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The Secret Adversary
The Secret Adversary

Chapter XXI · Chapter 21

Chapter 21 of The Secret Adversary is here in full — 308 sentences across 62 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Secret Adversary
Context Illustration Reading 1/61 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE supper party given by Mr. Julius Hersheimmer to a few friends on the evening of the 30th will long be remembered in catering circles.
It took place in a private room, and Mr. Hersheimmer’s orders were brief and forcible.
He gave carte blanche--and when a millionaire gives carte blanche he usually gets it!
Every delicacy out of season was duly provided.
Waiters carried bottles of ancient and royal vintage with loving care.
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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 Secret Adversary

Chapter XXI · Chapter 21

Chapter 21 of The Secret Adversary is here in full — 308 sentences across 62 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/61 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE supper party given by Mr. Julius Hersheimmer to a few friends on the evening of the 30th will long be remembered in catering circles.
Line 2
It took place in a private room, and Mr. Hersheimmer’s orders were brief and forcible.
Line 3
He gave carte blanche--and when a millionaire gives carte blanche he usually gets it!
Line 4
Every delicacy out of season was duly provided.
/ˈevəri ˈdeləkəsi aʊt ʌv ˈsiːzən wɑːz ˈduːli prəˈvaɪdɪd/
Line 5
Waiters carried bottles of ancient and royal vintage with loving care.
/ˈweɪtərz ˈkærid ˈbɑːtəlz ʌv ˈeɪn.ʃənt ənd ˈrɔɪəl ˈvɪntɪdʒ wɪð ˈlʌvɪŋ ker/

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.

carte noun US /kɑːrt/

a list of dishes available at a restaurant

From this reading “He gave carte blanche--and when a millionaire gives carte blanche he usually gets it!”

catering noun US /ˈkeɪtərɪŋ/

providing food and services

From this reading “THE supper party given by Mr. Julius Hersheimmer to a few friends on the evening of the 30th will long be remembered in catering circles.”

circles noun US /ˈsɜːrkəlz/

plural of “circle” — ellipse in which the two axes are of equal length; a plane curve generated by one point moving at a constant distance from a fixed point

From this reading “THE supper party given by Mr. Julius Hersheimmer to a few friends on the evening of the 30th will long be remembered in catering circles.”

duly adverb US /ˈduːli/

in accordance with what is appropriate or suitable for the circumstances

From this reading “Every delicacy out of season was duly provided.”

forcible adjective US /ˈfɔːrsəbəl/

impelled by physical force especially against resistance

From this reading “It took place in a private room, and Mr. Hersheimmer’s orders were brief and forcible.”

millionaire noun US /ˌmɪljəˈner/

a person whose material wealth is valued at more than a million dollars

From this reading “He gave carte blanche--and when a millionaire gives carte blanche he usually gets it!”

vintage noun US /ˈvɪntɪdʒ/

a season's yield of wine from a vineyard

From this reading “Waiters carried bottles of ancient and royal vintage with loving care.”

Waiters noun US /ˈweɪtərz/

plural of “waiter” — a person whose occupation is to serve at table (as in a restaurant)

From this reading “Waiters carried bottles of ancient and royal vintage with loving care.”

All words in this reading · 59

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.

30th

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

From this reading THE supper party given by Mr. Julius Hersheimmer to a few friends on the evening of the 30th will long be remembered in catering circles.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading THE supper party given by Mr. Julius Hersheimmer to a few friends on the evening of the 30th will long be remembered in catering circles.

ancientadjectiveUS /ˈeɪn.ʃənt/

Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.

From this reading Waiters carried bottles of ancient and royal vintage with loving care.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading It took place in a private room, and Mr. Hersheimmer’s orders were brief and forcible.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading THE supper party given by Mr. Julius Hersheimmer to a few friends on the evening of the 30th will long be remembered in catering circles.

blanche

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

From this reading He gave carte blanche--and when a millionaire gives carte blanche he usually gets it!

bottlesnounUS /ˈbɑːtəlz/

plural of “bottle” — a glass or plastic vessel used for storing drinks or other liquids; typically cylindrical without handles and with a narrow neck that can be plugged or capped

From this reading Waiters carried bottles of ancient and royal vintage with loving care.

briefadjectiveUS /briːf/

of short duration or distance

From this reading It took place in a private room, and Mr. Hersheimmer’s orders were brief and forcible.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading THE supper party given by Mr. Julius Hersheimmer to a few friends on the evening of the 30th will long be remembered in catering circles.

carenounUS /ker/

the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something

From this reading Waiters carried bottles of ancient and royal vintage with loving care.

carriedverbUS /ˈkærid/

inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body

From this reading Waiters carried bottles of ancient and royal vintage with loving care.

cartenounUS /kɑːrt/

a list of dishes available at a restaurant

From this reading He gave carte blanche--and when a millionaire gives carte blanche he usually gets it!

cateringnounUS /ˈkeɪtərɪŋ/

providing food and services

From this reading THE supper party given by Mr. Julius Hersheimmer to a few friends on the evening of the 30th will long be remembered in catering circles.

circlesnounUS /ˈsɜːrkəlz/

plural of “circle” — ellipse in which the two axes are of equal length; a plane curve generated by one point moving at a constant distance from a fixed point

From this reading THE supper party given by Mr. Julius Hersheimmer to a few friends on the evening of the 30th will long be remembered in catering circles.

delicacynounUS /ˈdeləkəsi/

the quality of being beautiful and delicate in appearance

From this reading Every delicacy out of season was duly provided.

dulyadverbUS /ˈduːli/

in accordance with what is appropriate or suitable for the circumstances

From this reading Every delicacy out of season was duly provided.

eveningnounUS /ˈiːvnɪŋ/

the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)

From this reading THE supper party given by Mr. Julius Hersheimmer to a few friends on the evening of the 30th will long be remembered in catering circles.

EverydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading Every delicacy out of season was duly provided.

fewadjectiveUS /fjuː/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading THE supper party given by Mr. Julius Hersheimmer to a few friends on the evening of the 30th will long be remembered in catering circles.

forcibleadjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrsəbəl/

impelled by physical force especially against resistance

From this reading It took place in a private room, and Mr. Hersheimmer’s orders were brief and forcible.

friendsnounUS /frendz/

plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading THE supper party given by Mr. Julius Hersheimmer to a few friends on the evening of the 30th will long be remembered in catering circles.

gaveverbUS /ɡeɪv/

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

From this reading He gave carte blanche--and when a millionaire gives carte blanche he usually gets it!

getsnounUS /ɡets/

plural of “get” — a return on a shot that seemed impossible to reach and would normally have resulted in a point for the opponent

From this reading He gave carte blanche--and when a millionaire gives carte blanche he usually gets it!

givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/

acknowledged as a supposition

From this reading THE supper party given by Mr. Julius Hersheimmer to a few friends on the evening of the 30th will long be remembered in catering circles.

givesnounUS /ɡɪvz/

plural of “give” — the elasticity of something that can be stretched and returns to its original length

From this reading He gave carte blanche--and when a millionaire gives carte blanche he usually gets it!

HepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading He gave carte blanche--and when a millionaire gives carte blanche he usually gets it!

Hersheimmer

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

From this reading THE supper party given by Mr. Julius Hersheimmer to a few friends on the evening of the 30th will long be remembered in catering circles.

Hersheimmer's

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

From this reading It took place in a private room, and Mr. Hersheimmer’s orders were brief and forcible.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading THE supper party given by Mr. Julius Hersheimmer to a few friends on the evening of the 30th will long be remembered in catering circles.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It took place in a private room, and Mr. Hersheimmer’s orders were brief and forcible.

Julius

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

From this reading THE supper party given by Mr. Julius Hersheimmer to a few friends on the evening of the 30th will long be remembered in catering circles.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading THE supper party given by Mr. Julius Hersheimmer to a few friends on the evening of the 30th will long be remembered in catering circles.

lovingadjectiveUS /ˈlʌvɪŋ/

feeling or showing love and affection

From this reading Waiters carried bottles of ancient and royal vintage with loving care.

millionairenounUS /ˌmɪljəˈner/

a person whose material wealth is valued at more than a million dollars

From this reading He gave carte blanche--and when a millionaire gives carte blanche he usually gets it!

MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading THE supper party given by Mr. Julius Hersheimmer to a few friends on the evening of the 30th will long be remembered in catering circles.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE supper party given by Mr. Julius Hersheimmer to a few friends on the evening of the 30th will long be remembered in catering circles.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading THE supper party given by Mr. Julius Hersheimmer to a few friends on the evening of the 30th will long be remembered in catering circles.

ordersnounUS /ˈɔːrdərz/

plural of “order” — (often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed

From this reading It took place in a private room, and Mr. Hersheimmer’s orders were brief and forcible.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Every delicacy out of season was duly provided.

partynounUS /ˈpɑːrti/

an organization to gain political power

From this reading THE supper party given by Mr. Julius Hersheimmer to a few friends on the evening of the 30th will long be remembered in catering circles.

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading It took place in a private room, and Mr. Hersheimmer’s orders were brief and forcible.

privateadjectiveUS /ˈpraɪvət/

confined to particular persons or groups or providing privacy

From this reading It took place in a private room, and Mr. Hersheimmer’s orders were brief and forcible.

providedverbUS /prəˈvaɪdɪd/

past form of “provide” — give something useful or necessary to

From this reading Every delicacy out of season was duly provided.

rememberedverbUS /rɪˈmembərd/

past form of “remember” — recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection

From this reading THE supper party given by Mr. Julius Hersheimmer to a few friends on the evening of the 30th will long be remembered in catering circles.

roomnounUS /ruːm/

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading It took place in a private room, and Mr. Hersheimmer’s orders were brief and forcible.

royaladjectiveUS /ˈrɔɪəl/

of or relating to or indicative of or issued or performed by a king or queen or other monarch

From this reading Waiters carried bottles of ancient and royal vintage with loving care.

seasonnounUS /ˈsiːzən/

a period of the year marked by special events or activities in some field

From this reading Every delicacy out of season was duly provided.

suppernounUS /ˈsʌpər/

a light evening meal; served in early evening if dinner is at midday or served late in the evening at bedtime

From this reading THE supper party given by Mr. Julius Hersheimmer to a few friends on the evening of the 30th will long be remembered in catering circles.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE supper party given by Mr. Julius Hersheimmer to a few friends on the evening of the 30th will long be remembered in catering circles.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading THE supper party given by Mr. Julius Hersheimmer to a few friends on the evening of the 30th will long be remembered in catering circles.

tookverbUS /tʊk/

inflected form of “take” — carry out

From this reading It took place in a private room, and Mr. Hersheimmer’s orders were brief and forcible.

usuallyadverbUS /ˈjuːʒəwəli/

under normal conditions

From this reading He gave carte blanche--and when a millionaire gives carte blanche he usually gets it!

vintagenounUS /ˈvɪntɪdʒ/

a season's yield of wine from a vineyard

From this reading Waiters carried bottles of ancient and royal vintage with loving care.

WaitersnounUS /ˈweɪtərz/

plural of “waiter” — a person whose occupation is to serve at table (as in a restaurant)

From this reading Waiters carried bottles of ancient and royal vintage with loving care.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Every delicacy out of season was duly provided.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading It took place in a private room, and Mr. Hersheimmer’s orders were brief and forcible.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading He gave carte blanche--and when a millionaire gives carte blanche he usually gets it!

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading THE supper party given by Mr. Julius Hersheimmer to a few friends on the evening of the 30th will long be remembered in catering circles.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Waiters carried bottles of ancient and royal vintage with loving care.

Chapter 21 of The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie holds 308 sentences, grouped into 62 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 21 of The Secret Adversary contain?

Chapter 21 holds 308 sentences of The Secret Adversary, unabridged, divided into 62 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 21 of The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 308 sentences, grouped into 62 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 21 of The Secret Adversary?

Work through the 62 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 62 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 21 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 21 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 Secret Adversary

Common questions about reading The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Secret Adversary?

Yes. All 5839 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1155 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Secret Adversary is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #1155, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Secret Adversary take to read?

About 486 minutes of reading across 1168 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Secret Adversary section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 21 chapters of The Secret Adversary 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 Secret Adversary

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

Afternoon
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Secret Adversary; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Lusitania
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Secret Adversary; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Struck
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Secret Adversary; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Torpedoes
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Secret Adversary; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.