Chapter 9 of The Pagan Madonna is here in full — 296 sentences across 60 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IX
Chapter 9 of The Pagan Madonna is here in full — 296 sentences across 60 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"If you will write the order I will execute it at once. The consulate closes early." "I'll write it, but how will I get it to you? The door closes below the sill." "When you are ready, call, and I will open the door a little."
Chapter 9 of The Pagan Madonna is here in full — 296 sentences across 60 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/59 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading “The door closes below the sill."”
plural of “close” — the temporal end; the concluding time
From this reading “The consulate closes early."”
diplomatic building that serves as the residence or workplace of a consul
From this reading “The consulate closes early."”
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading “The consulate closes early."”
kill as a means of socially sanctioned punishment
From this reading “"If you will write the order I will execute it at once.”
(often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed
From this reading “"If you will write the order I will execute it at once.”
structural member consisting of a continuous horizontal timber forming the lowest member of a framework or supporting structure
From this reading “The door closes below the sill."”
produce a literary work
From this reading “"If you will write the order I will execute it at once.”
Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.
Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "When you are ready, call, and I will open the door a little."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "When you are ready, call, and I will open the door a little."
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "When you are ready, call, and I will open the door a little."
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading "If you will write the order I will execute it at once.
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading The door closes below the sill."
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "I'll write it, but how will I get it to you?
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading "When you are ready, call, and I will open the door a little."
plural of “close” — the temporal end; the concluding time
From this reading The consulate closes early."
diplomatic building that serves as the residence or workplace of a consul
From this reading The consulate closes early."
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading The door closes below the sill."
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading The consulate closes early."
kill as a means of socially sanctioned punishment
From this reading "If you will write the order I will execute it at once.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading "I'll write it, but how will I get it to you?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I'll write it, but how will I get it to you?
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "If you will write the order I will execute it at once.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I'll write it, but how will I get it to you?
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "If you will write the order I will execute it at once.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "If you will write the order I will execute it at once.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading "When you are ready, call, and I will open the door a little."
on one occasion
From this reading "If you will write the order I will execute it at once.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading "When you are ready, call, and I will open the door a little."
(often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed
From this reading "If you will write the order I will execute it at once.
completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress
From this reading "When you are ready, call, and I will open the door a little."
structural member consisting of a continuous horizontal timber forming the lowest member of a framework or supporting structure
From this reading The door closes below the sill."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "If you will write the order I will execute it at once.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "I'll write it, but how will I get it to you?
at the time that
From this reading "When you are ready, call, and I will open the door a little."
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading "If you will write the order I will execute it at once.
produce a literary work
From this reading "If you will write the order I will execute it at once.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "If you will write the order I will execute it at once.
Chapter 9 of The Pagan Madonna by Harold MacGrath holds 296 sentences, grouped into 60 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.
Chapter 9 holds 296 sentences of The Pagan Madonna, unabridged, divided into 60 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 9 of The Pagan Madonna by Harold MacGrath exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 296 sentences, grouped into 60 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 60 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 60 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 9 can be played aloud in United States English.
Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.
Common questions about reading The Pagan Madonna by Harold MacGrath on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 5543 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #27339 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #27339, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 461 minutes of reading across 1109 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Pagan Madonna section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 21 chapters of The Pagan Madonna to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in The Pagan Madonna, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
