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

Chapter XXXI · Chapter 31

Chapter 31 of The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu is here in full — 123 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/24 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
I suppose I did not awake very readily.
Following the nervous vigilance of the past six months, my tired nerves, in the enjoyment of this relaxation, were rapidly recuperating.
I no longer feared to awake to find a knife at my throat, no longer dreaded the darkness as a foe.
So that the voice may have been calling (indeed, had been calling) for some time, and of this I had been hazily conscious before finally I awoke.
Then, ere the new sense of security came to reassure me, the old sense of impending harm set my heart leaping nervously.
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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 XXXI · Chapter 31

Chapter 31 of The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu is here in full — 123 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/24 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
I suppose I did not awake very readily.
/aɪ səˈpoʊz aɪ dɪd nɑːt əˈweɪk ˈveri ˈredəli/
Line 2
Following the nervous vigilance of the past six months, my tired nerves, in the enjoyment of this relaxation, were rapidly recuperating.
/ˈfɑːloʊɪŋ ðə ˈnɜːrvəs ˈvɪdʒələns ʌv ðə pæst sɪks mʌnθs maɪ ˈtaɪərd nɜːrvz ɪn ðə ˌenˈdʒɔɪmənt ʌv ðɪs ˌriːlækˈseɪʃən wɜːr ˈræpədli rɪˈkuːpəreɪtɪŋ/
Line 3
I no longer feared to awake to find a knife at my throat, no longer dreaded the darkness as a foe.
/aɪ noʊ ˈlɔːŋɡər fɪrd tuː əˈweɪk tuː faɪnd ə naɪf æt maɪ θroʊt noʊ ˈlɔːŋɡər ˈdredɪd ðə ˈdɑːrknəs æz ə foʊ/
Line 4
So that the voice may have been calling (indeed, had been calling) for some time, and of this I had been hazily conscious before finally I awoke.
Line 5
Then, ere the new sense of security came to reassure me, the old sense of impending harm set my heart leaping nervously.
/ðen er ðə nuː sens ʌv sɪˈkjʊrəti keɪm tuː ˌriːəˈʃʊr miː ðə oʊld sens ʌv ˌɪmˈpendɪŋ hɑːrm set maɪ hɑːrt ˈliːpɪŋ ˈnɜːrvəsli/

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.

dreaded adjective US /ˈdredɪd/

causing fear or dread or terror

From this reading “I no longer feared to awake to find a knife at my throat, no longer dreaded the darkness as a foe.”

impending adjective US /ˌɪmˈpendɪŋ/

close in time; about to occur

From this reading “Then, ere the new sense of security came to reassure me, the old sense of impending harm set my heart leaping nervously.”

leaping noun US /ˈliːpɪŋ/

a light, self-propelled movement upwards or forwards

From this reading “Then, ere the new sense of security came to reassure me, the old sense of impending harm set my heart leaping nervously.”

nervously adverb US /ˈnɜːrvəsli/

in an anxiously nervous manner

From this reading “Then, ere the new sense of security came to reassure me, the old sense of impending harm set my heart leaping nervously.”

reassure verb US /ˌriːəˈʃʊr/

cause to feel sure; give reassurance to

From this reading “Then, ere the new sense of security came to reassure me, the old sense of impending harm set my heart leaping nervously.”

recuperating verb US /rɪˈkuːpəreɪtɪŋ/

-ing form of “recuperate” — regain or make up for

From this reading “Following the nervous vigilance of the past six months, my tired nerves, in the enjoyment of this relaxation, were rapidly recuperating.”

relaxation noun US /ˌriːlækˈseɪʃən/

(physiology) the gradual lengthening of inactive muscle or muscle fibers

From this reading “Following the nervous vigilance of the past six months, my tired nerves, in the enjoyment of this relaxation, were rapidly recuperating.”

vigilance noun US /ˈvɪdʒələns/

the process of paying close and continuous attention

From this reading “Following the nervous vigilance of the past six months, my tired nerves, in the enjoyment of this relaxation, were rapidly recuperating.”

All words in this reading · 71

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 no longer feared to awake to find a knife at my throat, no longer dreaded the darkness as a foe.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading So that the voice may have been calling (indeed, had been calling) for some time, and of this I had been hazily conscious before finally I awoke.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading I no longer feared to awake to find a knife at my throat, no longer dreaded the darkness as a foe.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading I no longer feared to awake to find a knife at my throat, no longer dreaded the darkness as a foe.

awakeadjectiveUS /əˈweɪk/

not in a state of sleep; completely conscious

From this reading I suppose I did not awake very readily.

awokeverbUS /əˈwoʊk/

inflected form of “awake” — stop sleeping

From this reading So that the voice may have been calling (indeed, had been calling) for some time, and of this I had been hazily conscious before finally I awoke.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading So that the voice may have been calling (indeed, had been calling) for some time, and of this I had been hazily conscious before finally I awoke.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading So that the voice may have been calling (indeed, had been calling) for some time, and of this I had been hazily conscious before finally I awoke.

callingnounUS /ˈkɔːlɪŋ/

the particular occupation for which you are trained

From this reading So that the voice may have been calling (indeed, had been calling) for some time, and of this I had been hazily conscious before finally I awoke.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading Then, ere the new sense of security came to reassure me, the old sense of impending harm set my heart leaping nervously.

consciousadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːnʃəs/

intentionally conceived

From this reading So that the voice may have been calling (indeed, had been calling) for some time, and of this I had been hazily conscious before finally I awoke.

darknessnounUS /ˈdɑːrknəs/

absence of light or illumination

From this reading I no longer feared to awake to find a knife at my throat, no longer dreaded the darkness as a foe.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading I suppose I did not awake very readily.

dreadedadjectiveUS /ˈdredɪd/

causing fear or dread or terror

From this reading I no longer feared to awake to find a knife at my throat, no longer dreaded the darkness as a foe.

enjoymentnounUS /ˌenˈdʒɔɪmənt/

the pleasure felt when having a good time

From this reading Following the nervous vigilance of the past six months, my tired nerves, in the enjoyment of this relaxation, were rapidly recuperating.

ereconjunctionUS /er/

an old word for “before”

From this reading Then, ere the new sense of security came to reassure me, the old sense of impending harm set my heart leaping nervously.

fearedverbUS /fɪrd/

past form of “fear” — be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event

From this reading I no longer feared to awake to find a knife at my throat, no longer dreaded the darkness as a foe.

finallyadverbUS /ˈfaɪnəli/

after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay

From this reading So that the voice may have been calling (indeed, had been calling) for some time, and of this I had been hazily conscious before finally I awoke.

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading I no longer feared to awake to find a knife at my throat, no longer dreaded the darkness as a foe.

foenounUS /foʊ/

an armed adversary (especially a member of an opposing military force)

From this reading I no longer feared to awake to find a knife at my throat, no longer dreaded the darkness as a foe.

FollowingadjectiveUS /ˈfɑːloʊɪŋ/

about to be mentioned or specified

From this reading Following the nervous vigilance of the past six months, my tired nerves, in the enjoyment of this relaxation, were rapidly recuperating.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading So that the voice may have been calling (indeed, had been calling) for some time, and of this I had been hazily conscious before finally I awoke.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading So that the voice may have been calling (indeed, had been calling) for some time, and of this I had been hazily conscious before finally I awoke.

harmnounUS /hɑːrm/

any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc.

From this reading Then, ere the new sense of security came to reassure me, the old sense of impending harm set my heart leaping nervously.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading So that the voice may have been calling (indeed, had been calling) for some time, and of this I had been hazily conscious before finally I awoke.

hazilyadverb

through a haze

From this reading So that the voice may have been calling (indeed, had been calling) for some time, and of this I had been hazily conscious before finally I awoke.

heartnounUS /hɑːrt/

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading Then, ere the new sense of security came to reassure me, the old sense of impending harm set my heart leaping nervously.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I suppose I did not awake very readily.

impendingadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpendɪŋ/

close in time; about to occur

From this reading Then, ere the new sense of security came to reassure me, the old sense of impending harm set my heart leaping nervously.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Following the nervous vigilance of the past six months, my tired nerves, in the enjoyment of this relaxation, were rapidly recuperating.

indeedadverbUS /ˌɪnˈdiːd/

in truth (often tends to intensify)

From this reading So that the voice may have been calling (indeed, had been calling) for some time, and of this I had been hazily conscious before finally I awoke.

knifenounUS /naɪf/

edge tool used as a cutting instrument; has a pointed blade with a sharp edge and a handle

From this reading I no longer feared to awake to find a knife at my throat, no longer dreaded the darkness as a foe.

leapingnounUS /ˈliːpɪŋ/

a light, self-propelled movement upwards or forwards

From this reading Then, ere the new sense of security came to reassure me, the old sense of impending harm set my heart leaping nervously.

longeradverbUS /ˈlɔːŋɡər/

for more time

From this reading I no longer feared to awake to find a knife at my throat, no longer dreaded the darkness as a foe.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading So that the voice may have been calling (indeed, had been calling) for some time, and of this I had been hazily conscious before finally I awoke.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Then, ere the new sense of security came to reassure me, the old sense of impending harm set my heart leaping nervously.

monthsnounUS /mʌnθs/

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

From this reading Following the nervous vigilance of the past six months, my tired nerves, in the enjoyment of this relaxation, were rapidly recuperating.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Following the nervous vigilance of the past six months, my tired nerves, in the enjoyment of this relaxation, were rapidly recuperating.

nervesnounUS /nɜːrvz/

an uneasy psychological state

From this reading Following the nervous vigilance of the past six months, my tired nerves, in the enjoyment of this relaxation, were rapidly recuperating.

nervousadjectiveUS /ˈnɜːrvəs/

easily agitated

From this reading Following the nervous vigilance of the past six months, my tired nerves, in the enjoyment of this relaxation, were rapidly recuperating.

nervouslyadverbUS /ˈnɜːrvəsli/

in an anxiously nervous manner

From this reading Then, ere the new sense of security came to reassure me, the old sense of impending harm set my heart leaping nervously.

newadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading Then, ere the new sense of security came to reassure me, the old sense of impending harm set my heart leaping nervously.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading I no longer feared to awake to find a knife at my throat, no longer dreaded the darkness as a foe.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading I suppose I did not awake very readily.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Following the nervous vigilance of the past six months, my tired nerves, in the enjoyment of this relaxation, were rapidly recuperating.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading Then, ere the new sense of security came to reassure me, the old sense of impending harm set my heart leaping nervously.

pastnounUS /pæst/

the time that has elapsed

From this reading Following the nervous vigilance of the past six months, my tired nerves, in the enjoyment of this relaxation, were rapidly recuperating.

rapidlyadverbUS /ˈræpədli/

with speed

From this reading Following the nervous vigilance of the past six months, my tired nerves, in the enjoyment of this relaxation, were rapidly recuperating.

readilyadverbUS /ˈredəli/

without much difficulty

From this reading I suppose I did not awake very readily.

reassureverbUS /ˌriːəˈʃʊr/

cause to feel sure; give reassurance to

From this reading Then, ere the new sense of security came to reassure me, the old sense of impending harm set my heart leaping nervously.

recuperatingverbUS /rɪˈkuːpəreɪtɪŋ/

-ing form of “recuperate” — regain or make up for

From this reading Following the nervous vigilance of the past six months, my tired nerves, in the enjoyment of this relaxation, were rapidly recuperating.

relaxationnounUS /ˌriːlækˈseɪʃən/

(physiology) the gradual lengthening of inactive muscle or muscle fibers

From this reading Following the nervous vigilance of the past six months, my tired nerves, in the enjoyment of this relaxation, were rapidly recuperating.

securitynounUS /sɪˈkjʊrəti/

the state of being free from danger or injury

From this reading Then, ere the new sense of security came to reassure me, the old sense of impending harm set my heart leaping nervously.

sensenounUS /sens/

a general conscious awareness

From this reading Then, ere the new sense of security came to reassure me, the old sense of impending harm set my heart leaping nervously.

setverbUS /set/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading Then, ere the new sense of security came to reassure me, the old sense of impending harm set my heart leaping nervously.

sixnounUS /sɪks/

the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one

From this reading Following the nervous vigilance of the past six months, my tired nerves, in the enjoyment of this relaxation, were rapidly recuperating.

SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading So that the voice may have been calling (indeed, had been calling) for some time, and of this I had been hazily conscious before finally I awoke.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

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

From this reading So that the voice may have been calling (indeed, had been calling) for some time, and of this I had been hazily conscious before finally I awoke.

supposeverbUS /səˈpoʊz/

express a supposition

From this reading I suppose I did not awake very readily.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading So that the voice may have been calling (indeed, had been calling) for some time, and of this I had been hazily conscious before finally I awoke.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Following the nervous vigilance of the past six months, my tired nerves, in the enjoyment of this relaxation, were rapidly recuperating.

ThenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Then, ere the new sense of security came to reassure me, the old sense of impending harm set my heart leaping nervously.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading Following the nervous vigilance of the past six months, my tired nerves, in the enjoyment of this relaxation, were rapidly recuperating.

throatnounUS /θroʊt/

The passage at the back of the mouth.

From this reading I no longer feared to awake to find a knife at my throat, no longer dreaded the darkness as a foe.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading So that the voice may have been calling (indeed, had been calling) for some time, and of this I had been hazily conscious before finally I awoke.

tiredadjectiveUS /ˈtaɪərd/

depleted of strength or energy

From this reading Following the nervous vigilance of the past six months, my tired nerves, in the enjoyment of this relaxation, were rapidly recuperating.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading I no longer feared to awake to find a knife at my throat, no longer dreaded the darkness as a foe.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading I suppose I did not awake very readily.

vigilancenounUS /ˈvɪdʒələns/

the process of paying close and continuous attention

From this reading Following the nervous vigilance of the past six months, my tired nerves, in the enjoyment of this relaxation, were rapidly recuperating.

voicenounUS /vɔɪs/

the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech

From this reading So that the voice may have been calling (indeed, had been calling) for some time, and of this I had been hazily conscious before finally I awoke.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Following the nervous vigilance of the past six months, my tired nerves, in the enjoyment of this relaxation, were rapidly recuperating.

Chapter 31 of The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu by Sax Rohmer holds 123 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 31 of The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu contain?

Chapter 31 holds 123 sentences of The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu, unabridged, divided into 25 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 31 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 123 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 31 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 31 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 31 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.

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  3. Listen and tap

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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.