Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
The Pilgrim's Shell
The Pilgrim's Shell

Chapter VII

Cover illustration for The Pilgrim's Shell
Context Illustration Reading 1/36 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
ABBOT AND MONK.
The donjon cells of the manor of Plouernel consisted of three vaulted stories, the only daylight into which penetrated through three narrow slits opening upon the gigantic ditch, out of which rose the donjon itself.
Within, apart from a massive door studded with iron, these cells consisted of stone only--they were roofed with stone, floored with stone, and the walls were of stone, ten feet thick.
The cell, whither the Bishop of Nantes and the monk Jeronimo were taken, was at the very bottom of this subterraneous structure.
A narrow loophole barely filtered through a pale ray of light into that semi-Stygian darkness.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
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 Pilgrim's Shell

Chapter VII

Reading 1/36 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
ABBOT AND MONK.
Line 2
The donjon cells of the manor of Plouernel consisted of three vaulted stories, the only daylight into which penetrated through three narrow slits opening upon the gigantic ditch, out of which rose the donjon itself.
Line 3
Within, apart from a massive door studded with iron, these cells consisted of stone only--they were roofed with stone, floored with stone, and the walls were of stone, ten feet thick.
Line 4
The cell, whither the Bishop of Nantes and the monk Jeronimo were taken, was at the very bottom of this subterraneous structure.
Line 5
A narrow loophole barely filtered through a pale ray of light into that semi-Stygian darkness.

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

Cell noun US /sel/

A small stone room in a prison where an inmate is locked behind iron bars.

From this reading “The cell, whither the Bishop of Nantes and the monk Jeronimo were taken, was at the very bottom of this subterraneous structure.”

Itself pronoun US /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading “The donjon cells of the manor of Plouernel consisted of three vaulted stories, the only daylight into which penetrated through three narrow slits opening upon the gigantic ditch, out of which rose the donjon itself.”

Loophole noun US /ˈloophole/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “A narrow loophole barely filtered through a pale ray of light into that semi-Stygian darkness.”

These determiner US /ðiːz/

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

From this reading “Within, apart from a massive door studded with iron, these cells consisted of stone only--they were roofed with stone, floored with stone, and the walls were of stone, ten feet thick.”

Through noun US /ˈthrough/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “The donjon cells of the manor of Plouernel consisted of three vaulted stories, the only daylight into which penetrated through three narrow slits opening upon the gigantic ditch, out of which rose the donjon itself.”

Upon preposition US /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading “The donjon cells of the manor of Plouernel consisted of three vaulted stories, the only daylight into which penetrated through three narrow slits opening upon the gigantic ditch, out of which rose the donjon itself.”

Whither adverb US /ˈwɪðər/

an old word meaning “to where”

From this reading “The cell, whither the Bishop of Nantes and the monk Jeronimo were taken, was at the very bottom of this subterraneous structure.”

Within preposition US /wɪˈðɪn/

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading “Within, apart from a massive door studded with iron, these cells consisted of stone only--they were roofed with stone, floored with stone, and the walls were of stone, ten feet thick.”

All words in this reading · 69

Every word is available to listen to. 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 Within, apart from a massive door studded with iron, these cells consisted of stone only--they were roofed with stone, floored with stone, and the walls were of stone, ten feet thick.

ABBOT

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

From this reading ABBOT AND MONK.

ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading ABBOT AND MONK.

apart

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

From this reading Within, apart from a massive door studded with iron, these cells consisted of stone only--they were roofed with stone, floored with stone, and the walls were of stone, ten feet thick.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The cell, whither the Bishop of Nantes and the monk Jeronimo were taken, was at the very bottom of this subterraneous structure.

barely

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

From this reading A narrow loophole barely filtered through a pale ray of light into that semi-Stygian darkness.

Bishop

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

From this reading The cell, whither the Bishop of Nantes and the monk Jeronimo were taken, was at the very bottom of this subterraneous structure.

bottom

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

From this reading The cell, whither the Bishop of Nantes and the monk Jeronimo were taken, was at the very bottom of this subterraneous structure.

cellnounUS /sel/

A small stone room in a prison where an inmate is locked behind iron bars.

From this reading The cell, whither the Bishop of Nantes and the monk Jeronimo were taken, was at the very bottom of this subterraneous structure.

cells

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

From this reading The donjon cells of the manor of Plouernel consisted of three vaulted stories, the only daylight into which penetrated through three narrow slits opening upon the gigantic ditch, out of which rose the donjon itself.

consisted

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

From this reading The donjon cells of the manor of Plouernel consisted of three vaulted stories, the only daylight into which penetrated through three narrow slits opening upon the gigantic ditch, out of which rose the donjon itself.

darkness

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

From this reading A narrow loophole barely filtered through a pale ray of light into that semi-Stygian darkness.

daylight

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

From this reading The donjon cells of the manor of Plouernel consisted of three vaulted stories, the only daylight into which penetrated through three narrow slits opening upon the gigantic ditch, out of which rose the donjon itself.

ditch

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

From this reading The donjon cells of the manor of Plouernel consisted of three vaulted stories, the only daylight into which penetrated through three narrow slits opening upon the gigantic ditch, out of which rose the donjon itself.

donjon

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

From this reading The donjon cells of the manor of Plouernel consisted of three vaulted stories, the only daylight into which penetrated through three narrow slits opening upon the gigantic ditch, out of which rose the donjon itself.

door

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

From this reading Within, apart from a massive door studded with iron, these cells consisted of stone only--they were roofed with stone, floored with stone, and the walls were of stone, ten feet thick.

feet

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

From this reading Within, apart from a massive door studded with iron, these cells consisted of stone only--they were roofed with stone, floored with stone, and the walls were of stone, ten feet thick.

filtered

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

From this reading A narrow loophole barely filtered through a pale ray of light into that semi-Stygian darkness.

floored

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

From this reading Within, apart from a massive door studded with iron, these cells consisted of stone only--they were roofed with stone, floored with stone, and the walls were of stone, ten feet thick.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Within, apart from a massive door studded with iron, these cells consisted of stone only--they were roofed with stone, floored with stone, and the walls were of stone, ten feet thick.

gigantic

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

From this reading The donjon cells of the manor of Plouernel consisted of three vaulted stories, the only daylight into which penetrated through three narrow slits opening upon the gigantic ditch, out of which rose the donjon itself.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading The donjon cells of the manor of Plouernel consisted of three vaulted stories, the only daylight into which penetrated through three narrow slits opening upon the gigantic ditch, out of which rose the donjon itself.

iron

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

From this reading Within, apart from a massive door studded with iron, these cells consisted of stone only--they were roofed with stone, floored with stone, and the walls were of stone, ten feet thick.

itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading The donjon cells of the manor of Plouernel consisted of three vaulted stories, the only daylight into which penetrated through three narrow slits opening upon the gigantic ditch, out of which rose the donjon itself.

Jeronimo

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

From this reading The cell, whither the Bishop of Nantes and the monk Jeronimo were taken, was at the very bottom of this subterraneous structure.

light

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

From this reading A narrow loophole barely filtered through a pale ray of light into that semi-Stygian darkness.

loopholenounUS /ˈloophole/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading A narrow loophole barely filtered through a pale ray of light into that semi-Stygian darkness.

manor

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

From this reading The donjon cells of the manor of Plouernel consisted of three vaulted stories, the only daylight into which penetrated through three narrow slits opening upon the gigantic ditch, out of which rose the donjon itself.

massive

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

From this reading Within, apart from a massive door studded with iron, these cells consisted of stone only--they were roofed with stone, floored with stone, and the walls were of stone, ten feet thick.

MONK

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

From this reading ABBOT AND MONK.

Nantes

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

From this reading The cell, whither the Bishop of Nantes and the monk Jeronimo were taken, was at the very bottom of this subterraneous structure.

narrow

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

From this reading The donjon cells of the manor of Plouernel consisted of three vaulted stories, the only daylight into which penetrated through three narrow slits opening upon the gigantic ditch, out of which rose the donjon itself.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The donjon cells of the manor of Plouernel consisted of three vaulted stories, the only daylight into which penetrated through three narrow slits opening upon the gigantic ditch, out of which rose the donjon itself.

only

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

From this reading The donjon cells of the manor of Plouernel consisted of three vaulted stories, the only daylight into which penetrated through three narrow slits opening upon the gigantic ditch, out of which rose the donjon itself.

opening

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

From this reading The donjon cells of the manor of Plouernel consisted of three vaulted stories, the only daylight into which penetrated through three narrow slits opening upon the gigantic ditch, out of which rose the donjon itself.

out

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

From this reading The donjon cells of the manor of Plouernel consisted of three vaulted stories, the only daylight into which penetrated through three narrow slits opening upon the gigantic ditch, out of which rose the donjon itself.

pale

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

From this reading A narrow loophole barely filtered through a pale ray of light into that semi-Stygian darkness.

penetrated

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

From this reading The donjon cells of the manor of Plouernel consisted of three vaulted stories, the only daylight into which penetrated through three narrow slits opening upon the gigantic ditch, out of which rose the donjon itself.

Plouernel

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

From this reading The donjon cells of the manor of Plouernel consisted of three vaulted stories, the only daylight into which penetrated through three narrow slits opening upon the gigantic ditch, out of which rose the donjon itself.

ray

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

From this reading A narrow loophole barely filtered through a pale ray of light into that semi-Stygian darkness.

roofed

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

From this reading Within, apart from a massive door studded with iron, these cells consisted of stone only--they were roofed with stone, floored with stone, and the walls were of stone, ten feet thick.

rose

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

From this reading The donjon cells of the manor of Plouernel consisted of three vaulted stories, the only daylight into which penetrated through three narrow slits opening upon the gigantic ditch, out of which rose the donjon itself.

semi-Stygian

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

From this reading A narrow loophole barely filtered through a pale ray of light into that semi-Stygian darkness.

slits

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

From this reading The donjon cells of the manor of Plouernel consisted of three vaulted stories, the only daylight into which penetrated through three narrow slits opening upon the gigantic ditch, out of which rose the donjon itself.

stone

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

From this reading Within, apart from a massive door studded with iron, these cells consisted of stone only--they were roofed with stone, floored with stone, and the walls were of stone, ten feet thick.

stories

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

From this reading The donjon cells of the manor of Plouernel consisted of three vaulted stories, the only daylight into which penetrated through three narrow slits opening upon the gigantic ditch, out of which rose the donjon itself.

structure

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

From this reading The cell, whither the Bishop of Nantes and the monk Jeronimo were taken, was at the very bottom of this subterraneous structure.

studded

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

From this reading Within, apart from a massive door studded with iron, these cells consisted of stone only--they were roofed with stone, floored with stone, and the walls were of stone, ten feet thick.

subterraneous

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

From this reading The cell, whither the Bishop of Nantes and the monk Jeronimo were taken, was at the very bottom of this subterraneous structure.

taken

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

From this reading The cell, whither the Bishop of Nantes and the monk Jeronimo were taken, was at the very bottom of this subterraneous structure.

ten

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

From this reading Within, apart from a massive door studded with iron, these cells consisted of stone only--they were roofed with stone, floored with stone, and the walls were of stone, ten feet thick.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading A narrow loophole barely filtered through a pale ray of light into that semi-Stygian darkness.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The donjon cells of the manor of Plouernel consisted of three vaulted stories, the only daylight into which penetrated through three narrow slits opening upon the gigantic ditch, out of which rose the donjon itself.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

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

From this reading Within, apart from a massive door studded with iron, these cells consisted of stone only--they were roofed with stone, floored with stone, and the walls were of stone, ten feet thick.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading Within, apart from a massive door studded with iron, these cells consisted of stone only--they were roofed with stone, floored with stone, and the walls were of stone, ten feet thick.

thick

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

From this reading Within, apart from a massive door studded with iron, these cells consisted of stone only--they were roofed with stone, floored with stone, and the walls were of stone, ten feet thick.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading The cell, whither the Bishop of Nantes and the monk Jeronimo were taken, was at the very bottom of this subterraneous structure.

three

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

From this reading The donjon cells of the manor of Plouernel consisted of three vaulted stories, the only daylight into which penetrated through three narrow slits opening upon the gigantic ditch, out of which rose the donjon itself.

throughnounUS /ˈthrough/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading The donjon cells of the manor of Plouernel consisted of three vaulted stories, the only daylight into which penetrated through three narrow slits opening upon the gigantic ditch, out of which rose the donjon itself.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading The donjon cells of the manor of Plouernel consisted of three vaulted stories, the only daylight into which penetrated through three narrow slits opening upon the gigantic ditch, out of which rose the donjon itself.

vaulted

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

From this reading The donjon cells of the manor of Plouernel consisted of three vaulted stories, the only daylight into which penetrated through three narrow slits opening upon the gigantic ditch, out of which rose the donjon itself.

very

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

From this reading The cell, whither the Bishop of Nantes and the monk Jeronimo were taken, was at the very bottom of this subterraneous structure.

walls

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

From this reading Within, apart from a massive door studded with iron, these cells consisted of stone only--they were roofed with stone, floored with stone, and the walls were of stone, ten feet thick.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The cell, whither the Bishop of Nantes and the monk Jeronimo were taken, was at the very bottom of this subterraneous structure.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Within, apart from a massive door studded with iron, these cells consisted of stone only--they were roofed with stone, floored with stone, and the walls were of stone, ten feet thick.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading The donjon cells of the manor of Plouernel consisted of three vaulted stories, the only daylight into which penetrated through three narrow slits opening upon the gigantic ditch, out of which rose the donjon itself.

whitheradverbUS /ˈwɪðər/

an old word meaning “to where”

From this reading The cell, whither the Bishop of Nantes and the monk Jeronimo were taken, was at the very bottom of this subterraneous structure.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Within, apart from a massive door studded with iron, these cells consisted of stone only--they were roofed with stone, floored with stone, and the walls were of stone, ten feet thick.

WithinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading Within, apart from a massive door studded with iron, these cells consisted of stone only--they were roofed with stone, floored with stone, and the walls were of stone, ten feet thick.