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The Mysterious Stranger, and Other Stories
The Mysterious Stranger, and Other Stories

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of The Mysterious Stranger, and Other Stories is here in full — 36 sentences across 8 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Mysterious Stranger, and Other Stories
Context Illustration Reading 1/7 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
It made immense talk next day, when Father Peter paid Solomon Isaacs in gold and left the rest of the money with him at interest.
Also, there was a pleasant change; many people called at the house to congratulate him, and a number of cool old friends became kind and friendly again; and, to top all, Marget was invited to a party.
And there was no mystery; Father Peter told the whole circumstance just as it happened, and said he could not account for it, only it was the plain hand of Providence, so far as he could see.
One or two shook their heads and said privately it looked more like the hand of Satan; and really that seemed a surprisingly good guess for ignorant people like that.
Some came slyly buzzing around and tried to coax us boys to come out and tell the truth;” and promised they wouldn't ever tell, but only wanted to know for their own satisfaction, because the whole thing was so curious.
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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 Mysterious Stranger, and Other Stories

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of The Mysterious Stranger, and Other Stories is here in full — 36 sentences across 8 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/7 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
It made immense talk next day, when Father Peter paid Solomon Isaacs in gold and left the rest of the money with him at interest.
/ɪt meɪd ˌɪˈmens tɔːk nekst deɪ wen ˈfɑːðər ˈpiːtər peɪd ˈsɒl.ə.mən ˈaɪzɪks ɪn ɡoʊld ənd left ðə rest ʌv ðə ˈmʌni wɪð hɪm æt ˈɪntrəst/
Line 2
Also, there was a pleasant change; many people called at the house to congratulate him, and a number of cool old friends became kind and friendly again; and, to top all, Marget was invited to a party.
Line 3
And there was no mystery; Father Peter told the whole circumstance just as it happened, and said he could not account for it, only it was the plain hand of Providence, so far as he could see.
/ənd ðer wɑːz noʊ ˈmɪstəri ˈfɑːðər ˈpiːtər toʊld ðə hoʊl ˈsɜːrkəmstæns dʒʌst æz ɪt ˈhæpənd ənd sed hiː kʊd nɑːt əˈkaʊnt fɔːr ɪt ˈoʊnli ɪt wɑːz ðə pleɪn hænd ʌv ˈprɑː.və.dəns soʊ fɑːr æz hiː kʊd siː/
Line 4
One or two shook their heads and said privately it looked more like the hand of Satan; and really that seemed a surprisingly good guess for ignorant people like that.
/wʌn ɔːr tuː ʃʊk ðer hedz ənd sed ˈpraɪvətli ɪt lʊkt mɔːr laɪk ðə hænd ʌv ˈseɪtən ənd ˈrɪli ðæt siːmd ə sərˈpraɪzɪŋli ɡʊd ɡes fɔːr ˈɪɡnərənt ˈpiːpəl laɪk ðæt/
Line 5
Some came slyly buzzing around and tried to coax us boys to come out andtell the truth;” and promised they wouldn't ever tell, but only wanted to know for their own satisfaction, because the whole thing was so curious.

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.

buzzing adjective US /ˈbʌzɪŋ/

noisy like the sound of a bee

From this reading “Some came slyly buzzing around and tried to coax us boys to come out and “tell the truth;” and promised they wouldn't ever tell, but only wanted to know for their own satisfaction, because the whole thing was so curious.”

coax verb US /koʊks/

influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering

From this reading “Some came slyly buzzing around and tried to coax us boys to come out and “tell the truth;” and promised they wouldn't ever tell, but only wanted to know for their own satisfaction, because the whole thing was so curious.”

congratulate verb US /kənˈɡrætʃəleɪt/

say something to someone that expresses praise

From this reading “Also, there was a pleasant change; many people called at the house to congratulate him, and a number of cool old friends became kind and friendly again; and, to top all, Marget was invited to a party.”

Isaacs noun US /ˈaɪzɪks/

plural of “isaac” — (Old Testament) the second patriarch; son of Abraham and Sarah who was offered by Abraham as a sacrifice to God; father of Jacob and Esau

From this reading “It made immense talk next day, when Father Peter paid Solomon Isaacs in gold and left the rest of the money with him at interest.”

privately adverb US /ˈpraɪvətli/

kept private or confined to those intimately concerned

From this reading “One or two shook their heads and said privately it looked more like the hand of Satan; and really that seemed a surprisingly good guess for ignorant people like that.”

slyly adverb US /ˈslaɪli/

in an artful manner

From this reading “Some came slyly buzzing around and tried to coax us boys to come out and “tell the truth;” and promised they wouldn't ever tell, but only wanted to know for their own satisfaction, because the whole thing was so curious.”

Solomon proper noun US /ˈsɒl.ə.mən/

A legendary king renowned for his wisdom and fabulous hidden mines.

From this reading “It made immense talk next day, when Father Peter paid Solomon Isaacs in gold and left the rest of the money with him at interest.”

surprisingly adverb US /sərˈpraɪzɪŋli/

in a surprising manner

From this reading “One or two shook their heads and said privately it looked more like the hand of Satan; and really that seemed a surprisingly good guess for ignorant people like that.”

All words in this reading · 113

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 Also, there was a pleasant change; many people called at the house to congratulate him, and a number of cool old friends became kind and friendly again; and, to top all, Marget was invited to a party.

accountnounUS /əˈkaʊnt/

a record or narrative description of past events

From this reading And there was no mystery; Father Peter told the whole circumstance just as it happened, and said he could not account for it, only it was the plain hand of Providence, so far as he could see.

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading Also, there was a pleasant change; many people called at the house to congratulate him, and a number of cool old friends became kind and friendly again; and, to top all, Marget was invited to a party.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(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 Also, there was a pleasant change; many people called at the house to congratulate him, and a number of cool old friends became kind and friendly again; and, to top all, Marget was invited to a party.

AlsoadverbUS /ˈɔːlsoʊ/

in addition

From this reading Also, there was a pleasant change; many people called at the house to congratulate him, and a number of cool old friends became kind and friendly again; and, to top all, Marget was invited to a party.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading It made immense talk next day, when Father Peter paid Solomon Isaacs in gold and left the rest of the money with him at interest.

aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading Some came slyly buzzing around and tried to coax us boys to come out and “tell the truth;” and promised they wouldn't ever tell, but only wanted to know for their own satisfaction, because the whole thing was so curious.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading And there was no mystery; Father Peter told the whole circumstance just as it happened, and said he could not account for it, only it was the plain hand of Providence, so far as he could see.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading It made immense talk next day, when Father Peter paid Solomon Isaacs in gold and left the rest of the money with him at interest.

becameverbUS /bɪˈkeɪm/

inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading Also, there was a pleasant change; many people called at the house to congratulate him, and a number of cool old friends became kind and friendly again; and, to top all, Marget was invited to a party.

becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading Some came slyly buzzing around and tried to coax us boys to come out and “tell the truth;” and promised they wouldn't ever tell, but only wanted to know for their own satisfaction, because the whole thing was so curious.

boysnounUS /bɔɪz/

plural of “boy” — a youthful male person

From this reading Some came slyly buzzing around and tried to coax us boys to come out and “tell the truth;” and promised they wouldn't ever tell, but only wanted to know for their own satisfaction, because the whole thing was so curious.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Some came slyly buzzing around and tried to coax us boys to come out and “tell the truth;” and promised they wouldn't ever tell, but only wanted to know for their own satisfaction, because the whole thing was so curious.

buzzingadjectiveUS /ˈbʌzɪŋ/

noisy like the sound of a bee

From this reading Some came slyly buzzing around and tried to coax us boys to come out and “tell the truth;” and promised they wouldn't ever tell, but only wanted to know for their own satisfaction, because the whole thing was so curious.

calledverbUS /kɔːld/

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading Also, there was a pleasant change; many people called at the house to congratulate him, and a number of cool old friends became kind and friendly again; and, to top all, Marget was invited to a party.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

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

From this reading Some came slyly buzzing around and tried to coax us boys to come out and “tell the truth;” and promised they wouldn't ever tell, but only wanted to know for their own satisfaction, because the whole thing was so curious.

changeverbUS /tʃeɪndʒ/

cause to change; make different; cause a transformation

From this reading Also, there was a pleasant change; many people called at the house to congratulate him, and a number of cool old friends became kind and friendly again; and, to top all, Marget was invited to a party.

circumstancenounUS /ˈsɜːrkəmstæns/

a condition that accompanies or influences some event or activity

From this reading And there was no mystery; Father Peter told the whole circumstance just as it happened, and said he could not account for it, only it was the plain hand of Providence, so far as he could see.

coaxverbUS /koʊks/

influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering

From this reading Some came slyly buzzing around and tried to coax us boys to come out and “tell the truth;” and promised they wouldn't ever tell, but only wanted to know for their own satisfaction, because the whole thing was so curious.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

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

From this reading Some came slyly buzzing around and tried to coax us boys to come out and “tell the truth;” and promised they wouldn't ever tell, but only wanted to know for their own satisfaction, because the whole thing was so curious.

congratulateverbUS /kənˈɡrætʃəleɪt/

say something to someone that expresses praise

From this reading Also, there was a pleasant change; many people called at the house to congratulate him, and a number of cool old friends became kind and friendly again; and, to top all, Marget was invited to a party.

cooladjectiveUS /kuːl/

neither warm nor very cold; giving relief from heat

From this reading Also, there was a pleasant change; many people called at the house to congratulate him, and a number of cool old friends became kind and friendly again; and, to top all, Marget was invited to a party.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading And there was no mystery; Father Peter told the whole circumstance just as it happened, and said he could not account for it, only it was the plain hand of Providence, so far as he could see.

curiousadjectiveUS /ˈkjʊriəs/

beyond or deviating from the usual or expected

From this reading Some came slyly buzzing around and tried to coax us boys to come out and “tell the truth;” and promised they wouldn't ever tell, but only wanted to know for their own satisfaction, because the whole thing was so curious.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading It made immense talk next day, when Father Peter paid Solomon Isaacs in gold and left the rest of the money with him at interest.

everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading Some came slyly buzzing around and tried to coax us boys to come out and “tell the truth;” and promised they wouldn't ever tell, but only wanted to know for their own satisfaction, because the whole thing was so curious.

faradverbUS /fɑːr/

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading And there was no mystery; Father Peter told the whole circumstance just as it happened, and said he could not account for it, only it was the plain hand of Providence, so far as he could see.

FathernounUS /ˈfɑːðər/

a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading It made immense talk next day, when Father Peter paid Solomon Isaacs in gold and left the rest of the money with him at interest.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading And there was no mystery; Father Peter told the whole circumstance just as it happened, and said he could not account for it, only it was the plain hand of Providence, so far as he could see.

friendlyadjectiveUS /ˈfrendli/

characteristic of or befitting a friend

From this reading Also, there was a pleasant change; many people called at the house to congratulate him, and a number of cool old friends became kind and friendly again; and, to top all, Marget was invited to a party.

friendsnounUS /frendz/

plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading Also, there was a pleasant change; many people called at the house to congratulate him, and a number of cool old friends became kind and friendly again; and, to top all, Marget was invited to a party.

goldnounUS /ɡoʊld/

coins made of gold

From this reading It made immense talk next day, when Father Peter paid Solomon Isaacs in gold and left the rest of the money with him at interest.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading One or two shook their heads and said privately it looked more like the hand of Satan; and really that seemed a surprisingly good guess for ignorant people like that.

guessverbUS /ɡes/

expect, believe, or suppose

From this reading One or two shook their heads and said privately it looked more like the hand of Satan; and really that seemed a surprisingly good guess for ignorant people like that.

handnounUS /hænd/

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading And there was no mystery; Father Peter told the whole circumstance just as it happened, and said he could not account for it, only it was the plain hand of Providence, so far as he could see.

happenedverbUS /ˈhæpənd/

past form of “happen” — come to pass

From this reading And there was no mystery; Father Peter told the whole circumstance just as it happened, and said he could not account for it, only it was the plain hand of Providence, so far as he could see.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading And there was no mystery; Father Peter told the whole circumstance just as it happened, and said he could not account for it, only it was the plain hand of Providence, so far as he could see.

headsnounUS /hedz/

plural of “head” — the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading One or two shook their heads and said privately it looked more like the hand of Satan; and really that seemed a surprisingly good guess for ignorant people like that.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading It made immense talk next day, when Father Peter paid Solomon Isaacs in gold and left the rest of the money with him at interest.

housenounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading Also, there was a pleasant change; many people called at the house to congratulate him, and a number of cool old friends became kind and friendly again; and, to top all, Marget was invited to a party.

ignorantadjectiveUS /ˈɪɡnərənt/

uneducated in general; lacking knowledge or sophistication

From this reading One or two shook their heads and said privately it looked more like the hand of Satan; and really that seemed a surprisingly good guess for ignorant people like that.

immenseadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈmens/

unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope

From this reading It made immense talk next day, when Father Peter paid Solomon Isaacs in gold and left the rest of the money with him at interest.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading It made immense talk next day, when Father Peter paid Solomon Isaacs in gold and left the rest of the money with him at interest.

interestnounUS /ˈɪntrəst/

a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something

From this reading It made immense talk next day, when Father Peter paid Solomon Isaacs in gold and left the rest of the money with him at interest.

invitedverbUS /ˌɪnˈvaɪtəd/

past form of “invite” — increase the likelihood of

From this reading Also, there was a pleasant change; many people called at the house to congratulate him, and a number of cool old friends became kind and friendly again; and, to top all, Marget was invited to a party.

IsaacsnounUS /ˈaɪzɪks/

plural of “isaac” — (Old Testament) the second patriarch; son of Abraham and Sarah who was offered by Abraham as a sacrifice to God; father of Jacob and Esau

From this reading It made immense talk next day, when Father Peter paid Solomon Isaacs in gold and left the rest of the money with him at interest.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It made immense talk next day, when Father Peter paid Solomon Isaacs in gold and left the rest of the money with him at interest.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading And there was no mystery; Father Peter told the whole circumstance just as it happened, and said he could not account for it, only it was the plain hand of Providence, so far as he could see.

kindadjectiveUS /kaɪnd/

having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior

From this reading Also, there was a pleasant change; many people called at the house to congratulate him, and a number of cool old friends became kind and friendly again; and, to top all, Marget was invited to a party.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading Some came slyly buzzing around and tried to coax us boys to come out and “tell the truth;” and promised they wouldn't ever tell, but only wanted to know for their own satisfaction, because the whole thing was so curious.

leftnounUS /left/

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading It made immense talk next day, when Father Peter paid Solomon Isaacs in gold and left the rest of the money with him at interest.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading One or two shook their heads and said privately it looked more like the hand of Satan; and really that seemed a surprisingly good guess for ignorant people like that.

lookedverbUS /lʊkt/

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

From this reading One or two shook their heads and said privately it looked more like the hand of Satan; and really that seemed a surprisingly good guess for ignorant people like that.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading It made immense talk next day, when Father Peter paid Solomon Isaacs in gold and left the rest of the money with him at interest.

manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading Also, there was a pleasant change; many people called at the house to congratulate him, and a number of cool old friends became kind and friendly again; and, to top all, Marget was invited to a party.

Marget

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

From this reading Also, there was a pleasant change; many people called at the house to congratulate him, and a number of cool old friends became kind and friendly again; and, to top all, Marget was invited to a party.

moneynounUS /ˈmʌni/

the most common medium of exchange; functions as legal tender

From this reading It made immense talk next day, when Father Peter paid Solomon Isaacs in gold and left the rest of the money with him at interest.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

From this reading One or two shook their heads and said privately it looked more like the hand of Satan; and really that seemed a surprisingly good guess for ignorant people like that.

mysterynounUS /ˈmɪstəri/

something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained

From this reading And there was no mystery; Father Peter told the whole circumstance just as it happened, and said he could not account for it, only it was the plain hand of Providence, so far as he could see.

nextadjectiveUS /nekst/

immediately following in time or order

From this reading It made immense talk next day, when Father Peter paid Solomon Isaacs in gold and left the rest of the money with him at interest.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading And there was no mystery; Father Peter told the whole circumstance just as it happened, and said he could not account for it, only it was the plain hand of Providence, so far as he could see.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading And there was no mystery; Father Peter told the whole circumstance just as it happened, and said he could not account for it, only it was the plain hand of Providence, so far as he could see.

numbernounUS /ˈnʌmbər/

the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals

From this reading Also, there was a pleasant change; many people called at the house to congratulate him, and a number of cool old friends became kind and friendly again; and, to top all, Marget was invited to a party.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It made immense talk next day, when Father Peter paid Solomon Isaacs in gold and left the rest of the money with him at interest.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading Also, there was a pleasant change; many people called at the house to congratulate him, and a number of cool old friends became kind and friendly again; and, to top all, Marget was invited to a party.

OnepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading One or two shook their heads and said privately it looked more like the hand of Satan; and really that seemed a surprisingly good guess for ignorant people like that.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading And there was no mystery; Father Peter told the whole circumstance just as it happened, and said he could not account for it, only it was the plain hand of Providence, so far as he could see.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading One or two shook their heads and said privately it looked more like the hand of Satan; and really that seemed a surprisingly good guess for ignorant people like that.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Some came slyly buzzing around and tried to coax us boys to come out and “tell the truth;” and promised they wouldn't ever tell, but only wanted to know for their own satisfaction, because the whole thing was so curious.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading Some came slyly buzzing around and tried to coax us boys to come out and “tell the truth;” and promised they wouldn't ever tell, but only wanted to know for their own satisfaction, because the whole thing was so curious.

paidadjectiveUS /peɪd/

marked by the reception of pay

From this reading It made immense talk next day, when Father Peter paid Solomon Isaacs in gold and left the rest of the money with him at interest.

partynounUS /ˈpɑːrti/

an organization to gain political power

From this reading Also, there was a pleasant change; many people called at the house to congratulate him, and a number of cool old friends became kind and friendly again; and, to top all, Marget was invited to a party.

peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading Also, there was a pleasant change; many people called at the house to congratulate him, and a number of cool old friends became kind and friendly again; and, to top all, Marget was invited to a party.

PeternounUS /ˈpiːtər/

disciple of Jesus and leader of the Apostles; regarded by Catholics as the vicar of Christ on earth and first Pope

From this reading It made immense talk next day, when Father Peter paid Solomon Isaacs in gold and left the rest of the money with him at interest.

plainadjectiveUS /pleɪn/

clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment

From this reading And there was no mystery; Father Peter told the whole circumstance just as it happened, and said he could not account for it, only it was the plain hand of Providence, so far as he could see.

pleasantadjectiveUS /ˈplezənt/

affording pleasure; being in harmony with your taste or likings

From this reading Also, there was a pleasant change; many people called at the house to congratulate him, and a number of cool old friends became kind and friendly again; and, to top all, Marget was invited to a party.

privatelyadverbUS /ˈpraɪvətli/

kept private or confined to those intimately concerned

From this reading One or two shook their heads and said privately it looked more like the hand of Satan; and really that seemed a surprisingly good guess for ignorant people like that.

promisedverbUS /ˈprɑːməst/

past form of “promise” — make a promise or commitment

From this reading Some came slyly buzzing around and tried to coax us boys to come out and “tell the truth;” and promised they wouldn't ever tell, but only wanted to know for their own satisfaction, because the whole thing was so curious.

ProvidencenounUS /ˈprɑː.və.dəns/

The protective care of God or nature as a spiritual power. (Sự quan phòng, thiên ý phù hộ.)

From this reading And there was no mystery; Father Peter told the whole circumstance just as it happened, and said he could not account for it, only it was the plain hand of Providence, so far as he could see.

reallyadverbUS /ˈrɪli/

in accordance with truth or fact or reality

From this reading One or two shook their heads and said privately it looked more like the hand of Satan; and really that seemed a surprisingly good guess for ignorant people like that.

restverbUS /rest/

not move; be in a resting position

From this reading It made immense talk next day, when Father Peter paid Solomon Isaacs in gold and left the rest of the money with him at interest.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading And there was no mystery; Father Peter told the whole circumstance just as it happened, and said he could not account for it, only it was the plain hand of Providence, so far as he could see.

SatannounUS /ˈseɪtən/

(Judeo-Christian and Islamic religions) chief spirit of evil and adversary of God; tempter of mankind; master of Hell

From this reading One or two shook their heads and said privately it looked more like the hand of Satan; and really that seemed a surprisingly good guess for ignorant people like that.

satisfactionnounUS /ˌsætəˈsfækʃən/

the contentment one feels when one has fulfilled a desire, need, or expectation

From this reading Some came slyly buzzing around and tried to coax us boys to come out and “tell the truth;” and promised they wouldn't ever tell, but only wanted to know for their own satisfaction, because the whole thing was so curious.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading And there was no mystery; Father Peter told the whole circumstance just as it happened, and said he could not account for it, only it was the plain hand of Providence, so far as he could see.

seemedverbUS /siːmd/

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading One or two shook their heads and said privately it looked more like the hand of Satan; and really that seemed a surprisingly good guess for ignorant people like that.

shooknounUS /ʃʊk/

a disassembled barrel; the parts packed for storage or shipment

From this reading One or two shook their heads and said privately it looked more like the hand of Satan; and really that seemed a surprisingly good guess for ignorant people like that.

slylyadverbUS /ˈslaɪli/

in an artful manner

From this reading Some came slyly buzzing around and tried to coax us boys to come out and “tell the truth;” and promised they wouldn't ever tell, but only wanted to know for their own satisfaction, because the whole thing was so curious.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading And there was no mystery; Father Peter told the whole circumstance just as it happened, and said he could not account for it, only it was the plain hand of Providence, so far as he could see.

Solomonproper nounUS /ˈsɒl.ə.mən/

A legendary king renowned for his wisdom and fabulous hidden mines.

From this reading It made immense talk next day, when Father Peter paid Solomon Isaacs in gold and left the rest of the money with him at interest.

SomeadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading Some came slyly buzzing around and tried to coax us boys to come out and “tell the truth;” and promised they wouldn't ever tell, but only wanted to know for their own satisfaction, because the whole thing was so curious.

surprisinglyadverbUS /sərˈpraɪzɪŋli/

in a surprising manner

From this reading One or two shook their heads and said privately it looked more like the hand of Satan; and really that seemed a surprisingly good guess for ignorant people like that.

talkverbUS /tɔːk/

exchange thoughts; talk with

From this reading It made immense talk next day, when Father Peter paid Solomon Isaacs in gold and left the rest of the money with him at interest.

tellverbUS /tel/

express in words

From this reading Some came slyly buzzing around and tried to coax us boys to come out and “tell the truth;” and promised they wouldn't ever tell, but only wanted to know for their own satisfaction, because the whole thing was so curious.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading One or two shook their heads and said privately it looked more like the hand of Satan; and really that seemed a surprisingly good guess for ignorant people like that.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading It made immense talk next day, when Father Peter paid Solomon Isaacs in gold and left the rest of the money with him at interest.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading One or two shook their heads and said privately it looked more like the hand of Satan; and really that seemed a surprisingly good guess for ignorant people like that.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading Also, there was a pleasant change; many people called at the house to congratulate him, and a number of cool old friends became kind and friendly again; and, to top all, Marget was invited to a party.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Some came slyly buzzing around and tried to coax us boys to come out and “tell the truth;” and promised they wouldn't ever tell, but only wanted to know for their own satisfaction, because the whole thing was so curious.

thingnounUS /θɪŋ/

a special situation

From this reading Some came slyly buzzing around and tried to coax us boys to come out and “tell the truth;” and promised they wouldn't ever tell, but only wanted to know for their own satisfaction, because the whole thing was so curious.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Also, there was a pleasant change; many people called at the house to congratulate him, and a number of cool old friends became kind and friendly again; and, to top all, Marget was invited to a party.

toldverbUS /toʊld/

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading And there was no mystery; Father Peter told the whole circumstance just as it happened, and said he could not account for it, only it was the plain hand of Providence, so far as he could see.

topnounUS /tɑːp/

the upper part of anything

From this reading Also, there was a pleasant change; many people called at the house to congratulate him, and a number of cool old friends became kind and friendly again; and, to top all, Marget was invited to a party.

triedadjectiveUS /traɪd/

tested and proved useful or correct

From this reading Some came slyly buzzing around and tried to coax us boys to come out and “tell the truth;” and promised they wouldn't ever tell, but only wanted to know for their own satisfaction, because the whole thing was so curious.

truthnounUS /truːθ/

a fact that has been verified

From this reading Some came slyly buzzing around and tried to coax us boys to come out and “tell the truth;” and promised they wouldn't ever tell, but only wanted to know for their own satisfaction, because the whole thing was so curious.

twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading One or two shook their heads and said privately it looked more like the hand of Satan; and really that seemed a surprisingly good guess for ignorant people like that.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Some came slyly buzzing around and tried to coax us boys to come out and “tell the truth;” and promised they wouldn't ever tell, but only wanted to know for their own satisfaction, because the whole thing was so curious.

wantedadjectiveUS /ˈwɔːntɪd/

desired or wished for or sought

From this reading Some came slyly buzzing around and tried to coax us boys to come out and “tell the truth;” and promised they wouldn't ever tell, but only wanted to know for their own satisfaction, because the whole thing was so curious.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Also, there was a pleasant change; many people called at the house to congratulate him, and a number of cool old friends became kind and friendly again; and, to top all, Marget was invited to a party.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading It made immense talk next day, when Father Peter paid Solomon Isaacs in gold and left the rest of the money with him at interest.

wholeadjectiveUS /hoʊl/

including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete

From this reading And there was no mystery; Father Peter told the whole circumstance just as it happened, and said he could not account for it, only it was the plain hand of Providence, so far as he could see.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading It made immense talk next day, when Father Peter paid Solomon Isaacs in gold and left the rest of the money with him at interest.

wouldn't

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

From this reading Some came slyly buzzing around and tried to coax us boys to come out and “tell the truth;” and promised they wouldn't ever tell, but only wanted to know for their own satisfaction, because the whole thing was so curious.

Chapter 4 of The Mysterious Stranger, and Other Stories by Mark Twain holds 36 sentences, grouped into 8 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 4 of The Mysterious Stranger, and Other Stories contain?

Chapter 4 holds 36 sentences of The Mysterious Stranger, and Other Stories, unabridged, divided into 8 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of The Mysterious Stranger, and Other Stories by Mark Twain exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 36 sentences, grouped into 8 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 4 of The Mysterious Stranger, and Other Stories?

Work through the 8 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 8 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 4 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 4 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 Mysterious Stranger, and Other Stories

Common questions about reading The Mysterious Stranger, and Other Stories by Mark Twain on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Mysterious Stranger, and Other Stories?

Yes. All 2124 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #3186 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Mysterious Stranger, and Other Stories is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #3186, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Mysterious Stranger, and Other Stories take to read?

About 177 minutes of reading across 425 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Mysterious Stranger, and Other Stories section by section

How to work through The Mysterious Stranger, and Other Stories section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 11 chapters of The Mysterious Stranger, 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 Mysterious Stranger, and Other Stories

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

Winter
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Mysterious Stranger, and Other Stories; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Austria
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Mysterious Stranger, and Other Stories; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
World
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Mysterious Stranger, and Other Stories; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Asleep
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Mysterious Stranger, and Other Stories; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.