Chapter 9 of The Mountebank is here in full — 388 sentences across 78 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IX
Chapter 9 of The Mountebank is here in full — 388 sentences across 78 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
That was the beginning of the combination known a little while afterwards as _Les Petit Patou_. Elodie, receptive, imitative, histrionic, showed herself from the start an apt pupil. To natural talent she added the desire, born of infinite gratitude, to please her benefactor. She possessed the rare faculty of perfect surrender. Andrew marvelled.
Chapter 9 of The Mountebank is here in full — 388 sentences across 78 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/77 · 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.
a person who helps people or institutions (especially with financial help)
From this reading “To natural talent she added the desire, born of infinite gratitude, to please her benefactor.”
a collection of things that have been combined; an assemblage of separate parts or qualities
From this reading “That was the beginning of the combination known a little while afterwards as _Les Petit Patou_.”
one of the inherent cognitive or perceptual powers of the mind
From this reading “She possessed the rare faculty of perfect surrender.”
characteristic of acting or a stage performance; often affected
From this reading “Elodie, receptive, imitative, histrionic, showed herself from the start an apt pupil.”
marked by or given to imitation
From this reading “Elodie, receptive, imitative, histrionic, showed herself from the start an apt pupil.”
plural of “le” — a chronic inflammatory collagen disease affecting connective tissue (skin or joints)
inflected form of “marvel” — be amazed at
From this reading “Andrew marvelled.”
open to arguments, ideas, or change
From this reading “Elodie, receptive, imitative, histrionic, showed herself from the start an apt pupil.”
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 That was the beginning of the combination known a little while afterwards as _Les Petit Patou_.
past form of “add” — make an addition (to); join or combine or unite with others; increase the quality, quantity, size or scope of
From this reading To natural talent she added the desire, born of infinite gratitude, to please her benefactor.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading That was the beginning of the combination known a little while afterwards as _Les Petit Patou_.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Elodie, receptive, imitative, histrionic, showed herself from the start an apt pupil.
(New Testament) disciple of Jesus; brother of Peter; patron saint of Scotland
From this reading Andrew marvelled.
(usually followed by “to”) naturally disposed toward
From this reading Elodie, receptive, imitative, histrionic, showed herself from the start an apt pupil.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading That was the beginning of the combination known a little while afterwards as _Les Petit Patou_.
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading That was the beginning of the combination known a little while afterwards as _Les Petit Patou_.
a person who helps people or institutions (especially with financial help)
From this reading To natural talent she added the desire, born of infinite gratitude, to please her benefactor.
brought into existence
From this reading To natural talent she added the desire, born of infinite gratitude, to please her benefactor.
a collection of things that have been combined; an assemblage of separate parts or qualities
From this reading That was the beginning of the combination known a little while afterwards as _Les Petit Patou_.
the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state
From this reading To natural talent she added the desire, born of infinite gratitude, to please her benefactor.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Elodie, receptive, imitative, histrionic, showed herself from the start an apt pupil.
one of the inherent cognitive or perceptual powers of the mind
From this reading She possessed the rare faculty of perfect surrender.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Elodie, receptive, imitative, histrionic, showed herself from the start an apt pupil.
a feeling of thankfulness and appreciation
From this reading To natural talent she added the desire, born of infinite gratitude, to please her benefactor.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading To natural talent she added the desire, born of infinite gratitude, to please her benefactor.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading Elodie, receptive, imitative, histrionic, showed herself from the start an apt pupil.
characteristic of acting or a stage performance; often affected
From this reading Elodie, receptive, imitative, histrionic, showed herself from the start an apt pupil.
marked by or given to imitation
From this reading Elodie, receptive, imitative, histrionic, showed herself from the start an apt pupil.
having no limits or boundaries in time or space or extent or magnitude
From this reading To natural talent she added the desire, born of infinite gratitude, to please her benefactor.
apprehended with certainty
From this reading That was the beginning of the combination known a little while afterwards as _Les Petit Patou_.
plural of “le” — a chronic inflammatory collagen disease affecting connective tissue (skin or joints)
From this reading That was the beginning of the combination known a little while afterwards as _Les Petit Patou_.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading That was the beginning of the combination known a little while afterwards as _Les Petit Patou_.
inflected form of “marvel” — be amazed at
From this reading Andrew marvelled.
in accordance with nature; relating to or concerning nature
From this reading To natural talent she added the desire, born of infinite gratitude, to please her benefactor.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading That was the beginning of the combination known a little while afterwards as _Les Petit Patou_.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That was the beginning of the combination known a little while afterwards as _Les Petit Patou_.
being complete of its kind and without defect or blemish
From this reading She possessed the rare faculty of perfect surrender.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That was the beginning of the combination known a little while afterwards as _Les Petit Patou_.
give pleasure to or be pleasing to
From this reading To natural talent she added the desire, born of infinite gratitude, to please her benefactor.
influenced or controlled by a powerful force such as a strong emotion
From this reading She possessed the rare faculty of perfect surrender.
a learner who is enrolled in an educational institution
From this reading Elodie, receptive, imitative, histrionic, showed herself from the start an apt pupil.
not widely known; especially valued for its uncommonness
From this reading She possessed the rare faculty of perfect surrender.
open to arguments, ideas, or change
From this reading Elodie, receptive, imitative, histrionic, showed herself from the start an apt pupil.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading To natural talent she added the desire, born of infinite gratitude, to please her benefactor.
past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading Elodie, receptive, imitative, histrionic, showed herself from the start an apt pupil.
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Elodie, receptive, imitative, histrionic, showed herself from the start an apt pupil.
acceptance of despair
From this reading She possessed the rare faculty of perfect surrender.
natural abilities or qualities
From this reading To natural talent she added the desire, born of infinite gratitude, to please her benefactor.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That was the beginning of the combination known a little while afterwards as _Les Petit Patou_.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading That was the beginning of the combination known a little while afterwards as _Les Petit Patou_.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading To natural talent she added the desire, born of infinite gratitude, to please her benefactor.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading That was the beginning of the combination known a little while afterwards as _Les Petit Patou_.
during the time that
From this reading That was the beginning of the combination known a little while afterwards as _Les Petit Patou_.
Chapter 9 of The Mountebank by William John Locke holds 388 sentences, grouped into 78 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 9 holds 388 sentences of The Mountebank, unabridged, divided into 78 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 9 of The Mountebank by William John Locke exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 388 sentences, grouped into 78 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 78 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 78 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 9 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 Mountebank by William John Locke on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 6537 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #8430 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #8430, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 544 minutes of reading across 1308 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Mountebank section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 22 chapters of The Mountebank 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 Mountebank, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
