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The red laugh
The red laugh

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of The red laugh is here in full — 575 sentences across 115 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The red laugh
Context Illustration Reading 1/115 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
FRAGMENT X ...
Happily he died last week on Friday.
I say "happily," and repeat that my brother's death was a great blessing to him.
A cripple with no legs, palsied, with a smitten soul, he was terrible and piteous in his senseless creative ecstasy.
Ever since that night he wrote for two months, without leaving his chair, refusing all food, weeping and scolding whenever we wheeled him away from his table even for a short time.
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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 red laugh

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of The red laugh is here in full — 575 sentences across 115 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/115 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
FRAGMENT X ...
/ˈfræɡ.mənt eks/
Line 2
Happily he died last week on Friday.
/ˈhæpəli hiː daɪd læst wiːk ɑːn ˈfraɪdi/
Line 3
I say "happily," and repeat that my brother's death was a great blessing to him.
/aɪ seɪ ˈhæpəli ənd rɪˈpiːt ðæt maɪ ˈbrʌðərz deθ wɑːz ə ɡreɪt ˈblesɪŋ tuː hɪm/
Line 4
A cripple with no legs, palsied, with a smitten soul, he was terrible and piteous in his senseless creative ecstasy.
Line 5
Ever since that night he wrote for two months, without leaving his chair, refusing all food, weeping and scolding whenever we wheeled him away from his table even for a short time.
/ˈevər sɪns ðæt naɪt hiː roʊt fɔːr tuː mʌnθs wɪˈθaʊt ˈliːvɪŋ hɪz tʃer rəˈfjuːzɪŋ ɔːl fuːd ˈwiːpɪŋ ənd ˈskoʊldɪŋ weˈnevər wiː wiːld hɪm əˈweɪ frʌm hɪz ˈteɪbəl ˈiːvɪn fɔːr ə ʃɔːrt taɪm/

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.

creative adjective US /kriˈeɪtɪv/

having the ability or power to create

From this reading “A cripple with no legs, palsied, with a smitten soul, he was terrible and piteous in his senseless creative ecstasy.”

cripple verb US /ˈkrɪpəl/

deprive of strength or efficiency; make useless or worthless

From this reading “A cripple with no legs, palsied, with a smitten soul, he was terrible and piteous in his senseless creative ecstasy.”

ecstasy noun US /ˈekstəsi/

a state of being carried away by overwhelming emotion

From this reading “A cripple with no legs, palsied, with a smitten soul, he was terrible and piteous in his senseless creative ecstasy.”

fragment noun US /ˈfræɡ.mənt/

A small part broken or separated off something larger.

From this reading “FRAGMENT X ...”

refusing verb US /rəˈfjuːzɪŋ/

-ing form of “refuse” — show unwillingness towards

From this reading “Ever since that night he wrote for two months, without leaving his chair, refusing all food, weeping and scolding whenever we wheeled him away from his table even for a short time.”

scolding noun US /ˈskoʊldɪŋ/

rebuking a person harshly

From this reading “Ever since that night he wrote for two months, without leaving his chair, refusing all food, weeping and scolding whenever we wheeled him away from his table even for a short time.”

senseless adjective US /ˈsensləs/

not marked by the use of reason

From this reading “A cripple with no legs, palsied, with a smitten soul, he was terrible and piteous in his senseless creative ecstasy.”

smitten adjective US /ˈsmɪtən/

(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming

From this reading “A cripple with no legs, palsied, with a smitten soul, he was terrible and piteous in his senseless creative ecstasy.”

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.

short time adjective + noun

In this reading “Ever since that night he wrote for two months, without leaving his chair, refusing all food, weeping and scolding whenever we wheeled him away from his table even for a short time.”

last week adjective + noun

In this reading “Happily he died last week on Friday.”

two months noun + noun counted as “two month”

In this reading “Ever since that night he wrote for two months, without leaving his chair, refusing all food, weeping and scolding whenever we wheeled him away from his table even for a short time.”

without leaving preposition + noun

In this reading “Ever since that night he wrote for two months, without leaving his chair, refusing all food, weeping and scolding whenever we wheeled him away from his table even for a short time.”

great blessing adjective + noun

In this reading “I say "happily," and repeat that my brother's death was a great blessing to him.”

All words in this reading · 61

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 I say "happily," and repeat that my brother's death was a great blessing to him.

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 Ever since that night he wrote for two months, without leaving his chair, refusing all food, weeping and scolding whenever we wheeled him away from his table even for a short time.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading I say "happily," and repeat that my brother's death was a great blessing to him.

awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading Ever since that night he wrote for two months, without leaving his chair, refusing all food, weeping and scolding whenever we wheeled him away from his table even for a short time.

blessingnounUS /ˈblesɪŋ/

the formal act of approving

From this reading I say "happily," and repeat that my brother's death was a great blessing to him.

brother'snounUS /ˈbrʌðərz/

possessive form of “brother” — a male with the same parents as someone else

From this reading I say "happily," and repeat that my brother's death was a great blessing to him.

chairnounUS /tʃer/

a seat for one person, with a support for the back

From this reading Ever since that night he wrote for two months, without leaving his chair, refusing all food, weeping and scolding whenever we wheeled him away from his table even for a short time.

creativeadjectiveUS /kriˈeɪtɪv/

having the ability or power to create

From this reading A cripple with no legs, palsied, with a smitten soul, he was terrible and piteous in his senseless creative ecstasy.

crippleverbUS /ˈkrɪpəl/

deprive of strength or efficiency; make useless or worthless

From this reading A cripple with no legs, palsied, with a smitten soul, he was terrible and piteous in his senseless creative ecstasy.

deathnounUS /deθ/

the event of dying or departure from life

From this reading I say "happily," and repeat that my brother's death was a great blessing to him.

diedverbUS /daɪd/

past form of “die” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life

From this reading Happily he died last week on Friday.

ecstasynounUS /ˈekstəsi/

a state of being carried away by overwhelming emotion

From this reading A cripple with no legs, palsied, with a smitten soul, he was terrible and piteous in his senseless creative ecstasy.

evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading Ever since that night he wrote for two months, without leaving his chair, refusing all food, weeping and scolding whenever we wheeled him away from his table even for a short time.

EveradverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading Ever since that night he wrote for two months, without leaving his chair, refusing all food, weeping and scolding whenever we wheeled him away from his table even for a short time.

foodnounUS /fuːd/

any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue

From this reading Ever since that night he wrote for two months, without leaving his chair, refusing all food, weeping and scolding whenever we wheeled him away from his table even for a short time.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Ever since that night he wrote for two months, without leaving his chair, refusing all food, weeping and scolding whenever we wheeled him away from his table even for a short time.

FRAGMENTnounUS /ˈfræɡ.mənt/

A small part broken or separated off something larger.

From this reading FRAGMENT X ...

FridaynounUS /ˈfraɪdi/

the sixth day of the week; the fifth working day

From this reading Happily he died last week on Friday.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Ever since that night he wrote for two months, without leaving his chair, refusing all food, weeping and scolding whenever we wheeled him away from his table even for a short time.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

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

From this reading I say "happily," and repeat that my brother's death was a great blessing to him.

HappilyadverbUS /ˈhæpəli/

in a joyous manner

From this reading Happily he died last week on Friday.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Happily he died last week on Friday.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading I say "happily," and repeat that my brother's death was a great blessing to him.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading A cripple with no legs, palsied, with a smitten soul, he was terrible and piteous in his senseless creative ecstasy.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading I say "happily," and repeat that my brother's death was a great blessing to him.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading A cripple with no legs, palsied, with a smitten soul, he was terrible and piteous in his senseless creative ecstasy.

lastadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading Happily he died last week on Friday.

leavingnounUS /ˈliːvɪŋ/

the act of departing

From this reading Ever since that night he wrote for two months, without leaving his chair, refusing all food, weeping and scolding whenever we wheeled him away from his table even for a short time.

legsnounUS /leɡz/

staying power

From this reading A cripple with no legs, palsied, with a smitten soul, he was terrible and piteous in his senseless creative ecstasy.

monthsnounUS /mʌnθs/

plural of “month” — one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year

From this reading Ever since that night he wrote for two months, without leaving his chair, refusing all food, weeping and scolding whenever we wheeled him away from his table even for a short time.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading I say "happily," and repeat that my brother's death was a great blessing to him.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

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

From this reading Ever since that night he wrote for two months, without leaving his chair, refusing all food, weeping and scolding whenever we wheeled him away from his table even for a short time.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading A cripple with no legs, palsied, with a smitten soul, he was terrible and piteous in his senseless creative ecstasy.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Happily he died last week on Friday.

palsiedadjective

affected with palsy or uncontrollable tremor

From this reading A cripple with no legs, palsied, with a smitten soul, he was terrible and piteous in his senseless creative ecstasy.

piteousadjective

deserving or inciting pity

From this reading A cripple with no legs, palsied, with a smitten soul, he was terrible and piteous in his senseless creative ecstasy.

refusingverbUS /rəˈfjuːzɪŋ/

-ing form of “refuse” — show unwillingness towards

From this reading Ever since that night he wrote for two months, without leaving his chair, refusing all food, weeping and scolding whenever we wheeled him away from his table even for a short time.

repeatverbUS /rɪˈpiːt/

to say, state, or perform again

From this reading I say "happily," and repeat that my brother's death was a great blessing to him.

sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading I say "happily," and repeat that my brother's death was a great blessing to him.

scoldingnounUS /ˈskoʊldɪŋ/

rebuking a person harshly

From this reading Ever since that night he wrote for two months, without leaving his chair, refusing all food, weeping and scolding whenever we wheeled him away from his table even for a short time.

senselessadjectiveUS /ˈsensləs/

not marked by the use of reason

From this reading A cripple with no legs, palsied, with a smitten soul, he was terrible and piteous in his senseless creative ecstasy.

shortadjectiveUS /ʃɔːrt/

primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration

From this reading Ever since that night he wrote for two months, without leaving his chair, refusing all food, weeping and scolding whenever we wheeled him away from his table even for a short time.

sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading Ever since that night he wrote for two months, without leaving his chair, refusing all food, weeping and scolding whenever we wheeled him away from his table even for a short time.

smittenadjectiveUS /ˈsmɪtən/

(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming

From this reading A cripple with no legs, palsied, with a smitten soul, he was terrible and piteous in his senseless creative ecstasy.

soulnounUS /soʊl/

the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life

From this reading A cripple with no legs, palsied, with a smitten soul, he was terrible and piteous in his senseless creative ecstasy.

tablenounUS /ˈteɪbəl/

a set of data arranged in rows and columns

From this reading Ever since that night he wrote for two months, without leaving his chair, refusing all food, weeping and scolding whenever we wheeled him away from his table even for a short time.

terribleadjectiveUS /ˈterəbəl/

causing fear or dread or terror

From this reading A cripple with no legs, palsied, with a smitten soul, he was terrible and piteous in his senseless creative ecstasy.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading I say "happily," and repeat that my brother's death was a great blessing to him.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading Ever since that night he wrote for two months, without leaving his chair, refusing all food, weeping and scolding whenever we wheeled him away from his table even for a short time.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading I say "happily," and repeat that my brother's death was a great blessing to him.

twonounUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Ever since that night he wrote for two months, without leaving his chair, refusing all food, weeping and scolding whenever we wheeled him away from his table even for a short time.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading I say "happily," and repeat that my brother's death was a great blessing to him.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading Ever since that night he wrote for two months, without leaving his chair, refusing all food, weeping and scolding whenever we wheeled him away from his table even for a short time.

weeknounUS /wiːk/

any period of seven consecutive days

From this reading Happily he died last week on Friday.

weepingadjectiveUS /ˈwiːpɪŋ/

showing sorrow

From this reading Ever since that night he wrote for two months, without leaving his chair, refusing all food, weeping and scolding whenever we wheeled him away from his table even for a short time.

wheeledadjectiveUS /wiːld/

having wheels; often used in combination

From this reading Ever since that night he wrote for two months, without leaving his chair, refusing all food, weeping and scolding whenever we wheeled him away from his table even for a short time.

wheneverconjunctionUS /weˈnevər/

at any time that; every time that

From this reading Ever since that night he wrote for two months, without leaving his chair, refusing all food, weeping and scolding whenever we wheeled him away from his table even for a short time.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading A cripple with no legs, palsied, with a smitten soul, he was terrible and piteous in his senseless creative ecstasy.

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading Ever since that night he wrote for two months, without leaving his chair, refusing all food, weeping and scolding whenever we wheeled him away from his table even for a short time.

wroteverbUS /roʊt/

inflected form of “write” — produce a literary work

From this reading Ever since that night he wrote for two months, without leaving his chair, refusing all food, weeping and scolding whenever we wheeled him away from his table even for a short time.

XnounUS /eks/

the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system

From this reading FRAGMENT X ...

Chapter 2 of The red laugh by Leonid Andreyev holds 575 sentences, grouped into 115 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 2 of The red laugh contain?

Chapter 2 holds 575 sentences of The red laugh, unabridged, divided into 115 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of The red laugh by Leonid Andreyev exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 575 sentences, grouped into 115 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 2 of The red laugh?

Work through the 115 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 115 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 2 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 2 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 red laugh

Common questions about reading The red laugh by Leonid Andreyev on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The red laugh?

Yes. All 1362 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #62460 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The red laugh is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #62460, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The red laugh take to read?

About 113 minutes of reading across 273 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The red laugh section by section

How to work through The red laugh section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 2 chapters of The red laugh 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 red laugh

Words and structures a reader meets early in The red laugh, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Fragment
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The red laugh; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Horror
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The red laugh; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Madness
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The red laugh; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
First
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The red laugh; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.