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The Railway Man and His Children
The Railway Man and His Children

Chapter V

Chapter 5 of The Railway Man and His Children is here in full — 230 sentences across 46 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/46 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Does a woman never forget?
It was not true perhaps as Lady Leighton said it, but it would be vain to say that Evelyn was not moved to the bottom of her heart by the sight of her former lover.
He, about whom all the dreams of her youth had been woven, who had deserted her, given her up in her need, and humiliated her before all the world.
To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.
But it was not any re-awakening of the extinguished fire which moved Evelyn.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Railway Man and His Children

Chapter V

Chapter 5 of The Railway Man and His Children is here in full — 230 sentences across 46 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/46 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Does a woman never forget?
/dʌz ə ˈwʊmən ˈnevər fərˈɡet/
Line 2
It was not true perhaps as Lady Leighton said it, but it would be vain to say that Evelyn was not moved to the bottom of her heart by the sight of her former lover.
Line 3
He, about whom all the dreams of her youth had been woven, who had deserted her, given her up in her need, and humiliated her before all the world.
/hiː əˈbaʊt huːm ɔːl ðə driːmz ʌv hɜːr juːθ hæd bɪn ˈwoʊvən huː hæd dɪˈzɜːrtɪd hɜːr ˈɡɪvən hɜːr ʌp ɪn hɜːr niːd ənd hjuːˈmɪlieɪtɪd hɜːr bɪˈfɔːr ɔːl ðə wɜːrld/
Line 4
To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.
/tuː siː hɪm æt ɔːl wʊd nɑːt hæv bɪn wɪˈθaʊt ɪˈfekt əˈpɑːn hɜːr bʌt tuː siː hɪm soʊ hjuːˈmɪlieɪtɪd ɪn hɪz tɜːrn soʊ ˈmɪzərəbəl ə rek waɪl ʃiː wɑːz ɪn ɔːl ðə flʌʃ ʌv ə leɪt rɪˈtɜːrn tuː juːθ ənd ˌwelˈbiːɪŋ ˈhæpi ɪn ə səbˈduːd weɪ ənd ɑːn ðə haɪt ʌv prɑːˈsperəti ɡeɪv hɜːr ə ʃɑːk ʌv ˈmɪŋɡəld ˈfiːlɪŋ pərˈhæps mɔːr strɔːŋ ðæn ˈeni ʃiː hæd ɪkˈspɪriənst sɪns hiː rent hɜːr laɪf ɪn tuː ənd ˈkʌvərd hɜːr æz ʃiː felt wɪð ʃeɪm/
Line 5
But it was not any re-awakening of the extinguished fire which moved Evelyn.

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.

extinguished adjective US /ɪkˈstɪŋɡwɪʃt/

of a conditioned response; caused to die out because of the absence or withdrawal of reinforcement

From this reading “But it was not any re-awakening of the extinguished fire which moved Evelyn.”

flush noun US /flʌʃ/

the period of greatest prosperity or productivity

From this reading “To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.”

humiliated adjective US /hjuːˈmɪlieɪtɪd/

subdued or brought low in condition or status

From this reading “He, about whom all the dreams of her youth had been woven, who had deserted her, given her up in her need, and humiliated her before all the world.”

prosperity noun US /prɑːˈsperəti/

an economic state of growth with rising profits and full employment

From this reading “To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.”

rent verb US /rent/

let for money

From this reading “To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.”

subdued adjective US /səbˈduːd/

in a softened tone

From this reading “To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.”

well-being noun US /ˌwelˈbiːɪŋ/

a contented state of being happy and healthy and prosperous

From this reading “To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.”

woven adjective US /ˈwoʊvən/

made or constructed by interlacing threads or strips of material or other elements into a whole

From this reading “He, about whom all the dreams of her youth had been woven, who had deserted her, given her up in her need, and humiliated her before all the world.”

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.

former lover adjective + noun

In this reading “It was not true perhaps as Lady Leighton said it, but it would be vain to say that Evelyn was not moved to the bottom of her heart by the sight of her former lover.”

with shame preposition + noun

In this reading “To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.”

All words in this reading · 96

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 Does a woman never forget?

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading He, about whom all the dreams of her youth had been woven, who had deserted her, given her up in her need, and humiliated her before all the world.

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 He, about whom all the dreams of her youth had been woven, who had deserted her, given her up in her need, and humiliated her before all the world.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading He, about whom all the dreams of her youth had been woven, who had deserted her, given her up in her need, and humiliated her before all the world.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading It was not true perhaps as Lady Leighton said it, but it would be vain to say that Evelyn was not moved to the bottom of her heart by the sight of her former lover.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading It was not true perhaps as Lady Leighton said it, but it would be vain to say that Evelyn was not moved to the bottom of her heart by the sight of her former lover.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading He, about whom all the dreams of her youth had been woven, who had deserted her, given her up in her need, and humiliated her before all the world.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading He, about whom all the dreams of her youth had been woven, who had deserted her, given her up in her need, and humiliated her before all the world.

bottomnounUS /ˈbɑːtəm/

the lower side of anything

From this reading It was not true perhaps as Lady Leighton said it, but it would be vain to say that Evelyn was not moved to the bottom of her heart by the sight of her former lover.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading It was not true perhaps as Lady Leighton said it, but it would be vain to say that Evelyn was not moved to the bottom of her heart by the sight of her former lover.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading It was not true perhaps as Lady Leighton said it, but it would be vain to say that Evelyn was not moved to the bottom of her heart by the sight of her former lover.

coveredadjectiveUS /ˈkʌvərd/

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

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

desertedadjectiveUS /dɪˈzɜːrtɪd/

forsaken by owner or inhabitants

From this reading He, about whom all the dreams of her youth had been woven, who had deserted her, given her up in her need, and humiliated her before all the world.

Doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/

the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Does a woman never forget?

dreamsnounUS /driːmz/

plural of “dream” — a series of mental images and emotions occurring during sleep

From this reading He, about whom all the dreams of her youth had been woven, who had deserted her, given her up in her need, and humiliated her before all the world.

effectnounUS /ɪˈfekt/

a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

Evelyn

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

From this reading It was not true perhaps as Lady Leighton said it, but it would be vain to say that Evelyn was not moved to the bottom of her heart by the sight of her former lover.

experiencedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈspɪriənst/

having experience; having knowledge or skill from observation or participation

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

extinguishedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈstɪŋɡwɪʃt/

of a conditioned response; caused to die out because of the absence or withdrawal of reinforcement

From this reading But it was not any re-awakening of the extinguished fire which moved Evelyn.

feelingnounUS /ˈfiːlɪŋ/

the experiencing of affective and emotional states

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

feltverbUS /felt/

mat together and make felt-like

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

fireverbUS /ˈfaɪər/

start firing a weapon

From this reading But it was not any re-awakening of the extinguished fire which moved Evelyn.

flushnounUS /flʌʃ/

the period of greatest prosperity or productivity

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

forgetverbUS /fərˈɡet/

dismiss from the mind; stop remembering

From this reading Does a woman never forget?

formeradjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrmər/

referring to the first of two things or persons mentioned (or the earlier one or ones of several)

From this reading It was not true perhaps as Lady Leighton said it, but it would be vain to say that Evelyn was not moved to the bottom of her heart by the sight of her former lover.

gaveverbUS /ɡeɪv/

inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/

acknowledged as a supposition

From this reading He, about whom all the dreams of her youth had been woven, who had deserted her, given her up in her need, and humiliated her before all the world.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading He, about whom all the dreams of her youth had been woven, who had deserted her, given her up in her need, and humiliated her before all the world.

happyadjectiveUS /ˈhæpi/

enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He, about whom all the dreams of her youth had been woven, who had deserted her, given her up in her need, and humiliated her before all the world.

heartnounUS /hɑːrt/

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading It was not true perhaps as Lady Leighton said it, but it would be vain to say that Evelyn was not moved to the bottom of her heart by the sight of her former lover.

heightnounUS /haɪt/

the vertical dimension of extension; distance from the base of something to the top

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading It was not true perhaps as Lady Leighton said it, but it would be vain to say that Evelyn was not moved to the bottom of her heart by the sight of her former lover.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

humiliatedadjectiveUS /hjuːˈmɪlieɪtɪd/

subdued or brought low in condition or status

From this reading He, about whom all the dreams of her youth had been woven, who had deserted her, given her up in her need, and humiliated her before all the world.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading He, about whom all the dreams of her youth had been woven, who had deserted her, given her up in her need, and humiliated her before all the world.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was not true perhaps as Lady Leighton said it, but it would be vain to say that Evelyn was not moved to the bottom of her heart by the sight of her former lover.

LadynounUS /ˈleɪdi/

a polite name for any woman

From this reading It was not true perhaps as Lady Leighton said it, but it would be vain to say that Evelyn was not moved to the bottom of her heart by the sight of her former lover.

lateadjectiveUS /leɪt/

being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

Leighton

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

From this reading It was not true perhaps as Lady Leighton said it, but it would be vain to say that Evelyn was not moved to the bottom of her heart by the sight of her former lover.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

lovernounUS /ˈlʌvər/

a person who loves someone or is loved by someone

From this reading It was not true perhaps as Lady Leighton said it, but it would be vain to say that Evelyn was not moved to the bottom of her heart by the sight of her former lover.

mingledverbUS /ˈmɪŋɡəld/

past form of “mingle” — to bring or combine together or with something else

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

miserableadjectiveUS /ˈmɪzərəbəl/

very unhappy; full of misery

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

movedadjectiveUS /muːvd/

being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion

From this reading It was not true perhaps as Lady Leighton said it, but it would be vain to say that Evelyn was not moved to the bottom of her heart by the sight of her former lover.

neednounUS /niːd/

a condition requiring relief

From this reading He, about whom all the dreams of her youth had been woven, who had deserted her, given her up in her need, and humiliated her before all the world.

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading Does a woman never forget?

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading It was not true perhaps as Lady Leighton said it, but it would be vain to say that Evelyn was not moved to the bottom of her heart by the sight of her former lover.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It was not true perhaps as Lady Leighton said it, but it would be vain to say that Evelyn was not moved to the bottom of her heart by the sight of her former lover.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

perhapsadverbUS /pərˈhæps/

by chance

From this reading It was not true perhaps as Lady Leighton said it, but it would be vain to say that Evelyn was not moved to the bottom of her heart by the sight of her former lover.

prosperitynounUS /prɑːˈsperəti/

an economic state of growth with rising profits and full employment

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

re-awakening

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

From this reading But it was not any re-awakening of the extinguished fire which moved Evelyn.

rentverbUS /rent/

let for money

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

returnverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrn/

go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading It was not true perhaps as Lady Leighton said it, but it would be vain to say that Evelyn was not moved to the bottom of her heart by the sight of her former lover.

sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading It was not true perhaps as Lady Leighton said it, but it would be vain to say that Evelyn was not moved to the bottom of her heart by the sight of her former lover.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

shamenounUS /ʃeɪm/

a painful emotion resulting from an awareness of inadequacy or guilt

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

shocknounUS /ʃɑːk/

the feeling of distress and disbelief that you have when something bad happens accidentally

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

sightnounUS /saɪt/

an instance of visual perception

From this reading It was not true perhaps as Lady Leighton said it, but it would be vain to say that Evelyn was not moved to the bottom of her heart by the sight of her former lover.

sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

strongadjectiveUS /strɔːŋ/

having strength or power greater than average or expected

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

subduedadjectiveUS /səbˈduːd/

in a softened tone

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It was not true perhaps as Lady Leighton said it, but it would be vain to say that Evelyn was not moved to the bottom of her heart by the sight of her former lover.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading It was not true perhaps as Lady Leighton said it, but it would be vain to say that Evelyn was not moved to the bottom of her heart by the sight of her former lover.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It was not true perhaps as Lady Leighton said it, but it would be vain to say that Evelyn was not moved to the bottom of her heart by the sight of her former lover.

trueadjectiveUS /truː/

consistent with fact or reality; not false

From this reading It was not true perhaps as Lady Leighton said it, but it would be vain to say that Evelyn was not moved to the bottom of her heart by the sight of her former lover.

turnverbUS /tɜːrn/

change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading He, about whom all the dreams of her youth had been woven, who had deserted her, given her up in her need, and humiliated her before all the world.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

vainadjectiveUS /veɪn/

characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance

From this reading It was not true perhaps as Lady Leighton said it, but it would be vain to say that Evelyn was not moved to the bottom of her heart by the sight of her former lover.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was not true perhaps as Lady Leighton said it, but it would be vain to say that Evelyn was not moved to the bottom of her heart by the sight of her former lover.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

well-beingnounUS /ˌwelˈbiːɪŋ/

a contented state of being happy and healthy and prosperous

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading But it was not any re-awakening of the extinguished fire which moved Evelyn.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading He, about whom all the dreams of her youth had been woven, who had deserted her, given her up in her need, and humiliated her before all the world.

whompronounUS /huːm/

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

From this reading He, about whom all the dreams of her youth had been woven, who had deserted her, given her up in her need, and humiliated her before all the world.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

womannounUS /ˈwʊmən/

an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading Does a woman never forget?

worldnounUS /wɜːrld/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading He, about whom all the dreams of her youth had been woven, who had deserted her, given her up in her need, and humiliated her before all the world.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading It was not true perhaps as Lady Leighton said it, but it would be vain to say that Evelyn was not moved to the bottom of her heart by the sight of her former lover.

wovenadjectiveUS /ˈwoʊvən/

made or constructed by interlacing threads or strips of material or other elements into a whole

From this reading He, about whom all the dreams of her youth had been woven, who had deserted her, given her up in her need, and humiliated her before all the world.

wrecknounUS /rek/

something or someone that has suffered ruin or dilapidation

From this reading To see him at all would not have been without effect upon her, but to see him so humiliated in his turn, so miserable a wreck, while she was in all the flush of a late return to youth and well-being, happy in a subdued way, and on the height of prosperity, gave her a shock of mingled feeling, perhaps more strong than any she had experienced since he rent her life in two, and covered her (as she felt) with shame.

youthnounUS /juːθ/

a young person (especially a young man or boy)

From this reading He, about whom all the dreams of her youth had been woven, who had deserted her, given her up in her need, and humiliated her before all the world.

Chapter 5 of The Railway Man and His Children by Mrs. (Margaret) Oliphant holds 230 sentences, grouped into 46 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 5 of The Railway Man and His Children contain?

Chapter 5 holds 230 sentences of The Railway Man and His Children, unabridged, divided into 46 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 5 of The Railway Man and His Children by Mrs. (Margaret) Oliphant exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 230 sentences, grouped into 46 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 5 of The Railway Man and His Children?

Work through the 46 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 46 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 5 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 5 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 Railway Man and His Children

Common questions about reading The Railway Man and His Children by Mrs. (Margaret) Oliphant on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Railway Man and His Children?

Yes. All 10693 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #59424 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Railway Man and His Children is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #59424, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Railway Man and His Children take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 2139 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Railway Man and His Children section by section

How to work through The Railway Man and His Children section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 39 chapters of The Railway Man and His Children 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 Railway Man and His Children

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Railway Man and His Children, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Ferrars
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Railway Man and His Children; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Going
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Railway Man and His Children; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Marry
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Railway Man and His Children; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Rowland
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Railway Man and His Children; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.