Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
The Portrait of a Lady — Volume 2
The Portrait of a Lady — Volume 2

Chapter XIV

Cover illustration for The Portrait of a Lady — Volume 2
Context Illustration Reading 1/40 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Osmond touched on this matter that evening for the first time; coming very late into the drawing-room, where she was sitting alone.
They had spent the evening at home, and Pansy had gone to bed; he himself had been sitting since dinner in a small apartment in which he had arranged his books and which he called his study.
At ten o’clock Lord Warburton had come in, as he always did when he knew from Isabel that she was to be at home; he was going somewhere else and he sat for half an hour.
Isabel, after asking him for news of Ralph, said very little to him, on purpose; she wished him to talk with her stepdaughter.
She pretended to read; she even went after a little to the piano; she asked herself if she mightn’t leave the room.
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 Portrait of a Lady — Volume 2

Chapter XIV

Reading 1/40 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Osmond touched on this matter that evening for the first time; coming very late into the drawing-room, where she was sitting alone.
Line 2
They had spent the evening at home, and Pansy had gone to bed; he himself had been sitting since dinner in a small apartment in which he had arranged his books and which he called his study.
Line 3
At ten o’clock Lord Warburton had come in, as he always did when he knew from Isabel that she was to be at home; he was going somewhere else and he sat for half an hour.
Line 4
Isabel, after asking him for news of Ralph, said very little to him, on purpose; she wished him to talk with her stepdaughter.
Line 5
She pretended to read; she even went after a little to the piano; she asked herself if she mightn’t leave the room.

Learner Dictionary

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

After preposition US /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading “Isabel, after asking him for news of Ralph, said very little to him, on purpose; she wished him to talk with her stepdaughter.”

Alone noun US /alone/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Osmond touched on this matter that evening for the first time; coming very late into the drawing-room, where she was sitting alone.”

Asked noun US /asked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She pretended to read; she even went after a little to the piano; she asked herself if she mightn’t leave the room.”

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “They had spent the evening at home, and Pansy had gone to bed; he himself had been sitting since dinner in a small apartment in which he had arranged his books and which he called his study.”

Books noun US /bʊks/

Bound written or printed works.

From this reading “They had spent the evening at home, and Pansy had gone to bed; he himself had been sitting since dinner in a small apartment in which he had arranged his books and which he called his study.”

Come noun US /come/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “At ten o’clock Lord Warburton had come in, as he always did when he knew from Isabel that she was to be at home; he was going somewhere else and he sat for half an hour.”

Even noun US /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She pretended to read; she even went after a little to the piano; she asked herself if she mightn’t leave the room.”

First noun US /first/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Osmond touched on this matter that evening for the first time; coming very late into the drawing-room, where she was sitting alone.”

Half noun US /half/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “At ten o’clock Lord Warburton had come in, as he always did when he knew from Isabel that she was to be at home; he was going somewhere else and he sat for half an hour.”

Herself pronoun US /hərˈself/

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading “She pretended to read; she even went after a little to the piano; she asked herself if she mightn’t leave the room.”

Himself pronoun US /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading “They had spent the evening at home, and Pansy had gone to bed; he himself had been sitting since dinner in a small apartment in which he had arranged his books and which he called his study.”

Little noun US /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Isabel, after asking him for news of Ralph, said very little to him, on purpose; she wished him to talk with her stepdaughter.”

Since preposition US /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading “They had spent the evening at home, and Pansy had gone to bed; he himself had been sitting since dinner in a small apartment in which he had arranged his books and which he called his study.”

Time noun US /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Osmond touched on this matter that evening for the first time; coming very late into the drawing-room, where she was sitting alone.”

Went noun US /went/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She pretended to read; she even went after a little to the piano; she asked herself if she mightn’t leave the room.”

All words in this reading · 91

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 They had spent the evening at home, and Pansy had gone to bed; he himself had been sitting since dinner in a small apartment in which he had arranged his books and which he called his study.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading Isabel, after asking him for news of Ralph, said very little to him, on purpose; she wished him to talk with her stepdaughter.

alonenounUS /alone/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Osmond touched on this matter that evening for the first time; coming very late into the drawing-room, where she was sitting alone.

always

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

From this reading At ten o’clock Lord Warburton had come in, as he always did when he knew from Isabel that she was to be at home; he was going somewhere else and he sat for half an hour.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading At ten o’clock Lord Warburton had come in, as he always did when he knew from Isabel that she was to be at home; he was going somewhere else and he sat for half an hour.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading They had spent the evening at home, and Pansy had gone to bed; he himself had been sitting since dinner in a small apartment in which he had arranged his books and which he called his study.

apartment

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

From this reading They had spent the evening at home, and Pansy had gone to bed; he himself had been sitting since dinner in a small apartment in which he had arranged his books and which he called his study.

arranged

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

From this reading They had spent the evening at home, and Pansy had gone to bed; he himself had been sitting since dinner in a small apartment in which he had arranged his books and which he called his study.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading At ten o’clock Lord Warburton had come in, as he always did when he knew from Isabel that she was to be at home; he was going somewhere else and he sat for half an hour.

askednounUS /asked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She pretended to read; she even went after a little to the piano; she asked herself if she mightn’t leave the room.

asking

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

From this reading Isabel, after asking him for news of Ralph, said very little to him, on purpose; she wished him to talk with her stepdaughter.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading They had spent the evening at home, and Pansy had gone to bed; he himself had been sitting since dinner in a small apartment in which he had arranged his books and which he called his study.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading At ten o’clock Lord Warburton had come in, as he always did when he knew from Isabel that she was to be at home; he was going somewhere else and he sat for half an hour.

bed

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

From this reading They had spent the evening at home, and Pansy had gone to bed; he himself had been sitting since dinner in a small apartment in which he had arranged his books and which he called his study.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading They had spent the evening at home, and Pansy had gone to bed; he himself had been sitting since dinner in a small apartment in which he had arranged his books and which he called his study.

booksnounUS /bʊks/

Bound written or printed works.

From this reading They had spent the evening at home, and Pansy had gone to bed; he himself had been sitting since dinner in a small apartment in which he had arranged his books and which he called his study.

called

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

From this reading They had spent the evening at home, and Pansy had gone to bed; he himself had been sitting since dinner in a small apartment in which he had arranged his books and which he called his study.

comenounUS /come/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading At ten o’clock Lord Warburton had come in, as he always did when he knew from Isabel that she was to be at home; he was going somewhere else and he sat for half an hour.

coming

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

From this reading Osmond touched on this matter that evening for the first time; coming very late into the drawing-room, where she was sitting alone.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading At ten o’clock Lord Warburton had come in, as he always did when he knew from Isabel that she was to be at home; he was going somewhere else and he sat for half an hour.

dinner

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

From this reading They had spent the evening at home, and Pansy had gone to bed; he himself had been sitting since dinner in a small apartment in which he had arranged his books and which he called his study.

drawing-room

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

From this reading Osmond touched on this matter that evening for the first time; coming very late into the drawing-room, where she was sitting alone.

else

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

From this reading At ten o’clock Lord Warburton had come in, as he always did when he knew from Isabel that she was to be at home; he was going somewhere else and he sat for half an hour.

evennounUS /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She pretended to read; she even went after a little to the piano; she asked herself if she mightn’t leave the room.

evening

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

From this reading Osmond touched on this matter that evening for the first time; coming very late into the drawing-room, where she was sitting alone.

firstnounUS /first/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Osmond touched on this matter that evening for the first time; coming very late into the drawing-room, where she was sitting alone.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Osmond touched on this matter that evening for the first time; coming very late into the drawing-room, where she was sitting alone.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading At ten o’clock Lord Warburton had come in, as he always did when he knew from Isabel that she was to be at home; he was going somewhere else and he sat for half an hour.

going

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

From this reading At ten o’clock Lord Warburton had come in, as he always did when he knew from Isabel that she was to be at home; he was going somewhere else and he sat for half an hour.

gone

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

From this reading They had spent the evening at home, and Pansy had gone to bed; he himself had been sitting since dinner in a small apartment in which he had arranged his books and which he called his study.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading They had spent the evening at home, and Pansy had gone to bed; he himself had been sitting since dinner in a small apartment in which he had arranged his books and which he called his study.

halfnounUS /half/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading At ten o’clock Lord Warburton had come in, as he always did when he knew from Isabel that she was to be at home; he was going somewhere else and he sat for half an hour.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading They had spent the evening at home, and Pansy had gone to bed; he himself had been sitting since dinner in a small apartment in which he had arranged his books and which he called his study.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Isabel, after asking him for news of Ralph, said very little to him, on purpose; she wished him to talk with her stepdaughter.

herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading She pretended to read; she even went after a little to the piano; she asked herself if she mightn’t leave the room.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading Isabel, after asking him for news of Ralph, said very little to him, on purpose; she wished him to talk with her stepdaughter.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading They had spent the evening at home, and Pansy had gone to bed; he himself had been sitting since dinner in a small apartment in which he had arranged his books and which he called his study.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading They had spent the evening at home, and Pansy had gone to bed; he himself had been sitting since dinner in a small apartment in which he had arranged his books and which he called his study.

home

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

From this reading They had spent the evening at home, and Pansy had gone to bed; he himself had been sitting since dinner in a small apartment in which he had arranged his books and which he called his study.

hour

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

From this reading At ten o’clock Lord Warburton had come in, as he always did when he knew from Isabel that she was to be at home; he was going somewhere else and he sat for half an hour.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading She pretended to read; she even went after a little to the piano; she asked herself if she mightn’t leave the room.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading They had spent the evening at home, and Pansy had gone to bed; he himself had been sitting since dinner in a small apartment in which he had arranged his books and which he called his study.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Osmond touched on this matter that evening for the first time; coming very late into the drawing-room, where she was sitting alone.

Isabel

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

From this reading At ten o’clock Lord Warburton had come in, as he always did when he knew from Isabel that she was to be at home; he was going somewhere else and he sat for half an hour.

knew

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

From this reading At ten o’clock Lord Warburton had come in, as he always did when he knew from Isabel that she was to be at home; he was going somewhere else and he sat for half an hour.

late

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

From this reading Osmond touched on this matter that evening for the first time; coming very late into the drawing-room, where she was sitting alone.

leave

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

From this reading She pretended to read; she even went after a little to the piano; she asked herself if she mightn’t leave the room.

littlenounUS /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Isabel, after asking him for news of Ralph, said very little to him, on purpose; she wished him to talk with her stepdaughter.

Lord

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

From this reading At ten o’clock Lord Warburton had come in, as he always did when he knew from Isabel that she was to be at home; he was going somewhere else and he sat for half an hour.

matter

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

From this reading Osmond touched on this matter that evening for the first time; coming very late into the drawing-room, where she was sitting alone.

mightn't

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

From this reading She pretended to read; she even went after a little to the piano; she asked herself if she mightn’t leave the room.

news

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

From this reading Isabel, after asking him for news of Ralph, said very little to him, on purpose; she wished him to talk with her stepdaughter.

o'clock

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

From this reading At ten o’clock Lord Warburton had come in, as he always did when he knew from Isabel that she was to be at home; he was going somewhere else and he sat for half an hour.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Isabel, after asking him for news of Ralph, said very little to him, on purpose; she wished him to talk with her stepdaughter.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Osmond touched on this matter that evening for the first time; coming very late into the drawing-room, where she was sitting alone.

Osmond

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

From this reading Osmond touched on this matter that evening for the first time; coming very late into the drawing-room, where she was sitting alone.

Pansy

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

From this reading They had spent the evening at home, and Pansy had gone to bed; he himself had been sitting since dinner in a small apartment in which he had arranged his books and which he called his study.

piano

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

From this reading She pretended to read; she even went after a little to the piano; she asked herself if she mightn’t leave the room.

pretended

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

From this reading She pretended to read; she even went after a little to the piano; she asked herself if she mightn’t leave the room.

purpose

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

From this reading Isabel, after asking him for news of Ralph, said very little to him, on purpose; she wished him to talk with her stepdaughter.

Ralph

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

From this reading Isabel, after asking him for news of Ralph, said very little to him, on purpose; she wished him to talk with her stepdaughter.

read

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

From this reading She pretended to read; she even went after a little to the piano; she asked herself if she mightn’t leave the room.

room

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

From this reading She pretended to read; she even went after a little to the piano; she asked herself if she mightn’t leave the room.

said

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

From this reading Isabel, after asking him for news of Ralph, said very little to him, on purpose; she wished him to talk with her stepdaughter.

sat

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

From this reading At ten o’clock Lord Warburton had come in, as he always did when he knew from Isabel that she was to be at home; he was going somewhere else and he sat for half an hour.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Osmond touched on this matter that evening for the first time; coming very late into the drawing-room, where she was sitting alone.

sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading They had spent the evening at home, and Pansy had gone to bed; he himself had been sitting since dinner in a small apartment in which he had arranged his books and which he called his study.

sitting

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

From this reading Osmond touched on this matter that evening for the first time; coming very late into the drawing-room, where she was sitting alone.

small

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

From this reading They had spent the evening at home, and Pansy had gone to bed; he himself had been sitting since dinner in a small apartment in which he had arranged his books and which he called his study.

somewhere

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

From this reading At ten o’clock Lord Warburton had come in, as he always did when he knew from Isabel that she was to be at home; he was going somewhere else and he sat for half an hour.

spent

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

From this reading They had spent the evening at home, and Pansy had gone to bed; he himself had been sitting since dinner in a small apartment in which he had arranged his books and which he called his study.

stepdaughter

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

From this reading Isabel, after asking him for news of Ralph, said very little to him, on purpose; she wished him to talk with her stepdaughter.

study

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

From this reading They had spent the evening at home, and Pansy had gone to bed; he himself had been sitting since dinner in a small apartment in which he had arranged his books and which he called his study.

talk

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

From this reading Isabel, after asking him for news of Ralph, said very little to him, on purpose; she wished him to talk with her stepdaughter.

ten

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

From this reading At ten o’clock Lord Warburton had come in, as he always did when he knew from Isabel that she was to be at home; he was going somewhere else and he sat for half an hour.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Osmond touched on this matter that evening for the first time; coming very late into the drawing-room, where she was sitting alone.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Osmond touched on this matter that evening for the first time; coming very late into the drawing-room, where she was sitting alone.

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading They had spent the evening at home, and Pansy had gone to bed; he himself had been sitting since dinner in a small apartment in which he had arranged his books and which he called his study.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading Osmond touched on this matter that evening for the first time; coming very late into the drawing-room, where she was sitting alone.

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Osmond touched on this matter that evening for the first time; coming very late into the drawing-room, where she was sitting alone.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading They had spent the evening at home, and Pansy had gone to bed; he himself had been sitting since dinner in a small apartment in which he had arranged his books and which he called his study.

touched

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

From this reading Osmond touched on this matter that evening for the first time; coming very late into the drawing-room, where she was sitting alone.

very

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

From this reading Osmond touched on this matter that evening for the first time; coming very late into the drawing-room, where she was sitting alone.

Warburton

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

From this reading At ten o’clock Lord Warburton had come in, as he always did when he knew from Isabel that she was to be at home; he was going somewhere else and he sat for half an hour.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Osmond touched on this matter that evening for the first time; coming very late into the drawing-room, where she was sitting alone.

wentnounUS /went/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She pretended to read; she even went after a little to the piano; she asked herself if she mightn’t leave the room.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading At ten o’clock Lord Warburton had come in, as he always did when he knew from Isabel that she was to be at home; he was going somewhere else and he sat for half an hour.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading Osmond touched on this matter that evening for the first time; coming very late into the drawing-room, where she was sitting alone.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading They had spent the evening at home, and Pansy had gone to bed; he himself had been sitting since dinner in a small apartment in which he had arranged his books and which he called his study.

wished

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

From this reading Isabel, after asking him for news of Ralph, said very little to him, on purpose; she wished him to talk with her stepdaughter.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Isabel, after asking him for news of Ralph, said very little to him, on purpose; she wished him to talk with her stepdaughter.