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The Parisians — Complete
The Parisians — Complete

Chapter XXXIII · Chapter 33

Chapter 33 of The Parisians — Complete is here in full — 472 sentences across 95 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/94 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
When the news of the disastrous day at Sedan reached Paris, the first effect was that of timid consternation.
There were a few cries of Decheance! fewer still of Vive la Republique among the motley crowds; but they were faint, and chiefly by ragged gamins.
A small body repaired to Trochu and offered him the sceptre, which he politely declined.
A more important and respectable body--for it comprised the majority of the Corps Legislatif--urged Palikao to accept the temporary dictatorship, which the War Minister declined with equal politeness.
In both these overtures it was clear that the impulse of the proposers was towards any form of government rather than republican.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Parisians — Complete

Chapter XXXIII · Chapter 33

Chapter 33 of The Parisians — Complete is here in full — 472 sentences across 95 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/94 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
When the news of the disastrous day at Sedan reached Paris, the first effect was that of timid consternation.
/wen ðə nuːz ʌv ðə dɪˈzæstrəs deɪ æt səˈdæn riːtʃt ˈperɪs ðə fɜːrst ɪˈfekt wɑːz ðæt ʌv ˈtɪmɪd ˌkɑːnstərˈneɪʃən/
Line 2
There were a few cries of Decheance! fewer still of Vive la Republique among the motley crowds; but they were faint, and chiefly by ragged gamins.
Line 3
A small body repaired to Trochu and offered him the sceptre, which he politely declined.
Line 4
A more important and respectable body--for it comprised the majority of the Corps Legislatif--urged Palikao to accept the temporary dictatorship, which the War Minister declined with equal politeness.
Line 5
In both these overtures it was clear that the impulse of the proposers was towards any form of government rather than republican.

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.

comprised verb US /kəmˈpraɪzd/

past form of “comprise” — be composed of

From this reading “A more important and respectable body--for it comprised the majority of the Corps Legislatif--urged Palikao to accept the temporary dictatorship, which the War Minister declined with equal politeness.”

dictatorship noun US /dɪkˈteɪtərʃɪp/

a form of government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator (not restricted by a constitution or laws or opposition etc.)

From this reading “A more important and respectable body--for it comprised the majority of the Corps Legislatif--urged Palikao to accept the temporary dictatorship, which the War Minister declined with equal politeness.”

disastrous adjective US /dɪˈzæstrəs/

(of events) having extremely unfortunate or dire consequences; bringing ruin

From this reading “When the news of the disastrous day at Sedan reached Paris, the first effect was that of timid consternation.”

fewer adjective US /ˈfjuːər/

(comparative of “few” used with count nouns) quantifier meaning a smaller number of

From this reading “There were a few cries of Decheance! fewer still of Vive la Republique among the motley crowds; but they were faint, and chiefly by ragged gamins.”

motley noun US /ˈmɑːtli/

a collection containing a variety of sorts of things

From this reading “There were a few cries of Decheance! fewer still of Vive la Republique among the motley crowds; but they were faint, and chiefly by ragged gamins.”

overtures noun US /ˈoʊvərtʃʊrz/

plural of “overture” — orchestral music played at the beginning of an opera or oratorio

From this reading “In both these overtures it was clear that the impulse of the proposers was towards any form of government rather than republican.”

sceptre noun US /ˈseptər/

the imperial authority symbolized by a scepter

From this reading “A small body repaired to Trochu and offered him the sceptre, which he politely declined.”

Sedan noun US /səˈdæn/

a car that is closed and that has front and rear seats and two or four doors

From this reading “When the news of the disastrous day at Sedan reached Paris, the first effect was that of timid consternation.”

All words in this reading · 83

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 There were a few cries of Decheance! fewer still of Vive la Republique among the motley crowds; but they were faint, and chiefly by ragged gamins.

acceptverbUS /ækˈsept/

consider or hold as true

From this reading A more important and respectable body--for it comprised the majority of the Corps Legislatif--urged Palikao to accept the temporary dictatorship, which the War Minister declined with equal politeness.

amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/

surrounded by; in the middle of a group

From this reading There were a few cries of Decheance! fewer still of Vive la Republique among the motley crowds; but they were faint, and chiefly by ragged gamins.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading There were a few cries of Decheance! fewer still of Vive la Republique among the motley crowds; but they were faint, and chiefly by ragged gamins.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading In both these overtures it was clear that the impulse of the proposers was towards any form of government rather than republican.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading When the news of the disastrous day at Sedan reached Paris, the first effect was that of timid consternation.

bodynounUS /ˈbɑːdi/

the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)

From this reading A small body repaired to Trochu and offered him the sceptre, which he politely declined.

bothdeterminerUS /boʊθ/

the two together, not just one

From this reading In both these overtures it was clear that the impulse of the proposers was towards any form of government rather than republican.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading There were a few cries of Decheance! fewer still of Vive la Republique among the motley crowds; but they were faint, and chiefly by ragged gamins.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading There were a few cries of Decheance! fewer still of Vive la Republique among the motley crowds; but they were faint, and chiefly by ragged gamins.

chieflyadverbUS /ˈtʃiːfli/

for the most part

From this reading There were a few cries of Decheance! fewer still of Vive la Republique among the motley crowds; but they were faint, and chiefly by ragged gamins.

clearverbUS /klɪr/

rid of obstructions

From this reading In both these overtures it was clear that the impulse of the proposers was towards any form of government rather than republican.

comprisedverbUS /kəmˈpraɪzd/

past form of “comprise” — be composed of

From this reading A more important and respectable body--for it comprised the majority of the Corps Legislatif--urged Palikao to accept the temporary dictatorship, which the War Minister declined with equal politeness.

consternationnounUS /ˌkɑːnstərˈneɪʃən/

fear resulting from the awareness of danger

From this reading When the news of the disastrous day at Sedan reached Paris, the first effect was that of timid consternation.

CorpsnounUS /kɔːr/

an army unit usually consisting of two or more divisions and their support

From this reading A more important and respectable body--for it comprised the majority of the Corps Legislatif--urged Palikao to accept the temporary dictatorship, which the War Minister declined with equal politeness.

criesnounUS /kraɪz/

plural of “cry” — a loud utterance; often in protest or opposition

From this reading There were a few cries of Decheance! fewer still of Vive la Republique among the motley crowds; but they were faint, and chiefly by ragged gamins.

crowdsnounUS /kraʊdz/

plural of “crowd” — a large number of things or people considered together

From this reading There were a few cries of Decheance! fewer still of Vive la Republique among the motley crowds; but they were faint, and chiefly by ragged gamins.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading When the news of the disastrous day at Sedan reached Paris, the first effect was that of timid consternation.

Decheance

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

From this reading There were a few cries of Decheance! fewer still of Vive la Republique among the motley crowds; but they were faint, and chiefly by ragged gamins.

declinedverbUS /dɪˈklaɪnd/

past form of “decline” — grow worse

From this reading A small body repaired to Trochu and offered him the sceptre, which he politely declined.

dictatorshipnounUS /dɪkˈteɪtərʃɪp/

a form of government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator (not restricted by a constitution or laws or opposition etc.)

From this reading A more important and respectable body--for it comprised the majority of the Corps Legislatif--urged Palikao to accept the temporary dictatorship, which the War Minister declined with equal politeness.

disastrousadjectiveUS /dɪˈzæstrəs/

(of events) having extremely unfortunate or dire consequences; bringing ruin

From this reading When the news of the disastrous day at Sedan reached Paris, the first effect was that of timid consternation.

effectnounUS /ɪˈfekt/

a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon

From this reading When the news of the disastrous day at Sedan reached Paris, the first effect was that of timid consternation.

equalverbUS /ˈiːkwəl/

be identical or equivalent to

From this reading A more important and respectable body--for it comprised the majority of the Corps Legislatif--urged Palikao to accept the temporary dictatorship, which the War Minister declined with equal politeness.

faintadjectiveUS /feɪnt/

deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc

From this reading There were a few cries of Decheance! fewer still of Vive la Republique among the motley crowds; but they were faint, and chiefly by ragged gamins.

fewadjectiveUS /fjuː/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading There were a few cries of Decheance! fewer still of Vive la Republique among the motley crowds; but they were faint, and chiefly by ragged gamins.

feweradjectiveUS /ˈfjuːər/

(comparative of “few” used with count nouns) quantifier meaning a smaller number of

From this reading There were a few cries of Decheance! fewer still of Vive la Republique among the motley crowds; but they were faint, and chiefly by ragged gamins.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading When the news of the disastrous day at Sedan reached Paris, the first effect was that of timid consternation.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading A more important and respectable body--for it comprised the majority of the Corps Legislatif--urged Palikao to accept the temporary dictatorship, which the War Minister declined with equal politeness.

formnounUS /fɔːrm/

the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something

From this reading In both these overtures it was clear that the impulse of the proposers was towards any form of government rather than republican.

gamins

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

From this reading There were a few cries of Decheance! fewer still of Vive la Republique among the motley crowds; but they were faint, and chiefly by ragged gamins.

governmentnounUS /ˈɡʌvərmənt/

the organization that is the governing authority of a political unit

From this reading In both these overtures it was clear that the impulse of the proposers was towards any form of government rather than republican.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading A small body repaired to Trochu and offered him the sceptre, which he politely declined.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading A small body repaired to Trochu and offered him the sceptre, which he politely declined.

importantadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpɔːrtənt/

of great significance or value

From this reading A more important and respectable body--for it comprised the majority of the Corps Legislatif--urged Palikao to accept the temporary dictatorship, which the War Minister declined with equal politeness.

impulsenounUS /ˈɪmpəls/

an instinctive motive

From this reading In both these overtures it was clear that the impulse of the proposers was towards any form of government rather than republican.

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading In both these overtures it was clear that the impulse of the proposers was towards any form of government rather than republican.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading A more important and respectable body--for it comprised the majority of the Corps Legislatif--urged Palikao to accept the temporary dictatorship, which the War Minister declined with equal politeness.

lanounUS /lɑː/

a white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily; occurs in rare earth minerals and is usually classified as a rare earth

From this reading There were a few cries of Decheance! fewer still of Vive la Republique among the motley crowds; but they were faint, and chiefly by ragged gamins.

Legislatif

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

From this reading A more important and respectable body--for it comprised the majority of the Corps Legislatif--urged Palikao to accept the temporary dictatorship, which the War Minister declined with equal politeness.

majoritynounUS /məˈdʒɔːrəti/

the property resulting from being or relating to the greater in number of two parts; the main part

From this reading A more important and respectable body--for it comprised the majority of the Corps Legislatif--urged Palikao to accept the temporary dictatorship, which the War Minister declined with equal politeness.

MinisternounUS /ˈmɪnəstər/

a person authorized to conduct religious worship

From this reading A more important and respectable body--for it comprised the majority of the Corps Legislatif--urged Palikao to accept the temporary dictatorship, which the War Minister declined with equal politeness.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading A more important and respectable body--for it comprised the majority of the Corps Legislatif--urged Palikao to accept the temporary dictatorship, which the War Minister declined with equal politeness.

motleynounUS /ˈmɑːtli/

a collection containing a variety of sorts of things

From this reading There were a few cries of Decheance! fewer still of Vive la Republique among the motley crowds; but they were faint, and chiefly by ragged gamins.

newsnounUS /nuːz/

information about recent and important events

From this reading When the news of the disastrous day at Sedan reached Paris, the first effect was that of timid consternation.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading When the news of the disastrous day at Sedan reached Paris, the first effect was that of timid consternation.

offeredverbUS /ˈɔːfərd/

past form of “offer” — make available or accessible, provide or furnish

From this reading A small body repaired to Trochu and offered him the sceptre, which he politely declined.

overturesnounUS /ˈoʊvərtʃʊrz/

plural of “overture” — orchestral music played at the beginning of an opera or oratorio

From this reading In both these overtures it was clear that the impulse of the proposers was towards any form of government rather than republican.

Palikao

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

From this reading A more important and respectable body--for it comprised the majority of the Corps Legislatif--urged Palikao to accept the temporary dictatorship, which the War Minister declined with equal politeness.

ParisnounUS /ˈperɪs/

the capital and largest city of France; and international center of culture and commerce

From this reading When the news of the disastrous day at Sedan reached Paris, the first effect was that of timid consternation.

politelyadverbUS /pəˈlaɪtli/

in a polite manner

From this reading A small body repaired to Trochu and offered him the sceptre, which he politely declined.

politenessnounUS /pəˈlaɪtnəs/

a courteous manner that respects accepted social usage

From this reading A more important and respectable body--for it comprised the majority of the Corps Legislatif--urged Palikao to accept the temporary dictatorship, which the War Minister declined with equal politeness.

proposers

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

From this reading In both these overtures it was clear that the impulse of the proposers was towards any form of government rather than republican.

raggedadjectiveUS /ˈræɡəd/

being or dressed in clothes that are worn or torn

From this reading There were a few cries of Decheance! fewer still of Vive la Republique among the motley crowds; but they were faint, and chiefly by ragged gamins.

ratheradverbUS /ˈræðər/

on the contrary

From this reading In both these overtures it was clear that the impulse of the proposers was towards any form of government rather than republican.

reachedverbUS /riːtʃt/

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

From this reading When the news of the disastrous day at Sedan reached Paris, the first effect was that of timid consternation.

repairedverbUS /rɪˈperd/

past form of “repair” — restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken

From this reading A small body repaired to Trochu and offered him the sceptre, which he politely declined.

republicannounUS /rɪˈpʌblɪkən/

a member of the Republican Party

From this reading In both these overtures it was clear that the impulse of the proposers was towards any form of government rather than republican.

Republique

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

From this reading There were a few cries of Decheance! fewer still of Vive la Republique among the motley crowds; but they were faint, and chiefly by ragged gamins.

respectableadjectiveUS /rɪˈspektəbəl/

characterized by socially or conventionally acceptable morals

From this reading A more important and respectable body--for it comprised the majority of the Corps Legislatif--urged Palikao to accept the temporary dictatorship, which the War Minister declined with equal politeness.

sceptrenounUS /ˈseptər/

the imperial authority symbolized by a scepter

From this reading A small body repaired to Trochu and offered him the sceptre, which he politely declined.

SedannounUS /səˈdæn/

a car that is closed and that has front and rear seats and two or four doors

From this reading When the news of the disastrous day at Sedan reached Paris, the first effect was that of timid consternation.

smalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/

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

From this reading A small body repaired to Trochu and offered him the sceptre, which he politely declined.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading There were a few cries of Decheance! fewer still of Vive la Republique among the motley crowds; but they were faint, and chiefly by ragged gamins.

temporaryadjectiveUS /ˈtempəreri/

not permanent; not lasting

From this reading A more important and respectable body--for it comprised the majority of the Corps Legislatif--urged Palikao to accept the temporary dictatorship, which the War Minister declined with equal politeness.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading In both these overtures it was clear that the impulse of the proposers was towards any form of government rather than republican.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading When the news of the disastrous day at Sedan reached Paris, the first effect was that of timid consternation.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading When the news of the disastrous day at Sedan reached Paris, the first effect was that of timid consternation.

ThereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading There were a few cries of Decheance! fewer still of Vive la Republique among the motley crowds; but they were faint, and chiefly by ragged gamins.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading In both these overtures it was clear that the impulse of the proposers was towards any form of government rather than republican.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading There were a few cries of Decheance! fewer still of Vive la Republique among the motley crowds; but they were faint, and chiefly by ragged gamins.

timidadjectiveUS /ˈtɪmɪd/

showing fear and lack of confidence

From this reading When the news of the disastrous day at Sedan reached Paris, the first effect was that of timid consternation.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading A small body repaired to Trochu and offered him the sceptre, which he politely declined.

towardsprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrdz/

in the direction of

From this reading In both these overtures it was clear that the impulse of the proposers was towards any form of government rather than republican.

Trochu

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

From this reading A small body repaired to Trochu and offered him the sceptre, which he politely declined.

urgedverbUS /ɜːrdʒd/

past form of “urge” — force or impel in an indicated direction

From this reading A more important and respectable body--for it comprised the majority of the Corps Legislatif--urged Palikao to accept the temporary dictatorship, which the War Minister declined with equal politeness.

Vive

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

From this reading There were a few cries of Decheance! fewer still of Vive la Republique among the motley crowds; but they were faint, and chiefly by ragged gamins.

WarnounUS /wɔːr/

the waging of armed conflict against an enemy

From this reading A more important and respectable body--for it comprised the majority of the Corps Legislatif--urged Palikao to accept the temporary dictatorship, which the War Minister declined with equal politeness.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading When the news of the disastrous day at Sedan reached Paris, the first effect was that of timid consternation.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading There were a few cries of Decheance! fewer still of Vive la Republique among the motley crowds; but they were faint, and chiefly by ragged gamins.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When the news of the disastrous day at Sedan reached Paris, the first effect was that of timid consternation.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading A small body repaired to Trochu and offered him the sceptre, which he politely declined.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading A more important and respectable body--for it comprised the majority of the Corps Legislatif--urged Palikao to accept the temporary dictatorship, which the War Minister declined with equal politeness.

Chapter 33 of The Parisians — Complete by Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron Lytton holds 472 sentences, grouped into 95 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 33 of The Parisians — Complete contain?

Chapter 33 holds 472 sentences of The Parisians — Complete, unabridged, divided into 95 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 33 of The Parisians — Complete by Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron Lytton exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 472 sentences, grouped into 95 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 33 of The Parisians — Complete?

Work through the 95 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 95 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 33 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 33 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 Parisians — Complete

Common questions about reading The Parisians — Complete by Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron Lytton on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Parisians — Complete?

Yes. All 11607 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #7749 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Parisians — Complete is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #7749, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Parisians — Complete take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 2322 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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  3. Listen and tap

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Vocabulary met early in The Parisians — Complete

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

Bright
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Parisians — Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Early
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Parisians — Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Spring
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Parisians — Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Paris
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Parisians — Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.