɑːmprəˈhensɪbəl/

incapable of being explained or accounted for

From this reading “She would not admit that I was obliged to clip the ears of Signor Petito; and her process of reasoning was incredible and indeed incomprehensible.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
maintains verb US /meɪnˈteɪnz/

third-person singular of “maintain” — cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”

From this reading “THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Memoirs noun US /ˈmemwɑːrz/

plural of “memoir” — an account of the author's personal experiences

From this reading “THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
psychology noun US /saɪˈkɑːlədʒi/

the science of mental life

From this reading “He seems far more deeply concerned with the psychology of Mme. Longuet.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Signor noun US /ˈsiːnjɔːr/

used as an Italian courtesy title; can be prefixed to the name or used separately

From this reading “THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

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.

deeply concerned adverb + adjective

In this reading “He seems far more deeply concerned with the psychology of Mme. Longuet.”

496 times in 426,211 chapters
far more adverb + adjective

In this reading “He seems far more deeply concerned with the psychology of Mme. Longuet.”

22,173 times in 426,211 chapters
process of verb + particle

In this reading “She would not admit that I was obliged to clip the ears of Signor Petito; and her process of reasoning was incredible and indeed incomprehensible.”

9,876 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 67

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 "The soul of woman," he writes, "is a very delicate thing.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
accountnounUS /əˈkaʊnt/

a record or narrative description of past events

From this reading THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
admitverbUS /ədˈmɪt/

declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of

From this reading She would not admit that I was obliged to clip the ears of Signor Petito; and her process of reasoning was incredible and indeed incomprehensible.

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 would not admit that I was obliged to clip the ears of Signor Petito; and her process of reasoning was incredible and indeed incomprehensible.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
appearsverbUS /əˈpɪrz/

third-person singular of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
attachverbUS /əˈtætʃ/

cause to be attached

From this reading THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
clipnounUS /klɪp/

a metal frame or container holding cartridges; can be inserted into an automatic gun

From this reading She would not admit that I was obliged to clip the ears of Signor Petito; and her process of reasoning was incredible and indeed incomprehensible.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
clippingnounUS /ˈklɪpɪŋ/

an excerpt cut from a newspaper or magazine

From this reading THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
concernedadjectiveUS /kənˈsɜːrnd/

feeling or showing worry or solicitude

From this reading He seems far more deeply concerned with the psychology of Mme. Longuet.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
DEnounUS /diː/

a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies

From this reading THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
dearadjectiveUS /dɪr/

dearly loved

From this reading I gathered this from the emotion of my dear Marceline.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
deeplyadverbUS /ˈdiːpli/

to a great depth psychologically or emotionally

From this reading He seems far more deeply concerned with the psychology of Mme. Longuet.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
delicateadjectiveUS /ˈdeləkət/

exquisitely fine and subtle and pleasing; susceptible to injury

From this reading "The soul of woman," he writes, "is a very delicate thing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
DIDauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
DIEverbUS /daɪ/

pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life

From this reading THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
earsnounUS /ɪrz/

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

From this reading THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
emotionnounUS /ɪˈmoʊʃən/

any strong feeling

From this reading I gathered this from the emotion of my dear Marceline.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
faradverbUS /fɑːr/

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading He seems far more deeply concerned with the psychology of Mme. Longuet.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading I gathered this from the emotion of my dear Marceline.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
gatheredadjectiveUS /ˈɡæðərd/

brought together in one place

From this reading I gathered this from the emotion of my dear Marceline.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
GRÈVE

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

From this reading THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.

Pending verification
HEpronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading She would not admit that I was obliged to clip the ears of Signor Petito; and her process of reasoning was incredible and indeed incomprehensible.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I gathered this from the emotion of my dear Marceline.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
importancenounUS /ˌɪmˈpɔːrtəns/

the quality of being important and worthy of note

From this reading THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
incomprehensibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪŋkɑːmprəˈhensɪbəl/

incapable of being explained or accounted for

From this reading She would not admit that I was obliged to clip the ears of Signor Petito; and her process of reasoning was incredible and indeed incomprehensible.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
incredibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkredəbəl/

beyond belief or understanding

From this reading She would not admit that I was obliged to clip the ears of Signor Petito; and her process of reasoning was incredible and indeed incomprehensible.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
indeedadverbUS /ˌɪnˈdiːd/

in truth (often tends to intensify)

From this reading She would not admit that I was obliged to clip the ears of Signor Petito; and her process of reasoning was incredible and indeed incomprehensible.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading "The soul of woman," he writes, "is a very delicate thing.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Longuet

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

From this reading THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.

Pending verification
MnounUS /em/

the basic unit of length adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites (approximately 1.094 yards)

From this reading THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MAINTAINSverbUS /meɪnˈteɪnz/

third-person singular of “maintain” — cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”

From this reading THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Marceline

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

From this reading I gathered this from the emotion of my dear Marceline.

Pending verification
MemoirsnounUS /ˈmemwɑːrz/

plural of “memoir” — an account of the author's personal experiences

From this reading THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Mme

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

From this reading He seems far more deeply concerned with the psychology of Mme. Longuet.

Pending verification
moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading He seems far more deeply concerned with the psychology of Mme. Longuet.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading I gathered this from the emotion of my dear Marceline.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
NOTadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
obligedadjectiveUS /əˈblaɪdʒd/

under a moral obligation to do something

From this reading She would not admit that I was obliged to clip the ears of Signor Petito; and her process of reasoning was incredible and indeed incomprehensible.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ONprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
Petito

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

From this reading THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.

Pending verification
PLACEnounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
processverbUS /ˈprɑːses/

subject to a process or treatment, with the aim of readying for some purpose, improving, or remedying a condition

From this reading She would not admit that I was obliged to clip the ears of Signor Petito; and her process of reasoning was incredible and indeed incomprehensible.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
psychologynounUS /saɪˈkɑːlədʒi/

the science of mental life

From this reading He seems far more deeply concerned with the psychology of Mme. Longuet.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
reasoningnounUS /ˈriːzənɪŋ/

thinking that is coherent and logical

From this reading She would not admit that I was obliged to clip the ears of Signor Petito; and her process of reasoning was incredible and indeed incomprehensible.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
seemsverbUS /siːmz/

third-person singular of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading He seems far more deeply concerned with the psychology of Mme. Longuet.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading She would not admit that I was obliged to clip the ears of Signor Petito; and her process of reasoning was incredible and indeed incomprehensible.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
SignornounUS /ˈsiːnjɔːr/

used as an Italian courtesy title; can be prefixed to the name or used separately

From this reading THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
soulnounUS /soʊl/

the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life

From this reading "The soul of woman," he writes, "is a very delicate thing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
terribleadjectiveUS /ˈterəbəl/

causing fear or dread or terror

From this reading THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
THATconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.

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 THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
THEOPHRASTUSnoun

Greek philosopher who was a student of Aristotle and who succeeded Aristotle as the leader of the Peripatetics (371-287 BC)

From this reading THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thingnounUS /θɪŋ/

a special situation

From this reading "The soul of woman," he writes, "is a very delicate thing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading I gathered this from the emotion of my dear Marceline.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading THEOPHRASTUS MAINTAINS THAT HE DID NOT DIE ON THE PLACE DE GRÈVE In his account, in his Memoirs, of that terrible night, M. Longuet appears to attach very little importance to clipping the ears of Signor Petito.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading She would not admit that I was obliged to clip the ears of Signor Petito; and her process of reasoning was incredible and indeed incomprehensible.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading He seems far more deeply concerned with the psychology of Mme. Longuet.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
womannounUS /ˈwʊmən/

an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading "The soul of woman," he writes, "is a very delicate thing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading She would not admit that I was obliged to clip the ears of Signor Petito; and her process of reasoning was incredible and indeed incomprehensible.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
writesverbUS /raɪts/

third-person singular of “write” — produce a literary work

From this reading "The soul of woman," he writes, "is a very delicate thing.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Chapter 12 of The Man with the Black Feather by Gaston Leroux holds 105 sentences, grouped into 21 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 12 of The Man with the Black Feather contain?

Chapter 12 holds 105 sentences of The Man with the Black Feather, unabridged, divided into 21 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 12 of The Man with the Black Feather by Gaston Leroux exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 105 sentences, grouped into 21 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 12 of The Man with the Black Feather?

Work through the 21 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 21 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 12 be read aloud to me?

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.

Questions about reading The Man with the Black Feather

Common questions about reading The Man with the Black Feather by Gaston Leroux on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Man with the Black Feather?

Yes. All 3708 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #46343 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Man with the Black Feather is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #46343, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Man with the Black Feather take to read?

About 309 minutes of reading across 742 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Man with the Black Feather section by section

How to work through The Man with the Black Feather section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 29 chapters of The Man with the Black Feather 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 with the Black Feather

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Man with the Black Feather, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Man with the Black Feather; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Mystery
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Man with the Black Feather; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Yellow
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Man with the Black Feather; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Phantom
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Man with the Black Feather; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.