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The Pools of Silence
The Pools of Silence

Chapter XXXVII

Chapter 37 of The Pools of Silence is here in full — 155 sentences across 31 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/31 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.
He had been trying to put in language the story of the Congo as it had been revealed to him.
It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.
When he contrasted what he had written with what was in his mind, he recognized the hopelessness of his attempt.
He had not the power to put on paper more than the shadow of what he had seen and of what he knew.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Pools of Silence

Chapter XXXVII

Chapter 37 of The Pools of Silence is here in full — 155 sentences across 31 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/31 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.
Line 2
He had been trying to put in language the story of the Congo as it had been revealed to him.
/hiː hæd bɪn ˈtraɪɪŋ tuː pʊt ɪn ˈlæŋɡwədʒ ðə ˈstɔːri ʌv ðə ˈkɑːŋɡoʊ æz ɪt hæd bɪn rɪˈviːld tuː hɪm/
Line 3
It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.
Line 4
When he contrasted what he had written with what was in his mind, he recognized the hopelessness of his attempt.
/wen hiː kənˈtræstəd wʌt hiː hæd ˈrɪtən wɪð wʌt wɑːz ɪn hɪz maɪnd hiː ˈrekəɡnaɪzd ðə ˈhoʊpləsnəs ʌv hɪz əˈtempt/
Line 5
He had not the power to put on paper more than the shadow of what he had seen and of what he knew.
/hiː hæd nɑːt ðə ˈpaʊər tuː pʊt ɑːn ˈpeɪpər mɔːr ðæn ðə ˈʃæd.oʊ ʌv wʌt hiː hæd siːn ənd ʌv wʌt hiː nuː/

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.

Congo noun US /ˈkɑːŋɡoʊ/

a republic in central Africa; achieved independence from Belgium in 1960

From this reading “He had been trying to put in language the story of the Congo as it had been revealed to him.”

contrasted verb US /kənˈtræstəd/

past form of “contrast” — put in opposition to show or emphasize differences

From this reading “When he contrasted what he had written with what was in his mind, he recognized the hopelessness of his attempt.”

flooding noun US /ˈflʌdɪŋ/

a technique used in behavior therapy; client is flooded with experiences of a particular kind until becoming either averse to them or numbed to them

From this reading “It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.”

hopelessness noun US /ˈhoʊpləsnəs/

the despair you feel when you have abandoned hope of comfort or success

From this reading “When he contrasted what he had written with what was in his mind, he recognized the hopelessness of his attempt.”

spaces noun US /ˈspeɪsəz/

plural of “space” — the unlimited expanse in which everything is located

From this reading “It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.”

sunlit adjective US /ˈsʌnlɪt/

lighted by sunlight

From this reading “It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.”

suns noun US /sʌnz/

plural of “sun” — the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system

From this reading “It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.”

vultures noun US /ˈvʌltʃərz/

plural of “vulture” — any of various large diurnal birds of prey having naked heads and weak claws and feeding chiefly on carrion

From this reading “It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.”

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.

dramatic poem adjective + noun

In this reading “It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.”

broad sheet adjective + noun

In this reading “MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.”

writing table noun + noun

a desk used for writing

In this reading “MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.”

smoking room noun + noun

room in a hotel or club set apart for smokers

In this reading “MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.”

white paper noun + noun

a government report; bound in white

In this reading “MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.”

watched over verb + particle counted as “watch over”

follow with the eyes or the mind

In this reading “It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.”

put on verb + particle

put clothing on one's body

In this reading “He had not the power to put on paper more than the shadow of what he had seen and of what he knew.”

All words in this reading · 107

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 MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

AdamsnounUS /ˈædəmz/

American Revolutionary leader and patriot; an organizer of the Boston Tea Party and signer of the Declaration of Independence (1722-1803)

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

agesnounUS /ˈeɪdʒəz/

plural of “age” — how long something has existed

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading He had been trying to put in language the story of the Congo as it had been revealed to him.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

attemptnounUS /əˈtempt/

earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something

From this reading When he contrasted what he had written with what was in his mind, he recognized the hopelessness of his attempt.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading He had been trying to put in language the story of the Congo as it had been revealed to him.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

belongedverbUS /bɪˈlɔːŋd/

past form of “belong” — be owned by; be in the possession of

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

Berselius

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

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

broadadjectiveUS /brɔːd/

having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

Cambon

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

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

CongonounUS /ˈkɑːŋɡoʊ/

a republic in central Africa; achieved independence from Belgium in 1960

From this reading He had been trying to put in language the story of the Congo as it had been revealed to him.

contrastedverbUS /kənˈtræstəd/

past form of “contrast” — put in opposition to show or emphasize differences

From this reading When he contrasted what he had written with what was in his mind, he recognized the hopelessness of his attempt.

countrynounUS /ˈkʌntri/

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

coveredadjectiveUS /ˈkʌvərd/

overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

despairnounUS /dɪˈsper/

a state in which all hope is lost or absent

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

dramaticadjectiveUS /drəˈmætɪk/

suitable to or characteristic of drama

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

elephantnounUS /ˈeləfənt/

five-toed pachyderm

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

eternaladjectiveUS /ɪˈtɜːrnəl/

continuing forever or indefinitely

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

floodingnounUS /ˈflʌdɪŋ/

a technique used in behavior therapy; client is flooded with experiences of a particular kind until becoming either averse to them or numbed to them

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

forestsnounUS /ˈfɔːrəsts/

plural of “forest” — the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He had been trying to put in language the story of the Congo as it had been revealed to him.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading He had been trying to put in language the story of the Congo as it had been revealed to him.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

hopelessnessnounUS /ˈhoʊpləsnəs/

the despair you feel when you have abandoned hope of comfort or success

From this reading When he contrasted what he had written with what was in his mind, he recognized the hopelessness of his attempt.

illimitableadjective

without limits in extent or size or quantity

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

knewverbUS /nuː/

inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading He had not the power to put on paper more than the shadow of what he had seen and of what he knew.

languagenounUS /ˈlæŋɡwədʒ/

a systematic means of communicating by the use of sounds or conventional symbols

From this reading He had been trying to put in language the story of the Congo as it had been revealed to him.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

MnounUS /em/

the basic unit of length adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites (approximately 1.094 yards)

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

MAXINE

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

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

Memnon

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

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

miserynounUS /ˈmɪzəri/

a state of ill-being due to affliction or misfortune

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

From this reading He had not the power to put on paper more than the shadow of what he had seen and of what he knew.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading He had not the power to put on paper more than the shadow of what he had seen and of what he knew.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

paidadjectiveUS /peɪd/

marked by the reception of pay

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

papernounUS /ˈpeɪpər/

a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

piecesnounUS /ˈpiːsəz/

plural of “piece” — a separate part of a whole

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

poemnounUS /ˈpoʊəm/

a composition written in metrical feet forming rhythmical lines

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

powernounUS /ˈpaʊər/

possession of controlling influence

From this reading He had not the power to put on paper more than the shadow of what he had seen and of what he knew.

putverbUS /pʊt/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading He had been trying to put in language the story of the Congo as it had been revealed to him.

rainsnounUS /reɪnz/

plural of “rain” — water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

recognizedadjectiveUS /ˈrekəɡnaɪzd/

generally approved or compelling recognition

From this reading When he contrasted what he had written with what was in his mind, he recognized the hopelessness of his attempt.

revealedverbUS /rɪˈviːld/

past form of “reveal” — make visible

From this reading He had been trying to put in language the story of the Congo as it had been revealed to him.

rivernounUS /ˈrɪvər/

a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

roomnounUS /ruːm/

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

seanounUS /siː/

a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

seatedadjectiveUS /ˈsiːtɪd/

(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

seenverbUS /siːn/

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading He had not the power to put on paper more than the shadow of what he had seen and of what he knew.

shadownounUS /ˈʃæd.oʊ/

A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.

From this reading He had not the power to put on paper more than the shadow of what he had seen and of what he knew.

sheetnounUS /ʃiːt/

any broad thin expanse or surface

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

smokingnounUS /ˈsmoʊkɪŋ/

the act of smoking tobacco or other substances

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

spacesnounUS /ˈspeɪsəz/

plural of “space” — the unlimited expanse in which everything is located

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

SpringnounUS /sprɪŋ/

the season of growth

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

stormsnounUS /stɔːrmz/

plural of “storm” — a violent weather condition with winds 64-72 knots (11 on the Beaufort scale) and precipitation and thunder and lightning

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

storynounUS /ˈstɔːri/

a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program

From this reading He had been trying to put in language the story of the Congo as it had been revealed to him.

suddenlyadverbUS /ˈsʌdənli/

happening unexpectedly

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

sunlitadjectiveUS /ˈsʌnlɪt/

lighted by sunlight

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

sunsnounUS /sʌnz/

plural of “sun” — the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

tablenounUS /ˈteɪbəl/

a set of data arranged in rows and columns

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading He had not the power to put on paper more than the shadow of what he had seen and of what he knew.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

threwverbUS /θruː/

inflected form of “throw” — propel through the air

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

tookverbUS /tʊk/

inflected form of “take” — carry out

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

torenounUS /tɔːr/

commonly the lowest molding at the base of a column

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

tremendousadjectiveUS /trəˈmendəs/

extraordinarily large in size or extent or amount or power or degree

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

tryingadjectiveUS /ˈtraɪɪŋ/

hard to endure

From this reading He had been trying to put in language the story of the Congo as it had been revealed to him.

unbrokenadjectiveUS /ənˈbroʊkən/

marked by continuous or uninterrupted extension in space or time or sequence

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

unwithered

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

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

visitverbUS /ˈvɪzɪt/

go to see a place, as for entertainment

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

vulturesnounUS /ˈvʌltʃərz/

plural of “vulture” — any of various large diurnal birds of prey having naked heads and weak claws and feeding chiefly on carrion

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

wastepaper-basket

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

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

watchedverbUS /wɑːtʃt/

past form of “watch” — look attentively

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading When he contrasted what he had written with what was in his mind, he recognized the hopelessness of his attempt.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When he contrasted what he had written with what was in his mind, he recognized the hopelessness of his attempt.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

whitenounUS /waɪt/

a Caucasian

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

whompronounUS /huːm/

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

wordsnounUS /wɜːrdz/

the words that are spoken

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

writingnounUS /ˈraɪtɪŋ/

the act of creating written works

From this reading MAXINE On the night of the day upon which Berselius had paid his visit to M. Cambon, Adams, seated in the smoking room at a writing table before a broad sheet of white paper covered with words, suddenly took the paper, tore it up, and threw the pieces in a wastepaper-basket.

writtenadjectiveUS /ˈrɪtən/

set down in writing in any of various ways

From this reading When he contrasted what he had written with what was in his mind, he recognized the hopelessness of his attempt.

youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading It was all there in his mind like a tremendous dramatic poem: the great sunlit spaces of the elephant country watched over by the vultures, the eternal and illimitable forests old as Memnon, young as Spring, unwithered and unbroken by the suns and rains and storms of the ages; the river flooding to the sea, and the people to whom this place belonged, and the story of their misery and despair.

Chapter 37 of The Pools of Silence by H. De Vere (Henry De Vere) Stacpoole holds 155 sentences, grouped into 31 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 37 of The Pools of Silence contain?

Chapter 37 holds 155 sentences of The Pools of Silence, unabridged, divided into 31 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 37 of The Pools of Silence by H. De Vere (Henry De Vere) Stacpoole exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 155 sentences, grouped into 31 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 37 of The Pools of Silence?

Work through the 31 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 31 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 37 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 37 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 Pools of Silence

Common questions about reading The Pools of Silence by H. De Vere (Henry De Vere) Stacpoole on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Pools of Silence?

Yes. All 3537 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #26889 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Pools of Silence is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #26889, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Pools of Silence take to read?

About 294 minutes of reading across 708 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Pools of Silence section by section

How to work through The Pools of Silence section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of The Pools of Silence to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in The Pools of Silence

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

Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Pools of Silence; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Lagoon
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Pools of Silence; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Crimson
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Pools of Silence; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Azaleas
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Pools of Silence; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.