Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
The Sword Maker
The Sword Maker

Chapter XIII · Chapter 13

Chapter 13 of The Sword Maker is here in full — 404 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Sword Maker
Context Illustration Reading 1/80 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"He mounted an outside stairway on the Fahrgasse, and through lighted windows on the opposite side saw you place the point of your sword at the throat of an unarmed merchant, and take from him a bag of gold."
Roland, whose brow had been knitted into an angry frown, now threw back his head and laughed joyously.
"Oh, that was a mere frolic," he alleged.
It was the girl's turn to frown.
"When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
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 Sword Maker

Chapter XIII · Chapter 13

Chapter 13 of The Sword Maker is here in full — 404 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/80 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"He mounted an outside stairway on the Fahrgasse, and through lighted windows on the opposite side saw you place the point of your sword at the throat of an unarmed merchant, and take from him a bag of gold."
Line 2
Roland, whose brow had been knitted into an angry frown, now threw back his head and laughed joyously.
Line 3
"Oh, that was a mere frolic," he alleged.
/oʊ ðæt wɑːz ə mɪr ˈfrɑːlɪk hiː əˈledʒd/
Line 4
It was the girl's turn to frown.
/ɪt wɑːz ðə ɡɜːrlz tɜːrn tuː fraʊn/
Line 5
"When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

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.

alleged adjective US /əˈledʒd/

declared but not proved

From this reading “"Oh, that was a mere frolic," he alleged.”

Barons noun US /ˈbærənz/

plural of “baron” — a nobleman (in various countries) of varying rank

From this reading “"When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.”

frolic noun US /ˈfrɑːlɪk/

gay or light-hearted recreational activity for diversion or amusement

From this reading “"Oh, that was a mere frolic," he alleged.”

knitted adjective US /ˈnɪtəd/

made by intertwining threads in a series of connected loops rather than by weaving

From this reading “Roland, whose brow had been knitted into an angry frown, now threw back his head and laughed joyously.”

listener noun US /ˈlɪsənər/

someone who listens attentively

From this reading “"When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.”

scores noun US /skɔːrz/

a large number or amount

From this reading “"When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.”

stairway noun US /ˈsterweɪ/

a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps

From this reading “"He mounted an outside stairway on the Fahrgasse, and through lighted windows on the opposite side saw you place the point of your sword at the throat of an unarmed merchant, and take from him a bag of gold."”

unarmed adjective US /əˈnɑːrmd/

(used of persons or the military) not having or using arms

From this reading “"He mounted an outside stairway on the Fahrgasse, and through lighted windows on the opposite side saw you place the point of your sword at the throat of an unarmed merchant, and take from him a bag of gold."”

All words in this reading · 102

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 "He mounted an outside stairway on the Fahrgasse, and through lighted windows on the opposite side saw you place the point of your sword at the throat of an unarmed merchant, and take from him a bag of gold."

admiredadjectiveUS /ədˈmaɪərd/

regarded with admiration

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

affectionateadjectiveUS /əˈfekʃənət/

having or displaying warmth or affection

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

allegedadjectiveUS /əˈledʒd/

declared but not proved

From this reading "Oh, that was a mere frolic," he alleged.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading "He mounted an outside stairway on the Fahrgasse, and through lighted windows on the opposite side saw you place the point of your sword at the throat of an unarmed merchant, and take from him a bag of gold."

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading "He mounted an outside stairway on the Fahrgasse, and through lighted windows on the opposite side saw you place the point of your sword at the throat of an unarmed merchant, and take from him a bag of gold."

angryadjectiveUS /ˈæŋɡri/

feeling or showing anger

From this reading Roland, whose brow had been knitted into an angry frown, now threw back his head and laughed joyously.

armedadjectiveUS /ɑːrmd/

(used of persons or the military) characterized by having or bearing arms

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading "He mounted an outside stairway on the Fahrgasse, and through lighted windows on the opposite side saw you place the point of your sword at the throat of an unarmed merchant, and take from him a bag of gold."

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading Roland, whose brow had been knitted into an angry frown, now threw back his head and laughed joyously.

bagnounUS /bæɡ/

a flexible container with a single opening

From this reading "He mounted an outside stairway on the Fahrgasse, and through lighted windows on the opposite side saw you place the point of your sword at the throat of an unarmed merchant, and take from him a bag of gold."

BaronsnounUS /ˈbærənz/

plural of “baron” — a nobleman (in various countries) of varying rank

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Roland, whose brow had been knitted into an angry frown, now threw back his head and laughed joyously.

breakingnounUS /ˈbreɪkɪŋ/

the act of breaking something

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

brownounUS /braʊ/

the part of the face above the eyes

From this reading Roland, whose brow had been knitted into an angry frown, now threw back his head and laughed joyously.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

causedverbUS /kɑːzd/

past form of “cause” — give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

cheeksnounUS /tʃiːks/

plural of “cheek” — either side of the face below the eyes

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

commercenounUS /ˈkɑːmərs/

transactions (sales and purchases) having the objective of supplying commodities (goods and services)

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

correctedadjectiveUS /kərˈektəd/

having something undesirable neutralized

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

dearadjectiveUS /dɪr/

dearly loved

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

despoiling

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

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

eagerlyadverbUS /ˈiːɡərli/

with eagerness; in an eager manner

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

Fahrgasse

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

From this reading "He mounted an outside stairway on the Fahrgasse, and through lighted windows on the opposite side saw you place the point of your sword at the throat of an unarmed merchant, and take from him a bag of gold."

flushnounUS /flʌʃ/

the period of greatest prosperity or productivity

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

frolicnounUS /ˈfrɑːlɪk/

gay or light-hearted recreational activity for diversion or amusement

From this reading "Oh, that was a mere frolic," he alleged.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading "He mounted an outside stairway on the Fahrgasse, and through lighted windows on the opposite side saw you place the point of your sword at the throat of an unarmed merchant, and take from him a bag of gold."

frownverbUS /fraʊn/

look angry or sullen, wrinkle one's forehead, as if to signal disapproval

From this reading Roland, whose brow had been knitted into an angry frown, now threw back his head and laughed joyously.

girl'snounUS /ɡɜːrlz/

possessive form of “girl” — a young female

From this reading It was the girl's turn to frown.

goldnounUS /ɡoʊld/

coins made of gold

From this reading "He mounted an outside stairway on the Fahrgasse, and through lighted windows on the opposite side saw you place the point of your sword at the throat of an unarmed merchant, and take from him a bag of gold."

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Roland, whose brow had been knitted into an angry frown, now threw back his head and laughed joyously.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading "He mounted an outside stairway on the Fahrgasse, and through lighted windows on the opposite side saw you place the point of your sword at the throat of an unarmed merchant, and take from him a bag of gold."

headnounUS /hed/

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading Roland, whose brow had been knitted into an angry frown, now threw back his head and laughed joyously.

helplessadjectiveUS /ˈhelpləs/

lacking in or deprived of strength or power

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading "He mounted an outside stairway on the Fahrgasse, and through lighted windows on the opposite side saw you place the point of your sword at the throat of an unarmed merchant, and take from him a bag of gold."

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Roland, whose brow had been knitted into an angry frown, now threw back his head and laughed joyously.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Roland, whose brow had been knitted into an angry frown, now threw back his head and laughed joyously.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was the girl's turn to frown.

joyouslyadverb

in a joyous and gleeful manner

From this reading Roland, whose brow had been knitted into an angry frown, now threw back his head and laughed joyously.

knittedadjectiveUS /ˈnɪtəd/

made by intertwining threads in a series of connected loops rather than by weaving

From this reading Roland, whose brow had been knitted into an angry frown, now threw back his head and laughed joyously.

laughedverbUS /læft/

past form of “laugh” — produce laughter

From this reading Roland, whose brow had been knitted into an angry frown, now threw back his head and laughed joyously.

lightedadjectiveUS /ˈlaɪtəd/

set afire or burning

From this reading "He mounted an outside stairway on the Fahrgasse, and through lighted windows on the opposite side saw you place the point of your sword at the throat of an unarmed merchant, and take from him a bag of gold."

listenernounUS /ˈlɪsənər/

someone who listens attentively

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

Margraves

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

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

merchantnounUS /ˈmɜːr.tʃənt/

A person or company involved in wholesale trade, especially with foreign countries.

From this reading "He mounted an outside stairway on the Fahrgasse, and through lighted windows on the opposite side saw you place the point of your sword at the throat of an unarmed merchant, and take from him a bag of gold."

mereadjectiveUS /mɪr/

being nothing more than specified

From this reading "Oh, that was a mere frolic," he alleged.

mountedadjectiveUS /ˈmaʊntəd/

assembled for use; especially by being attached to a support

From this reading "He mounted an outside stairway on the Fahrgasse, and through lighted windows on the opposite side saw you place the point of your sword at the throat of an unarmed merchant, and take from him a bag of gold."

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

NodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

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

From this reading Roland, whose brow had been knitted into an angry frown, now threw back his head and laughed joyously.

objectnounUS /ˈɑːbdʒekt/

a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading "He mounted an outside stairway on the Fahrgasse, and through lighted windows on the opposite side saw you place the point of your sword at the throat of an unarmed merchant, and take from him a bag of gold."

OhnounUS /oʊ/

a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region

From this reading "Oh, that was a mere frolic," he alleged.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading "He mounted an outside stairway on the Fahrgasse, and through lighted windows on the opposite side saw you place the point of your sword at the throat of an unarmed merchant, and take from him a bag of gold."

oppositeadjectiveUS /ˈɑːpəzət/

being directly across from each other; facing

From this reading "He mounted an outside stairway on the Fahrgasse, and through lighted windows on the opposite side saw you place the point of your sword at the throat of an unarmed merchant, and take from him a bag of gold."

outsideadjectiveUS /ˈaʊtˈsaɪd/

relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit

From this reading "He mounted an outside stairway on the Fahrgasse, and through lighted windows on the opposite side saw you place the point of your sword at the throat of an unarmed merchant, and take from him a bag of gold."

phrasenounUS /freɪz/

an expression consisting of one or more words forming a grammatical constituent of a sentence

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading "He mounted an outside stairway on the Fahrgasse, and through lighted windows on the opposite side saw you place the point of your sword at the throat of an unarmed merchant, and take from him a bag of gold."

pointnounUS /pɔɪnt/

a geometric element that has position but no extension

From this reading "He mounted an outside stairway on the Fahrgasse, and through lighted windows on the opposite side saw you place the point of your sword at the throat of an unarmed merchant, and take from him a bag of gold."

powernounUS /ˈpaʊər/

possession of controlling influence

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

PrincenounUS /prɪns/

a male member of a royal family other than the sovereign (especially the son of a sovereign)

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

protectedadjectiveUS /prəˈtektɪd/

kept safe or defended from danger or injury or loss

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

reliefnounUS /rɪˈliːf/

the feeling that comes when something burdensome is removed or reduced

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

riseverbUS /raɪz/

move upward

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

Roland

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

From this reading Roland, whose brow had been knitted into an angry frown, now threw back his head and laughed joyously.

sawverbUS /sɔː/

cut with a saw

From this reading "He mounted an outside stairway on the Fahrgasse, and through lighted windows on the opposite side saw you place the point of your sword at the throat of an unarmed merchant, and take from him a bag of gold."

sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

scoresnounUS /skɔːrz/

a large number or amount

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

sidenounUS /saɪd/

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading "He mounted an outside stairway on the Fahrgasse, and through lighted windows on the opposite side saw you place the point of your sword at the throat of an unarmed merchant, and take from him a bag of gold."

stairwaynounUS /ˈsterweɪ/

a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps

From this reading "He mounted an outside stairway on the Fahrgasse, and through lighted windows on the opposite side saw you place the point of your sword at the throat of an unarmed merchant, and take from him a bag of gold."

stolenverbUS /ˈstoʊlən/

inflected form of “steal” — take without the owner's consent

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

swordnounUS /sɔːrd/

a cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guard

From this reading "He mounted an outside stairway on the Fahrgasse, and through lighted windows on the opposite side saw you place the point of your sword at the throat of an unarmed merchant, and take from him a bag of gold."

takeverbUS /teɪk/

carry out

From this reading "He mounted an outside stairway on the Fahrgasse, and through lighted windows on the opposite side saw you place the point of your sword at the throat of an unarmed merchant, and take from him a bag of gold."

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading "Oh, that was a mere frolic," he alleged.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading "He mounted an outside stairway on the Fahrgasse, and through lighted windows on the opposite side saw you place the point of your sword at the throat of an unarmed merchant, and take from him a bag of gold."

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

thievishadjective

given to thievery

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

threwverbUS /θruː/

inflected form of “throw” — propel through the air

From this reading Roland, whose brow had been knitted into an angry frown, now threw back his head and laughed joyously.

throatnounUS /θroʊt/

The passage at the back of the mouth.

From this reading "He mounted an outside stairway on the Fahrgasse, and through lighted windows on the opposite side saw you place the point of your sword at the throat of an unarmed merchant, and take from him a bag of gold."

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading "He mounted an outside stairway on the Fahrgasse, and through lighted windows on the opposite side saw you place the point of your sword at the throat of an unarmed merchant, and take from him a bag of gold."

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It was the girl's turn to frown.

tookverbUS /tʊk/

inflected form of “take” — carry out

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

treasurenounUS /ˈtreʒər/

accumulated wealth in the form of money or jewels etc.

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

turnverbUS /tɜːrn/

change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense

From this reading It was the girl's turn to frown.

unarmedadjectiveUS /əˈnɑːrmd/

(used of persons or the military) not having or using arms

From this reading "He mounted an outside stairway on the Fahrgasse, and through lighted windows on the opposite side saw you place the point of your sword at the throat of an unarmed merchant, and take from him a bag of gold."

unconsciousadjectiveUS /ˌʌnˈkɑːnʃəs/

not conscious; lacking awareness and the capacity for sensory perception as if asleep or dead

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

understandverbUS /ˌʌndərˈstænd/

know and comprehend the nature or meaning of

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading "Oh, that was a mere frolic," he alleged.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading Roland, whose brow had been knitted into an angry frown, now threw back his head and laughed joyously.

windowsnounUS /ˈwɪndoʊz/

(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface

From this reading "He mounted an outside stairway on the Fahrgasse, and through lighted windows on the opposite side saw you place the point of your sword at the throat of an unarmed merchant, and take from him a bag of gold."

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading "When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margraves protected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking their power, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that the despoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--" "No, no, my dear, you do not understand," eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise in the cheeks of his listener.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "He mounted an outside stairway on the Fahrgasse, and through lighted windows on the opposite side saw you place the point of your sword at the throat of an unarmed merchant, and take from him a bag of gold."

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "He mounted an outside stairway on the Fahrgasse, and through lighted windows on the opposite side saw you place the point of your sword at the throat of an unarmed merchant, and take from him a bag of gold."

Chapter 13 of The Sword Maker by Robert Barr holds 404 sentences, grouped into 81 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 13 of The Sword Maker contain?

Chapter 13 holds 404 sentences of The Sword Maker, unabridged, divided into 81 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 13 of The Sword Maker by Robert Barr exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 404 sentences, grouped into 81 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 13 of The Sword Maker?

Work through the 81 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 81 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 13 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 13 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 Sword Maker

Common questions about reading The Sword Maker by Robert Barr on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Sword Maker?

Yes. All 5993 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #14656 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Sword Maker is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #14656, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Sword Maker take to read?

About 499 minutes of reading across 1199 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Sword Maker section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 15 chapters of The Sword Maker 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 Sword Maker

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

Tekla
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Sword Maker; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Cardillac
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Sword Maker; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Victors
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Sword Maker; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Midst
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Sword Maker; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.