Chapter 9 of The Splendid Spur is here in full — 213 sentences across 43 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IX
Chapter 9 of The Splendid Spur is here in full — 213 sentences across 43 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
CAPTAIN POTTERY AND CAPTAIN SETTLE. “Now either I am mad or dreaming,” thought I: for that the fellow had not heard our noise was to me starkly incredible. I stepp’d along the deck toward him: not an inch did he budge. I touch’d him on the shoulder. He fac’d round with a quick start.
Chapter 9 of The Splendid Spur is here in full — 213 sentences across 43 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/42 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
move very slightly
From this reading “I stepp’d along the deck toward him: not an inch did he budge.”
any of various platforms built into a vessel
From this reading “I stepp’d along the deck toward him: not an inch did he budge.”
imaginative thoughts indulged in while awake
From this reading ““Now either I am mad or dreaming,” thought I: for that the fellow had not heard our noise was to me starkly incredible.”
a unit of length equal to one twelfth of a foot
From this reading “I stepp’d along the deck toward him: not an inch did he budge.”
beyond belief or understanding
From this reading ““Now either I am mad or dreaming,” thought I: for that the fellow had not heard our noise was to me starkly incredible.”
ceramic ware made from clay and baked in a kiln
From this reading “CAPTAIN POTTERY AND CAPTAIN SETTLE.”
settle into a position, usually on a surface or ground
From this reading “CAPTAIN POTTERY AND CAPTAIN SETTLE.”
in a stark manner
From this reading ““Now either I am mad or dreaming,” thought I: for that the fellow had not heard our noise was to me starkly incredible.”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He fac’d round with a quick start.
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading I stepp’d along the deck toward him: not an inch did he budge.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading “Now either I am mad or dreaming,” thought I: for that the fellow had not heard our noise was to me starkly incredible.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading I stepp’d along the deck toward him: not an inch did he budge.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading CAPTAIN POTTERY AND CAPTAIN SETTLE.
move very slightly
From this reading I stepp’d along the deck toward him: not an inch did he budge.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading CAPTAIN POTTERY AND CAPTAIN SETTLE.
any of various platforms built into a vessel
From this reading I stepp’d along the deck toward him: not an inch did he budge.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading I stepp’d along the deck toward him: not an inch did he budge.
imaginative thoughts indulged in while awake
From this reading “Now either I am mad or dreaming,” thought I: for that the fellow had not heard our noise was to me starkly incredible.
one or the other of two
From this reading “Now either I am mad or dreaming,” thought I: for that the fellow had not heard our noise was to me starkly incredible.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He fac’d round with a quick start.
a boy or man
From this reading “Now either I am mad or dreaming,” thought I: for that the fellow had not heard our noise was to me starkly incredible.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “Now either I am mad or dreaming,” thought I: for that the fellow had not heard our noise was to me starkly incredible.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading “Now either I am mad or dreaming,” thought I: for that the fellow had not heard our noise was to me starkly incredible.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading I stepp’d along the deck toward him: not an inch did he budge.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading “Now either I am mad or dreaming,” thought I: for that the fellow had not heard our noise was to me starkly incredible.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I stepp’d along the deck toward him: not an inch did he budge.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “Now either I am mad or dreaming,” thought I: for that the fellow had not heard our noise was to me starkly incredible.
a unit of length equal to one twelfth of a foot
From this reading I stepp’d along the deck toward him: not an inch did he budge.
beyond belief or understanding
From this reading “Now either I am mad or dreaming,” thought I: for that the fellow had not heard our noise was to me starkly incredible.
roused to anger
From this reading “Now either I am mad or dreaming,” thought I: for that the fellow had not heard our noise was to me starkly incredible.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “Now either I am mad or dreaming,” thought I: for that the fellow had not heard our noise was to me starkly incredible.
sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)
From this reading “Now either I am mad or dreaming,” thought I: for that the fellow had not heard our noise was to me starkly incredible.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “Now either I am mad or dreaming,” thought I: for that the fellow had not heard our noise was to me starkly incredible.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading “Now either I am mad or dreaming,” thought I: for that the fellow had not heard our noise was to me starkly incredible.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading I touch’d him on the shoulder.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading “Now either I am mad or dreaming,” thought I: for that the fellow had not heard our noise was to me starkly incredible.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading “Now either I am mad or dreaming,” thought I: for that the fellow had not heard our noise was to me starkly incredible.
ceramic ware made from clay and baked in a kiln
From this reading CAPTAIN POTTERY AND CAPTAIN SETTLE.
accomplished rapidly and without delay
From this reading He fac’d round with a quick start.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading He fac’d round with a quick start.
settle into a position, usually on a surface or ground
From this reading CAPTAIN POTTERY AND CAPTAIN SETTLE.
lift onto one's shoulders
From this reading I touch’d him on the shoulder.
in a stark manner
From this reading “Now either I am mad or dreaming,” thought I: for that the fellow had not heard our noise was to me starkly incredible.
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading He fac’d round with a quick start.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I stepp’d along the deck toward him: not an inch did he budge.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “Now either I am mad or dreaming,” thought I: for that the fellow had not heard our noise was to me starkly incredible.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “Now either I am mad or dreaming,” thought I: for that the fellow had not heard our noise was to me starkly incredible.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading “Now either I am mad or dreaming,” thought I: for that the fellow had not heard our noise was to me starkly incredible.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “Now either I am mad or dreaming,” thought I: for that the fellow had not heard our noise was to me starkly incredible.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I touch’d him on the shoulder.
in the direction of
From this reading I stepp’d along the deck toward him: not an inch did he budge.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Now either I am mad or dreaming,” thought I: for that the fellow had not heard our noise was to me starkly incredible.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He fac’d round with a quick start.
Chapter 9 of The Splendid Spur by Arthur Quiller-Couch holds 213 sentences, grouped into 43 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.
Chapter 9 holds 213 sentences of The Splendid Spur, unabridged, divided into 43 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 9 of The Splendid Spur by Arthur Quiller-Couch exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 213 sentences, grouped into 43 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.
Work through the 43 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 43 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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 9 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.
Common questions about reading The Splendid Spur by Arthur Quiller-Couch on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3629 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #6437 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #6437, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 302 minutes of reading across 726 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Splendid Spur section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 19 chapters of The Splendid Spur to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in The Splendid Spur, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
