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The Room in the Dragon Volant
The Room in the Dragon Volant

Chapter XXII · Chapter 22

Chapter 22 of The Room in the Dragon Volant is here in full — 92 sentences across 19 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Room in the Dragon Volant
Context Illustration Reading 1/18 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
RAPTURE Down the screw-stair I went in utter darkness; and having reached the stone floor I discerned the door and groped out the key-hole.
With more caution, and less noise than upon the night before, I opened the door and stepped out into the thick brushwood.
It was almost as dark in this jungle.
Having secured the door I slowly pushed my way through the bushes, which soon became less dense.
Then, with more case, but still under thick cover, I pursued in the track of the wood, keeping near its edge.
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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 Room in the Dragon Volant

Chapter XXII · Chapter 22

Chapter 22 of The Room in the Dragon Volant is here in full — 92 sentences across 19 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/18 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
RAPTURE Down the screw-stair I went in utter darkness; and having reached the stone floor I discerned the door and groped out the key-hole.
Line 2
With more caution, and less noise than upon the night before, I opened the door and stepped out into the thick brushwood.
Line 3
It was almost as dark in this jungle.
/ɪt wɑːz ˈɔːlmoʊst æz dɑːrk ɪn ðɪs ˈdʒʌŋɡəl/
Line 4
Having secured the door I slowly pushed my way through the bushes, which soon became less dense.
/ˈhævɪŋ sɪˈkjʊrd ðə dɔːr aɪ ˈsloʊli pʊʃt maɪ weɪ θruː ðə ˈbʊʃəz wɪtʃ suːn bɪˈkeɪm les dens/
Line 5
Then, with more case, but still under thick cover, I pursued in the track of the wood, keeping near its edge.
/ðen wɪð mɔːr keɪs bʌt stɪl ˈʌndər θɪk ˈkʌvər aɪ pərˈsuːd ɪn ðə træk ʌv ðə wʊd ˈkiːpɪŋ nɪr ɪts edʒ/

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.

bushes noun US /ˈbʊʃəz/

plural of “bush” — a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems

From this reading “Having secured the door I slowly pushed my way through the bushes, which soon became less dense.”

caution noun US /ˈkɑːʃən/

the trait of being cautious; being attentive to possible danger

From this reading “With more caution, and less noise than upon the night before, I opened the door and stepped out into the thick brushwood.”

dense adjective US /dens/

permitting little if any light to pass through because of denseness of matter

From this reading “Having secured the door I slowly pushed my way through the bushes, which soon became less dense.”

discerned verb US /dɪˈsɜːrnd/

past form of “discern” — detect with the senses

From this reading “RAPTURE Down the screw-stair I went in utter darkness; and having reached the stone floor I discerned the door and groped out the key-hole.”

groped verb US /ɡroʊpt/

past form of “grope” — feel about uncertainly or blindly

From this reading “RAPTURE Down the screw-stair I went in utter darkness; and having reached the stone floor I discerned the door and groped out the key-hole.”

jungle noun US /ˈdʒʌŋɡəl/

a location marked by an intense competition and struggle for survival

From this reading “It was almost as dark in this jungle.”

rapture noun US /ˈræptʃər/

a state of being carried away by overwhelming emotion

From this reading “RAPTURE Down the screw-stair I went in utter darkness; and having reached the stone floor I discerned the door and groped out the key-hole.”

secured verb US /sɪˈkjʊrd/

past form of “secure” — get by special effort

From this reading “Having secured the door I slowly pushed my way through the bushes, which soon became less dense.”

All words in this reading · 65

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.

almostadverbUS /ˈɔːlmoʊst/

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

From this reading It was almost as dark in this jungle.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading RAPTURE Down the screw-stair I went in utter darkness; and having reached the stone floor I discerned the door and groped out the key-hole.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading It was almost as dark in this jungle.

becameverbUS /bɪˈkeɪm/

inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading Having secured the door I slowly pushed my way through the bushes, which soon became less dense.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading With more caution, and less noise than upon the night before, I opened the door and stepped out into the thick brushwood.

brushwoodnoun

the wood from bushes or small branches

From this reading With more caution, and less noise than upon the night before, I opened the door and stepped out into the thick brushwood.

bushesnounUS /ˈbʊʃəz/

plural of “bush” — a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems

From this reading Having secured the door I slowly pushed my way through the bushes, which soon became less dense.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Then, with more case, but still under thick cover, I pursued in the track of the wood, keeping near its edge.

casenounUS /keɪs/

an occurrence of something

From this reading Then, with more case, but still under thick cover, I pursued in the track of the wood, keeping near its edge.

cautionnounUS /ˈkɑːʃən/

the trait of being cautious; being attentive to possible danger

From this reading With more caution, and less noise than upon the night before, I opened the door and stepped out into the thick brushwood.

coververbUS /ˈkʌvər/

provide with a covering or cause to be covered

From this reading Then, with more case, but still under thick cover, I pursued in the track of the wood, keeping near its edge.

darknounUS /dɑːrk/

absence of light or illumination

From this reading It was almost as dark in this jungle.

darknessnounUS /ˈdɑːrknəs/

absence of light or illumination

From this reading RAPTURE Down the screw-stair I went in utter darkness; and having reached the stone floor I discerned the door and groped out the key-hole.

denseadjectiveUS /dens/

permitting little if any light to pass through because of denseness of matter

From this reading Having secured the door I slowly pushed my way through the bushes, which soon became less dense.

discernedverbUS /dɪˈsɜːrnd/

past form of “discern” — detect with the senses

From this reading RAPTURE Down the screw-stair I went in utter darkness; and having reached the stone floor I discerned the door and groped out the key-hole.

doornounUS /dɔːr/

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading RAPTURE Down the screw-stair I went in utter darkness; and having reached the stone floor I discerned the door and groped out the key-hole.

DownadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading RAPTURE Down the screw-stair I went in utter darkness; and having reached the stone floor I discerned the door and groped out the key-hole.

edgenounUS /edʒ/

the boundary of a surface

From this reading Then, with more case, but still under thick cover, I pursued in the track of the wood, keeping near its edge.

floornounUS /flɔːr/

the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)

From this reading RAPTURE Down the screw-stair I went in utter darkness; and having reached the stone floor I discerned the door and groped out the key-hole.

gropedverbUS /ɡroʊpt/

past form of “grope” — feel about uncertainly or blindly

From this reading RAPTURE Down the screw-stair I went in utter darkness; and having reached the stone floor I discerned the door and groped out the key-hole.

havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading RAPTURE Down the screw-stair I went in utter darkness; and having reached the stone floor I discerned the door and groped out the key-hole.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading RAPTURE Down the screw-stair I went in utter darkness; and having reached the stone floor I discerned the door and groped out the key-hole.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading RAPTURE Down the screw-stair I went in utter darkness; and having reached the stone floor I discerned the door and groped out the key-hole.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading With more caution, and less noise than upon the night before, I opened the door and stepped out into the thick brushwood.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was almost as dark in this jungle.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Then, with more case, but still under thick cover, I pursued in the track of the wood, keeping near its edge.

junglenounUS /ˈdʒʌŋɡəl/

a location marked by an intense competition and struggle for survival

From this reading It was almost as dark in this jungle.

keepingnounUS /ˈkiːpɪŋ/

conformity or harmony

From this reading Then, with more case, but still under thick cover, I pursued in the track of the wood, keeping near its edge.

key-hole

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

From this reading RAPTURE Down the screw-stair I went in utter darkness; and having reached the stone floor I discerned the door and groped out the key-hole.

lessadverbUS /les/

used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs

From this reading With more caution, and less noise than upon the night before, I opened the door and stepped out into the thick brushwood.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading With more caution, and less noise than upon the night before, I opened the door and stepped out into the thick brushwood.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Having secured the door I slowly pushed my way through the bushes, which soon became less dense.

nearadverbUS /nɪr/

near in time or place or relationship

From this reading Then, with more case, but still under thick cover, I pursued in the track of the wood, keeping near its edge.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

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

From this reading With more caution, and less noise than upon the night before, I opened the door and stepped out into the thick brushwood.

noisenounUS /nɔɪz/

sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)

From this reading With more caution, and less noise than upon the night before, I opened the door and stepped out into the thick brushwood.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Then, with more case, but still under thick cover, I pursued in the track of the wood, keeping near its edge.

openedadjectiveUS /ˈoʊpənd/

used of mouth or eyes

From this reading With more caution, and less noise than upon the night before, I opened the door and stepped out into the thick brushwood.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading RAPTURE Down the screw-stair I went in utter darkness; and having reached the stone floor I discerned the door and groped out the key-hole.

pursuednounUS /pərˈsuːd/

a person who is being chased

From this reading Then, with more case, but still under thick cover, I pursued in the track of the wood, keeping near its edge.

pushedverbUS /pʊʃt/

past form of “push” — move with force

From this reading Having secured the door I slowly pushed my way through the bushes, which soon became less dense.

RAPTUREnounUS /ˈræptʃər/

a state of being carried away by overwhelming emotion

From this reading RAPTURE Down the screw-stair I went in utter darkness; and having reached the stone floor I discerned the door and groped out the key-hole.

reachedverbUS /riːtʃt/

past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract

From this reading RAPTURE Down the screw-stair I went in utter darkness; and having reached the stone floor I discerned the door and groped out the key-hole.

screw-stair

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

From this reading RAPTURE Down the screw-stair I went in utter darkness; and having reached the stone floor I discerned the door and groped out the key-hole.

securedverbUS /sɪˈkjʊrd/

past form of “secure” — get by special effort

From this reading Having secured the door I slowly pushed my way through the bushes, which soon became less dense.

slowlyadverbUS /ˈsloʊli/

without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)

From this reading Having secured the door I slowly pushed my way through the bushes, which soon became less dense.

soonadverbUS /suːn/

in the near future

From this reading Having secured the door I slowly pushed my way through the bushes, which soon became less dense.

steppedverbUS /stept/

inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step

From this reading With more caution, and less noise than upon the night before, I opened the door and stepped out into the thick brushwood.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading Then, with more case, but still under thick cover, I pursued in the track of the wood, keeping near its edge.

stonenounUS /stoʊn/

a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter

From this reading RAPTURE Down the screw-stair I went in utter darkness; and having reached the stone floor I discerned the door and groped out the key-hole.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading With more caution, and less noise than upon the night before, I opened the door and stepped out into the thick brushwood.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading RAPTURE Down the screw-stair I went in utter darkness; and having reached the stone floor I discerned the door and groped out the key-hole.

ThenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Then, with more case, but still under thick cover, I pursued in the track of the wood, keeping near its edge.

thickadjectiveUS /θɪk/

not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions

From this reading With more caution, and less noise than upon the night before, I opened the door and stepped out into the thick brushwood.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading It was almost as dark in this jungle.

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading Having secured the door I slowly pushed my way through the bushes, which soon became less dense.

tracknounUS /træk/

a line or route along which something travels or moves

From this reading Then, with more case, but still under thick cover, I pursued in the track of the wood, keeping near its edge.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading Then, with more case, but still under thick cover, I pursued in the track of the wood, keeping near its edge.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading With more caution, and less noise than upon the night before, I opened the door and stepped out into the thick brushwood.

utterverbUS /ˈʌtər/

articulate; either verbally or with a cry, shout, or noise

From this reading RAPTURE Down the screw-stair I went in utter darkness; and having reached the stone floor I discerned the door and groped out the key-hole.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was almost as dark in this jungle.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading Having secured the door I slowly pushed my way through the bushes, which soon became less dense.

wentverbUS /went/

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

From this reading RAPTURE Down the screw-stair I went in utter darkness; and having reached the stone floor I discerned the door and groped out the key-hole.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading Having secured the door I slowly pushed my way through the bushes, which soon became less dense.

WithprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading With more caution, and less noise than upon the night before, I opened the door and stepped out into the thick brushwood.

woodnounUS /wʊd/

the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees

From this reading Then, with more case, but still under thick cover, I pursued in the track of the wood, keeping near its edge.

Chapter 22 of The Room in the Dragon Volant by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu holds 92 sentences, grouped into 19 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, 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 22 of The Room in the Dragon Volant contain?

Chapter 22 holds 92 sentences of The Room in the Dragon Volant, unabridged, divided into 19 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 22 of The Room in the Dragon Volant by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 92 sentences, grouped into 19 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 22 of The Room in the Dragon Volant?

Work through the 19 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 19 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 22 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 22 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 Room in the Dragon Volant

Common questions about reading The Room in the Dragon Volant by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Room in the Dragon Volant?

Yes. All 2578 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #9502 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Room in the Dragon Volant is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #9502, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Room in the Dragon Volant take to read?

About 214 minutes of reading across 516 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Room in the Dragon Volant section by section

How to work through The Room in the Dragon Volant section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 26 chapters of The Room in the Dragon Volant 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 Room in the Dragon Volant

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Room in the Dragon Volant, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Eventful
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Room in the Dragon Volant; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Exactly
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Room in the Dragon Volant; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Three-and-twenty
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Room in the Dragon Volant; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Succeeded
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Room in the Dragon Volant; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.