Chapter 10 of The Peddler Spy is here in full — 236 sentences across 48 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter X
Chapter 10 of The Peddler Spy is here in full — 236 sentences across 48 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A NIGHT IN BONDS. Holmes stepped back and took a survey of the building. His practiced eye at once took in its strong points. The doors were of hewn oak, crossed by heavy iron clamps. On the inside, so Van Curter told them, were heavy bars of seasoned wood, tough and elastic as so much steel, set into iron rings upon either side of the door.
Chapter 10 of The Peddler Spy is here in full — 236 sentences across 48 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/47 · 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.
plural of “bond” — an electrical force linking atoms
From this reading “A NIGHT IN BONDS.”
plural of “clamp” — a device (generally used by carpenters) that holds things firmly together
From this reading “The doors were of hewn oak, crossed by heavy iron clamps.”
capable of resuming original shape after stretching or compression; springy
From this reading “On the inside, so Van Curter told them, were heavy bars of seasoned wood, tough and elastic as so much steel, set into iron rings upon either side of the door.”
cut or shaped with hard blows of a heavy cutting instrument like an ax or chisel
From this reading “The doors were of hewn oak, crossed by heavy iron clamps.”
a fictitious detective in stories by A. Conan Doyle
From this reading “Holmes stepped back and took a survey of the building.”
having or showing knowledge and skill and aptitude
From this reading “His practiced eye at once took in its strong points.”
aged or processed
From this reading “On the inside, so Van Curter told them, were heavy bars of seasoned wood, tough and elastic as so much steel, set into iron rings upon either side of the door.”
a detailed critical inspection
From this reading “Holmes stepped back and took a survey of the building.”
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.
In this reading “His practiced eye at once took in its strong points.”
without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening
In this reading “His practiced eye at once took in its strong points.”
In this reading “The doors were of hewn oak, crossed by heavy iron clamps.”
an asset of special worth or utility
In this reading “His practiced eye at once took in its strong points.”
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 A NIGHT IN BONDS.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Holmes stepped back and took a survey of the building.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading On the inside, so Van Curter told them, were heavy bars of seasoned wood, tough and elastic as so much steel, set into iron rings upon either side of the door.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading His practiced eye at once took in its strong points.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Holmes stepped back and took a survey of the building.
gymnastic apparatus consisting of two parallel wooden rods supported on uprights
From this reading On the inside, so Van Curter told them, were heavy bars of seasoned wood, tough and elastic as so much steel, set into iron rings upon either side of the door.
plural of “bond” — an electrical force linking atoms
From this reading A NIGHT IN BONDS.
a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
From this reading Holmes stepped back and took a survey of the building.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The doors were of hewn oak, crossed by heavy iron clamps.
plural of “clamp” — a device (generally used by carpenters) that holds things firmly together
From this reading The doors were of hewn oak, crossed by heavy iron clamps.
placed crosswise
From this reading The doors were of hewn oak, crossed by heavy iron clamps.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the inside, so Van Curter told them, were heavy bars of seasoned wood, tough and elastic as so much steel, set into iron rings upon either side of the door.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading On the inside, so Van Curter told them, were heavy bars of seasoned wood, tough and elastic as so much steel, set into iron rings upon either side of the door.
plural of “door” — a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading The doors were of hewn oak, crossed by heavy iron clamps.
one or the other of two
From this reading On the inside, so Van Curter told them, were heavy bars of seasoned wood, tough and elastic as so much steel, set into iron rings upon either side of the door.
capable of resuming original shape after stretching or compression; springy
From this reading On the inside, so Van Curter told them, were heavy bars of seasoned wood, tough and elastic as so much steel, set into iron rings upon either side of the door.
the organ of sight
From this reading His practiced eye at once took in its strong points.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading The doors were of hewn oak, crossed by heavy iron clamps.
cut or shaped with hard blows of a heavy cutting instrument like an ax or chisel
From this reading The doors were of hewn oak, crossed by heavy iron clamps.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His practiced eye at once took in its strong points.
a fictitious detective in stories by A. Conan Doyle
From this reading Holmes stepped back and took a survey of the building.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A NIGHT IN BONDS.
relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space
From this reading On the inside, so Van Curter told them, were heavy bars of seasoned wood, tough and elastic as so much steel, set into iron rings upon either side of the door.
moving to the inside of something
From this reading On the inside, so Van Curter told them, were heavy bars of seasoned wood, tough and elastic as so much steel, set into iron rings upon either side of the door.
a heavy ductile magnetic metallic element; is silver-white in pure form but readily rusts; used in construction and tools and armament; plays a role in the transport of oxygen by the blood
From this reading The doors were of hewn oak, crossed by heavy iron clamps.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading His practiced eye at once took in its strong points.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading On the inside, so Van Curter told them, were heavy bars of seasoned wood, tough and elastic as so much steel, set into iron rings upon either side of the door.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading A NIGHT IN BONDS.
the hard durable wood of any oak; used especially for furniture and flooring
From this reading The doors were of hewn oak, crossed by heavy iron clamps.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Holmes stepped back and took a survey of the building.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On the inside, so Van Curter told them, were heavy bars of seasoned wood, tough and elastic as so much steel, set into iron rings upon either side of the door.
on one occasion
From this reading His practiced eye at once took in its strong points.
plural of “point” — a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading His practiced eye at once took in its strong points.
having or showing knowledge and skill and aptitude
From this reading His practiced eye at once took in its strong points.
gymnastic apparatus consisting of a pair of heavy metal circles (usually covered with leather) suspended by ropes; used for gymnastic exercises
From this reading On the inside, so Van Curter told them, were heavy bars of seasoned wood, tough and elastic as so much steel, set into iron rings upon either side of the door.
aged or processed
From this reading On the inside, so Van Curter told them, were heavy bars of seasoned wood, tough and elastic as so much steel, set into iron rings upon either side of the door.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading On the inside, so Van Curter told them, were heavy bars of seasoned wood, tough and elastic as so much steel, set into iron rings upon either side of the door.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading On the inside, so Van Curter told them, were heavy bars of seasoned wood, tough and elastic as so much steel, set into iron rings upon either side of the door.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading On the inside, so Van Curter told them, were heavy bars of seasoned wood, tough and elastic as so much steel, set into iron rings upon either side of the door.
an alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon; widely used in construction; mechanical properties can be varied over a wide range
From this reading On the inside, so Van Curter told them, were heavy bars of seasoned wood, tough and elastic as so much steel, set into iron rings upon either side of the door.
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading Holmes stepped back and took a survey of the building.
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading His practiced eye at once took in its strong points.
a detailed critical inspection
From this reading Holmes stepped back and took a survey of the building.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Holmes stepped back and took a survey of the building.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading On the inside, so Van Curter told them, were heavy bars of seasoned wood, tough and elastic as so much steel, set into iron rings upon either side of the door.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading On the inside, so Van Curter told them, were heavy bars of seasoned wood, tough and elastic as so much steel, set into iron rings upon either side of the door.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading Holmes stepped back and took a survey of the building.
not given to gentleness or sentimentality
From this reading On the inside, so Van Curter told them, were heavy bars of seasoned wood, tough and elastic as so much steel, set into iron rings upon either side of the door.
a formal word for “on”
From this reading On the inside, so Van Curter told them, were heavy bars of seasoned wood, tough and elastic as so much steel, set into iron rings upon either side of the door.
any creative group active in the innovation and application of new concepts and techniques in a given field (especially in the arts)
From this reading On the inside, so Van Curter told them, were heavy bars of seasoned wood, tough and elastic as so much steel, set into iron rings upon either side of the door.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The doors were of hewn oak, crossed by heavy iron clamps.
the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees
From this reading On the inside, so Van Curter told them, were heavy bars of seasoned wood, tough and elastic as so much steel, set into iron rings upon either side of the door.
Chapter 10 of The Peddler Spy by W. J. Hamilton holds 236 sentences, grouped into 48 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 10 holds 236 sentences of The Peddler Spy, unabridged, divided into 48 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 10 of The Peddler Spy by W. J. Hamilton exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 236 sentences, grouped into 48 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 48 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 48 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 10 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 Peddler Spy by W. J. Hamilton on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 2820 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #55772 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #55772, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 235 minutes of reading across 564 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Peddler Spy section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 11 chapters of The Peddler Spy 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 Peddler Spy, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
