The Outcaste

Chapter III

Chapter 3 of The Outcaste is here in full — 270 sentences across 54 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By F. E. (Fanny Emily), -1939 Penny • Curated US English Learning Edition

English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

Coomara, the orthodox, the punctilious observer of caste rule and ceremony, was dead.

He had died in sin before the cleansing rites could be performed which alone could restore the purity of his birth and reinstate him in his caste.

Bopaul, when he had recovered from the stunned condition into which the accident threw him, fell back upon the deadening doctrine of fatalism.

It was destiny, and there was no escape.

All-powerful fate had ordained it; first, that they should miss the earlier train which reached its journey's end in safety; secondly, that Coomara should make a move to the opposite side of the carriage and seat himself on the very spot to which the buffer penetrated.

Narrator

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LEARNER DICTIONARY

Archivist

/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/

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A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Chapter III Reading 1/54

The Outcaste F. E. (Fanny Emily), -1939 Penny

Chapter III

Chapter 3 of The Outcaste is here in full — 270 sentences across 54 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Coomara, the orthodox, the punctilious observer of caste rule and ceremony, was dead. He had died in sin before the cleansing rites could be performed which alone could restore the purity of his birth and reinstate him in his caste. Bopaul, when he had recovered from the stunned condition into which the accident threw him, fell back upon the deadening doctrine of fatalism. It was destiny, and there was no escape. All-powerful fate had ordained it; first, that they should miss the earlier train which reached its journey's end in safety; secondly, that Coomara should make a move to the opposite side of the carriage and seat himself on the very spot to which the buffer penetrated.

The Outcaste

Chapter III

Chapter 3 of The Outcaste is here in full — 270 sentences across 54 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/54 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

Coomara, the orthodox, the punctilious observer of caste rule and ceremony, was dead.

Line 2

He had died in sin before the cleansing rites could be performed which alone could restore the purity of his birth and reinstate him in his caste.

/hiː hæd daɪd ɪn sɪn bɪˈfɔːr ðə ˈklenzɪŋ raɪts kʊd biː pərˈfɔːrmd wɪtʃ əˈloʊn kʊd rɪˈstɔːr ðə ˈpjʊrəti ʌv hɪz bɜːrθ ənd ˌriːɪnˈsteɪt hɪm ɪn hɪz kæst/

Line 3

Bopaul, when he had recovered from the stunned condition into which the accident threw him, fell back upon the deadening doctrine of fatalism.

Line 4

It was destiny, and there was no escape.

/ɪt wɑːz ˈdestəni ənd ðer wɑːz noʊ ɪˈskeɪp/

Line 5

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.

buffer noun US /ˈbʌfər/

(chemistry) an ionic compound that resists changes in its pH

From this reading “All-powerful fate had ordained it; first, that they should miss the earlier train which reached its journey's end in safety; secondly, that Coomara should make a move to the opposite side of the carriage and seat himself on the very spot to which the buffer penetrated.”

caste noun US /kæst/

social status or position conferred by a system based on class

From this reading “Coomara, the orthodox, the punctilious observer of caste rule and ceremony, was dead.”

cleansing adjective US /ˈklenzɪŋ/

cleansing the body by washing; especially ritual washing of e.g. hands

From this reading “He had died in sin before the cleansing rites could be performed which alone could restore the purity of his birth and reinstate him in his caste.”

deadening noun US /ˈdedənɪŋ/

the act of making something futile and useless (as by routine)

From this reading “Bopaul, when he had recovered from the stunned condition into which the accident threw him, fell back upon the deadening doctrine of fatalism.”

fatalism noun US /ˈfeɪtəlɪzəm/

a submissive mental attitude resulting from acceptance of the doctrine that everything that happens is predetermined and inevitable

From this reading “Bopaul, when he had recovered from the stunned condition into which the accident threw him, fell back upon the deadening doctrine of fatalism.”

orthodox adjective US /ˈɔːrθədɑːks/

of or pertaining to or characteristic of Judaism

From this reading “Coomara, the orthodox, the punctilious observer of caste rule and ceremony, was dead.”

punctilious adjective US /pəŋkˈtɪliəs/

marked by precise accordance with details

From this reading “Coomara, the orthodox, the punctilious observer of caste rule and ceremony, was dead.”

reinstate verb US /ˌriːɪnˈsteɪt/

restore to the previous state or rank

From this reading “He had died in sin before the cleansing rites could be performed which alone could restore the purity of his birth and reinstate him in his caste.”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

opposite side adjective + noun

In this reading “All-powerful fate had ordained it; first, that they should miss the earlier train which reached its journey's end in safety; secondly, that Coomara should make a move to the opposite side of the carriage and seat himself on the very spot to which the buffer penetrated.”

fell back verb + particle

In this reading “Bopaul, when he had recovered from the stunned condition into which the accident threw him, fell back upon the deadening doctrine of fatalism.”

very spot adjective + noun

in safety preposition + noun

died in verb + particle counted as “die in”

In this reading “He had died in sin before the cleansing rites could be performed which alone could restore the purity of his birth and reinstate him in his caste.”

All words in this reading · 81

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 All-powerful fate had ordained it; first, that they should miss the earlier train which reached its journey's end in safety; secondly, that Coomara should make a move to the opposite side of the carriage and seat himself on the very spot to which the buffer penetrated.

accidentnounUS /ˈæksədənt/

an unfortunate mishap; especially one causing damage or injury

From this reading Bopaul, when he had recovered from the stunned condition into which the accident threw him, fell back upon the deadening doctrine of fatalism.

All-powerfuladjective

having unlimited power

aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading He had died in sin before the cleansing rites could be performed which alone could restore the purity of his birth and reinstate him in his caste.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Coomara, the orthodox, the punctilious observer of caste rule and ceremony, was dead.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading Bopaul, when he had recovered from the stunned condition into which the accident threw him, fell back upon the deadening doctrine of fatalism.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading He had died in sin before the cleansing rites could be performed which alone could restore the purity of his birth and reinstate him in his caste.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading He had died in sin before the cleansing rites could be performed which alone could restore the purity of his birth and reinstate him in his caste.

birthnounUS /bɜːrθ/

the time when something begins (especially life)

From this reading He had died in sin before the cleansing rites could be performed which alone could restore the purity of his birth and reinstate him in his caste.

Bopaul

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

From this reading Bopaul, when he had recovered from the stunned condition into which the accident threw him, fell back upon the deadening doctrine of fatalism.

buffernounUS /ˈbʌfər/

(chemistry) an ionic compound that resists changes in its pH

carriagenounUS /ˈkærɪdʒ/

a railcar where passengers ride

castenounUS /kæst/

social status or position conferred by a system based on class

From this reading Coomara, the orthodox, the punctilious observer of caste rule and ceremony, was dead.

ceremonynounUS /ˈserəmoʊni/

a formal event performed on a special occasion

From this reading Coomara, the orthodox, the punctilious observer of caste rule and ceremony, was dead.

cleansingadjectiveUS /ˈklenzɪŋ/

cleansing the body by washing; especially ritual washing of e.g. hands

From this reading He had died in sin before the cleansing rites could be performed which alone could restore the purity of his birth and reinstate him in his caste.

conditionnounUS /kənˈdɪʃən/

a state at a particular time

From this reading Bopaul, when he had recovered from the stunned condition into which the accident threw him, fell back upon the deadening doctrine of fatalism.

Coomara

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

From this reading Coomara, the orthodox, the punctilious observer of caste rule and ceremony, was dead.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading He had died in sin before the cleansing rites could be performed which alone could restore the purity of his birth and reinstate him in his caste.

deadadjectiveUS /ded/

no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life

From this reading Coomara, the orthodox, the punctilious observer of caste rule and ceremony, was dead.

deadeningnounUS /ˈdedənɪŋ/

the act of making something futile and useless (as by routine)

From this reading Bopaul, when he had recovered from the stunned condition into which the accident threw him, fell back upon the deadening doctrine of fatalism.

destinynounUS /ˈdestəni/

an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future

From this reading It was destiny, and there was no escape.

diedverbUS /daɪd/

past form of “die” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life

From this reading He had died in sin before the cleansing rites could be performed which alone could restore the purity of his birth and reinstate him in his caste.

doctrinenounUS /ˈdɑːktrən/

a belief (or system of beliefs) accepted as authoritative by some group or school

From this reading Bopaul, when he had recovered from the stunned condition into which the accident threw him, fell back upon the deadening doctrine of fatalism.

earlieradverbUS /ˈɜːrliər/

earlier in time; previously

endnounUS /end/

either extremity of something that has length

escapenounUS /ɪˈskeɪp/

the act of escaping physically

From this reading It was destiny, and there was no escape.

fatalismnounUS /ˈfeɪtəlɪzəm/

a submissive mental attitude resulting from acceptance of the doctrine that everything that happens is predetermined and inevitable

From this reading Bopaul, when he had recovered from the stunned condition into which the accident threw him, fell back upon the deadening doctrine of fatalism.

fatenounUS /feɪt/

an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future

fellverbUS /fel/

cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow

From this reading Bopaul, when he had recovered from the stunned condition into which the accident threw him, fell back upon the deadening doctrine of fatalism.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Bopaul, when he had recovered from the stunned condition into which the accident threw him, fell back upon the deadening doctrine of fatalism.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading He had died in sin before the cleansing rites could be performed which alone could restore the purity of his birth and reinstate him in his caste.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He had died in sin before the cleansing rites could be performed which alone could restore the purity of his birth and reinstate him in his caste.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading He had died in sin before the cleansing rites could be performed which alone could restore the purity of his birth and reinstate him in his caste.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading He had died in sin before the cleansing rites could be performed which alone could restore the purity of his birth and reinstate him in his caste.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading He had died in sin before the cleansing rites could be performed which alone could restore the purity of his birth and reinstate him in his caste.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Bopaul, when he had recovered from the stunned condition into which the accident threw him, fell back upon the deadening doctrine of fatalism.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was destiny, and there was no escape.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

journey's

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

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

missverbUS /mɪs/

fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind

moveverbUS /muːv/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading It was destiny, and there was no escape.

observernounUS /əbˈzɜːrvər/

a person who becomes aware (of things or events) through the senses

From this reading Coomara, the orthodox, the punctilious observer of caste rule and ceremony, was dead.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Coomara, the orthodox, the punctilious observer of caste rule and ceremony, was dead.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

oppositeadjectiveUS /ˈɑːpəzət/

being directly across from each other; facing

ordainedadjectiveUS /ɔːrˈdeɪnd/

fixed or established especially by order or command

orthodoxadjectiveUS /ˈɔːrθədɑːks/

of or pertaining to or characteristic of Judaism

From this reading Coomara, the orthodox, the punctilious observer of caste rule and ceremony, was dead.

penetratedverbUS /ˈpenətreɪtɪd/

past form of “penetrate” — pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance

performedverbUS /pərˈfɔːrmd/

past form of “perform” — carry out or perform an action

From this reading He had died in sin before the cleansing rites could be performed which alone could restore the purity of his birth and reinstate him in his caste.

punctiliousadjectiveUS /pəŋkˈtɪliəs/

marked by precise accordance with details

From this reading Coomara, the orthodox, the punctilious observer of caste rule and ceremony, was dead.

puritynounUS /ˈpjʊrəti/

being undiluted or unmixed with extraneous material

From this reading He had died in sin before the cleansing rites could be performed which alone could restore the purity of his birth and reinstate him in his caste.

reachedverbUS /riːtʃt/

past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract

recoveredadjectiveUS /rəˈkʌvərd/

freed from illness or injury

From this reading Bopaul, when he had recovered from the stunned condition into which the accident threw him, fell back upon the deadening doctrine of fatalism.

reinstateverbUS /ˌriːɪnˈsteɪt/

restore to the previous state or rank

From this reading He had died in sin before the cleansing rites could be performed which alone could restore the purity of his birth and reinstate him in his caste.

restoreverbUS /rɪˈstɔːr/

return to its original or usable and functioning condition

From this reading He had died in sin before the cleansing rites could be performed which alone could restore the purity of his birth and reinstate him in his caste.

ritesnounUS /raɪts/

plural of “rite” — an established ceremony prescribed by a religion

From this reading He had died in sin before the cleansing rites could be performed which alone could restore the purity of his birth and reinstate him in his caste.

rulenounUS /ruːl/

a principle or condition that customarily governs behavior

From this reading Coomara, the orthodox, the punctilious observer of caste rule and ceremony, was dead.

safetynounUS /ˈseɪfti/

the state of being certain that adverse effects will not be caused by some agent under defined conditions

seatnounUS /siːt/

a space reserved for sitting (as in a theater or on a train or airplane)

secondlyadverbUS /ˈsekəndli/

in the second place

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

sidenounUS /saɪd/

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

sinnounUS /sɪn/

estrangement from god

From this reading He had died in sin before the cleansing rites could be performed which alone could restore the purity of his birth and reinstate him in his caste.

spotnounUS /spɑːt/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

stunnedadjectiveUS /stʌnd/

filled with the emotional impact of overwhelming surprise or shock

From this reading Bopaul, when he had recovered from the stunned condition into which the accident threw him, fell back upon the deadening doctrine of fatalism.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Coomara, the orthodox, the punctilious observer of caste rule and ceremony, was dead.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading It was destiny, and there was no escape.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

threwverbUS /θruː/

inflected form of “throw” — propel through the air

From this reading Bopaul, when he had recovered from the stunned condition into which the accident threw him, fell back upon the deadening doctrine of fatalism.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

trainverbUS /treɪn/

create by training and teaching

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading Bopaul, when he had recovered from the stunned condition into which the accident threw him, fell back upon the deadening doctrine of fatalism.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Coomara, the orthodox, the punctilious observer of caste rule and ceremony, was dead.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading Bopaul, when he had recovered from the stunned condition into which the accident threw him, fell back upon the deadening doctrine of fatalism.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading He had died in sin before the cleansing rites could be performed which alone could restore the purity of his birth and reinstate him in his caste.

Chapter 3 of The Outcaste by F. E. (Fanny Emily), -1939 Penny holds 270 sentences, grouped into 54 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 Outcaste contain?

Chapter 3 holds 270 sentences of The Outcaste, unabridged, divided into 54 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 3 of The Outcaste by F. E. (Fanny Emily), -1939 Penny exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 270 sentences, grouped into 54 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 Outcaste?

Work through the 54 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 54 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 Outcaste

Common questions about reading The Outcaste by F. E. (Fanny Emily), -1939 Penny on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Outcaste?

Yes. All 6590 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #38195 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Outcaste is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #38195, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Outcaste take to read?

About 549 minutes of reading across 1318 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in The Outcaste

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

Aviation: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Outcaste; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Ground: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Outcaste; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
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Spectators: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Outcaste; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.

Chapter III

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