Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
The Red Lily — Volume 01
The Red Lily — Volume 01

Chapter VIII · Chapter 8

Chapter 8 of The Red Lily — Volume 01 is here in full — 63 sentences across 13 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Red Lily — Volume 01
Context Illustration Reading 1/12 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.
The maid followed with the luggage.
Choulette, lodged, by Miss Bell's attention, in the house of a sacristan's widow, in the shadow of the cathedral of Fiesole, was not expected until dinner.
Plain and gentle, wearing short hair, a waistcoat, a man's shirt on a chest like a boy's, almost graceful, with small hips, the poetess was doing for her French friends the honors of the house, which reflected the ardent delicacy of her taste.
On the walls of the drawing-room were pale Virgins, with long hands, reigning peacefully among angels, patriarchs, and saints in beautiful gilded frames.
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 Red Lily — Volume 01

Chapter VIII · Chapter 8

Chapter 8 of The Red Lily — Volume 01 is here in full — 63 sentences across 13 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/12 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.
Line 2
The maid followed with the luggage.
/ðə meɪd ˈfɑːloʊd wɪð ðə ˈlʌɡədʒ/
Line 3
Choulette, lodged, by Miss Bell's attention, in the house of a sacristan's widow, in the shadow of the cathedral of Fiesole, was not expected until dinner.
Line 4
Plain and gentle, wearing short hair, a waistcoat, a man's shirt on a chest like a boy's, almost graceful, with small hips, the poetess was doing for her French friends the honors of the house, which reflected the ardent delicacy of her taste.
Line 5
On the walls of the drawing-room were pale Virgins, with long hands, reigning peacefully among angels, patriarchs, and saints in beautiful gilded frames.

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.

Bell's noun US /belz/

possessive form of “bell” — a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck

From this reading “Choulette, lodged, by Miss Bell's attention, in the house of a sacristan's widow, in the shadow of the cathedral of Fiesole, was not expected until dinner.”

frames noun US /freɪmz/

plural of “frame” — the framework for a pair of eyeglasses

From this reading “On the walls of the drawing-room were pale Virgins, with long hands, reigning peacefully among angels, patriarchs, and saints in beautiful gilded frames.”

hips noun US /hɪps/

plural of “hip” — either side of the body below the waist and above the thigh

From this reading “Plain and gentle, wearing short hair, a waistcoat, a man's shirt on a chest like a boy's, almost graceful, with small hips, the poetess was doing for her French friends the honors of the house, which reflected the ardent delicacy of her taste.”

incomparable adjective US /ˌɪnˈkɑːmpərəbəl/

such that comparison is impossible; unsuitable for comparison or lacking features that can be compared

From this reading “THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.”

patriarchs noun US /ˈpeɪtriɑːrks/

plural of “patriarch” — title for the heads of the Eastern Orthodox Churches (in Istanbul and Alexandria and Moscow and Jerusalem)

From this reading “On the walls of the drawing-room were pale Virgins, with long hands, reigning peacefully among angels, patriarchs, and saints in beautiful gilded frames.”

peacefully adverb US /ˈpiːsfəli/

in a peaceful manner

From this reading “On the walls of the drawing-room were pale Virgins, with long hands, reigning peacefully among angels, patriarchs, and saints in beautiful gilded frames.”

reigning adjective US /ˈreɪnɪŋ/

exercising power or authority

From this reading “On the walls of the drawing-room were pale Virgins, with long hands, reigning peacefully among angels, patriarchs, and saints in beautiful gilded frames.”

Virgins noun US /ˈvɜːrdʒənz/

plural of “virgin” — a person who has never had sex

From this reading “On the walls of the drawing-room were pale Virgins, with long hands, reigning peacefully among angels, patriarchs, and saints in beautiful gilded frames.”

All words in this reading · 99

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 THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

almostadverbUS /ˈɔːlmoʊst/

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading Plain and gentle, wearing short hair, a waistcoat, a man's shirt on a chest like a boy's, almost graceful, with small hips, the poetess was doing for her French friends the honors of the house, which reflected the ardent delicacy of her taste.

amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/

surrounded by; in the middle of a group

From this reading On the walls of the drawing-room were pale Virgins, with long hands, reigning peacefully among angels, patriarchs, and saints in beautiful gilded frames.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

angelsnounUS /ˈeɪndʒəlz/

plural of “angel” — spiritual being attendant upon God

From this reading On the walls of the drawing-room were pale Virgins, with long hands, reigning peacefully among angels, patriarchs, and saints in beautiful gilded frames.

ardentadjectiveUS /ˈɑːrdənt/

characterized by intense emotion

From this reading Plain and gentle, wearing short hair, a waistcoat, a man's shirt on a chest like a boy's, almost graceful, with small hips, the poetess was doing for her French friends the honors of the house, which reflected the ardent delicacy of her taste.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

attentionnounUS /əˈtenʃən/

the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others

From this reading Choulette, lodged, by Miss Bell's attention, in the house of a sacristan's widow, in the shadow of the cathedral of Fiesole, was not expected until dinner.

balustradenoun

a railing at the side of a staircase or balcony to prevent people from falling

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

beautifuladjectiveUS /ˈbjuːtəfəl/

delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration

From this reading On the walls of the drawing-room were pale Virgins, with long hands, reigning peacefully among angels, patriarchs, and saints in beautiful gilded frames.

BellnounUS /bel/

a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

Bell'snounUS /belz/

possessive form of “bell” — a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck

From this reading Choulette, lodged, by Miss Bell's attention, in the house of a sacristan's widow, in the shadow of the cathedral of Fiesole, was not expected until dinner.

Belleme

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

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

BELLSnounUS /belz/

plural of “bell” — a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

boy'snounUS /bɔɪz/

possessive form of “boy” — a youthful male person

From this reading Plain and gentle, wearing short hair, a waistcoat, a man's shirt on a chest like a boy's, almost graceful, with small hips, the poetess was doing for her French friends the honors of the house, which reflected the ardent delicacy of her taste.

broughtverbUS /brɔːt/

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Choulette, lodged, by Miss Bell's attention, in the house of a sacristan's widow, in the shadow of the cathedral of Fiesole, was not expected until dinner.

cartnounUS /kɑːrt/

a heavy open wagon usually having two wheels and drawn by an animal

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

cathedralnounUS /kəˈθiːdrəl/

any large and important church

From this reading Choulette, lodged, by Miss Bell's attention, in the house of a sacristan's widow, in the shadow of the cathedral of Fiesole, was not expected until dinner.

chestnounUS /tʃest/

the part of the human torso between the neck and the diaphragm or the corresponding part in other vertebrates

From this reading Plain and gentle, wearing short hair, a waistcoat, a man's shirt on a chest like a boy's, almost graceful, with small hips, the poetess was doing for her French friends the honors of the house, which reflected the ardent delicacy of her taste.

Choulette

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

From this reading Choulette, lodged, by Miss Bell's attention, in the house of a sacristan's widow, in the shadow of the cathedral of Fiesole, was not expected until dinner.

citynounUS /ˈsɪti/

a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

CountessnounUS /ˈkaʊntəs/

female equivalent of a count or earl

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

crownedadjectiveUS /kraʊnd/

having an (artificial) crown on a tooth

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

delicacynounUS /ˈdeləkəsi/

the quality of being beautiful and delicate in appearance

From this reading Plain and gentle, wearing short hair, a waistcoat, a man's shirt on a chest like a boy's, almost graceful, with small hips, the poetess was doing for her French friends the honors of the house, which reflected the ardent delicacy of her taste.

dinnernounUS /ˈdɪnər/

the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday

From this reading Choulette, lodged, by Miss Bell's attention, in the house of a sacristan's widow, in the shadow of the cathedral of Fiesole, was not expected until dinner.

doingverbUS /ˈduːɪŋ/

-ing form of “do” — engage in

From this reading Plain and gentle, wearing short hair, a waistcoat, a man's shirt on a chest like a boy's, almost graceful, with small hips, the poetess was doing for her French friends the honors of the house, which reflected the ardent delicacy of her taste.

drawing-room

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

From this reading On the walls of the drawing-room were pale Virgins, with long hands, reigning peacefully among angels, patriarchs, and saints in beautiful gilded frames.

drovenounUS /droʊv/

a group of animals (a herd or flock) moving together

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

EnglishnounUS /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ/

an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

expectedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈspektəd/

considered likely or probable to happen or arrive

From this reading Choulette, lodged, by Miss Bell's attention, in the house of a sacristan's widow, in the shadow of the cathedral of Fiesole, was not expected until dinner.

Fiesole

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

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

FlorencenounUS /ˈflɔːrəns/

a city in central Italy on the Arno; provincial capital of Tuscany; center of the Italian Renaissance from 14th to 16th centuries

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

followedverbUS /ˈfɑːloʊd/

past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after

From this reading The maid followed with the luggage.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Plain and gentle, wearing short hair, a waistcoat, a man's shirt on a chest like a boy's, almost graceful, with small hips, the poetess was doing for her French friends the honors of the house, which reflected the ardent delicacy of her taste.

framesnounUS /freɪmz/

plural of “frame” — the framework for a pair of eyeglasses

From this reading On the walls of the drawing-room were pale Virgins, with long hands, reigning peacefully among angels, patriarchs, and saints in beautiful gilded frames.

FrenchnounUS /frentʃ/

the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France

From this reading Plain and gentle, wearing short hair, a waistcoat, a man's shirt on a chest like a boy's, almost graceful, with small hips, the poetess was doing for her French friends the honors of the house, which reflected the ardent delicacy of her taste.

friendsnounUS /frendz/

plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading Plain and gentle, wearing short hair, a waistcoat, a man's shirt on a chest like a boy's, almost graceful, with small hips, the poetess was doing for her French friends the honors of the house, which reflected the ardent delicacy of her taste.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

gentleadjectiveUS /ˈdʒentəl/

soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe

From this reading Plain and gentle, wearing short hair, a waistcoat, a man's shirt on a chest like a boy's, almost graceful, with small hips, the poetess was doing for her French friends the honors of the house, which reflected the ardent delicacy of her taste.

gildedadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪldɪd/

having the deep slightly brownish color of gold

From this reading On the walls of the drawing-room were pale Virgins, with long hands, reigning peacefully among angels, patriarchs, and saints in beautiful gilded frames.

gracefuladjectiveUS /ˈɡreɪsfəl/

characterized by beauty of movement, style, form, or execution

From this reading Plain and gentle, wearing short hair, a waistcoat, a man's shirt on a chest like a boy's, almost graceful, with small hips, the poetess was doing for her French friends the honors of the house, which reflected the ardent delicacy of her taste.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

hairnounUS /her/

a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss

From this reading Plain and gentle, wearing short hair, a waistcoat, a man's shirt on a chest like a boy's, almost graceful, with small hips, the poetess was doing for her French friends the honors of the house, which reflected the ardent delicacy of her taste.

handsnounUS /hændz/

(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child

From this reading On the walls of the drawing-room were pale Virgins, with long hands, reigning peacefully among angels, patriarchs, and saints in beautiful gilded frames.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/

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

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

hillsnounUS /hɪlz/

plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

hipsnounUS /hɪps/

plural of “hip” — either side of the body below the waist and above the thigh

From this reading Plain and gentle, wearing short hair, a waistcoat, a man's shirt on a chest like a boy's, almost graceful, with small hips, the poetess was doing for her French friends the honors of the house, which reflected the ardent delicacy of her taste.

honorsnounUS /ˈɑːnərz/

plural of “honor” — a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction

From this reading Plain and gentle, wearing short hair, a waistcoat, a man's shirt on a chest like a boy's, almost graceful, with small hips, the poetess was doing for her French friends the honors of the house, which reflected the ardent delicacy of her taste.

housenounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

incomparableadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkɑːmpərəbəl/

such that comparison is impossible; unsuitable for comparison or lacking features that can be compared

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

LADYnounUS /ˈleɪdi/

a polite name for any woman

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading Plain and gentle, wearing short hair, a waistcoat, a man's shirt on a chest like a boy's, almost graceful, with small hips, the poetess was doing for her French friends the honors of the house, which reflected the ardent delicacy of her taste.

lodgedverbUS /lɑːdʒd/

past form of “lodge” — be a lodger; stay temporarily

From this reading Choulette, lodged, by Miss Bell's attention, in the house of a sacristan's widow, in the shadow of the cathedral of Fiesole, was not expected until dinner.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

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 THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

luggagenounUS /ˈlʌɡədʒ/

cases used to carry belongings when traveling

From this reading The maid followed with the luggage.

MadamenounUS /ˈmædəm/

title used for a married Frenchwoman

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

maidnounUS /meɪd/

a female domestic

From this reading The maid followed with the luggage.

man'snounUS /mænz/

possessive form of “man” — an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading Plain and gentle, wearing short hair, a waistcoat, a man's shirt on a chest like a boy's, almost graceful, with small hips, the poetess was doing for her French friends the honors of the house, which reflected the ardent delicacy of her taste.

Marmet

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

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

MartinnounUS /ˈmɑːrtən/

French bishop who is a patron saint of France (died in 397)

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

MissverbUS /mɪs/

fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Choulette, lodged, by Miss Bell's attention, in the house of a sacristan's widow, in the shadow of the cathedral of Fiesole, was not expected until dinner.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Plain and gentle, wearing short hair, a waistcoat, a man's shirt on a chest like a boy's, almost graceful, with small hips, the poetess was doing for her French friends the honors of the house, which reflected the ardent delicacy of her taste.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

overlookedadjectiveUS /ˈoʊvərlʊkt/

not taken into account

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

paleadjectiveUS /peɪl/

very light colored; highly diluted with white

From this reading On the walls of the drawing-room were pale Virgins, with long hands, reigning peacefully among angels, patriarchs, and saints in beautiful gilded frames.

patriarchsnounUS /ˈpeɪtriɑːrks/

plural of “patriarch” — title for the heads of the Eastern Orthodox Churches (in Istanbul and Alexandria and Moscow and Jerusalem)

From this reading On the walls of the drawing-room were pale Virgins, with long hands, reigning peacefully among angels, patriarchs, and saints in beautiful gilded frames.

peacefullyadverbUS /ˈpiːsfəli/

in a peaceful manner

From this reading On the walls of the drawing-room were pale Virgins, with long hands, reigning peacefully among angels, patriarchs, and saints in beautiful gilded frames.

pink-tinted

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

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

PlainadjectiveUS /pleɪn/

clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment

From this reading Plain and gentle, wearing short hair, a waistcoat, a man's shirt on a chest like a boy's, almost graceful, with small hips, the poetess was doing for her French friends the honors of the house, which reflected the ardent delicacy of her taste.

poetessnoun

a woman poet

From this reading Plain and gentle, wearing short hair, a waistcoat, a man's shirt on a chest like a boy's, almost graceful, with small hips, the poetess was doing for her French friends the honors of the house, which reflected the ardent delicacy of her taste.

railwaynounUS /ˈreɪlweɪ/

line that is the commercial organization responsible for operating a system of transportation for trains that pull passengers or freight

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

reflectedadjectiveUS /rɪˈflektɪd/

(especially of incident sound or light) bent or sent back

From this reading Plain and gentle, wearing short hair, a waistcoat, a man's shirt on a chest like a boy's, almost graceful, with small hips, the poetess was doing for her French friends the honors of the house, which reflected the ardent delicacy of her taste.

reigningadjectiveUS /ˈreɪnɪŋ/

exercising power or authority

From this reading On the walls of the drawing-room were pale Virgins, with long hands, reigning peacefully among angels, patriarchs, and saints in beautiful gilded frames.

sacristan's

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

From this reading Choulette, lodged, by Miss Bell's attention, in the house of a sacristan's widow, in the shadow of the cathedral of Fiesole, was not expected until dinner.

saintsnounUS /seɪnts/

plural of “saint” — a person who has died and has been declared a saint by canonization

From this reading On the walls of the drawing-room were pale Virgins, with long hands, reigning peacefully among angels, patriarchs, and saints in beautiful gilded frames.

shadownounUS /ˈʃæd.oʊ/

A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.

From this reading Choulette, lodged, by Miss Bell's attention, in the house of a sacristan's widow, in the shadow of the cathedral of Fiesole, was not expected until dinner.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

shirtnounUS /ʃɜːrt/

a garment worn on the upper half of the body

From this reading Plain and gentle, wearing short hair, a waistcoat, a man's shirt on a chest like a boy's, almost graceful, with small hips, the poetess was doing for her French friends the honors of the house, which reflected the ardent delicacy of her taste.

shortadjectiveUS /ʃɔːrt/

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

From this reading Plain and gentle, wearing short hair, a waistcoat, a man's shirt on a chest like a boy's, almost graceful, with small hips, the poetess was doing for her French friends the honors of the house, which reflected the ardent delicacy of her taste.

smalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Plain and gentle, wearing short hair, a waistcoat, a man's shirt on a chest like a boy's, almost graceful, with small hips, the poetess was doing for her French friends the honors of the house, which reflected the ardent delicacy of her taste.

stationnounUS /ˈsteɪʃən/

a facility equipped with special equipment and personnel for a particular purpose

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

tasteverbUS /teɪst/

To perceive flavor through the mouth.

From this reading Plain and gentle, wearing short hair, a waistcoat, a man's shirt on a chest like a boy's, almost graceful, with small hips, the poetess was doing for her French friends the honors of the house, which reflected the ardent delicacy of her taste.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading Choulette, lodged, by Miss Bell's attention, in the house of a sacristan's widow, in the shadow of the cathedral of Fiesole, was not expected until dinner.

VirginsnounUS /ˈvɜːrdʒənz/

plural of “virgin” — a person who has never had sex

From this reading On the walls of the drawing-room were pale Virgins, with long hands, reigning peacefully among angels, patriarchs, and saints in beautiful gilded frames.

waistcoatnoun

a man's sleeveless garment worn underneath a coat

From this reading Plain and gentle, wearing short hair, a waistcoat, a man's shirt on a chest like a boy's, almost graceful, with small hips, the poetess was doing for her French friends the honors of the house, which reflected the ardent delicacy of her taste.

wallsnounUS /wɔːlz/

plural of “wall” — an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure

From this reading On the walls of the drawing-room were pale Virgins, with long hands, reigning peacefully among angels, patriarchs, and saints in beautiful gilded frames.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Choulette, lodged, by Miss Bell's attention, in the house of a sacristan's widow, in the shadow of the cathedral of Fiesole, was not expected until dinner.

wearingnounUS /ˈwerɪŋ/

(geology) the mechanical process of wearing or grinding something down (as by particles washing over it)

From this reading Plain and gentle, wearing short hair, a waistcoat, a man's shirt on a chest like a boy's, almost graceful, with small hips, the poetess was doing for her French friends the honors of the house, which reflected the ardent delicacy of her taste.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading On the walls of the drawing-room were pale Virgins, with long hands, reigning peacefully among angels, patriarchs, and saints in beautiful gilded frames.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

widownounUS /ˈwɪdoʊ/

a woman whose husband is dead especially one who has not remarried

From this reading Choulette, lodged, by Miss Bell's attention, in the house of a sacristan's widow, in the shadow of the cathedral of Fiesole, was not expected until dinner.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading THE LADY OF THE BELLS In her English cart, which she drove herself, Miss Bell had brought over the hills, from the railway station at Florence, the Countess Martin- Belleme and Madame Marmet to her pink-tinted house at Fiesole, which, crowned with a long balustrade, overlooked the incomparable city.

Chapter 8 of The Red Lily — Volume 01 by Anatole France holds 63 sentences, grouped into 13 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 8 of The Red Lily — Volume 01 contain?

Chapter 8 holds 63 sentences of The Red Lily — Volume 01, unabridged, divided into 13 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 8 of The Red Lily — Volume 01 by Anatole France exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 63 sentences, grouped into 13 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 8 of The Red Lily — Volume 01?

Work through the 13 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 13 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 8 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 8 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 Lily — Volume 01

Common questions about reading The Red Lily — Volume 01 by Anatole France on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Red Lily — Volume 01?

Yes. All 1864 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #3919 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Red Lily — Volume 01 is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #3919, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Red Lily — Volume 01 take to read?

About 155 minutes of reading across 373 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Red Lily — Volume 01 section by section

How to work through The Red Lily — Volume 01 section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 9 chapters of The Red Lily — Volume 01 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 Lily — Volume 01

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Red Lily — Volume 01, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Glance
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Red Lily — Volume 01; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Armchairs
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Red Lily — Volume 01; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Placed
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Red Lily — Volume 01; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Chimney
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Red Lily — Volume 01; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.