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The Night of the Long Knives
The Night of the Long Knives

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of The Night of the Long Knives is here in full — 369 sentences across 74 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Night of the Long Knives
Context Illustration Reading 1/73 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
_We are always, thanks to our human nature, potential criminals.
None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.
Sometimes they even catch an after-clap of the murder urge, if it hasn't all been expended on the first victim or victims.
Yet they _will_ do it, trusting I suppose to the irresistible glamor of their personalities.
There were several reasons why we didn't at once give Pop this treatment.
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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 Night of the Long Knives

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of The Night of the Long Knives is here in full — 369 sentences across 74 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/73 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
_We are always, thanks to our human nature, potential criminals.
/wiː ɑːr ˈɔːlweɪz θæŋks tuː ˈaʊər ˈhjuːmən ˈneɪtʃər pəˈtenʃəl ˈkrɪmənəlz/
Line 2
None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.
Line 3
Sometimes they even catch an after-clap of the murder urge, if it hasn't all been expended on the first victim or victims.
Line 4
Yet they _will_ do it, trusting I suppose to the irresistible glamor of their personalities.
/jet ðeɪ wɪl duː ɪt ˈtrʌstɪŋ aɪ səˈpoʊz tuː ðə ˌɪrɪˈzɪstəbəl ˈɡlæmər ʌv ðer ˌpɜːrsəˈnælɪtiz/
Line 5
There were several reasons why we didn't at once give Pop this treatment.

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.

collective adjective US /kəˈlektɪv/

done by or characteristic of individuals acting together

From this reading “None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.”

glamor noun US /ˈɡlæmər/

alluring beauty or charm (often with sex-appeal)

From this reading “Yet they _will_ do it, trusting I suppose to the irresistible glamor of their personalities.”

humanity's noun US /hjuːˈmænɪtiz/

possessive form of “humanity” — the quality of being humane

From this reading “None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.”

Jung noun US /jʊŋ/

Swiss psychologist (1875-1961)

loot noun US /luːt/

goods or money obtained illegally

From this reading “None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.”

potential adjective US /pəˈtenʃəl/

existing in possibility

From this reading “_We are always, thanks to our human nature, potential criminals.”

Undiscovered adjective US /ˌʌndɪˈskʌvərd/

not discovered

From this reading “None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.”

wordless adjective US /ˈwɜːrdləs/

expressed without speech

From this reading “None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.”

All words in this reading · 91

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.

after-clap

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

From this reading Sometimes they even catch an after-clap of the murder urge, if it hasn't all been expended on the first victim or victims.

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 Sometimes they even catch an after-clap of the murder urge, if it hasn't all been expended on the first victim or victims.

alwaysadverbUS /ˈɔːlweɪz/

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading _We are always, thanks to our human nature, potential criminals.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading Sometimes they even catch an after-clap of the murder urge, if it hasn't all been expended on the first victim or victims.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading _We are always, thanks to our human nature, potential criminals.

aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

backedadjectiveUS /bækt/

having a back or backing, usually of a specified type

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Sometimes they even catch an after-clap of the murder urge, if it hasn't all been expended on the first victim or victims.

blackadjectiveUS /blæk/

being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

Carl

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

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

catchverbUS /kætʃ/

discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state

From this reading Sometimes they even catch an after-clap of the murder urge, if it hasn't all been expended on the first victim or victims.

collectiveadjectiveUS /kəˈlektɪv/

done by or characteristic of individuals acting together

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

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

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

criminalsnounUS /ˈkrɪmənəlz/

plural of “criminal” — someone who has committed a crime or has been legally convicted of a crime

From this reading _We are always, thanks to our human nature, potential criminals.

deserveverbUS /dɪˈzɜːrv/

be worthy or deserving

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

didn't

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

From this reading There were several reasons why we didn't at once give Pop this treatment.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading Yet they _will_ do it, trusting I suppose to the irresistible glamor of their personalities.

doneadjectiveUS /dʌn/

having finished or arrived at completion

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading Sometimes they even catch an after-clap of the murder urge, if it hasn't all been expended on the first victim or victims.

expendedverbUS /ɪkˈspendɪd/

past form of “expend” — use up, consume fully

From this reading Sometimes they even catch an after-clap of the murder urge, if it hasn't all been expended on the first victim or victims.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading Sometimes they even catch an after-clap of the murder urge, if it hasn't all been expended on the first victim or victims.

getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

giveverbUS /ɡɪv/

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading There were several reasons why we didn't at once give Pop this treatment.

glamornounUS /ˈɡlæmər/

alluring beauty or charm (often with sex-appeal)

From this reading Yet they _will_ do it, trusting I suppose to the irresistible glamor of their personalities.

hasn't

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

From this reading Sometimes they even catch an after-clap of the murder urge, if it hasn't all been expended on the first victim or victims.

hideverbUS /haɪd/

prevent from being seen or discovered

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/

characteristic of humanity

From this reading _We are always, thanks to our human nature, potential criminals.

humanity'snounUS /hjuːˈmænɪtiz/

possessive form of “humanity” — the quality of being humane

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading Yet they _will_ do it, trusting I suppose to the irresistible glamor of their personalities.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Sometimes they even catch an after-clap of the murder urge, if it hasn't all been expended on the first victim or victims.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

irresistibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪrɪˈzɪstəbəl/

impossible to resist; overpowering

From this reading Yet they _will_ do it, trusting I suppose to the irresistible glamor of their personalities.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Sometimes they even catch an after-clap of the murder urge, if it hasn't all been expended on the first victim or victims.

JungnounUS /jʊŋ/

Swiss psychologist (1875-1961)

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

killing's

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

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

lootnounUS /luːt/

goods or money obtained illegally

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

murderverbUS /ˈmɜːrdər/

kill intentionally and with premeditation

From this reading Sometimes they even catch an after-clap of the murder urge, if it hasn't all been expended on the first victim or victims.

naturenounUS /ˈneɪtʃər/

the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized

From this reading _We are always, thanks to our human nature, potential criminals.

NonepronounUS /nʌn/

not one, and not any

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Sometimes they even catch an after-clap of the murder urge, if it hasn't all been expended on the first victim or victims.

ordersnounUS /ˈɔːrdərz/

plural of “order” — (often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

OrdinarilyadverbUS /ˌɔːrdəˈnerəli/

under normal conditions

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading _We are always, thanks to our human nature, potential criminals.

outsideadjectiveUS /ˈaʊtˈsaɪd/

relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

outskirtsnounUS /ˈaʊtskɜːrts/

outlying areas (as of a city or town)

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

personalitiesnounUS /ˌpɜːrsəˈnælɪtiz/

plural of “personality” — the complex of all the attributes--behavioral, temperamental, emotional and mental--that characterize a unique individual

From this reading Yet they _will_ do it, trusting I suppose to the irresistible glamor of their personalities.

PopverbUS /pɑːp/

bulge outward

From this reading There were several reasons why we didn't at once give Pop this treatment.

potentialadjectiveUS /pəˈtenʃəl/

existing in possibility

From this reading _We are always, thanks to our human nature, potential criminals.

reasonsnounUS /ˈriːzənz/

plural of “reason” — a rational motive for a belief or action

From this reading There were several reasons why we didn't at once give Pop this treatment.

scroungers

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

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

SelfnounUS /self/

your consciousness of your own identity

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

severaladjectiveUS /ˈsevrəl/

(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many

From this reading There were several reasons why we didn't at once give Pop this treatment.

shadownounUS /ˈʃæd.oʊ/

A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

shareverbUS /ʃer/

have in common

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

SometimesadverbUS /səmˈtaɪmz/

on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always

From this reading Sometimes they even catch an after-clap of the murder urge, if it hasn't all been expended on the first victim or victims.

standsnounUS /stændz/

plural of “stand” — a support or foundation

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

supposeverbUS /səˈpoʊz/

express a supposition

From this reading Yet they _will_ do it, trusting I suppose to the irresistible glamor of their personalities.

thanksnounUS /θæŋks/

an acknowledgment of appreciation

From this reading _We are always, thanks to our human nature, potential criminals.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

ThereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading There were several reasons why we didn't at once give Pop this treatment.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading There were several reasons why we didn't at once give Pop this treatment.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading _We are always, thanks to our human nature, potential criminals.

treatmentnounUS /ˈtriːtmənt/

care provided to improve a situation (especially medical procedures or applications that are intended to relieve illness or injury)

From this reading There were several reasons why we didn't at once give Pop this treatment.

trustingadjectiveUS /ˈtrʌstɪŋ/

inclined to believe or confide readily; full of trust

From this reading Yet they _will_ do it, trusting I suppose to the irresistible glamor of their personalities.

UndiscoveredadjectiveUS /ˌʌndɪˈskʌvərd/

not discovered

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

urgeverbUS /ɜːrdʒ/

force or impel in an indicated direction

From this reading Sometimes they even catch an after-clap of the murder urge, if it hasn't all been expended on the first victim or victims.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

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

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

victimnounUS /ˈvɪktəm/

an unfortunate person who suffers from some adverse circumstance

From this reading Sometimes they even catch an after-clap of the murder urge, if it hasn't all been expended on the first victim or victims.

victimsnounUS /ˈvɪktəmz/

plural of “victim” — an unfortunate person who suffers from some adverse circumstance

From this reading Sometimes they even catch an after-clap of the murder urge, if it hasn't all been expended on the first victim or victims.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

WepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading _We are always, thanks to our human nature, potential criminals.

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 None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading There were several reasons why we didn't at once give Pop this treatment.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

whynounUS /waɪ/

the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”

From this reading There were several reasons why we didn't at once give Pop this treatment.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading Yet they _will_ do it, trusting I suppose to the irresistible glamor of their personalities.

wordlessadjectiveUS /ˈwɜːrdləs/

expressed without speech

From this reading None of us stands outside humanity's black collective shadow._ --The Undiscovered Self, _by Carl Jung_ Ordinarily scroungers who hide around on the outskirts until the killing's done and then come in to share the loot get what they deserve--wordless orders, well backed up, to be on their way at once.

YetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading Yet they _will_ do it, trusting I suppose to the irresistible glamor of their personalities.

Chapter 3 of The Night of the Long Knives by Virgil [Illustrator] Finlay holds 369 sentences, grouped into 74 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 3 of The Night of the Long Knives contain?

Chapter 3 holds 369 sentences of The Night of the Long Knives, unabridged, divided into 74 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 3 of The Night of the Long Knives by Virgil [Illustrator] Finlay exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 369 sentences, grouped into 74 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 3 of The Night of the Long Knives?

Work through the 74 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 74 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 3 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 3 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 Night of the Long Knives

Common questions about reading The Night of the Long Knives by Virgil [Illustrator] Finlay on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Night of the Long Knives?

Yes. All 1851 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #25024 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Night of the Long Knives is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #25024, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Night of the Long Knives take to read?

About 154 minutes of reading across 371 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Night of the Long Knives section by section

How to work through The Night of the Long Knives section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 7 chapters of The Night of the Long Knives 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 Night of the Long Knives

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Night of the Long Knives, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Heard
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Night of the Long Knives; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Footsteps
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Night of the Long Knives; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Ambushed
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Night of the Long Knives; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Stalked
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Night of the Long Knives; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.