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The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete Lourdes
The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete Lourdes

Chapter IX · Chapter 9

Chapter 9 of The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete Lourdes is here in full — 1928 sentences across 386 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/385 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.
The idea of this had kept him from sleeping, and he still found it difficult to hide his distress and force a smile.
The sky was so clear and the atmosphere so mild that the brothers had resolved to go to Montmartre on foot by way of the outer boulevards.
Nine o’clock was striking when they set out.
Guillaume for his part was very gay at the thought of the surprise he would give his family.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete Lourdes

Chapter IX · Chapter 9

Chapter 9 of The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete Lourdes is here in full — 1928 sentences across 386 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/385 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.
Line 2
The idea of this had kept him from sleeping, and he still found it difficult to hide his distress and force a smile.
/ðə aɪˈdiːə ʌv ðɪs hæd kept hɪm frʌm ˈsliːpɪŋ ənd hiː stɪl faʊnd ɪt ˈdɪfəkəlt tuː haɪd hɪz dɪˈstres ənd fɔːrs ə smaɪl/
Line 3
The sky was so clear and the atmosphere so mild that the brothers had resolved to go to Montmartre on foot by way of the outer boulevards.
/ðə skaɪ wɑːz soʊ klɪr ənd ðə ˈætməsfɪr soʊ maɪld ðæt ðə ˈbrʌðərz hæd riˈzɑːlvd tuː ɡoʊ tuː ˌmɑːnˈmærtrə ɑːn fʊt baɪ weɪ ʌv ðə ˈaʊtər ˈbʊləvɑːrdz/
Line 4
Nine o’clock was striking when they set out.
/naɪn əˈklɑːk wɑːz ˈstraɪkɪŋ wen ðeɪ set aʊt/
Line 5
Guillaume for his part was very gay at the thought of the surprise he would give his family.

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.

accompany verb US /əˈkʌmpəni/

be present or associated with an event or entity

From this reading “I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.”

boulevards noun US /ˈbʊləvɑːrdz/

plural of “boulevard” — a wide street or thoroughfare

From this reading “The sky was so clear and the atmosphere so mild that the brothers had resolved to go to Montmartre on foot by way of the outer boulevards.”

mild adjective US /maɪld/

moderate in type or degree or effect or force; far from extreme

From this reading “I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.”

Montmartre noun US /ˌmɑːnˈmærtrə/

the highest point in Paris; famous for its associations with many artists

From this reading “I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.”

negation noun US /nəˈɡeɪʃən/

a negative statement; a statement that is a refusal or denial of some other statement

From this reading “I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.”

oppressed adjective US /əˈprest/

burdened psychologically or mentally

From this reading “I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.”

outer adjective US /ˈaʊtər/

being on the outside or further from a center

From this reading “The sky was so clear and the atmosphere so mild that the brothers had resolved to go to Montmartre on foot by way of the outer boulevards.”

relapsing noun US /rɪˈlæpsɪŋ/

a failure to maintain a higher state

From this reading “I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.”

All words in this reading · 82

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 The idea of this had kept him from sleeping, and he still found it difficult to hide his distress and force a smile.

accompanyverbUS /əˈkʌmpəni/

be present or associated with an event or entity

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

atmospherenounUS /ˈætməsfɪr/

a particular environment or surrounding influence

From this reading The sky was so clear and the atmosphere so mild that the brothers had resolved to go to Montmartre on foot by way of the outer boulevards.

boulevardsnounUS /ˈbʊləvɑːrdz/

plural of “boulevard” — a wide street or thoroughfare

From this reading The sky was so clear and the atmosphere so mild that the brothers had resolved to go to Montmartre on foot by way of the outer boulevards.

brothersnounUS /ˈbrʌðərz/

plural of “brother” — a male with the same parents as someone else

From this reading The sky was so clear and the atmosphere so mild that the brothers had resolved to go to Montmartre on foot by way of the outer boulevards.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

clearverbUS /klɪr/

rid of obstructions

From this reading The sky was so clear and the atmosphere so mild that the brothers had resolved to go to Montmartre on foot by way of the outer boulevards.

despairnounUS /dɪˈsper/

a state in which all hope is lost or absent

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

difficultadjectiveUS /ˈdɪfəkəlt/

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

From this reading The idea of this had kept him from sleeping, and he still found it difficult to hide his distress and force a smile.

distressnounUS /dɪˈstres/

psychological suffering

From this reading The idea of this had kept him from sleeping, and he still found it difficult to hide his distress and force a smile.

familynounUS /ˈfæməli/

a social unit living together

From this reading Guillaume for his part was very gay at the thought of the surprise he would give his family.

findverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

footnounUS /fʊt/

the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading The sky was so clear and the atmosphere so mild that the brothers had resolved to go to Montmartre on foot by way of the outer boulevards.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Guillaume for his part was very gay at the thought of the surprise he would give his family.

forcenounUS /fɔːrs/

a powerful effect or influence

From this reading The idea of this had kept him from sleeping, and he still found it difficult to hide his distress and force a smile.

foundverbUS /faʊnd/

set up or found

From this reading The idea of this had kept him from sleeping, and he still found it difficult to hide his distress and force a smile.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

gayadjectiveUS /ɡeɪ/

bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer

From this reading Guillaume for his part was very gay at the thought of the surprise he would give his family.

giveverbUS /ɡɪv/

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading Guillaume for his part was very gay at the thought of the surprise he would give his family.

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading The sky was so clear and the atmosphere so mild that the brothers had resolved to go to Montmartre on foot by way of the outer boulevards.

Guillaume

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

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading The idea of this had kept him from sleeping, and he still found it difficult to hide his distress and force a smile.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

hideverbUS /haɪd/

prevent from being seen or discovered

From this reading The idea of this had kept him from sleeping, and he still found it difficult to hide his distress and force a smile.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

homenounUS /hoʊm/

where you live at a particular time

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

housenounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

ideanounUS /aɪˈdiːə/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading The idea of this had kept him from sleeping, and he still found it difficult to hide his distress and force a smile.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading The idea of this had kept him from sleeping, and he still found it difficult to hide his distress and force a smile.

keptadjectiveUS /kept/

(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded

From this reading The idea of this had kept him from sleeping, and he still found it difficult to hide his distress and force a smile.

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 I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

MarchverbUS /mɑːrtʃ/

march in a procession

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

MARIE

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

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

mildadjectiveUS /maɪld/

moderate in type or degree or effect or force; far from extreme

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

MontmartrenounUS /ˌmɑːnˈmærtrə/

the highest point in Paris; famous for its associations with many artists

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

negationnounUS /nəˈɡeɪʃən/

a negative statement; a statement that is a refusal or denial of some other statement

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

Neuilly

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

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

NinenounUS /naɪn/

the cardinal number that is the sum of eight and one

From this reading Nine o’clock was striking when they set out.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/

according to the clock

From this reading Nine o’clock was striking when they set out.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The idea of this had kept him from sleeping, and he still found it difficult to hide his distress and force a smile.

ONprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

oppressedadjectiveUS /əˈprest/

burdened psychologically or mentally

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Nine o’clock was striking when they set out.

outeradjectiveUS /ˈaʊtər/

being on the outside or further from a center

From this reading The sky was so clear and the atmosphere so mild that the brothers had resolved to go to Montmartre on foot by way of the outer boulevards.

partnounUS /pɑːrt/

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading Guillaume for his part was very gay at the thought of the surprise he would give his family.

PIERREnounUS /piˈer/

capital of the state of South Dakota; located in central South Dakota on the Missouri river

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

preventverbUS /prɪˈvent/

keep from happening or arising; make impossible

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

relapsingnounUS /rɪˈlæpsɪŋ/

a failure to maintain a higher state

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

resolvedadjectiveUS /riˈzɑːlvd/

determined

From this reading The sky was so clear and the atmosphere so mild that the brothers had resolved to go to Montmartre on foot by way of the outer boulevards.

returningadjectiveUS /rɪˈtɜːrnɪŋ/

tending to return to an earlier state

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

setverbUS /set/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading Nine o’clock was striking when they set out.

skynounUS /skaɪ/

the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth

From this reading The sky was so clear and the atmosphere so mild that the brothers had resolved to go to Montmartre on foot by way of the outer boulevards.

sleepingnounUS /ˈsliːpɪŋ/

the state of being asleep

From this reading The idea of this had kept him from sleeping, and he still found it difficult to hide his distress and force a smile.

smileverbUS /smaɪl/

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

From this reading The idea of this had kept him from sleeping, and he still found it difficult to hide his distress and force a smile.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading The sky was so clear and the atmosphere so mild that the brothers had resolved to go to Montmartre on foot by way of the outer boulevards.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading The idea of this had kept him from sleeping, and he still found it difficult to hide his distress and force a smile.

strikingadjectiveUS /ˈstraɪkɪŋ/

sensational in appearance or thrilling in effect

From this reading Nine o’clock was striking when they set out.

surprisenounUS /sərˈpraɪz/

the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you

From this reading Guillaume for his part was very gay at the thought of the surprise he would give his family.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Nine o’clock was striking when they set out.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading The idea of this had kept him from sleeping, and he still found it difficult to hide his distress and force a smile.

thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading Guillaume for his part was very gay at the thought of the surprise he would give his family.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading The sky was so clear and the atmosphere so mild that the brothers had resolved to go to Montmartre on foot by way of the outer boulevards.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading I. PIERRE AND MARIE ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre, he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair.

Chapter 9 of The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete Lourdes by Émile Zola holds 1928 sentences, grouped into 386 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 9 of The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete Lourdes contain?

Chapter 9 holds 1928 sentences of The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete Lourdes, unabridged, divided into 386 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 9 of The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete Lourdes by Émile Zola exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 1928 sentences, grouped into 386 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 9 of The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete Lourdes?

Work through the 386 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 386 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 9 be read aloud to me?

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.

Questions about reading The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete Lourdes

Common questions about reading The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete Lourdes by Émile Zola on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete Lourdes?

Yes. All 19029 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #9170 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete Lourdes is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #9170, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete Lourdes take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 3806 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete Lourdes section by section

How to work through The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete Lourdes section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 10 chapters of The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete Lourdes 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 Three Cities Trilogy, Complete Lourdes

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete Lourdes, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Train
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete Lourdes; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Greatly
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete Lourdes; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Delayed
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete Lourdes; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
During
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete Lourdes; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.