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The Nabob
The Nabob

Chapter XX · Chapter 20

Chapter 20 of The Nabob is here in full — 194 sentences across 39 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Nabob
Context Illustration Reading 1/38 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
You see, Paganetti is known in his native country.
The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.
Truly, for him to dare to come back here, it needed all his phenomenal audacity, as well as the resources now at his disposal to satisfy all claims.
And, indeed, what truth is there in the fabulous works undertaken by the Territorial Bank?
None.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
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 Nabob

Chapter XX · Chapter 20

Chapter 20 of The Nabob is here in full — 194 sentences across 39 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/38 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
You see, Paganetti is known in his native country.
Line 2
The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.
Line 3
Truly, for him to dare to come back here, it needed all his phenomenal audacity, as well as the resources now at his disposal to satisfy all claims.
/ˈtruːli fɔːr hɪm tuː der tuː kʌm bæk hiːr ɪt ˈniːdəd ɔːl hɪz fəˈnɑːmənəl ɑːˈdæs.ə.t̬i æz wel æz ðə ˈriːsɔːrsɪz naʊ æt hɪz dɪˈspoʊzəl tuː ˈsætəsfaɪ ɔːl kleɪmz/
Line 4
And, indeed, what truth is there in the fabulous works undertaken by the Territorial Bank?
/ənd ˌɪnˈdiːd wʌt truːθ ɪz ðer ɪn ðə ˈfæbjələs wɜːrks ˈʌndərteɪkən baɪ ðə ˌterɪˈtɔːriəl bæŋk/
Line 5
None.
/nʌn/

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.

carrots noun US /ˈkærəts/

plural of “carrot” — deep orange edible root of the cultivated carrot plant

From this reading “The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.”

chimerical adjective US /kɪˈmerəkəl/

being or relating to or like a chimera

From this reading “The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.”

fabulous adjective US /ˈfæbjələs/

extremely pleasing

From this reading “And, indeed, what truth is there in the fabulous works undertaken by the Territorial Bank?”

Ithaca noun US /ˈɪθəkə/

a college town in central New York on Lake Cayuga

From this reading “The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.”

phenomenal adjective US /fəˈnɑːmənəl/

of or relating to a phenomenon

From this reading “Truly, for him to dare to come back here, it needed all his phenomenal audacity, as well as the resources now at his disposal to satisfy all claims.”

purses noun US /ˈpɜːrsɪz/

plural of “purse” — a container used for carrying money and small personal items or accessories (especially by women)

From this reading “The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.”

Territorial adjective US /ˌterɪˈtɔːriəl/

of or relating to a territory

From this reading “And, indeed, what truth is there in the fabulous works undertaken by the Territorial Bank?”

tradesmen noun US /ˈtreɪdzmən/

plural of “tradesman” — a merchant who owns or manages a shop

From this reading “The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.”

All words in this reading · 86

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.

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 The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Truly, for him to dare to come back here, it needed all his phenomenal audacity, as well as the resources now at his disposal to satisfy all claims.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Truly, for him to dare to come back here, it needed all his phenomenal audacity, as well as the resources now at his disposal to satisfy all claims.

audacitynounUS /ɑːˈdæs.ə.t̬i/

A willingness to take bold risks; insolent and daring boldness that defies all authority.

From this reading Truly, for him to dare to come back here, it needed all his phenomenal audacity, as well as the resources now at his disposal to satisfy all claims.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading Truly, for him to dare to come back here, it needed all his phenomenal audacity, as well as the resources now at his disposal to satisfy all claims.

BanknounUS /bæŋk/

sloping land (especially the slope beside a body of water)

From this reading And, indeed, what truth is there in the fabulous works undertaken by the Territorial Bank?

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading And, indeed, what truth is there in the fabulous works undertaken by the Territorial Bank?

carrotsnounUS /ˈkærəts/

plural of “carrot” — deep orange edible root of the cultivated carrot plant

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

chimericaladjectiveUS /kɪˈmerəkəl/

being or relating to or like a chimera

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

claimsnounUS /kleɪmz/

plural of “claim” — an assertion of a right (as to money or property)

From this reading Truly, for him to dare to come back here, it needed all his phenomenal audacity, as well as the resources now at his disposal to satisfy all claims.

combinazioni

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

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

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

From this reading Truly, for him to dare to come back here, it needed all his phenomenal audacity, as well as the resources now at his disposal to satisfy all claims.

Corte

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

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

countrynounUS /ˈkʌntri/

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading You see, Paganetti is known in his native country.

dareverbUS /der/

take upon oneself; act presumptuously, without permission

From this reading Truly, for him to dare to come back here, it needed all his phenomenal audacity, as well as the resources now at his disposal to satisfy all claims.

dazzlingadjectiveUS /ˈdæzəlɪŋ/

amazingly impressive; suggestive of the flashing of lightning

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

disposalnounUS /dɪˈspoʊzəl/

the power to use something or someone

From this reading Truly, for him to dare to come back here, it needed all his phenomenal audacity, as well as the resources now at his disposal to satisfy all claims.

emptyverbUS /ˈempti/

make void or empty of contents

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

fabulousadjectiveUS /ˈfæbjələs/

extremely pleasing

From this reading And, indeed, what truth is there in the fabulous works undertaken by the Territorial Bank?

fieldsnounUS /fiːldz/

United States comedian and film actor (1880-1946)

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

gapingadjectiveUS /ˈɡeɪpɪŋ/

with the mouth wide open as in wonder or awe

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading Truly, for him to dare to come back here, it needed all his phenomenal audacity, as well as the resources now at his disposal to satisfy all claims.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading Truly, for him to dare to come back here, it needed all his phenomenal audacity, as well as the resources now at his disposal to satisfy all claims.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading You see, Paganetti is known in his native country.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading You see, Paganetti is known in his native country.

indeedadverbUS /ˌɪnˈdiːd/

in truth (often tends to intensify)

From this reading And, indeed, what truth is there in the fabulous works undertaken by the Territorial Bank?

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading You see, Paganetti is known in his native country.

IslandnounUS /ˈaɪlənd/

a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Truly, for him to dare to come back here, it needed all his phenomenal audacity, as well as the resources now at his disposal to satisfy all claims.

IthacanounUS /ˈɪθəkə/

a college town in central New York on Lake Cayuga

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

knownadjectiveUS /noʊn/

apprehended with certainty

From this reading You see, Paganetti is known in his native country.

managedverbUS /ˈmænədʒd/

past form of “manage” — be successful; achieve a goal

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

monumentnounUS /ˈmɑːnjuːmənt/

a structure erected to commemorate persons or events

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

nativeadjectiveUS /ˈneɪtɪv/

characteristic of or existing by virtue of geographic origin

From this reading You see, Paganetti is known in his native country.

neededadjectiveUS /ˈniːdəd/

necessary for relief or supply

From this reading Truly, for him to dare to come back here, it needed all his phenomenal audacity, as well as the resources now at his disposal to satisfy all claims.

nobilitynounUS /noʊˈbɪləti/

a privileged class holding hereditary titles

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

NonepronounUS /nʌn/

not one, and not any

From this reading None.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading Truly, for him to dare to come back here, it needed all his phenomenal audacity, as well as the resources now at his disposal to satisfy all claims.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

Paganetti

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

From this reading You see, Paganetti is known in his native country.

Paoli

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

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

pettyadjectiveUS /ˈpetiː/

inferior in rank or status

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

phenomenaladjectiveUS /fəˈnɑːmənəl/

of or relating to a phenomenon

From this reading Truly, for him to dare to come back here, it needed all his phenomenal audacity, as well as the resources now at his disposal to satisfy all claims.

plantverbUS /plænt/

put or set (seeds, seedlings, or plants) into the ground

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

pooradjectiveUS /puːr/

deserving or inciting pity

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

priestsnounUS /priːsts/

plural of “priest” — a clergyman in Christian churches who has the authority to perform or administer various religious rites; one of the Holy Orders

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

pursesnounUS /ˈpɜːrsɪz/

plural of “purse” — a container used for carrying money and small personal items or accessories (especially by women)

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

resourcesnounUS /ˈriːsɔːrsɪz/

plural of “resource” — available source of wealth; a new or reserve supply that can be drawn upon when needed

From this reading Truly, for him to dare to come back here, it needed all his phenomenal audacity, as well as the resources now at his disposal to satisfy all claims.

satisfyverbUS /ˈsætəsfaɪ/

meet the requirements or expectations of

From this reading Truly, for him to dare to come back here, it needed all his phenomenal audacity, as well as the resources now at his disposal to satisfy all claims.

savingsnounUS /ˈseɪvɪŋz/

a fund of money put by as a reserve

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading You see, Paganetti is known in his native country.

smalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/

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

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

squareverbUS /skwer/

make square

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

swallowedverbUS /ˈswɑːloʊd/

past form of “swallow” — pass through the esophagus as part of eating or drinking

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

TerritorialadjectiveUS /ˌterɪˈtɔːriəl/

of or relating to a territory

From this reading And, indeed, what truth is there in the fabulous works undertaken by the Territorial Bank?

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading And, indeed, what truth is there in the fabulous works undertaken by the Territorial Bank?

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

tradesmennounUS /ˈtreɪdzmən/

plural of “tradesman” — a merchant who owns or manages a shop

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

TrulyadverbUS /ˈtruːli/

in accordance with truth or fact or reality

From this reading Truly, for him to dare to come back here, it needed all his phenomenal audacity, as well as the resources now at his disposal to satisfy all claims.

truthnounUS /truːθ/

a fact that has been verified

From this reading And, indeed, what truth is there in the fabulous works undertaken by the Territorial Bank?

undertakenverbUS /ˈʌndərteɪkən/

inflected form of “undertake” — enter upon an activity or enterprise

From this reading And, indeed, what truth is there in the fabulous works undertaken by the Territorial Bank?

unfortunateadjectiveUS /ənˈfɔːrtʃənət/

not favored by fortune; marked or accompanied by or resulting in ill fortune

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

vastadjectiveUS /væst/

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

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

villagenounUS /ˈvɪlədʒ/

a community of people smaller than a town

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

waitingnounUS /ˈweɪtɪŋ/

the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

welladverbUS /wel/

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading Truly, for him to dare to come back here, it needed all his phenomenal audacity, as well as the resources now at his disposal to satisfy all claims.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading And, indeed, what truth is there in the fabulous works undertaken by the Territorial Bank?

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

wordnounUS /wɜːrd/

a unit of language that native speakers can identify

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

worksnounUS /wɜːrks/

buildings for carrying on industrial labor

From this reading And, indeed, what truth is there in the fabulous works undertaken by the Territorial Bank?

worthnounUS /wɜːrθ/

an indefinite quantity of something having a specified value

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

writtenadjectiveUS /ˈrɪtən/

set down in writing in any of various ways

From this reading The worth of his word is written on the square in Corte, still waiting for the monument to Paoli, on the vast fields of carrots which he has managed to plant on the Island of Ithaca, in the gaping empty purses of all those unfortunate small tradesmen, village priests, and petty nobility, whose poor savings he has swallowed up dazzling their eyes with chimerical _combinazioni_.

YoupronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading You see, Paganetti is known in his native country.

Chapter 20 of The Nabob by Alphonse Daudet holds 194 sentences, grouped into 39 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 20 of The Nabob contain?

Chapter 20 holds 194 sentences of The Nabob, unabridged, divided into 39 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 20 of The Nabob by Alphonse Daudet exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 194 sentences, grouped into 39 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 20 of The Nabob?

Work through the 39 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 39 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 20 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 20 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 Nabob

Common questions about reading The Nabob by Alphonse Daudet on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Nabob?

Yes. All 6592 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2077 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Nabob is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #2077, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Nabob take to read?

About 549 minutes of reading across 1319 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Nabob section by section

How to work through The Nabob section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of The Nabob 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 Nabob

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

Daudet
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Nabob; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Remarked
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Nabob; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
England
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Nabob; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Foreign
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Nabob; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.