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The Proof of the Pudding
The Proof of the Pudding

Chapter XII

Chapter 12 of The Proof of the Pudding is here in full — 130 sentences across 26 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Chapter 12 of The Proof of the Pudding by Meredith Nicholson holds 130 sentences, grouped into 26 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 12 of The Proof of the Pudding contain?

Chapter 12 holds 130 sentences of The Proof of the Pudding, unabridged, divided into 26 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 12 of The Proof of the Pudding by Meredith Nicholson exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 130 sentences, grouped into 26 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 12 of The Proof of the Pudding?

Work through the 26 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 26 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 12 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 12 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 Proof of the Pudding

Common questions about reading The Proof of the Pudding by Meredith Nicholson on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Proof of the Pudding?

Yes. All 5333 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #66354 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Proof of the Pudding is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #66354, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Proof of the Pudding take to read?

About 444 minutes of reading across 1067 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Proof of the Pudding section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 27 chapters of The Proof of the Pudding 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 Proof of the Pudding

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Proof of the Pudding, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Meredith
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Proof of the Pudding; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Nicholson
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Proof of the Pudding; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Proof
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Proof of the Pudding; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Pudding
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Proof of the Pudding; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Cover illustration for The Proof of the Pudding
Context Illustration Reading 1/26 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
LAST WILLS AND TESTAMENTS From the beginning of his infirmities Farley’s experiments in will-writing had taxed the patience of Thurston, his lawyer.
Within two years he had made a dozen wills, and he kept them for comparison in a secret drawer of Mrs. Farley’s old sewing-table in his room.
He penciled cryptic marks on the various envelopes for ease of identification, and he was influenced often by the most trivial circumstances in his revisions.
If Nan irritated him, he cut down her legacy; when things went happily, he increased it.
He was importuned to make bequests to great numbers of institutions, by men and women he knew well, and his attitude toward these changed frequently.
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 Proof of the Pudding

Chapter XII

Chapter 12 of The Proof of the Pudding is here in full — 130 sentences across 26 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/26 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
LAST WILLS AND TESTAMENTS From the beginning of his infirmities Farley’s experiments in will-writing had taxed the patience of Thurston, his lawyer.
Line 2
Within two years he had made a dozen wills, and he kept them for comparison in a secret drawer of Mrs. Farley’s old sewing-table in his room.
Line 3
He penciled cryptic marks on the various envelopes for ease of identification, and he was influenced often by the most trivial circumstances in his revisions.
Line 4
If Nan irritated him, he cut down her legacy; when things went happily, he increased it.
Line 5
He was importuned to make bequests to great numbers of institutions, by men and women he knew well, and his attitude toward these changed frequently.

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, audio, and collocations from this reading.

Secret noun US /ˈsiː.krət/

Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.

From this reading “Within two years he had made a dozen wills, and he kept them for comparison in a secret drawer of Mrs. Farley’s old sewing-table in his room.”

These determiner US /ðiːz/

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

From this reading “He was importuned to make bequests to great numbers of institutions, by men and women he knew well, and his attitude toward these changed frequently.”

Toward preposition US /təˈwɔːrd/

in the direction of

From this reading “He was importuned to make bequests to great numbers of institutions, by men and women he knew well, and his attitude toward these changed frequently.”

Within preposition US /wɪˈðɪn/

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading “Within two years he had made a dozen wills, and he kept them for comparison in a secret drawer of Mrs. Farley’s old sewing-table in his room.”

All words in this reading · 82

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 two years he had made a dozen wills, and he kept them for comparison in a secret drawer of Mrs. Farley’s old sewing-table in his room.

ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading LAST WILLS AND TESTAMENTS From the beginning of his infirmities Farley’s experiments in will-writing had taxed the patience of Thurston, his lawyer.

attitude

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

From this reading He was importuned to make bequests to great numbers of institutions, by men and women he knew well, and his attitude toward these changed frequently.

beginning

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

From this reading LAST WILLS AND TESTAMENTS From the beginning of his infirmities Farley’s experiments in will-writing had taxed the patience of Thurston, his lawyer.

bequests

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

From this reading He was importuned to make bequests to great numbers of institutions, by men and women he knew well, and his attitude toward these changed frequently.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading He penciled cryptic marks on the various envelopes for ease of identification, and he was influenced often by the most trivial circumstances in his revisions.

changed

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

From this reading He was importuned to make bequests to great numbers of institutions, by men and women he knew well, and his attitude toward these changed frequently.

circumstances

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

From this reading He penciled cryptic marks on the various envelopes for ease of identification, and he was influenced often by the most trivial circumstances in his revisions.

comparison

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

From this reading Within two years he had made a dozen wills, and he kept them for comparison in a secret drawer of Mrs. Farley’s old sewing-table in his room.

cryptic

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

From this reading He penciled cryptic marks on the various envelopes for ease of identification, and he was influenced often by the most trivial circumstances in his revisions.

cut

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

From this reading If Nan irritated him, he cut down her legacy; when things went happily, he increased it.

down

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

From this reading If Nan irritated him, he cut down her legacy; when things went happily, he increased it.

dozen

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

From this reading Within two years he had made a dozen wills, and he kept them for comparison in a secret drawer of Mrs. Farley’s old sewing-table in his room.

drawer

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

From this reading Within two years he had made a dozen wills, and he kept them for comparison in a secret drawer of Mrs. Farley’s old sewing-table in his room.

ease

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

From this reading He penciled cryptic marks on the various envelopes for ease of identification, and he was influenced often by the most trivial circumstances in his revisions.

envelopes

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

From this reading He penciled cryptic marks on the various envelopes for ease of identification, and he was influenced often by the most trivial circumstances in his revisions.

experiments

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

From this reading LAST WILLS AND TESTAMENTS From the beginning of his infirmities Farley’s experiments in will-writing had taxed the patience of Thurston, his lawyer.

Farley's

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

From this reading LAST WILLS AND TESTAMENTS From the beginning of his infirmities Farley’s experiments in will-writing had taxed the patience of Thurston, his lawyer.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Within two years he had made a dozen wills, and he kept them for comparison in a secret drawer of Mrs. Farley’s old sewing-table in his room.

frequently

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

From this reading He was importuned to make bequests to great numbers of institutions, by men and women he knew well, and his attitude toward these changed frequently.

FromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading LAST WILLS AND TESTAMENTS From the beginning of his infirmities Farley’s experiments in will-writing had taxed the patience of Thurston, his lawyer.

great

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

From this reading He was importuned to make bequests to great numbers of institutions, by men and women he knew well, and his attitude toward these changed frequently.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading LAST WILLS AND TESTAMENTS From the beginning of his infirmities Farley’s experiments in will-writing had taxed the patience of Thurston, his lawyer.

happily

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

From this reading If Nan irritated him, he cut down her legacy; when things went happily, he increased it.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Within two years he had made a dozen wills, and he kept them for comparison in a secret drawer of Mrs. Farley’s old sewing-table in his room.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading If Nan irritated him, he cut down her legacy; when things went happily, he increased it.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading If Nan irritated him, he cut down her legacy; when things went happily, he increased it.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading LAST WILLS AND TESTAMENTS From the beginning of his infirmities Farley’s experiments in will-writing had taxed the patience of Thurston, his lawyer.

identification

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

From this reading He penciled cryptic marks on the various envelopes for ease of identification, and he was influenced often by the most trivial circumstances in his revisions.

IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading If Nan irritated him, he cut down her legacy; when things went happily, he increased it.

importuned

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

From this reading He was importuned to make bequests to great numbers of institutions, by men and women he knew well, and his attitude toward these changed frequently.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading LAST WILLS AND TESTAMENTS From the beginning of his infirmities Farley’s experiments in will-writing had taxed the patience of Thurston, his lawyer.

increased

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

From this reading If Nan irritated him, he cut down her legacy; when things went happily, he increased it.

infirmities

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

From this reading LAST WILLS AND TESTAMENTS From the beginning of his infirmities Farley’s experiments in will-writing had taxed the patience of Thurston, his lawyer.

influenced

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

From this reading He penciled cryptic marks on the various envelopes for ease of identification, and he was influenced often by the most trivial circumstances in his revisions.

institutions

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

From this reading He was importuned to make bequests to great numbers of institutions, by men and women he knew well, and his attitude toward these changed frequently.

irritated

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

From this reading If Nan irritated him, he cut down her legacy; when things went happily, he increased it.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading If Nan irritated him, he cut down her legacy; when things went happily, he increased it.

kept

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

From this reading Within two years he had made a dozen wills, and he kept them for comparison in a secret drawer of Mrs. Farley’s old sewing-table in his room.

knew

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

From this reading He was importuned to make bequests to great numbers of institutions, by men and women he knew well, and his attitude toward these changed frequently.

LAST

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

From this reading LAST WILLS AND TESTAMENTS From the beginning of his infirmities Farley’s experiments in will-writing had taxed the patience of Thurston, his lawyer.

lawyer

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

From this reading LAST WILLS AND TESTAMENTS From the beginning of his infirmities Farley’s experiments in will-writing had taxed the patience of Thurston, his lawyer.

legacy

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

From this reading If Nan irritated him, he cut down her legacy; when things went happily, he increased it.

made

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

From this reading Within two years he had made a dozen wills, and he kept them for comparison in a secret drawer of Mrs. Farley’s old sewing-table in his room.

make

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

From this reading He was importuned to make bequests to great numbers of institutions, by men and women he knew well, and his attitude toward these changed frequently.

marks

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

From this reading He penciled cryptic marks on the various envelopes for ease of identification, and he was influenced often by the most trivial circumstances in his revisions.

men

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

From this reading He was importuned to make bequests to great numbers of institutions, by men and women he knew well, and his attitude toward these changed frequently.

most

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

From this reading He penciled cryptic marks on the various envelopes for ease of identification, and he was influenced often by the most trivial circumstances in his revisions.

Mrs

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

From this reading Within two years he had made a dozen wills, and he kept them for comparison in a secret drawer of Mrs. Farley’s old sewing-table in his room.

Nan

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

From this reading If Nan irritated him, he cut down her legacy; when things went happily, he increased it.

numbers

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

From this reading He was importuned to make bequests to great numbers of institutions, by men and women he knew well, and his attitude toward these changed frequently.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading LAST WILLS AND TESTAMENTS From the beginning of his infirmities Farley’s experiments in will-writing had taxed the patience of Thurston, his lawyer.

often

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

From this reading He penciled cryptic marks on the various envelopes for ease of identification, and he was influenced often by the most trivial circumstances in his revisions.

old

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

From this reading Within two years he had made a dozen wills, and he kept them for comparison in a secret drawer of Mrs. Farley’s old sewing-table in his room.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading He penciled cryptic marks on the various envelopes for ease of identification, and he was influenced often by the most trivial circumstances in his revisions.

patience

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

From this reading LAST WILLS AND TESTAMENTS From the beginning of his infirmities Farley’s experiments in will-writing had taxed the patience of Thurston, his lawyer.

penciled

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

From this reading He penciled cryptic marks on the various envelopes for ease of identification, and he was influenced often by the most trivial circumstances in his revisions.

revisions

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

From this reading He penciled cryptic marks on the various envelopes for ease of identification, and he was influenced often by the most trivial circumstances in his revisions.

room

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

From this reading Within two years he had made a dozen wills, and he kept them for comparison in a secret drawer of Mrs. Farley’s old sewing-table in his room.

secretnounUS /ˈsiː.krət/

Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.

From this reading Within two years he had made a dozen wills, and he kept them for comparison in a secret drawer of Mrs. Farley’s old sewing-table in his room.

sewing-table

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

From this reading Within two years he had made a dozen wills, and he kept them for comparison in a secret drawer of Mrs. Farley’s old sewing-table in his room.

taxed

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

From this reading LAST WILLS AND TESTAMENTS From the beginning of his infirmities Farley’s experiments in will-writing had taxed the patience of Thurston, his lawyer.

TESTAMENTS

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

From this reading LAST WILLS AND TESTAMENTS From the beginning of his infirmities Farley’s experiments in will-writing had taxed the patience of Thurston, his lawyer.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading LAST WILLS AND TESTAMENTS From the beginning of his infirmities Farley’s experiments in will-writing had taxed the patience of Thurston, his lawyer.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Within two years he had made a dozen wills, and he kept them for comparison in a secret drawer of Mrs. Farley’s old sewing-table in his room.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

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

From this reading He was importuned to make bequests to great numbers of institutions, by men and women he knew well, and his attitude toward these changed frequently.

things

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

From this reading If Nan irritated him, he cut down her legacy; when things went happily, he increased it.

Thurston

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

From this reading LAST WILLS AND TESTAMENTS From the beginning of his infirmities Farley’s experiments in will-writing had taxed the patience of Thurston, his lawyer.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading He was importuned to make bequests to great numbers of institutions, by men and women he knew well, and his attitude toward these changed frequently.

towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/

in the direction of

From this reading He was importuned to make bequests to great numbers of institutions, by men and women he knew well, and his attitude toward these changed frequently.

trivial

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

From this reading He penciled cryptic marks on the various envelopes for ease of identification, and he was influenced often by the most trivial circumstances in his revisions.

two

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

From this reading Within two years he had made a dozen wills, and he kept them for comparison in a secret drawer of Mrs. Farley’s old sewing-table in his room.

various

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

From this reading He penciled cryptic marks on the various envelopes for ease of identification, and he was influenced often by the most trivial circumstances in his revisions.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading He penciled cryptic marks on the various envelopes for ease of identification, and he was influenced often by the most trivial circumstances in his revisions.

well

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

From this reading He was importuned to make bequests to great numbers of institutions, by men and women he knew well, and his attitude toward these changed frequently.

went

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

From this reading If Nan irritated him, he cut down her legacy; when things went happily, he increased it.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading If Nan irritated him, he cut down her legacy; when things went happily, he increased it.

will-writing

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

From this reading LAST WILLS AND TESTAMENTS From the beginning of his infirmities Farley’s experiments in will-writing had taxed the patience of Thurston, his lawyer.

WILLS

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

From this reading LAST WILLS AND TESTAMENTS From the beginning of his infirmities Farley’s experiments in will-writing had taxed the patience of Thurston, his lawyer.

WithinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading Within two years he had made a dozen wills, and he kept them for comparison in a secret drawer of Mrs. Farley’s old sewing-table in his room.

women

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

From this reading He was importuned to make bequests to great numbers of institutions, by men and women he knew well, and his attitude toward these changed frequently.

years

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

From this reading Within two years he had made a dozen wills, and he kept them for comparison in a secret drawer of Mrs. Farley’s old sewing-table in his room.