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The Scarlet Pimpernel
The Scarlet Pimpernel

Chapter XXIII · Chapter 23

Chapter 23 of The Scarlet Pimpernel is here in full — 148 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Scarlet Pimpernel
Context Illustration Reading 1/29 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
HOPE Faith, Madame!” said Sir Andrew, seeing that Marguerite seemed desirous to call her surly host back again, I think we’d better leave him alone.
We shall not get anything more out of him, and we might arouse his suspicions.
One never knows what spies may be lurking around these God-forsaken places.”
What care I?” she replied lightly, now I know that my husband is safe, and that I shall see him almost directly!”
Hush!” he said in genuine alarm, for she had talked quite loudly, in the fulness of her glee, the very walls have ears in France, these days.”
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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 Scarlet Pimpernel

Chapter XXIII · Chapter 23

Chapter 23 of The Scarlet Pimpernel is here in full — 148 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/29 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
HOPEFaith, Madame!” said Sir Andrew, seeing that Marguerite seemed desirous to call her surly host back again, “I think we’d better leave him alone.
Line 2
We shall not get anything more out of him, and we might arouse his suspicions.
Line 3
One never knows what spies may be lurking around these God-forsaken places.”
Line 4
What care I?” she replied lightly, “now I know that my husband is safe, and that I shall see him almost directly!”
Line 5
Hush!” he said in genuine alarm, for she had talked quite loudly, in the fulness of her glee, “the very walls have ears in France, these days.”

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.

Alone adjective US /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading “HOPE “Faith, Madame!” said Sir Andrew, seeing that Marguerite seemed desirous to call her surly host back again, “I think we’d better leave him alone.”

All words in this reading · 82

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.

again

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

From this reading HOPE “Faith, Madame!” said Sir Andrew, seeing that Marguerite seemed desirous to call her surly host back again, “I think we’d better leave him alone.

alarm

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

From this reading “Hush!” he said in genuine alarm, for she had talked quite loudly, in the fulness of her glee, “the very walls have ears in France, these days.”

almost

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

From this reading “What care I?” she replied lightly, “now I know that my husband is safe, and that I shall see him almost directly!”

aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading HOPE “Faith, Madame!” said Sir Andrew, seeing that Marguerite seemed desirous to call her surly host back again, “I think we’d better leave him alone.

and

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

From this reading We shall not get anything more out of him, and we might arouse his suspicions.

Andrew

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

From this reading HOPE “Faith, Madame!” said Sir Andrew, seeing that Marguerite seemed desirous to call her surly host back again, “I think we’d better leave him alone.

anything

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

From this reading We shall not get anything more out of him, and we might arouse his suspicions.

around

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

From this reading One never knows what spies may be lurking around these God-forsaken places.”

arouse

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

From this reading We shall not get anything more out of him, and we might arouse his suspicions.

back

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

From this reading HOPE “Faith, Madame!” said Sir Andrew, seeing that Marguerite seemed desirous to call her surly host back again, “I think we’d better leave him alone.

be

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

From this reading One never knows what spies may be lurking around these God-forsaken places.”

better

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

From this reading HOPE “Faith, Madame!” said Sir Andrew, seeing that Marguerite seemed desirous to call her surly host back again, “I think we’d better leave him alone.

call

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

From this reading HOPE “Faith, Madame!” said Sir Andrew, seeing that Marguerite seemed desirous to call her surly host back again, “I think we’d better leave him alone.

care

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

From this reading “What care I?” she replied lightly, “now I know that my husband is safe, and that I shall see him almost directly!”

days

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

From this reading “Hush!” he said in genuine alarm, for she had talked quite loudly, in the fulness of her glee, “the very walls have ears in France, these days.”

desirous

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

From this reading HOPE “Faith, Madame!” said Sir Andrew, seeing that Marguerite seemed desirous to call her surly host back again, “I think we’d better leave him alone.

directly

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

From this reading “What care I?” she replied lightly, “now I know that my husband is safe, and that I shall see him almost directly!”

ears

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

From this reading “Hush!” he said in genuine alarm, for she had talked quite loudly, in the fulness of her glee, “the very walls have ears in France, these days.”

Faith

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

From this reading HOPE “Faith, Madame!” said Sir Andrew, seeing that Marguerite seemed desirous to call her surly host back again, “I think we’d better leave him alone.

for

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

From this reading “Hush!” he said in genuine alarm, for she had talked quite loudly, in the fulness of her glee, “the very walls have ears in France, these days.”

France

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

From this reading “Hush!” he said in genuine alarm, for she had talked quite loudly, in the fulness of her glee, “the very walls have ears in France, these days.”

fulness

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

From this reading “Hush!” he said in genuine alarm, for she had talked quite loudly, in the fulness of her glee, “the very walls have ears in France, these days.”

genuine

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

From this reading “Hush!” he said in genuine alarm, for she had talked quite loudly, in the fulness of her glee, “the very walls have ears in France, these days.”

get

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

From this reading We shall not get anything more out of him, and we might arouse his suspicions.

glee

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

From this reading “Hush!” he said in genuine alarm, for she had talked quite loudly, in the fulness of her glee, “the very walls have ears in France, these days.”

God-forsaken

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

From this reading One never knows what spies may be lurking around these God-forsaken places.”

had

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

From this reading “Hush!” he said in genuine alarm, for she had talked quite loudly, in the fulness of her glee, “the very walls have ears in France, these days.”

have

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

From this reading “Hush!” he said in genuine alarm, for she had talked quite loudly, in the fulness of her glee, “the very walls have ears in France, these days.”

he

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

From this reading “Hush!” he said in genuine alarm, for she had talked quite loudly, in the fulness of her glee, “the very walls have ears in France, these days.”

her

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

From this reading HOPE “Faith, Madame!” said Sir Andrew, seeing that Marguerite seemed desirous to call her surly host back again, “I think we’d better leave him alone.

him

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

From this reading HOPE “Faith, Madame!” said Sir Andrew, seeing that Marguerite seemed desirous to call her surly host back again, “I think we’d better leave him alone.

his

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

From this reading We shall not get anything more out of him, and we might arouse his suspicions.

HOPE

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

From this reading HOPE “Faith, Madame!” said Sir Andrew, seeing that Marguerite seemed desirous to call her surly host back again, “I think we’d better leave him alone.

host

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

From this reading HOPE “Faith, Madame!” said Sir Andrew, seeing that Marguerite seemed desirous to call her surly host back again, “I think we’d better leave him alone.

husband

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

From this reading “What care I?” she replied lightly, “now I know that my husband is safe, and that I shall see him almost directly!”

Hush

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

From this reading “Hush!” he said in genuine alarm, for she had talked quite loudly, in the fulness of her glee, “the very walls have ears in France, these days.”

I

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

From this reading HOPE “Faith, Madame!” said Sir Andrew, seeing that Marguerite seemed desirous to call her surly host back again, “I think we’d better leave him alone.

in

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

From this reading “Hush!” he said in genuine alarm, for she had talked quite loudly, in the fulness of her glee, “the very walls have ears in France, these days.”

is

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

From this reading “What care I?” she replied lightly, “now I know that my husband is safe, and that I shall see him almost directly!”

know

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

From this reading “What care I?” she replied lightly, “now I know that my husband is safe, and that I shall see him almost directly!”

knows

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

From this reading One never knows what spies may be lurking around these God-forsaken places.”

leave

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

From this reading HOPE “Faith, Madame!” said Sir Andrew, seeing that Marguerite seemed desirous to call her surly host back again, “I think we’d better leave him alone.

lightly

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

From this reading “What care I?” she replied lightly, “now I know that my husband is safe, and that I shall see him almost directly!”

loudly

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

From this reading “Hush!” he said in genuine alarm, for she had talked quite loudly, in the fulness of her glee, “the very walls have ears in France, these days.”

lurking

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

From this reading One never knows what spies may be lurking around these God-forsaken places.”

Madame

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

From this reading HOPE “Faith, Madame!” said Sir Andrew, seeing that Marguerite seemed desirous to call her surly host back again, “I think we’d better leave him alone.

Marguerite

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

From this reading HOPE “Faith, Madame!” said Sir Andrew, seeing that Marguerite seemed desirous to call her surly host back again, “I think we’d better leave him alone.

may

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

From this reading One never knows what spies may be lurking around these God-forsaken places.”

might

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

From this reading We shall not get anything more out of him, and we might arouse his suspicions.

more

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

From this reading We shall not get anything more out of him, and we might arouse his suspicions.

my

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

From this reading “What care I?” she replied lightly, “now I know that my husband is safe, and that I shall see him almost directly!”

never

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

From this reading One never knows what spies may be lurking around these God-forsaken places.”

not

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

From this reading We shall not get anything more out of him, and we might arouse his suspicions.

now

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

From this reading “What care I?” she replied lightly, “now I know that my husband is safe, and that I shall see him almost directly!”

of

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

From this reading We shall not get anything more out of him, and we might arouse his suspicions.

One

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

From this reading One never knows what spies may be lurking around these God-forsaken places.”

out

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

From this reading We shall not get anything more out of him, and we might arouse his suspicions.

places

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

From this reading One never knows what spies may be lurking around these God-forsaken places.”

quite

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

From this reading “Hush!” he said in genuine alarm, for she had talked quite loudly, in the fulness of her glee, “the very walls have ears in France, these days.”

replied

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

From this reading “What care I?” she replied lightly, “now I know that my husband is safe, and that I shall see him almost directly!”

safe

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

From this reading “What care I?” she replied lightly, “now I know that my husband is safe, and that I shall see him almost directly!”

said

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

From this reading HOPE “Faith, Madame!” said Sir Andrew, seeing that Marguerite seemed desirous to call her surly host back again, “I think we’d better leave him alone.

see

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

From this reading “What care I?” she replied lightly, “now I know that my husband is safe, and that I shall see him almost directly!”

seeing

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

From this reading HOPE “Faith, Madame!” said Sir Andrew, seeing that Marguerite seemed desirous to call her surly host back again, “I think we’d better leave him alone.

seemed

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

From this reading HOPE “Faith, Madame!” said Sir Andrew, seeing that Marguerite seemed desirous to call her surly host back again, “I think we’d better leave him alone.

shall

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

From this reading We shall not get anything more out of him, and we might arouse his suspicions.

she

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

From this reading “What care I?” she replied lightly, “now I know that my husband is safe, and that I shall see him almost directly!”

Sir

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

From this reading HOPE “Faith, Madame!” said Sir Andrew, seeing that Marguerite seemed desirous to call her surly host back again, “I think we’d better leave him alone.

spies

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

From this reading One never knows what spies may be lurking around these God-forsaken places.”

surly

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

From this reading HOPE “Faith, Madame!” said Sir Andrew, seeing that Marguerite seemed desirous to call her surly host back again, “I think we’d better leave him alone.

suspicions

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

From this reading We shall not get anything more out of him, and we might arouse his suspicions.

talked

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

From this reading “Hush!” he said in genuine alarm, for she had talked quite loudly, in the fulness of her glee, “the very walls have ears in France, these days.”

that

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

From this reading HOPE “Faith, Madame!” said Sir Andrew, seeing that Marguerite seemed desirous to call her surly host back again, “I think we’d better leave him alone.

the

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

From this reading “Hush!” he said in genuine alarm, for she had talked quite loudly, in the fulness of her glee, “the very walls have ears in France, these days.”

these

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

From this reading One never knows what spies may be lurking around these God-forsaken places.”

think

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

From this reading HOPE “Faith, Madame!” said Sir Andrew, seeing that Marguerite seemed desirous to call her surly host back again, “I think we’d better leave him alone.

to

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

From this reading HOPE “Faith, Madame!” said Sir Andrew, seeing that Marguerite seemed desirous to call her surly host back again, “I think we’d better leave him alone.

very

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

From this reading “Hush!” he said in genuine alarm, for she had talked quite loudly, in the fulness of her glee, “the very walls have ears in France, these days.”

walls

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

From this reading “Hush!” he said in genuine alarm, for she had talked quite loudly, in the fulness of her glee, “the very walls have ears in France, these days.”

We

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

From this reading We shall not get anything more out of him, and we might arouse his suspicions.

we'd

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

From this reading HOPE “Faith, Madame!” said Sir Andrew, seeing that Marguerite seemed desirous to call her surly host back again, “I think we’d better leave him alone.

what

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

From this reading One never knows what spies may be lurking around these God-forsaken places.”

Chapter 23 of The Scarlet Pimpernel by Emmuska Orczy, Baroness Orczy holds 148 sentences, grouped into 30 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 23 of The Scarlet Pimpernel contain?

Chapter 23 holds 148 sentences of The Scarlet Pimpernel, unabridged, divided into 30 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 23 of The Scarlet Pimpernel by Emmuska Orczy, Baroness Orczy exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 148 sentences, grouped into 30 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 23 of The Scarlet Pimpernel?

Work through the 30 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 30 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 23 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 23 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 Scarlet Pimpernel

Common questions about reading The Scarlet Pimpernel by Emmuska Orczy, Baroness Orczy on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Scarlet Pimpernel?

Yes. All 5087 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #60 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Scarlet Pimpernel is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #60, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Scarlet Pimpernel take to read?

About 423 minutes of reading across 1018 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Scarlet Pimpernel section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 31 chapters of The Scarlet Pimpernel 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 Scarlet Pimpernel

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

Surging
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Scarlet Pimpernel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Seething
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Scarlet Pimpernel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Murmuring
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Scarlet Pimpernel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Crowd
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Scarlet Pimpernel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.