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The Shadow of a Crime: A Cumbrian Romance
The Shadow of a Crime: A Cumbrian Romance

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of The Shadow of a Crime: A Cumbrian Romance is here in full — 234 sentences across 47 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Shadow of a Crime: A Cumbrian Romance
Context Illustration Reading 9/46 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.
One day suddenly, however, the old statesman died, and his fiddle was heard no more across the valley in the quiet of the evening, but was left untouched for the dust to gather on it where he himself had hung it on the nail in the kitchen under his hat.
Then when life seemed to the forlorn girl a wide blank, a world without a sun in it, Angus Ray went over for the first time as a suitor to the cottage under Castenand, and put his hand in hers and looked calmly into her eyes.
He told her that a girl could not live long an unfriended life like hers--that she should not if she could; she could not if she would--would she not come to him?
It was the force of the magnet to the steel.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Shadow of a Crime: A Cumbrian Romance

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of The Shadow of a Crime: A Cumbrian Romance is here in full — 234 sentences across 47 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 9/46 · 5 reading units · Lines 41–45

Line 1
She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.
Line 2
One day suddenly, however, the old statesman died, and his fiddle was heard no more across the valley in the quiet of the evening, but was left untouched for the dust to gather on it where he himself had hung it on the nail in the kitchen under his hat.
/wʌn deɪ ˈsʌdənli ˌhaʊˈevər ðə oʊld ˈsteɪtsmən daɪd ənd hɪz ˈfɪdəl wɑːz hɜːrd noʊ mɔːr əˈkrɔːs ðə ˈvæli ɪn ðə ˈkwaɪət ʌv ðə ˈiːvnɪŋ bʌt wɑːz left ənˈtʌtʃt fɔːr ðə dʌst tuː ˈɡæðər ɑːn ɪt wer hiː hɪmˈself hæd hʌŋ ɪt ɑːn ðə neɪl ɪn ðə ˈkɪtʃən ˈʌndər hɪz hæt/
Line 3
Then when life seemed to the forlorn girl a wide blank, a world without a sun in it, Angus Ray went over for the first time as a suitor to the cottage under Castenand, and put his hand in hers and looked calmly into her eyes.
Line 4
He told her that a girl could not live long an unfriended life like hers--that she should not if she could; she could not if she would--would she not come to him?
Line 5
It was the force of the magnet to the steel.
/ɪt wɑːz ðə fɔːrs ʌv ðə ˈmæɡnət tuː ðə stiːl/

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.

Angus noun US /ˈæŋɡəs/

Celtic god of love and beauty; patron deity of young men and women

From this reading “Then when life seemed to the forlorn girl a wide blank, a world without a sun in it, Angus Ray went over for the first time as a suitor to the cottage under Castenand, and put his hand in hers and looked calmly into her eyes.”

cheeriest adjective US /ˈtʃɪriəst/

superlative of “cheery” — bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer

From this reading “She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.”

despaired verb US /dɪˈsperd/

past form of “despair” — abandon hope; give up hope; lose heart

From this reading “She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.”

gales noun US /ɡeɪlz/

plural of “gale” — a strong wind moving 45-90 knots; force 7 to 10 on Beaufort scale

From this reading “She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.”

gentlest adjective US /ˈdʒentələst/

superlative of “gentle” — soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe

From this reading “She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.”

magnet noun US /ˈmæɡnət/

(physics) a device that attracts iron and produces a magnetic field

From this reading “It was the force of the magnet to the steel.”

ruffling verb US /ˈrʌfəlɪŋ/

-ing form of “ruffle” — stir up (water) so as to form ripples

From this reading “She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.”

wooed verb US /wuːd/

past form of “woo” — seek someone's favor

From this reading “She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.”

All words in this reading · 118

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 She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading One day suddenly, however, the old statesman died, and his fiddle was heard no more across the valley in the quiet of the evening, but was left untouched for the dust to gather on it where he himself had hung it on the nail in the kitchen under his hat.

alikeadverbUS /əˈlaɪk/

equally

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading He told her that a girl could not live long an unfriended life like hers--that she should not if she could; she could not if she would--would she not come to him?

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

AngusnounUS /ˈæŋɡəs/

Celtic god of love and beauty; patron deity of young men and women

From this reading Then when life seemed to the forlorn girl a wide blank, a world without a sun in it, Angus Ray went over for the first time as a suitor to the cottage under Castenand, and put his hand in hers and looked calmly into her eyes.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Then when life seemed to the forlorn girl a wide blank, a world without a sun in it, Angus Ray went over for the first time as a suitor to the cottage under Castenand, and put his hand in hers and looked calmly into her eyes.

atmospherenounUS /ˈætməsfɪr/

a particular environment or surrounding influence

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

blankadjectiveUS /blæŋk/

(of a surface) not written or printed on

From this reading Then when life seemed to the forlorn girl a wide blank, a world without a sun in it, Angus Ray went over for the first time as a suitor to the cottage under Castenand, and put his hand in hers and looked calmly into her eyes.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading One day suddenly, however, the old statesman died, and his fiddle was heard no more across the valley in the quiet of the evening, but was left untouched for the dust to gather on it where he himself had hung it on the nail in the kitchen under his hat.

calmlyadverbUS /ˈkɑːmli/

with self-possession (especially in times of stress)

From this reading Then when life seemed to the forlorn girl a wide blank, a world without a sun in it, Angus Ray went over for the first time as a suitor to the cottage under Castenand, and put his hand in hers and looked calmly into her eyes.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

Castenand

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

From this reading Then when life seemed to the forlorn girl a wide blank, a world without a sun in it, Angus Ray went over for the first time as a suitor to the cottage under Castenand, and put his hand in hers and looked calmly into her eyes.

cheeriestadjectiveUS /ˈtʃɪriəst/

superlative of “cheery” — bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading He told her that a girl could not live long an unfriended life like hers--that she should not if she could; she could not if she would--would she not come to him?

coquettenoun

a seductive woman who uses her sex appeal to exploit men

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

cottagenounUS /ˈkɑːtədʒ/

a small house with a single story

From this reading Then when life seemed to the forlorn girl a wide blank, a world without a sun in it, Angus Ray went over for the first time as a suitor to the cottage under Castenand, and put his hand in hers and looked calmly into her eyes.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading He told her that a girl could not live long an unfriended life like hers--that she should not if she could; she could not if she would--would she not come to him?

dalesmen

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

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading One day suddenly, however, the old statesman died, and his fiddle was heard no more across the valley in the quiet of the evening, but was left untouched for the dust to gather on it where he himself had hung it on the nail in the kitchen under his hat.

despairedverbUS /dɪˈsperd/

past form of “despair” — abandon hope; give up hope; lose heart

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

diedverbUS /daɪd/

past form of “die” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life

From this reading One day suddenly, however, the old statesman died, and his fiddle was heard no more across the valley in the quiet of the evening, but was left untouched for the dust to gather on it where he himself had hung it on the nail in the kitchen under his hat.

dustverbUS /dʌst/

remove the dust from

From this reading One day suddenly, however, the old statesman died, and his fiddle was heard no more across the valley in the quiet of the evening, but was left untouched for the dust to gather on it where he himself had hung it on the nail in the kitchen under his hat.

eveningnounUS /ˈiːvnɪŋ/

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

From this reading One day suddenly, however, the old statesman died, and his fiddle was heard no more across the valley in the quiet of the evening, but was left untouched for the dust to gather on it where he himself had hung it on the nail in the kitchen under his hat.

eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading Then when life seemed to the forlorn girl a wide blank, a world without a sun in it, Angus Ray went over for the first time as a suitor to the cottage under Castenand, and put his hand in hers and looked calmly into her eyes.

fiddlenounUS /ˈfɪdəl/

bowed stringed instrument that is the highest member of the violin family; this instrument has four strings and a hollow body and an unfretted fingerboard and is played with a bow

From this reading One day suddenly, however, the old statesman died, and his fiddle was heard no more across the valley in the quiet of the evening, but was left untouched for the dust to gather on it where he himself had hung it on the nail in the kitchen under his hat.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading Then when life seemed to the forlorn girl a wide blank, a world without a sun in it, Angus Ray went over for the first time as a suitor to the cottage under Castenand, and put his hand in hers and looked calmly into her eyes.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

forcenounUS /fɔːrs/

a powerful effect or influence

From this reading It was the force of the magnet to the steel.

forlornadjectiveUS /fərˈlɔːrn/

marked by or showing hopelessness

From this reading Then when life seemed to the forlorn girl a wide blank, a world without a sun in it, Angus Ray went over for the first time as a suitor to the cottage under Castenand, and put his hand in hers and looked calmly into her eyes.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

galesnounUS /ɡeɪlz/

plural of “gale” — a strong wind moving 45-90 knots; force 7 to 10 on Beaufort scale

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

gatherverbUS /ˈɡæðər/

assemble or get together

From this reading One day suddenly, however, the old statesman died, and his fiddle was heard no more across the valley in the quiet of the evening, but was left untouched for the dust to gather on it where he himself had hung it on the nail in the kitchen under his hat.

gentlestadjectiveUS /ˈdʒentələst/

superlative of “gentle” — soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

girlnounUS /ɡɜːrl/

a young female

From this reading Then when life seemed to the forlorn girl a wide blank, a world without a sun in it, Angus Ray went over for the first time as a suitor to the cottage under Castenand, and put his hand in hers and looked calmly into her eyes.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

handnounUS /hænd/

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading Then when life seemed to the forlorn girl a wide blank, a world without a sun in it, Angus Ray went over for the first time as a suitor to the cottage under Castenand, and put his hand in hers and looked calmly into her eyes.

hatnounUS /hæt/

headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim

From this reading One day suddenly, however, the old statesman died, and his fiddle was heard no more across the valley in the quiet of the evening, but was left untouched for the dust to gather on it where he himself had hung it on the nail in the kitchen under his hat.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading One day suddenly, however, the old statesman died, and his fiddle was heard no more across the valley in the quiet of the evening, but was left untouched for the dust to gather on it where he himself had hung it on the nail in the kitchen under his hat.

heardadjectiveUS /hɜːrd/

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading One day suddenly, however, the old statesman died, and his fiddle was heard no more across the valley in the quiet of the evening, but was left untouched for the dust to gather on it where he himself had hung it on the nail in the kitchen under his hat.

heartnounUS /hɑːrt/

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

herspronounUS /hərz/

the one or ones belonging to her

From this reading Then when life seemed to the forlorn girl a wide blank, a world without a sun in it, Angus Ray went over for the first time as a suitor to the cottage under Castenand, and put his hand in hers and looked calmly into her eyes.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading He told her that a girl could not live long an unfriended life like hers--that she should not if she could; she could not if she would--would she not come to him?

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading One day suddenly, however, the old statesman died, and his fiddle was heard no more across the valley in the quiet of the evening, but was left untouched for the dust to gather on it where he himself had hung it on the nail in the kitchen under his hat.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading One day suddenly, however, the old statesman died, and his fiddle was heard no more across the valley in the quiet of the evening, but was left untouched for the dust to gather on it where he himself had hung it on the nail in the kitchen under his hat.

howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading One day suddenly, however, the old statesman died, and his fiddle was heard no more across the valley in the quiet of the evening, but was left untouched for the dust to gather on it where he himself had hung it on the nail in the kitchen under his hat.

hungverbUS /hʌŋ/

inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging

From this reading One day suddenly, however, the old statesman died, and his fiddle was heard no more across the valley in the quiet of the evening, but was left untouched for the dust to gather on it where he himself had hung it on the nail in the kitchen under his hat.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading He told her that a girl could not live long an unfriended life like hers--that she should not if she could; she could not if she would--would she not come to him?

ignobleadjectiveUS /ˌɪɡˈnoʊbəl/

completely lacking nobility in character or quality or purpose

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

impulsenounUS /ˈɪmpəls/

an instinctive motive

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading One day suddenly, however, the old statesman died, and his fiddle was heard no more across the valley in the quiet of the evening, but was left untouched for the dust to gather on it where he himself had hung it on the nail in the kitchen under his hat.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Then when life seemed to the forlorn girl a wide blank, a world without a sun in it, Angus Ray went over for the first time as a suitor to the cottage under Castenand, and put his hand in hers and looked calmly into her eyes.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading One day suddenly, however, the old statesman died, and his fiddle was heard no more across the valley in the quiet of the evening, but was left untouched for the dust to gather on it where he himself had hung it on the nail in the kitchen under his hat.

kitchennounUS /ˈkɪtʃən/

a room equipped for preparing meals

From this reading One day suddenly, however, the old statesman died, and his fiddle was heard no more across the valley in the quiet of the evening, but was left untouched for the dust to gather on it where he himself had hung it on the nail in the kitchen under his hat.

leftnounUS /left/

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading One day suddenly, however, the old statesman died, and his fiddle was heard no more across the valley in the quiet of the evening, but was left untouched for the dust to gather on it where he himself had hung it on the nail in the kitchen under his hat.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading Then when life seemed to the forlorn girl a wide blank, a world without a sun in it, Angus Ray went over for the first time as a suitor to the cottage under Castenand, and put his hand in hers and looked calmly into her eyes.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading He told her that a girl could not live long an unfriended life like hers--that she should not if she could; she could not if she would--would she not come to him?

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

liveverbUS /laɪv/

be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading He told her that a girl could not live long an unfriended life like hers--that she should not if she could; she could not if she would--would she not come to him?

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 He told her that a girl could not live long an unfriended life like hers--that she should not if she could; she could not if she would--would she not come to him?

lookedverbUS /lʊkt/

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

From this reading Then when life seemed to the forlorn girl a wide blank, a world without a sun in it, Angus Ray went over for the first time as a suitor to the cottage under Castenand, and put his hand in hers and looked calmly into her eyes.

lovenounUS /lʌv/

a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

magnetnounUS /ˈmæɡnət/

(physics) a device that attracts iron and produces a magnetic field

From this reading It was the force of the magnet to the steel.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

From this reading One day suddenly, however, the old statesman died, and his fiddle was heard no more across the valley in the quiet of the evening, but was left untouched for the dust to gather on it where he himself had hung it on the nail in the kitchen under his hat.

motivenounUS /ˈmoʊtɪv/

the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for the action; that which gives purpose and direction to behavior

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

nailverbUS /neɪl/

attach something somewhere by means of nails

From this reading One day suddenly, however, the old statesman died, and his fiddle was heard no more across the valley in the quiet of the evening, but was left untouched for the dust to gather on it where he himself had hung it on the nail in the kitchen under his hat.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading One day suddenly, however, the old statesman died, and his fiddle was heard no more across the valley in the quiet of the evening, but was left untouched for the dust to gather on it where he himself had hung it on the nail in the kitchen under his hat.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading He told her that a girl could not live long an unfriended life like hers--that she should not if she could; she could not if she would--would she not come to him?

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading One day suddenly, however, the old statesman died, and his fiddle was heard no more across the valley in the quiet of the evening, but was left untouched for the dust to gather on it where he himself had hung it on the nail in the kitchen under his hat.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading One day suddenly, however, the old statesman died, and his fiddle was heard no more across the valley in the quiet of the evening, but was left untouched for the dust to gather on it where he himself had hung it on the nail in the kitchen under his hat.

OnepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading One day suddenly, however, the old statesman died, and his fiddle was heard no more across the valley in the quiet of the evening, but was left untouched for the dust to gather on it where he himself had hung it on the nail in the kitchen under his hat.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading Then when life seemed to the forlorn girl a wide blank, a world without a sun in it, Angus Ray went over for the first time as a suitor to the cottage under Castenand, and put his hand in hers and looked calmly into her eyes.

pureradjectiveUS /ˈpjʊrər/

comparative of “pure” — free of extraneous elements of any kind

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

putverbUS /pʊt/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading Then when life seemed to the forlorn girl a wide blank, a world without a sun in it, Angus Ray went over for the first time as a suitor to the cottage under Castenand, and put his hand in hers and looked calmly into her eyes.

quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/

characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity

From this reading One day suddenly, however, the old statesman died, and his fiddle was heard no more across the valley in the quiet of the evening, but was left untouched for the dust to gather on it where he himself had hung it on the nail in the kitchen under his hat.

RaynounUS /reɪ/

a column of light (as from a beacon)

From this reading Then when life seemed to the forlorn girl a wide blank, a world without a sun in it, Angus Ray went over for the first time as a suitor to the cottage under Castenand, and put his hand in hers and looked calmly into her eyes.

rufflingverbUS /ˈrʌfəlɪŋ/

-ing form of “ruffle” — stir up (water) so as to form ripples

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

seemedverbUS /siːmd/

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

From this reading Then when life seemed to the forlorn girl a wide blank, a world without a sun in it, Angus Ray went over for the first time as a suitor to the cottage under Castenand, and put his hand in hers and looked calmly into her eyes.

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading He told her that a girl could not live long an unfriended life like hers--that she should not if she could; she could not if she would--would she not come to him?

smileverbUS /smaɪl/

change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

statesmannounUS /ˈsteɪtsmən/

a man who is a respected leader in national or international affairs

From this reading One day suddenly, however, the old statesman died, and his fiddle was heard no more across the valley in the quiet of the evening, but was left untouched for the dust to gather on it where he himself had hung it on the nail in the kitchen under his hat.

steelnounUS /stiːl/

an alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon; widely used in construction; mechanical properties can be varied over a wide range

From this reading It was the force of the magnet to the steel.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

suddenlyadverbUS /ˈsʌdənli/

happening unexpectedly

From this reading One day suddenly, however, the old statesman died, and his fiddle was heard no more across the valley in the quiet of the evening, but was left untouched for the dust to gather on it where he himself had hung it on the nail in the kitchen under his hat.

suitornounUS /ˈsuːtər/

a man who courts a woman

From this reading Then when life seemed to the forlorn girl a wide blank, a world without a sun in it, Angus Ray went over for the first time as a suitor to the cottage under Castenand, and put his hand in hers and looked calmly into her eyes.

sunnounUS /sʌn/

the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system

From this reading Then when life seemed to the forlorn girl a wide blank, a world without a sun in it, Angus Ray went over for the first time as a suitor to the cottage under Castenand, and put his hand in hers and looked calmly into her eyes.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading He told her that a girl could not live long an unfriended life like hers--that she should not if she could; she could not if she would--would she not come to him?

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

ThenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Then when life seemed to the forlorn girl a wide blank, a world without a sun in it, Angus Ray went over for the first time as a suitor to the cottage under Castenand, and put his hand in hers and looked calmly into her eyes.

thinkverbUS /θɪŋk/

judge or regard; look upon; judge

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading Then when life seemed to the forlorn girl a wide blank, a world without a sun in it, Angus Ray went over for the first time as a suitor to the cottage under Castenand, and put his hand in hers and looked calmly into her eyes.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

toldverbUS /toʊld/

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading He told her that a girl could not live long an unfriended life like hers--that she should not if she could; she could not if she would--would she not come to him?

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading One day suddenly, however, the old statesman died, and his fiddle was heard no more across the valley in the quiet of the evening, but was left untouched for the dust to gather on it where he himself had hung it on the nail in the kitchen under his hat.

unfriended

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

From this reading He told her that a girl could not live long an unfriended life like hers--that she should not if she could; she could not if she would--would she not come to him?

untouchedadjectiveUS /ənˈtʌtʃt/

still full

From this reading One day suddenly, however, the old statesman died, and his fiddle was heard no more across the valley in the quiet of the evening, but was left untouched for the dust to gather on it where he himself had hung it on the nail in the kitchen under his hat.

valleynounUS /ˈvæli/

a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river

From this reading One day suddenly, however, the old statesman died, and his fiddle was heard no more across the valley in the quiet of the evening, but was left untouched for the dust to gather on it where he himself had hung it on the nail in the kitchen under his hat.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading One day suddenly, however, the old statesman died, and his fiddle was heard no more across the valley in the quiet of the evening, but was left untouched for the dust to gather on it where he himself had hung it on the nail in the kitchen under his hat.

welcomeverbUS /ˈwelkəm/

accept gladly

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

wentverbUS /went/

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

From this reading Then when life seemed to the forlorn girl a wide blank, a world without a sun in it, Angus Ray went over for the first time as a suitor to the cottage under Castenand, and put his hand in hers and looked calmly into her eyes.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading Then when life seemed to the forlorn girl a wide blank, a world without a sun in it, Angus Ray went over for the first time as a suitor to the cottage under Castenand, and put his hand in hers and looked calmly into her eyes.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading One day suddenly, however, the old statesman died, and his fiddle was heard no more across the valley in the quiet of the evening, but was left untouched for the dust to gather on it where he himself had hung it on the nail in the kitchen under his hat.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

wideadjectiveUS /waɪd/

having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other

From this reading Then when life seemed to the forlorn girl a wide blank, a world without a sun in it, Angus Ray went over for the first time as a suitor to the cottage under Castenand, and put his hand in hers and looked calmly into her eyes.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading Then when life seemed to the forlorn girl a wide blank, a world without a sun in it, Angus Ray went over for the first time as a suitor to the cottage under Castenand, and put his hand in hers and looked calmly into her eyes.

wooedverbUS /wuːd/

past form of “woo” — seek someone's favor

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

wordnounUS /wɜːrd/

a unit of language that native speakers can identify

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

worldnounUS /wɜːrld/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading Then when life seemed to the forlorn girl a wide blank, a world without a sun in it, Angus Ray went over for the first time as a suitor to the cottage under Castenand, and put his hand in hers and looked calmly into her eyes.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading He told her that a girl could not live long an unfriended life like hers--that she should not if she could; she could not if she would--would she not come to him?

youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading She had a smile and the cheeriest word of welcome for all alike, and so the young dalesmen who wooed her from the ignoble motive came to think her a little of a coquette, while those who wooed her from the purer impulse despaired of ruffling with the gentlest gales of love the still atmosphere of her heart.

Chapter 1 of The Shadow of a Crime: A Cumbrian Romance by Hall, Sir Caine holds 234 sentences, grouped into 47 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 1 of The Shadow of a Crime: A Cumbrian Romance contain?

Chapter 1 holds 234 sentences of The Shadow of a Crime: A Cumbrian Romance, unabridged, divided into 47 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of The Shadow of a Crime: A Cumbrian Romance by Hall, Sir Caine exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 234 sentences, grouped into 47 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 1 of The Shadow of a Crime: A Cumbrian Romance?

Work through the 47 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 47 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 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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 Shadow of a Crime: A Cumbrian Romance

Common questions about reading The Shadow of a Crime: A Cumbrian Romance by Hall, Sir Caine on this page, its source edition and its audio.

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Yes. All 8078 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #14262 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Shadow of a Crime: A Cumbrian Romance is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #14262, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Shadow of a Crime: A Cumbrian Romance take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1616 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Shadow of a Crime: A Cumbrian Romance section by section

How to work through The Shadow of a Crime: A Cumbrian Romance section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

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Vocabulary met early in The Shadow of a Crime: A Cumbrian Romance

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Shadow of a Crime: A Cumbrian Romance, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Tar-ry
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Shadow of a Crime: A Cumbrian Romance; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Begin
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Shadow of a Crime: A Cumbrian Romance; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Ballad
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Shadow of a Crime: A Cumbrian Romance; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Wythburn
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Shadow of a Crime: A Cumbrian Romance; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.