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

Chapter XXVII · Chapter 27

Chapter 27 of The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu is here in full — 100 sentences across 20 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu
Context Illustration Reading 1/20 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Dash it all, Petrie!” cried Smith, this is most annoying!”
The bell was ringing furiously, although midnight was long past.
Whom could my late visitor be?
Almost certainly this ringing portended an urgent case.
In other words, I was not fated to take part in what I anticipated would prove to be the closing scene of the Fu-Manchu drama.
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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 XXVII · Chapter 27

Chapter 27 of The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu is here in full — 100 sentences across 20 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/20 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Dash it all, Petrie!” cried Smith, “this is most annoying!”
Line 2
The bell was ringing furiously, although midnight was long past.
/ðə bel wɑːz ˈrɪŋɪŋ ˈfjʊriəsli ˌɔːlˈðoʊ ˈmɪdnaɪt wɑːz lɔːŋ pæst/
Line 3
Whom could my late visitor be?
/huːm kʊd maɪ leɪt ˈvɪzɪtər biː/
Line 4
Almost certainly this ringing portended an urgent case.
Line 5
In other words, I was not fated to take part in what I anticipated would prove to be the closing scene of the Fu-Manchu drama.

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.

annoying adjective US /əˈnɔɪɪŋ/

causing irritation or annoyance

From this reading ““Dash it all, Petrie!” cried Smith, “this is most annoying!””

anticipated adjective US /ænˈtɪsəpeɪtɪd/

expected hopefully

From this reading “In other words, I was not fated to take part in what I anticipated would prove to be the closing scene of the Fu-Manchu drama.”

Dash verb US /dæʃ/

run or move very quickly or hastily

From this reading ““Dash it all, Petrie!” cried Smith, “this is most annoying!””

drama noun US /ˈdrɑːmə/

a dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage

From this reading “In other words, I was not fated to take part in what I anticipated would prove to be the closing scene of the Fu-Manchu drama.”

fated adjective US /ˈfeɪtɪd/

(usually followed by “to”) determined by tragic fate

From this reading “In other words, I was not fated to take part in what I anticipated would prove to be the closing scene of the Fu-Manchu drama.”

furiously adverb US /ˈfjʊriəsli/

(of the elements) in a wild and stormy manner

From this reading “The bell was ringing furiously, although midnight was long past.”

ringing noun US /ˈrɪŋɪŋ/

the sound of a bell ringing

From this reading “The bell was ringing furiously, although midnight was long past.”

urgent adjective US /ˈɜːrdʒənt/

compelling immediate action

From this reading “Almost certainly this ringing portended an urgent case.”

All words in this reading · 49

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.

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 “Dash it all, Petrie!” cried Smith, “this is most annoying!”

AlmostadverbUS /ˈɔːlmoʊst/

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

From this reading Almost certainly this ringing portended an urgent case.

althoughconjunctionUS /ˌɔːlˈðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading The bell was ringing furiously, although midnight was long past.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading Almost certainly this ringing portended an urgent case.

annoyingadjectiveUS /əˈnɔɪɪŋ/

causing irritation or annoyance

From this reading “Dash it all, Petrie!” cried Smith, “this is most annoying!”

anticipatedadjectiveUS /ænˈtɪsəpeɪtɪd/

expected hopefully

From this reading In other words, I was not fated to take part in what I anticipated would prove to be the closing scene of the Fu-Manchu drama.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Whom could my late visitor be?

bellnounUS /bel/

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

From this reading The bell was ringing furiously, although midnight was long past.

casenounUS /keɪs/

an occurrence of something

From this reading Almost certainly this ringing portended an urgent case.

certainlyadverbUS /ˈsɜːrtənli/

definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)

From this reading Almost certainly this ringing portended an urgent case.

closingnounUS /ˈkloʊzɪŋ/

the act of closing something

From this reading In other words, I was not fated to take part in what I anticipated would prove to be the closing scene of the Fu-Manchu drama.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading Whom could my late visitor be?

criedverbUS /kraɪd/

inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry

From this reading “Dash it all, Petrie!” cried Smith, “this is most annoying!”

DashverbUS /dæʃ/

run or move very quickly or hastily

From this reading “Dash it all, Petrie!” cried Smith, “this is most annoying!”

dramanounUS /ˈdrɑːmə/

a dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage

From this reading In other words, I was not fated to take part in what I anticipated would prove to be the closing scene of the Fu-Manchu drama.

fatedadjectiveUS /ˈfeɪtɪd/

(usually followed by “to”) determined by tragic fate

From this reading In other words, I was not fated to take part in what I anticipated would prove to be the closing scene of the Fu-Manchu drama.

Fu-Manchu

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

From this reading In other words, I was not fated to take part in what I anticipated would prove to be the closing scene of the Fu-Manchu drama.

furiouslyadverbUS /ˈfjʊriəsli/

(of the elements) in a wild and stormy manner

From this reading The bell was ringing furiously, although midnight was long past.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading In other words, I was not fated to take part in what I anticipated would prove to be the closing scene of the Fu-Manchu drama.

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading In other words, I was not fated to take part in what I anticipated would prove to be the closing scene of the Fu-Manchu drama.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading “Dash it all, Petrie!” cried Smith, “this is most annoying!”

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading “Dash it all, Petrie!” cried Smith, “this is most annoying!”

lateadjectiveUS /leɪt/

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

From this reading Whom could my late visitor be?

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 bell was ringing furiously, although midnight was long past.

midnightnounUS /ˈmɪdnaɪt/

12 o'clock at night; the middle of the night

From this reading The bell was ringing furiously, although midnight was long past.

mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading “Dash it all, Petrie!” cried Smith, “this is most annoying!”

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Whom could my late visitor be?

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading In other words, I was not fated to take part in what I anticipated would prove to be the closing scene of the Fu-Manchu drama.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading In other words, I was not fated to take part in what I anticipated would prove to be the closing scene of the Fu-Manchu drama.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading In other words, I was not fated to take part in what I anticipated would prove to be the closing scene of the Fu-Manchu drama.

partnounUS /pɑːrt/

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading In other words, I was not fated to take part in what I anticipated would prove to be the closing scene of the Fu-Manchu drama.

pastnounUS /pæst/

the time that has elapsed

From this reading The bell was ringing furiously, although midnight was long past.

Petrie

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

From this reading “Dash it all, Petrie!” cried Smith, “this is most annoying!”

portended

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

From this reading Almost certainly this ringing portended an urgent case.

proveverbUS /pruːv/

be shown or be found to be

From this reading In other words, I was not fated to take part in what I anticipated would prove to be the closing scene of the Fu-Manchu drama.

ringingnounUS /ˈrɪŋɪŋ/

the sound of a bell ringing

From this reading The bell was ringing furiously, although midnight was long past.

scenenounUS /siːn/

the place where some action occurs

From this reading In other words, I was not fated to take part in what I anticipated would prove to be the closing scene of the Fu-Manchu drama.

SmithnounUS /smɪθ/

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

From this reading “Dash it all, Petrie!” cried Smith, “this is most annoying!”

takeverbUS /teɪk/

carry out

From this reading In other words, I was not fated to take part in what I anticipated would prove to be the closing scene of the Fu-Manchu drama.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The bell was ringing furiously, although midnight was long past.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading “Dash it all, Petrie!” cried Smith, “this is most annoying!”

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading In other words, I was not fated to take part in what I anticipated would prove to be the closing scene of the Fu-Manchu drama.

urgentadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrdʒənt/

compelling immediate action

From this reading Almost certainly this ringing portended an urgent case.

visitornounUS /ˈvɪzɪtər/

someone who visits

From this reading Whom could my late visitor be?

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The bell was ringing furiously, although midnight was long past.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading In other words, I was not fated to take part in what I anticipated would prove to be the closing scene of the Fu-Manchu drama.

WhompronounUS /huːm/

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

From this reading Whom could my late visitor be?

wordsnounUS /wɜːrdz/

the words that are spoken

From this reading In other words, I was not fated to take part in what I anticipated would prove to be the closing scene of the Fu-Manchu drama.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading In other words, I was not fated to take part in what I anticipated would prove to be the closing scene of the Fu-Manchu drama.

Chapter 27 of The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu by Sax Rohmer holds 100 sentences, grouped into 20 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 27 of The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu contain?

Chapter 27 holds 100 sentences of The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu, unabridged, divided into 20 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 27 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 100 sentences, grouped into 20 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 27 of The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu?

Work through the 20 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 20 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 27 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 27 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.