Chapter 25 of The Mystery of Orcival is here in full — 214 sentences across 43 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXV
Chapter 25 of The Mystery of Orcival is here in full — 214 sentences across 43 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
But Bertha was not one of those persons who are overcome by a single blow, terrible as it might be. She trembled like a leaf; her legs staggered; but her mind was already at work seeking a subterfuge. What had Sauvresy seen--anything? What did he know? For even had he seen the vial, this might be explained.
Chapter 25 of The Mystery of Orcival is here in full — 214 sentences across 43 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/42 · 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.
past form of “explain” — make plain and comprehensible
From this reading “For even had he seen the vial, this might be explained.”
the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
From this reading “She trembled like a leaf; her legs staggered; but her mind was already at work seeking a subterfuge.”
win a victory over
From this reading “But Bertha was not one of those persons who are overcome by a single blow, terrible as it might be.”
the act of searching for something
From this reading “She trembled like a leaf; her legs staggered; but her mind was already at work seeking a subterfuge.”
past form of “stagger” — walk as if unable to control one's movements
From this reading “She trembled like a leaf; her legs staggered; but her mind was already at work seeking a subterfuge.”
something intended to misrepresent the true nature of an activity
From this reading “She trembled like a leaf; her legs staggered; but her mind was already at work seeking a subterfuge.”
past form of “tremble” — move or jerk quickly and involuntarily up and down or sideways
From this reading “She trembled like a leaf; her legs staggered; but her mind was already at work seeking a subterfuge.”
a small bottle that contains a drug (especially a sealed sterile container for injection by needle)
From this reading “For even had he seen the vial, this might be explained.”
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 But Bertha was not one of those persons who are overcome by a single blow, terrible as it might be.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading She trembled like a leaf; her legs staggered; but her mind was already at work seeking a subterfuge.
any thing at all
From this reading What had Sauvresy seen--anything?
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading But Bertha was not one of those persons who are overcome by a single blow, terrible as it might be.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading But Bertha was not one of those persons who are overcome by a single blow, terrible as it might be.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading She trembled like a leaf; her legs staggered; but her mind was already at work seeking a subterfuge.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading But Bertha was not one of those persons who are overcome by a single blow, terrible as it might be.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But Bertha was not one of those persons who are overcome by a single blow, terrible as it might be.
exhale hard
From this reading But Bertha was not one of those persons who are overcome by a single blow, terrible as it might be.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But Bertha was not one of those persons who are overcome by a single blow, terrible as it might be.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading But Bertha was not one of those persons who are overcome by a single blow, terrible as it might be.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading What did he know?
divisible by two
From this reading For even had he seen the vial, this might be explained.
past form of “explain” — make plain and comprehensible
From this reading For even had he seen the vial, this might be explained.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For even had he seen the vial, this might be explained.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading What had Sauvresy seen--anything?
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading What did he know?
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She trembled like a leaf; her legs staggered; but her mind was already at work seeking a subterfuge.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But Bertha was not one of those persons who are overcome by a single blow, terrible as it might be.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading What did he know?
the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
From this reading She trembled like a leaf; her legs staggered; but her mind was already at work seeking a subterfuge.
staying power
From this reading She trembled like a leaf; her legs staggered; but her mind was already at work seeking a subterfuge.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading She trembled like a leaf; her legs staggered; but her mind was already at work seeking a subterfuge.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading But Bertha was not one of those persons who are overcome by a single blow, terrible as it might be.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading She trembled like a leaf; her legs staggered; but her mind was already at work seeking a subterfuge.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But Bertha was not one of those persons who are overcome by a single blow, terrible as it might be.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading But Bertha was not one of those persons who are overcome by a single blow, terrible as it might be.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading But Bertha was not one of those persons who are overcome by a single blow, terrible as it might be.
win a victory over
From this reading But Bertha was not one of those persons who are overcome by a single blow, terrible as it might be.
plural of “person” — a human being
From this reading But Bertha was not one of those persons who are overcome by a single blow, terrible as it might be.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What had Sauvresy seen--anything?
the act of searching for something
From this reading She trembled like a leaf; her legs staggered; but her mind was already at work seeking a subterfuge.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading What had Sauvresy seen--anything?
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She trembled like a leaf; her legs staggered; but her mind was already at work seeking a subterfuge.
being or characteristic of a single thing or person
From this reading But Bertha was not one of those persons who are overcome by a single blow, terrible as it might be.
past form of “stagger” — walk as if unable to control one's movements
From this reading She trembled like a leaf; her legs staggered; but her mind was already at work seeking a subterfuge.
something intended to misrepresent the true nature of an activity
From this reading She trembled like a leaf; her legs staggered; but her mind was already at work seeking a subterfuge.
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading But Bertha was not one of those persons who are overcome by a single blow, terrible as it might be.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading For even had he seen the vial, this might be explained.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading For even had he seen the vial, this might be explained.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading But Bertha was not one of those persons who are overcome by a single blow, terrible as it might be.
past form of “tremble” — move or jerk quickly and involuntarily up and down or sideways
From this reading She trembled like a leaf; her legs staggered; but her mind was already at work seeking a subterfuge.
a small bottle that contains a drug (especially a sealed sterile container for injection by needle)
From this reading For even had he seen the vial, this might be explained.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But Bertha was not one of those persons who are overcome by a single blow, terrible as it might be.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What had Sauvresy seen--anything?
which person or people
From this reading But Bertha was not one of those persons who are overcome by a single blow, terrible as it might be.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading She trembled like a leaf; her legs staggered; but her mind was already at work seeking a subterfuge.
Chapter 25 of The Mystery of Orcival by Emile Gaboriau holds 214 sentences, grouped into 43 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.
Chapter 25 holds 214 sentences of The Mystery of Orcival, unabridged, divided into 43 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 25 of The Mystery of Orcival by Emile Gaboriau exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 214 sentences, grouped into 43 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 43 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 43 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 25 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 Mystery of Orcival by Emile Gaboriau on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 7074 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1651 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #1651, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 589 minutes of reading across 1415 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Mystery of Orcival section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 36 chapters of The Mystery of Orcival 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 Mystery of Orcival, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
