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The Roadmender
The Roadmender

Chapter VIII · Chapter 8

Chapter 8 of The Roadmender is here in full — 70 sentences across 14 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Roadmender
Context Illustration Reading 1/14 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
FEBRUARY is here, February fill-dyke; the month of purification, of cleansing rains and pulsing bounding streams, and white mist clinging insistent to field and hedgerow so that when her veil is withdrawn greenness may make us glad.
The river has been uniformly grey of late, with no wind to ruffle its surface or to speed the barges dropping slowly and sullenly down with the tide through a blurring haze.
I watched one yesterday, its useless sails half-furled and no sign of life save the man at the helm.
It drifted stealthily past, and a little behind, flying low, came a solitary seagull, grey as the river’s hazea following bird.
Once again I lay on my back in the bottom of the tarry old fishing smack, blue sky above and no sound but the knock, knock of the waves, and the thud and curl of falling foam as the old boat’s blunt nose breasted the coming sea.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Roadmender

Chapter VIII · Chapter 8

Chapter 8 of The Roadmender is here in full — 70 sentences across 14 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/14 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
FEBRUARY is here, February fill-dyke; the month of purification, of cleansing rains and pulsing bounding streams, and white mist clinging insistent to field and hedgerow so that when her veil is withdrawn greenness may make us glad.
Line 2
The river has been uniformly grey of late, with no wind to ruffle its surface or to speed the barges dropping slowly and sullenly down with the tide through a blurring haze.
Line 3
I watched one yesterday, its useless sails half-furled and no sign of life save the man at the helm.
Line 4
It drifted stealthily past, and a little behind, flying low, came a solitary seagull, grey as the river’s hazea following bird.
Line 5
Once again I lay on my back in the bottom of the tarry old fishing smack, blue sky above and no sound but the knock, knock of the waves, and the thud and curl of falling foam as the old boat’s blunt nose breasted the coming sea.

All words in this reading · 113

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.

a

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

From this reading The river has been uniformly grey of late, with no wind to ruffle its surface or to speed the barges dropping slowly and sullenly down with the tide through a blurring haze.

above

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

From this reading Once again I lay on my back in the bottom of the tarry old fishing smack, blue sky above and no sound but the knock, knock of the waves, and the thud and curl of falling foam as the old boat’s blunt nose breasted the coming sea.

again

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

From this reading Once again I lay on my back in the bottom of the tarry old fishing smack, blue sky above and no sound but the knock, knock of the waves, and the thud and curl of falling foam as the old boat’s blunt nose breasted the coming sea.

and

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

From this reading FEBRUARY is here, February fill-dyke; the month of purification, of cleansing rains and pulsing bounding streams, and white mist clinging insistent to field and hedgerow so that when her veil is withdrawn greenness may make us glad.

as

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

From this reading It drifted stealthily past, and a little behind, flying low, came a solitary seagull, grey as the river’s haze—a following bird.

at

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

From this reading I watched one yesterday, its useless sails half-furled and no sign of life save the man at the helm.

back

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

From this reading Once again I lay on my back in the bottom of the tarry old fishing smack, blue sky above and no sound but the knock, knock of the waves, and the thud and curl of falling foam as the old boat’s blunt nose breasted the coming sea.

barges

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

From this reading The river has been uniformly grey of late, with no wind to ruffle its surface or to speed the barges dropping slowly and sullenly down with the tide through a blurring haze.

been

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

From this reading The river has been uniformly grey of late, with no wind to ruffle its surface or to speed the barges dropping slowly and sullenly down with the tide through a blurring haze.

behind

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

From this reading It drifted stealthily past, and a little behind, flying low, came a solitary seagull, grey as the river’s haze—a following bird.

bird

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

From this reading It drifted stealthily past, and a little behind, flying low, came a solitary seagull, grey as the river’s haze—a following bird.

blue

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

From this reading Once again I lay on my back in the bottom of the tarry old fishing smack, blue sky above and no sound but the knock, knock of the waves, and the thud and curl of falling foam as the old boat’s blunt nose breasted the coming sea.

blunt

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

From this reading Once again I lay on my back in the bottom of the tarry old fishing smack, blue sky above and no sound but the knock, knock of the waves, and the thud and curl of falling foam as the old boat’s blunt nose breasted the coming sea.

blurring

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

From this reading The river has been uniformly grey of late, with no wind to ruffle its surface or to speed the barges dropping slowly and sullenly down with the tide through a blurring haze.

boat's

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

From this reading Once again I lay on my back in the bottom of the tarry old fishing smack, blue sky above and no sound but the knock, knock of the waves, and the thud and curl of falling foam as the old boat’s blunt nose breasted the coming sea.

bottom

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

From this reading Once again I lay on my back in the bottom of the tarry old fishing smack, blue sky above and no sound but the knock, knock of the waves, and the thud and curl of falling foam as the old boat’s blunt nose breasted the coming sea.

bounding

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

From this reading FEBRUARY is here, February fill-dyke; the month of purification, of cleansing rains and pulsing bounding streams, and white mist clinging insistent to field and hedgerow so that when her veil is withdrawn greenness may make us glad.

breasted

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

From this reading Once again I lay on my back in the bottom of the tarry old fishing smack, blue sky above and no sound but the knock, knock of the waves, and the thud and curl of falling foam as the old boat’s blunt nose breasted the coming sea.

but

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

From this reading Once again I lay on my back in the bottom of the tarry old fishing smack, blue sky above and no sound but the knock, knock of the waves, and the thud and curl of falling foam as the old boat’s blunt nose breasted the coming sea.

came

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

From this reading It drifted stealthily past, and a little behind, flying low, came a solitary seagull, grey as the river’s haze—a following bird.

cleansing

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

From this reading FEBRUARY is here, February fill-dyke; the month of purification, of cleansing rains and pulsing bounding streams, and white mist clinging insistent to field and hedgerow so that when her veil is withdrawn greenness may make us glad.

clinging

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

From this reading FEBRUARY is here, February fill-dyke; the month of purification, of cleansing rains and pulsing bounding streams, and white mist clinging insistent to field and hedgerow so that when her veil is withdrawn greenness may make us glad.

coming

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

From this reading Once again I lay on my back in the bottom of the tarry old fishing smack, blue sky above and no sound but the knock, knock of the waves, and the thud and curl of falling foam as the old boat’s blunt nose breasted the coming sea.

curl

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

From this reading Once again I lay on my back in the bottom of the tarry old fishing smack, blue sky above and no sound but the knock, knock of the waves, and the thud and curl of falling foam as the old boat’s blunt nose breasted the coming sea.

down

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

From this reading The river has been uniformly grey of late, with no wind to ruffle its surface or to speed the barges dropping slowly and sullenly down with the tide through a blurring haze.

drifted

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

From this reading It drifted stealthily past, and a little behind, flying low, came a solitary seagull, grey as the river’s haze—a following bird.

dropping

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

From this reading The river has been uniformly grey of late, with no wind to ruffle its surface or to speed the barges dropping slowly and sullenly down with the tide through a blurring haze.

falling

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

From this reading Once again I lay on my back in the bottom of the tarry old fishing smack, blue sky above and no sound but the knock, knock of the waves, and the thud and curl of falling foam as the old boat’s blunt nose breasted the coming sea.

FEBRUARY

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

From this reading FEBRUARY is here, February fill-dyke; the month of purification, of cleansing rains and pulsing bounding streams, and white mist clinging insistent to field and hedgerow so that when her veil is withdrawn greenness may make us glad.

field

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

From this reading FEBRUARY is here, February fill-dyke; the month of purification, of cleansing rains and pulsing bounding streams, and white mist clinging insistent to field and hedgerow so that when her veil is withdrawn greenness may make us glad.

fill-dyke

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

From this reading FEBRUARY is here, February fill-dyke; the month of purification, of cleansing rains and pulsing bounding streams, and white mist clinging insistent to field and hedgerow so that when her veil is withdrawn greenness may make us glad.

fishing

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

From this reading Once again I lay on my back in the bottom of the tarry old fishing smack, blue sky above and no sound but the knock, knock of the waves, and the thud and curl of falling foam as the old boat’s blunt nose breasted the coming sea.

flying

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

From this reading It drifted stealthily past, and a little behind, flying low, came a solitary seagull, grey as the river’s haze—a following bird.

foam

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

From this reading Once again I lay on my back in the bottom of the tarry old fishing smack, blue sky above and no sound but the knock, knock of the waves, and the thud and curl of falling foam as the old boat’s blunt nose breasted the coming sea.

following

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

From this reading It drifted stealthily past, and a little behind, flying low, came a solitary seagull, grey as the river’s haze—a following bird.

glad

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

From this reading FEBRUARY is here, February fill-dyke; the month of purification, of cleansing rains and pulsing bounding streams, and white mist clinging insistent to field and hedgerow so that when her veil is withdrawn greenness may make us glad.

greenness

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

From this reading FEBRUARY is here, February fill-dyke; the month of purification, of cleansing rains and pulsing bounding streams, and white mist clinging insistent to field and hedgerow so that when her veil is withdrawn greenness may make us glad.

grey

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

From this reading The river has been uniformly grey of late, with no wind to ruffle its surface or to speed the barges dropping slowly and sullenly down with the tide through a blurring haze.

half-furled

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

From this reading I watched one yesterday, its useless sails half-furled and no sign of life save the man at the helm.

has

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

From this reading The river has been uniformly grey of late, with no wind to ruffle its surface or to speed the barges dropping slowly and sullenly down with the tide through a blurring haze.

haze

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

From this reading The river has been uniformly grey of late, with no wind to ruffle its surface or to speed the barges dropping slowly and sullenly down with the tide through a blurring haze.

hedgerow

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

From this reading FEBRUARY is here, February fill-dyke; the month of purification, of cleansing rains and pulsing bounding streams, and white mist clinging insistent to field and hedgerow so that when her veil is withdrawn greenness may make us glad.

helm

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

From this reading I watched one yesterday, its useless sails half-furled and no sign of life save the man at the helm.

her

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

From this reading FEBRUARY is here, February fill-dyke; the month of purification, of cleansing rains and pulsing bounding streams, and white mist clinging insistent to field and hedgerow so that when her veil is withdrawn greenness may make us glad.

here

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

From this reading FEBRUARY is here, February fill-dyke; the month of purification, of cleansing rains and pulsing bounding streams, and white mist clinging insistent to field and hedgerow so that when her veil is withdrawn greenness may make us glad.

I

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

From this reading I watched one yesterday, its useless sails half-furled and no sign of life save the man at the helm.

in

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

From this reading Once again I lay on my back in the bottom of the tarry old fishing smack, blue sky above and no sound but the knock, knock of the waves, and the thud and curl of falling foam as the old boat’s blunt nose breasted the coming sea.

insistent

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

From this reading FEBRUARY is here, February fill-dyke; the month of purification, of cleansing rains and pulsing bounding streams, and white mist clinging insistent to field and hedgerow so that when her veil is withdrawn greenness may make us glad.

is

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

From this reading FEBRUARY is here, February fill-dyke; the month of purification, of cleansing rains and pulsing bounding streams, and white mist clinging insistent to field and hedgerow so that when her veil is withdrawn greenness may make us glad.

It

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

From this reading It drifted stealthily past, and a little behind, flying low, came a solitary seagull, grey as the river’s haze—a following bird.

its

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

From this reading The river has been uniformly grey of late, with no wind to ruffle its surface or to speed the barges dropping slowly and sullenly down with the tide through a blurring haze.

knock

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

From this reading Once again I lay on my back in the bottom of the tarry old fishing smack, blue sky above and no sound but the knock, knock of the waves, and the thud and curl of falling foam as the old boat’s blunt nose breasted the coming sea.

late

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

From this reading The river has been uniformly grey of late, with no wind to ruffle its surface or to speed the barges dropping slowly and sullenly down with the tide through a blurring haze.

lay

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

From this reading Once again I lay on my back in the bottom of the tarry old fishing smack, blue sky above and no sound but the knock, knock of the waves, and the thud and curl of falling foam as the old boat’s blunt nose breasted the coming sea.

life

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

From this reading I watched one yesterday, its useless sails half-furled and no sign of life save the man at the helm.

little

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

From this reading It drifted stealthily past, and a little behind, flying low, came a solitary seagull, grey as the river’s haze—a following bird.

low

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

From this reading It drifted stealthily past, and a little behind, flying low, came a solitary seagull, grey as the river’s haze—a following bird.

make

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

From this reading FEBRUARY is here, February fill-dyke; the month of purification, of cleansing rains and pulsing bounding streams, and white mist clinging insistent to field and hedgerow so that when her veil is withdrawn greenness may make us glad.

man

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

From this reading I watched one yesterday, its useless sails half-furled and no sign of life save the man at the helm.

may

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

From this reading FEBRUARY is here, February fill-dyke; the month of purification, of cleansing rains and pulsing bounding streams, and white mist clinging insistent to field and hedgerow so that when her veil is withdrawn greenness may make us glad.

mist

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

From this reading FEBRUARY is here, February fill-dyke; the month of purification, of cleansing rains and pulsing bounding streams, and white mist clinging insistent to field and hedgerow so that when her veil is withdrawn greenness may make us glad.

month

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

From this reading FEBRUARY is here, February fill-dyke; the month of purification, of cleansing rains and pulsing bounding streams, and white mist clinging insistent to field and hedgerow so that when her veil is withdrawn greenness may make us glad.

my

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

From this reading Once again I lay on my back in the bottom of the tarry old fishing smack, blue sky above and no sound but the knock, knock of the waves, and the thud and curl of falling foam as the old boat’s blunt nose breasted the coming sea.

no

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

From this reading The river has been uniformly grey of late, with no wind to ruffle its surface or to speed the barges dropping slowly and sullenly down with the tide through a blurring haze.

nose

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

From this reading Once again I lay on my back in the bottom of the tarry old fishing smack, blue sky above and no sound but the knock, knock of the waves, and the thud and curl of falling foam as the old boat’s blunt nose breasted the coming sea.

of

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

From this reading FEBRUARY is here, February fill-dyke; the month of purification, of cleansing rains and pulsing bounding streams, and white mist clinging insistent to field and hedgerow so that when her veil is withdrawn greenness may make us glad.

old

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

From this reading Once again I lay on my back in the bottom of the tarry old fishing smack, blue sky above and no sound but the knock, knock of the waves, and the thud and curl of falling foam as the old boat’s blunt nose breasted the coming sea.

on

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

From this reading Once again I lay on my back in the bottom of the tarry old fishing smack, blue sky above and no sound but the knock, knock of the waves, and the thud and curl of falling foam as the old boat’s blunt nose breasted the coming sea.

Once

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

From this reading Once again I lay on my back in the bottom of the tarry old fishing smack, blue sky above and no sound but the knock, knock of the waves, and the thud and curl of falling foam as the old boat’s blunt nose breasted the coming sea.

one

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

From this reading I watched one yesterday, its useless sails half-furled and no sign of life save the man at the helm.

or

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

From this reading The river has been uniformly grey of late, with no wind to ruffle its surface or to speed the barges dropping slowly and sullenly down with the tide through a blurring haze.

past

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

From this reading It drifted stealthily past, and a little behind, flying low, came a solitary seagull, grey as the river’s haze—a following bird.

pulsing

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

From this reading FEBRUARY is here, February fill-dyke; the month of purification, of cleansing rains and pulsing bounding streams, and white mist clinging insistent to field and hedgerow so that when her veil is withdrawn greenness may make us glad.

purification

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

From this reading FEBRUARY is here, February fill-dyke; the month of purification, of cleansing rains and pulsing bounding streams, and white mist clinging insistent to field and hedgerow so that when her veil is withdrawn greenness may make us glad.

rains

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

From this reading FEBRUARY is here, February fill-dyke; the month of purification, of cleansing rains and pulsing bounding streams, and white mist clinging insistent to field and hedgerow so that when her veil is withdrawn greenness may make us glad.

river

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

From this reading The river has been uniformly grey of late, with no wind to ruffle its surface or to speed the barges dropping slowly and sullenly down with the tide through a blurring haze.

river's

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

From this reading It drifted stealthily past, and a little behind, flying low, came a solitary seagull, grey as the river’s haze—a following bird.

ruffle

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

From this reading The river has been uniformly grey of late, with no wind to ruffle its surface or to speed the barges dropping slowly and sullenly down with the tide through a blurring haze.

sails

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

From this reading I watched one yesterday, its useless sails half-furled and no sign of life save the man at the helm.

save

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

From this reading I watched one yesterday, its useless sails half-furled and no sign of life save the man at the helm.

sea

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

From this reading Once again I lay on my back in the bottom of the tarry old fishing smack, blue sky above and no sound but the knock, knock of the waves, and the thud and curl of falling foam as the old boat’s blunt nose breasted the coming sea.

seagull

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

From this reading It drifted stealthily past, and a little behind, flying low, came a solitary seagull, grey as the river’s haze—a following bird.

sign

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

From this reading I watched one yesterday, its useless sails half-furled and no sign of life save the man at the helm.

sky

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

From this reading Once again I lay on my back in the bottom of the tarry old fishing smack, blue sky above and no sound but the knock, knock of the waves, and the thud and curl of falling foam as the old boat’s blunt nose breasted the coming sea.

slowly

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

From this reading The river has been uniformly grey of late, with no wind to ruffle its surface or to speed the barges dropping slowly and sullenly down with the tide through a blurring haze.

smack

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

From this reading Once again I lay on my back in the bottom of the tarry old fishing smack, blue sky above and no sound but the knock, knock of the waves, and the thud and curl of falling foam as the old boat’s blunt nose breasted the coming sea.

so

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

From this reading FEBRUARY is here, February fill-dyke; the month of purification, of cleansing rains and pulsing bounding streams, and white mist clinging insistent to field and hedgerow so that when her veil is withdrawn greenness may make us glad.

solitary

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

From this reading It drifted stealthily past, and a little behind, flying low, came a solitary seagull, grey as the river’s haze—a following bird.

sound

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

From this reading Once again I lay on my back in the bottom of the tarry old fishing smack, blue sky above and no sound but the knock, knock of the waves, and the thud and curl of falling foam as the old boat’s blunt nose breasted the coming sea.

speed

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

From this reading The river has been uniformly grey of late, with no wind to ruffle its surface or to speed the barges dropping slowly and sullenly down with the tide through a blurring haze.

stealthily

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

From this reading It drifted stealthily past, and a little behind, flying low, came a solitary seagull, grey as the river’s haze—a following bird.

streams

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

From this reading FEBRUARY is here, February fill-dyke; the month of purification, of cleansing rains and pulsing bounding streams, and white mist clinging insistent to field and hedgerow so that when her veil is withdrawn greenness may make us glad.

sullenly

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

From this reading The river has been uniformly grey of late, with no wind to ruffle its surface or to speed the barges dropping slowly and sullenly down with the tide through a blurring haze.

surface

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

From this reading The river has been uniformly grey of late, with no wind to ruffle its surface or to speed the barges dropping slowly and sullenly down with the tide through a blurring haze.

tarry

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

From this reading Once again I lay on my back in the bottom of the tarry old fishing smack, blue sky above and no sound but the knock, knock of the waves, and the thud and curl of falling foam as the old boat’s blunt nose breasted the coming sea.

that

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

From this reading FEBRUARY is here, February fill-dyke; the month of purification, of cleansing rains and pulsing bounding streams, and white mist clinging insistent to field and hedgerow so that when her veil is withdrawn greenness may make us glad.

the

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

From this reading FEBRUARY is here, February fill-dyke; the month of purification, of cleansing rains and pulsing bounding streams, and white mist clinging insistent to field and hedgerow so that when her veil is withdrawn greenness may make us glad.

through

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

From this reading The river has been uniformly grey of late, with no wind to ruffle its surface or to speed the barges dropping slowly and sullenly down with the tide through a blurring haze.

thud

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

From this reading Once again I lay on my back in the bottom of the tarry old fishing smack, blue sky above and no sound but the knock, knock of the waves, and the thud and curl of falling foam as the old boat’s blunt nose breasted the coming sea.

tide

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

From this reading The river has been uniformly grey of late, with no wind to ruffle its surface or to speed the barges dropping slowly and sullenly down with the tide through a blurring haze.

to

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

From this reading FEBRUARY is here, February fill-dyke; the month of purification, of cleansing rains and pulsing bounding streams, and white mist clinging insistent to field and hedgerow so that when her veil is withdrawn greenness may make us glad.

uniformly

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

From this reading The river has been uniformly grey of late, with no wind to ruffle its surface or to speed the barges dropping slowly and sullenly down with the tide through a blurring haze.

us

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

From this reading FEBRUARY is here, February fill-dyke; the month of purification, of cleansing rains and pulsing bounding streams, and white mist clinging insistent to field and hedgerow so that when her veil is withdrawn greenness may make us glad.

useless

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

From this reading I watched one yesterday, its useless sails half-furled and no sign of life save the man at the helm.

veil

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

From this reading FEBRUARY is here, February fill-dyke; the month of purification, of cleansing rains and pulsing bounding streams, and white mist clinging insistent to field and hedgerow so that when her veil is withdrawn greenness may make us glad.

watched

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

From this reading I watched one yesterday, its useless sails half-furled and no sign of life save the man at the helm.

waves

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

From this reading Once again I lay on my back in the bottom of the tarry old fishing smack, blue sky above and no sound but the knock, knock of the waves, and the thud and curl of falling foam as the old boat’s blunt nose breasted the coming sea.

when

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

From this reading FEBRUARY is here, February fill-dyke; the month of purification, of cleansing rains and pulsing bounding streams, and white mist clinging insistent to field and hedgerow so that when her veil is withdrawn greenness may make us glad.

white

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

From this reading FEBRUARY is here, February fill-dyke; the month of purification, of cleansing rains and pulsing bounding streams, and white mist clinging insistent to field and hedgerow so that when her veil is withdrawn greenness may make us glad.

wind

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

From this reading The river has been uniformly grey of late, with no wind to ruffle its surface or to speed the barges dropping slowly and sullenly down with the tide through a blurring haze.

with

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

From this reading The river has been uniformly grey of late, with no wind to ruffle its surface or to speed the barges dropping slowly and sullenly down with the tide through a blurring haze.

withdrawn

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

From this reading FEBRUARY is here, February fill-dyke; the month of purification, of cleansing rains and pulsing bounding streams, and white mist clinging insistent to field and hedgerow so that when her veil is withdrawn greenness may make us glad.

yesterday

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

From this reading I watched one yesterday, its useless sails half-furled and no sign of life save the man at the helm.

Chapter 8 of The Roadmender by Michael Fairless holds 70 sentences, grouped into 14 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 Roadmender contain?

Chapter 8 holds 70 sentences of The Roadmender, unabridged, divided into 14 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 8 of The Roadmender by Michael Fairless exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 70 sentences, grouped into 14 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 Roadmender?

Work through the 14 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 14 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 Roadmender

Common questions about reading The Roadmender by Michael Fairless on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Roadmender?

Yes. All 859 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #705 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Roadmender is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #705, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Roadmender take to read?

About 71 minutes of reading across 172 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Roadmender section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 16 chapters of The Roadmender 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 Roadmender

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

Attained
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Roadmender; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Ideal
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Roadmender; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Roadmender
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Roadmender; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Stonebreaker
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Roadmender; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.