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The Seats of the Mighty, Complete
The Seats of the Mighty, Complete

Chapter XVI · Chapter 16

Chapter 16 of The Seats of the Mighty, Complete is here in full — 399 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Seats of the Mighty, Complete
Context Illustration Reading 1/79 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
When first I looked in, she was standing near a tall high-backed chair, in almost the same position as on the day when Doltaire told me of Braddock's death, accused me of being a spy, and arrested me.
It gave me, too, a thrill to see her raise her handkerchief to her mouth as if to stop a cry, as she had done then, the black sleeve falling away from her perfect rounded arm, now looking almost like marble against the lace.
She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.
His disturbing words were these: "To-night I am the Governor of this country.
You once doubted my power--that was when you would save your lover from death.
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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 Seats of the Mighty, Complete

Chapter XVI · Chapter 16

Chapter 16 of The Seats of the Mighty, Complete is here in full — 399 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/79 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
When first I looked in, she was standing near a tall high-backed chair, in almost the same position as on the day when Doltaire told me of Braddock's death, accused me of being a spy, and arrested me.
Line 2
It gave me, too, a thrill to see her raise her handkerchief to her mouth as if to stop a cry, as she had done then, the black sleeve falling away from her perfect rounded arm, now looking almost like marble against the lace.
/ɪt ɡeɪv miː tuː ə θrɪl tuː siː hɜːr reɪz hɜːr ˈhæŋkərtʃɪf tuː hɜːr maʊθ æz ɪf tuː stɑːp ə kraɪ æz ʃiː hæd dʌn ðen ðə blæk sliːv ˈfɑːlɪŋ əˈweɪ frʌm hɜːr pərˈfekt ˈraʊndəd ɑːrm naʊ ˈlʊkɪŋ ˈɔːlmoʊst laɪk ˈmɑːrbəl əˈɡenst ðə leɪs/
Line 3
She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.
Line 4
His disturbing words were these: "To-night I am the Governor of this country.
Line 5
You once doubted my power--that was when you would save your lover from death.

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.

disturbing adjective US /dɪˈstɜːrbɪŋ/

causing distress or worry or anxiety

From this reading “His disturbing words were these: "To-night I am the Governor of this country.”

entreaty noun US /enˈtriːti/

earnest or urgent request

From this reading “She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.”

interpret verb US /ˌɪnˈtɜːrprət/

make sense of; assign a meaning to

From this reading “She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.”

rounded adjective US /ˈraʊndəd/

curving and somewhat round in shape rather than jagged

From this reading “It gave me, too, a thrill to see her raise her handkerchief to her mouth as if to stop a cry, as she had done then, the black sleeve falling away from her perfect rounded arm, now looking almost like marble against the lace.”

sleeve noun US /sliːv/

the part of a garment that is attached at the armhole and that provides a cloth covering for the arm

From this reading “It gave me, too, a thrill to see her raise her handkerchief to her mouth as if to stop a cry, as she had done then, the black sleeve falling away from her perfect rounded arm, now looking almost like marble against the lace.”

spy verb US /spaɪ/

catch sight of

From this reading “When first I looked in, she was standing near a tall high-backed chair, in almost the same position as on the day when Doltaire told me of Braddock's death, accused me of being a spy, and arrested me.”

thrill noun US /θrɪl/

the swift release of a store of affective force

From this reading “It gave me, too, a thrill to see her raise her handkerchief to her mouth as if to stop a cry, as she had done then, the black sleeve falling away from her perfect rounded arm, now looking almost like marble against the lace.”

trepidation noun US /ˌtrepɪˈdeɪʃən/

a feeling of alarm or dread

From this reading “She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.”

All words in this reading · 116

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 When first I looked in, she was standing near a tall high-backed chair, in almost the same position as on the day when Doltaire told me of Braddock's death, accused me of being a spy, and arrested me.

accusednounUS /əˈkjuːzd/

a defendant in a criminal proceeding

From this reading When first I looked in, she was standing near a tall high-backed chair, in almost the same position as on the day when Doltaire told me of Braddock's death, accused me of being a spy, and arrested me.

againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading It gave me, too, a thrill to see her raise her handkerchief to her mouth as if to stop a cry, as she had done then, the black sleeve falling away from her perfect rounded arm, now looking almost like marble against the lace.

almostadverbUS /ˈɔːlmoʊst/

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

From this reading When first I looked in, she was standing near a tall high-backed chair, in almost the same position as on the day when Doltaire told me of Braddock's death, accused me of being a spy, and arrested me.

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading His disturbing words were these: "To-night I am the Governor of this country.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading When first I looked in, she was standing near a tall high-backed chair, in almost the same position as on the day when Doltaire told me of Braddock's death, accused me of being a spy, and arrested me.

armnounUS /ɑːrm/

a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb

From this reading It gave me, too, a thrill to see her raise her handkerchief to her mouth as if to stop a cry, as she had done then, the black sleeve falling away from her perfect rounded arm, now looking almost like marble against the lace.

arrestedverbUS /ərˈestɪd/

past form of “arrest” — take into custody

From this reading When first I looked in, she was standing near a tall high-backed chair, in almost the same position as on the day when Doltaire told me of Braddock's death, accused me of being a spy, and arrested me.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading When first I looked in, she was standing near a tall high-backed chair, in almost the same position as on the day when Doltaire told me of Braddock's death, accused me of being a spy, and arrested me.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.

awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading It gave me, too, a thrill to see her raise her handkerchief to her mouth as if to stop a cry, as she had done then, the black sleeve falling away from her perfect rounded arm, now looking almost like marble against the lace.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading When first I looked in, she was standing near a tall high-backed chair, in almost the same position as on the day when Doltaire told me of Braddock's death, accused me of being a spy, and arrested me.

blackadjectiveUS /blæk/

being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light

From this reading It gave me, too, a thrill to see her raise her handkerchief to her mouth as if to stop a cry, as she had done then, the black sleeve falling away from her perfect rounded arm, now looking almost like marble against the lace.

Braddock's

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

From this reading When first I looked in, she was standing near a tall high-backed chair, in almost the same position as on the day when Doltaire told me of Braddock's death, accused me of being a spy, and arrested me.

chairnounUS /tʃer/

a seat for one person, with a support for the back

From this reading When first I looked in, she was standing near a tall high-backed chair, in almost the same position as on the day when Doltaire told me of Braddock's death, accused me of being a spy, and arrested me.

countrynounUS /ˈkʌntri/

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading His disturbing words were these: "To-night I am the Governor of this country.

coveredadjectiveUS /ˈkʌvərd/

overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form

From this reading She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.

cryverbUS /kraɪ/

utter a sudden loud cry

From this reading It gave me, too, a thrill to see her raise her handkerchief to her mouth as if to stop a cry, as she had done then, the black sleeve falling away from her perfect rounded arm, now looking almost like marble against the lace.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading When first I looked in, she was standing near a tall high-backed chair, in almost the same position as on the day when Doltaire told me of Braddock's death, accused me of being a spy, and arrested me.

deathnounUS /deθ/

the event of dying or departure from life

From this reading When first I looked in, she was standing near a tall high-backed chair, in almost the same position as on the day when Doltaire told me of Braddock's death, accused me of being a spy, and arrested me.

disturbingadjectiveUS /dɪˈstɜːrbɪŋ/

causing distress or worry or anxiety

From this reading His disturbing words were these: "To-night I am the Governor of this country.

Doltaire

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

From this reading When first I looked in, she was standing near a tall high-backed chair, in almost the same position as on the day when Doltaire told me of Braddock's death, accused me of being a spy, and arrested me.

doneadjectiveUS /dʌn/

having finished or arrived at completion

From this reading It gave me, too, a thrill to see her raise her handkerchief to her mouth as if to stop a cry, as she had done then, the black sleeve falling away from her perfect rounded arm, now looking almost like marble against the lace.

doubtedverbUS /ˈdaʊtɪd/

past form of “doubt” — consider unlikely or have doubts about

From this reading You once doubted my power--that was when you would save your lover from death.

entreatynounUS /enˈtriːti/

earnest or urgent request

From this reading She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.

eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.

facenounUS /feɪs/

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.

fallingadjectiveUS /ˈfɑːlɪŋ/

decreasing in amount or degree

From this reading It gave me, too, a thrill to see her raise her handkerchief to her mouth as if to stop a cry, as she had done then, the black sleeve falling away from her perfect rounded arm, now looking almost like marble against the lace.

fearverbUS /fɪr/

be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event

From this reading She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.

featuresnounUS /ˈfiːtʃərz/

plural of “feature” — a prominent attribute or aspect of something

From this reading She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading When first I looked in, she was standing near a tall high-backed chair, in almost the same position as on the day when Doltaire told me of Braddock's death, accused me of being a spy, and arrested me.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading It gave me, too, a thrill to see her raise her handkerchief to her mouth as if to stop a cry, as she had done then, the black sleeve falling away from her perfect rounded arm, now looking almost like marble against the lace.

gaveverbUS /ɡeɪv/

inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading It gave me, too, a thrill to see her raise her handkerchief to her mouth as if to stop a cry, as she had done then, the black sleeve falling away from her perfect rounded arm, now looking almost like marble against the lace.

gazingverbUS /ˈɡeɪzɪŋ/

-ing form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes

From this reading She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.

GovernornounUS /ˈɡʌvərnər/

the head of a state government

From this reading His disturbing words were these: "To-night I am the Governor of this country.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading It gave me, too, a thrill to see her raise her handkerchief to her mouth as if to stop a cry, as she had done then, the black sleeve falling away from her perfect rounded arm, now looking almost like marble against the lace.

handkerchiefnounUS /ˈhæŋkərtʃɪf/

a square piece of cloth used for wiping the eyes or nose or as a costume accessory

From this reading It gave me, too, a thrill to see her raise her handkerchief to her mouth as if to stop a cry, as she had done then, the black sleeve falling away from her perfect rounded arm, now looking almost like marble against the lace.

hardadjectiveUS /hɑːrd/

not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure

From this reading She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.

heldadjectiveUS /held/

occupied or in the control of; often used in combination

From this reading She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading It gave me, too, a thrill to see her raise her handkerchief to her mouth as if to stop a cry, as she had done then, the black sleeve falling away from her perfect rounded arm, now looking almost like marble against the lace.

high-backedadjective

having a high back

From this reading When first I looked in, she was standing near a tall high-backed chair, in almost the same position as on the day when Doltaire told me of Braddock's death, accused me of being a spy, and arrested me.

HisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading His disturbing words were these: "To-night I am the Governor of this country.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading When first I looked in, she was standing near a tall high-backed chair, in almost the same position as on the day when Doltaire told me of Braddock's death, accused me of being a spy, and arrested me.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading It gave me, too, a thrill to see her raise her handkerchief to her mouth as if to stop a cry, as she had done then, the black sleeve falling away from her perfect rounded arm, now looking almost like marble against the lace.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading When first I looked in, she was standing near a tall high-backed chair, in almost the same position as on the day when Doltaire told me of Braddock's death, accused me of being a spy, and arrested me.

indeedadverbUS /ˌɪnˈdiːd/

in truth (often tends to intensify)

From this reading She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.

indirectnessnoun

having the characteristic of lacking a true course toward a goal

From this reading She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.

interpretverbUS /ˌɪnˈtɜːrprət/

make sense of; assign a meaning to

From this reading She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It gave me, too, a thrill to see her raise her handkerchief to her mouth as if to stop a cry, as she had done then, the black sleeve falling away from her perfect rounded arm, now looking almost like marble against the lace.

laceverbUS /leɪs/

spin, wind, or twist together

From this reading It gave me, too, a thrill to see her raise her handkerchief to her mouth as if to stop a cry, as she had done then, the black sleeve falling away from her perfect rounded arm, now looking almost like marble against the lace.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading It gave me, too, a thrill to see her raise her handkerchief to her mouth as if to stop a cry, as she had done then, the black sleeve falling away from her perfect rounded arm, now looking almost like marble against the lace.

lipsnounUS /lɪps/

plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking

From this reading She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.

lookverbUS /lʊk/

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.

lookedverbUS /lʊkt/

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading When first I looked in, she was standing near a tall high-backed chair, in almost the same position as on the day when Doltaire told me of Braddock's death, accused me of being a spy, and arrested me.

lookingnounUS /ˈlʊkɪŋ/

the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually

From this reading It gave me, too, a thrill to see her raise her handkerchief to her mouth as if to stop a cry, as she had done then, the black sleeve falling away from her perfect rounded arm, now looking almost like marble against the lace.

lovernounUS /ˈlʌvər/

a person who loves someone or is loved by someone

From this reading You once doubted my power--that was when you would save your lover from death.

marblenounUS /ˈmɑːrbəl/

a hard crystalline metamorphic rock that takes a high polish; used for sculpture and as building material

From this reading It gave me, too, a thrill to see her raise her handkerchief to her mouth as if to stop a cry, as she had done then, the black sleeve falling away from her perfect rounded arm, now looking almost like marble against the lace.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading When first I looked in, she was standing near a tall high-backed chair, in almost the same position as on the day when Doltaire told me of Braddock's death, accused me of being a spy, and arrested me.

minutenounUS /ˈmɪnət/

a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour

From this reading She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

From this reading She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.

mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.

mouthnounUS /maʊθ/

the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge

From this reading It gave me, too, a thrill to see her raise her handkerchief to her mouth as if to stop a cry, as she had done then, the black sleeve falling away from her perfect rounded arm, now looking almost like marble against the lace.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading You once doubted my power--that was when you would save your lover from death.

nearadverbUS /nɪr/

near in time or place or relationship

From this reading When first I looked in, she was standing near a tall high-backed chair, in almost the same position as on the day when Doltaire told me of Braddock's death, accused me of being a spy, and arrested me.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading It gave me, too, a thrill to see her raise her handkerchief to her mouth as if to stop a cry, as she had done then, the black sleeve falling away from her perfect rounded arm, now looking almost like marble against the lace.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading When first I looked in, she was standing near a tall high-backed chair, in almost the same position as on the day when Doltaire told me of Braddock's death, accused me of being a spy, and arrested me.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading When first I looked in, she was standing near a tall high-backed chair, in almost the same position as on the day when Doltaire told me of Braddock's death, accused me of being a spy, and arrested me.

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading You once doubted my power--that was when you would save your lover from death.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.

perfectadjectiveUS /pərˈfekt/

being complete of its kind and without defect or blemish

From this reading It gave me, too, a thrill to see her raise her handkerchief to her mouth as if to stop a cry, as she had done then, the black sleeve falling away from her perfect rounded arm, now looking almost like marble against the lace.

positionnounUS /pəˈzɪʃən/

the particular portion of space occupied by something

From this reading When first I looked in, she was standing near a tall high-backed chair, in almost the same position as on the day when Doltaire told me of Braddock's death, accused me of being a spy, and arrested me.

powernounUS /ˈpaʊər/

possession of controlling influence

From this reading You once doubted my power--that was when you would save your lover from death.

quiteadverbUS /kwaɪt/

to a degree (not used with a negative)

From this reading She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.

raiseverbUS /reɪz/

raise the level or amount of something

From this reading It gave me, too, a thrill to see her raise her handkerchief to her mouth as if to stop a cry, as she had done then, the black sleeve falling away from her perfect rounded arm, now looking almost like marble against the lace.

resistancenounUS /rɪˈzɪstəns/

the action of opposing something that you disapprove or disagree with

From this reading She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.

roundedadjectiveUS /ˈraʊndəd/

curving and somewhat round in shape rather than jagged

From this reading It gave me, too, a thrill to see her raise her handkerchief to her mouth as if to stop a cry, as she had done then, the black sleeve falling away from her perfect rounded arm, now looking almost like marble against the lace.

sameadjectiveUS /seɪm/

Identical; not different.

From this reading When first I looked in, she was standing near a tall high-backed chair, in almost the same position as on the day when Doltaire told me of Braddock's death, accused me of being a spy, and arrested me.

saveprepositionUS /seɪv/

except for; apart from

From this reading You once doubted my power--that was when you would save your lover from death.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading It gave me, too, a thrill to see her raise her handkerchief to her mouth as if to stop a cry, as she had done then, the black sleeve falling away from her perfect rounded arm, now looking almost like marble against the lace.

seemedverbUS /siːmd/

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading When first I looked in, she was standing near a tall high-backed chair, in almost the same position as on the day when Doltaire told me of Braddock's death, accused me of being a spy, and arrested me.

showingnounUS /ˈʃoʊɪŋ/

the display of a motion picture

From this reading She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.

sleevenounUS /sliːv/

the part of a garment that is attached at the armhole and that provides a cloth covering for the arm

From this reading It gave me, too, a thrill to see her raise her handkerchief to her mouth as if to stop a cry, as she had done then, the black sleeve falling away from her perfect rounded arm, now looking almost like marble against the lace.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.

sorrownounUS /ˈsɑːroʊ/

an emotion of great sadness associated with loss or bereavement

From this reading She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.

spyverbUS /spaɪ/

catch sight of

From this reading When first I looked in, she was standing near a tall high-backed chair, in almost the same position as on the day when Doltaire told me of Braddock's death, accused me of being a spy, and arrested me.

standingadjectiveUS /ˈstændɪŋ/

having a supporting base

From this reading When first I looked in, she was standing near a tall high-backed chair, in almost the same position as on the day when Doltaire told me of Braddock's death, accused me of being a spy, and arrested me.

stopverbUS /stɑːp/

come to a halt, stop moving

From this reading It gave me, too, a thrill to see her raise her handkerchief to her mouth as if to stop a cry, as she had done then, the black sleeve falling away from her perfect rounded arm, now looking almost like marble against the lace.

talladjectiveUS /tɔːl/

great in vertical dimension; high in stature

From this reading When first I looked in, she was standing near a tall high-backed chair, in almost the same position as on the day when Doltaire told me of Braddock's death, accused me of being a spy, and arrested me.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading When first I looked in, she was standing near a tall high-backed chair, in almost the same position as on the day when Doltaire told me of Braddock's death, accused me of being a spy, and arrested me.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading It gave me, too, a thrill to see her raise her handkerchief to her mouth as if to stop a cry, as she had done then, the black sleeve falling away from her perfect rounded arm, now looking almost like marble against the lace.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading His disturbing words were these: "To-night I am the Governor of this country.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading His disturbing words were these: "To-night I am the Governor of this country.

thrillnounUS /θrɪl/

the swift release of a store of affective force

From this reading It gave me, too, a thrill to see her raise her handkerchief to her mouth as if to stop a cry, as she had done then, the black sleeve falling away from her perfect rounded arm, now looking almost like marble against the lace.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It gave me, too, a thrill to see her raise her handkerchief to her mouth as if to stop a cry, as she had done then, the black sleeve falling away from her perfect rounded arm, now looking almost like marble against the lace.

To-night

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

From this reading His disturbing words were these: "To-night I am the Governor of this country.

toldverbUS /toʊld/

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading When first I looked in, she was standing near a tall high-backed chair, in almost the same position as on the day when Doltaire told me of Braddock's death, accused me of being a spy, and arrested me.

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading It gave me, too, a thrill to see her raise her handkerchief to her mouth as if to stop a cry, as she had done then, the black sleeve falling away from her perfect rounded arm, now looking almost like marble against the lace.

trepidationnounUS /ˌtrepɪˈdeɪʃən/

a feeling of alarm or dread

From this reading She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.

troublenounUS /ˈtrʌbəl/

a source of difficulty

From this reading She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading When first I looked in, she was standing near a tall high-backed chair, in almost the same position as on the day when Doltaire told me of Braddock's death, accused me of being a spy, and arrested me.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When first I looked in, she was standing near a tall high-backed chair, in almost the same position as on the day when Doltaire told me of Braddock's death, accused me of being a spy, and arrested me.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.

wondernounUS /ˈwʌndər/

the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising

From this reading She held her handkerchief to her lips for quite a minute; and indeed it covered more than a little of her face, so that the features most showing were her eyes, gazing at Doltaire with a look hard to interpret, for there seemed in it trouble, entreaty, wonder, resistance, and a great sorrow--no fear, trepidation, or indirectness.

wordsnounUS /wɜːrdz/

the words that are spoken

From this reading His disturbing words were these: "To-night I am the Governor of this country.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading You once doubted my power--that was when you would save your lover from death.

YoupronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading You once doubted my power--that was when you would save your lover from death.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading You once doubted my power--that was when you would save your lover from death.

Chapter 16 of The Seats of the Mighty, Complete by Gilbert Parker holds 399 sentences, grouped into 80 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 16 of The Seats of the Mighty, Complete contain?

Chapter 16 holds 399 sentences of The Seats of the Mighty, Complete, unabridged, divided into 80 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 16 of The Seats of the Mighty, Complete by Gilbert Parker exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 399 sentences, grouped into 80 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 16 of The Seats of the Mighty, Complete?

Work through the 80 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 80 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 16 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 16 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 Seats of the Mighty, Complete

Common questions about reading The Seats of the Mighty, Complete by Gilbert Parker on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Seats of the Mighty, Complete?

Yes. All 6865 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #6229 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Seats of the Mighty, Complete is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #6229, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Seats of the Mighty, Complete take to read?

About 572 minutes of reading across 1373 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Seats of the Mighty, Complete section by section

How to work through The Seats of the Mighty, Complete section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 17 chapters of The Seats of the Mighty, Complete 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 Seats of the Mighty, Complete

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Seats of the Mighty, Complete, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Memory
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Seats of the Mighty, Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Madge
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Seats of the Mighty, Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Henley
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Seats of the Mighty, Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Chapter
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Seats of the Mighty, Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.