Chapter 9 of The Rake's Progress is here in full — 198 sentences across 40 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IX
Chapter 9 of The Rake's Progress is here in full — 198 sentences across 40 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together. For a second there was complete silence; then my lord spoke. "Why did you not come into the withdrawing-room, madam? I thought you upstairs." She answered quickly.
Chapter 9 of The Rake's Progress is here in full — 198 sentences across 40 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/39 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
making or becoming suitable; adjusting to circumstances
From this reading “MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.”
a piece of furniture with shelves for storing books
From this reading “MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.”
the act of closing something
From this reading “MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.”
a British peer ranking below a marquess and above a viscount
From this reading “MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.”
crowded or massed together
From this reading “MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.”
possessive form of “lord” — terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading “MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.”
plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries
From this reading “MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.”
on a floor above
From this reading “I thought you upstairs."”
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.
In this reading “For a second there was complete silence; then my lord spoke.”
a prolonged period of time
In this reading “MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.”
obtain, especially accidentally
In this reading “"Why did you not come into the withdrawing-room, madam?”
In this reading “For a second there was complete silence; then my lord spoke.”
In this reading “MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.
making or becoming suitable; adjusting to circumstances
From this reading MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading She answered quickly.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.
a piece of furniture with shelves for storing books
From this reading MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.
the act of closing something
From this reading MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading "Why did you not come into the withdrawing-room, madam?
come or bring to a finish or an end
From this reading For a second there was complete silence; then my lord spoke.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading "Why did you not come into the withdrawing-room, madam?
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.
a British peer ranking below a marquess and above a viscount
From this reading MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a second there was complete silence; then my lord spoke.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.
crowded or massed together
From this reading MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I thought you upstairs."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.
moving to the inside of something
From this reading "Why did you not come into the withdrawing-room, madam?
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.
terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading For a second there was complete silence; then my lord spoke.
possessive form of “lord” — terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.
a woman of refinement
From this reading "Why did you not come into the withdrawing-room, madam?
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "Why did you not come into the withdrawing-room, madam?
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.
with speed
From this reading She answered quickly.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.
cut with a saw
From this reading MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading For a second there was complete silence; then my lord spoke.
plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries
From this reading MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading For a second there was complete silence; then my lord spoke.
support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim
From this reading For a second there was complete silence; then my lord spoke.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.
in or at that place or location
From this reading For a second there was complete silence; then my lord spoke.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading I thought you upstairs."
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.
on a floor above
From this reading I thought you upstairs."
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading For a second there was complete silence; then my lord spoke.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading "Why did you not come into the withdrawing-room, madam?
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Why did you not come into the withdrawing-room, madam?
the act of creating written works
From this reading MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.
an old word for “you”, speaking to more than one person
From this reading MY LORD'S ADJUSTMENT "Ye are a long time writing this letter," said the Earl, closing the door; then he saw his wife as she stood in the shadows of the bookcase, huddled together.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Why did you not come into the withdrawing-room, madam?
Chapter 9 of The Rake's Progress by Marjorie Bowen holds 198 sentences, grouped into 40 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.
Chapter 9 holds 198 sentences of The Rake's Progress, unabridged, divided into 40 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 9 of The Rake's Progress by Marjorie Bowen exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 198 sentences, grouped into 40 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.
Work through the 40 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 40 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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 9 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.
Common questions about reading The Rake's Progress by Marjorie Bowen on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 6467 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #48200 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #48200, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 538 minutes of reading across 1294 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Rake's Progress section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 29 chapters of The Rake's Progress to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in The Rake's Progress, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
