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The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu
The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu is here in full — 125 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu
Context Illustration Reading 1/25 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Smith went racing down the stairs like a man possessed.
Heavy with such a foreboding of calamity as I had not known for two years, I followed him--along the hall and out into the road.
The very peace and beauty of the night in some way increased my mental agitation.
The sky was lighted almost tropically with such a blaze of stars as I could not recall to have seen since, my futile search concluded, I had left Egypt.
The glory of the moonlight yellowed the lamps speckled across the expanse of the common.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu is here in full — 125 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/25 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Smith went racing down the stairs like a man possessed.
/smɪθ went ˈreɪsɪŋ daʊn ðə sterz laɪk ə mæn pəˈzest/
Line 2
Heavy with such a foreboding of calamity as I had not known for two years, I followed him--along the hall and out into the road.
Line 3
The very peace and beauty of the night in some way increased my mental agitation.
/ðə ˈveri piːs ənd ˈbjuːti ʌv ðə naɪt ɪn sʌm weɪ ˌɪnˈkriːst maɪ ˈmentəl ˌædʒəˈteɪʃən/
Line 4
The sky was lighted almost tropically with such a blaze of stars as I could not recall to have seen since, my futile search concluded, I had left Egypt.
Line 5
The glory of the moonlight yellowed the lamps speckled across the expanse of the common.

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.

blaze noun US /bleɪz/

a strong flame that burns brightly

From this reading “The sky was lighted almost tropically with such a blaze of stars as I could not recall to have seen since, my futile search concluded, I had left Egypt.”

calamity noun US /kəˈlæməti/

an event resulting in great loss and misfortune

From this reading “Heavy with such a foreboding of calamity as I had not known for two years, I followed him--along the hall and out into the road.”

expanse noun US /ɪkˈspæns/

a wide scope

From this reading “The glory of the moonlight yellowed the lamps speckled across the expanse of the common.”

foreboding noun US /fɔːrˈboʊdɪŋ/

a feeling of evil to come

From this reading “Heavy with such a foreboding of calamity as I had not known for two years, I followed him--along the hall and out into the road.”

futile adjective US /ˈfjuːtəl/

producing no result or effect

From this reading “The sky was lighted almost tropically with such a blaze of stars as I could not recall to have seen since, my futile search concluded, I had left Egypt.”

lamps noun US /læmps/

plural of “lamp” — an artificial source of visible illumination

From this reading “The glory of the moonlight yellowed the lamps speckled across the expanse of the common.”

racing noun US /ˈreɪsɪŋ/

the sport of engaging in contests of speed

From this reading “Smith went racing down the stairs like a man possessed.”

speckled adjective US /ˈspekəld/

having a pattern of dots

From this reading “The glory of the moonlight yellowed the lamps speckled across the expanse of the common.”

All words in this reading · 69

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 Smith went racing down the stairs like a man possessed.

acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading The glory of the moonlight yellowed the lamps speckled across the expanse of the common.

agitationnounUS /ˌædʒəˈteɪʃən/

a mental state of extreme emotional disturbance

From this reading The very peace and beauty of the night in some way increased my mental agitation.

almostadverbUS /ˈɔːlmoʊst/

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

From this reading The sky was lighted almost tropically with such a blaze of stars as I could not recall to have seen since, my futile search concluded, I had left Egypt.

alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/

following the length of something from one end toward the other

From this reading Heavy with such a foreboding of calamity as I had not known for two years, I followed him--along the hall and out into the road.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Heavy with such a foreboding of calamity as I had not known for two years, I followed him--along the hall and out into the road.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Heavy with such a foreboding of calamity as I had not known for two years, I followed him--along the hall and out into the road.

beautynounUS /ˈbjuːti/

the qualities that give pleasure to the senses

From this reading The very peace and beauty of the night in some way increased my mental agitation.

blazenounUS /bleɪz/

a strong flame that burns brightly

From this reading The sky was lighted almost tropically with such a blaze of stars as I could not recall to have seen since, my futile search concluded, I had left Egypt.

calamitynounUS /kəˈlæməti/

an event resulting in great loss and misfortune

From this reading Heavy with such a foreboding of calamity as I had not known for two years, I followed him--along the hall and out into the road.

commonadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːmən/

belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public

From this reading The glory of the moonlight yellowed the lamps speckled across the expanse of the common.

concludedadjectiveUS /kənˈkluːdəd/

having come or been brought to a conclusion

From this reading The sky was lighted almost tropically with such a blaze of stars as I could not recall to have seen since, my futile search concluded, I had left Egypt.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading The sky was lighted almost tropically with such a blaze of stars as I could not recall to have seen since, my futile search concluded, I had left Egypt.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading Smith went racing down the stairs like a man possessed.

EgyptnounUS /ˈiːdʒəpt/

a republic in northeastern Africa known as the United Arab Republic until 1971; site of an ancient civilization that flourished from 2600 to 30 BC

From this reading The sky was lighted almost tropically with such a blaze of stars as I could not recall to have seen since, my futile search concluded, I had left Egypt.

expansenounUS /ɪkˈspæns/

a wide scope

From this reading The glory of the moonlight yellowed the lamps speckled across the expanse of the common.

followedverbUS /ˈfɑːloʊd/

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

From this reading Heavy with such a foreboding of calamity as I had not known for two years, I followed him--along the hall and out into the road.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Heavy with such a foreboding of calamity as I had not known for two years, I followed him--along the hall and out into the road.

forebodingnounUS /fɔːrˈboʊdɪŋ/

a feeling of evil to come

From this reading Heavy with such a foreboding of calamity as I had not known for two years, I followed him--along the hall and out into the road.

futileadjectiveUS /ˈfjuːtəl/

producing no result or effect

From this reading The sky was lighted almost tropically with such a blaze of stars as I could not recall to have seen since, my futile search concluded, I had left Egypt.

glorynounUS /ˈɡlɔːri/

a state of high honor

From this reading The glory of the moonlight yellowed the lamps speckled across the expanse of the common.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Heavy with such a foreboding of calamity as I had not known for two years, I followed him--along the hall and out into the road.

hallnounUS /hɔːl/

an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open

From this reading Heavy with such a foreboding of calamity as I had not known for two years, I followed him--along the hall and out into the road.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading The sky was lighted almost tropically with such a blaze of stars as I could not recall to have seen since, my futile search concluded, I had left Egypt.

HeavyadjectiveUS /ˈhevi/

of comparatively great physical weight or density

From this reading Heavy with such a foreboding of calamity as I had not known for two years, I followed him--along the hall and out into the road.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading Heavy with such a foreboding of calamity as I had not known for two years, I followed him--along the hall and out into the road.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading Heavy with such a foreboding of calamity as I had not known for two years, I followed him--along the hall and out into the road.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The very peace and beauty of the night in some way increased my mental agitation.

increasedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkriːst/

made greater in size or amount or degree

From this reading The very peace and beauty of the night in some way increased my mental agitation.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Heavy with such a foreboding of calamity as I had not known for two years, I followed him--along the hall and out into the road.

knownadjectiveUS /noʊn/

apprehended with certainty

From this reading Heavy with such a foreboding of calamity as I had not known for two years, I followed him--along the hall and out into the road.

lampsnounUS /læmps/

plural of “lamp” — an artificial source of visible illumination

From this reading The glory of the moonlight yellowed the lamps speckled across the expanse of the common.

leftnounUS /left/

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading The sky was lighted almost tropically with such a blaze of stars as I could not recall to have seen since, my futile search concluded, I had left Egypt.

lightedadjectiveUS /ˈlaɪtəd/

set afire or burning

From this reading The sky was lighted almost tropically with such a blaze of stars as I could not recall to have seen since, my futile search concluded, I had left Egypt.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading Smith went racing down the stairs like a man possessed.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading Smith went racing down the stairs like a man possessed.

mentaladjectiveUS /ˈmentəl/

involving the mind or an intellectual process

From this reading The very peace and beauty of the night in some way increased my mental agitation.

moonlightnounUS /ˈmuːnlaɪt/

the light of the Moon

From this reading The glory of the moonlight yellowed the lamps speckled across the expanse of the common.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading The very peace and beauty of the night in some way increased my mental agitation.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

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

From this reading The very peace and beauty of the night in some way increased my mental agitation.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Heavy with such a foreboding of calamity as I had not known for two years, I followed him--along the hall and out into the road.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Heavy with such a foreboding of calamity as I had not known for two years, I followed him--along the hall and out into the road.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Heavy with such a foreboding of calamity as I had not known for two years, I followed him--along the hall and out into the road.

peacenounUS /piːs/

the state prevailing during the absence of war

From this reading The very peace and beauty of the night in some way increased my mental agitation.

possessedadjectiveUS /pəˈzest/

influenced or controlled by a powerful force such as a strong emotion

From this reading Smith went racing down the stairs like a man possessed.

racingnounUS /ˈreɪsɪŋ/

the sport of engaging in contests of speed

From this reading Smith went racing down the stairs like a man possessed.

recallverbUS /ˈriːkɔːl/

recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection

From this reading The sky was lighted almost tropically with such a blaze of stars as I could not recall to have seen since, my futile search concluded, I had left Egypt.

roadnounUS /roʊd/

an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation

From this reading Heavy with such a foreboding of calamity as I had not known for two years, I followed him--along the hall and out into the road.

searchverbUS /sɜːrtʃ/

try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of

From this reading The sky was lighted almost tropically with such a blaze of stars as I could not recall to have seen since, my futile search concluded, I had left Egypt.

seenverbUS /siːn/

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading The sky was lighted almost tropically with such a blaze of stars as I could not recall to have seen since, my futile search concluded, I had left Egypt.

sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading The sky was lighted almost tropically with such a blaze of stars as I could not recall to have seen since, my futile search concluded, I had left Egypt.

skynounUS /skaɪ/

the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth

From this reading The sky was lighted almost tropically with such a blaze of stars as I could not recall to have seen since, my futile search concluded, I had left Egypt.

SmithnounUS /smɪθ/

Rhodesian statesman who declared independence of Zimbabwe from Great Britain (born in 1919)

From this reading Smith went racing down the stairs like a man possessed.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading The very peace and beauty of the night in some way increased my mental agitation.

speckledadjectiveUS /ˈspekəld/

having a pattern of dots

From this reading The glory of the moonlight yellowed the lamps speckled across the expanse of the common.

stairsnounUS /sterz/

a flight of stairs or a flight of steps

From this reading Smith went racing down the stairs like a man possessed.

starsnounUS /stɑːrz/

plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior

From this reading The sky was lighted almost tropically with such a blaze of stars as I could not recall to have seen since, my futile search concluded, I had left Egypt.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading Heavy with such a foreboding of calamity as I had not known for two years, I followed him--along the hall and out into the road.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Smith went racing down the stairs like a man possessed.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The sky was lighted almost tropically with such a blaze of stars as I could not recall to have seen since, my futile search concluded, I had left Egypt.

tropicallyadverb

in a tropical manner

From this reading The sky was lighted almost tropically with such a blaze of stars as I could not recall to have seen since, my futile search concluded, I had left Egypt.

twonounUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Heavy with such a foreboding of calamity as I had not known for two years, I followed him--along the hall and out into the road.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading The very peace and beauty of the night in some way increased my mental agitation.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The sky was lighted almost tropically with such a blaze of stars as I could not recall to have seen since, my futile search concluded, I had left Egypt.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading The very peace and beauty of the night in some way increased my mental agitation.

wentverbUS /went/

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading Smith went racing down the stairs like a man possessed.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Heavy with such a foreboding of calamity as I had not known for two years, I followed him--along the hall and out into the road.

yearsnounUS /jɪrz/

a late time of life

From this reading Heavy with such a foreboding of calamity as I had not known for two years, I followed him--along the hall and out into the road.

yellowedadjective

changed to a yellowish color by age

From this reading The glory of the moonlight yellowed the lamps speckled across the expanse of the common.

Chapter 2 of The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu by Sax Rohmer holds 125 sentences, grouped into 25 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 2 of The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu contain?

Chapter 2 holds 125 sentences of The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu, unabridged, divided into 25 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu by Sax Rohmer exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 125 sentences, grouped into 25 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 Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu?

Work through the 25 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 25 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 Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu

Common questions about reading The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu by Sax Rohmer on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu?

Yes. All 4055 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1183 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #1183, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu take to read?

About 337 minutes of reading across 811 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu section by section

How to work through The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 33 chapters of The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu 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 Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Nayland
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Smith
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Asked
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Visitor
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.