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The Vicissitudes of Bessie Fairfax
The Vicissitudes of Bessie Fairfax

Chapter XL · Chapter 40

Chapter 40 of The Vicissitudes of Bessie Fairfax is here in full — 553 sentences across 111 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Holme Lee • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for The Vicissitudes of Bessie Fairfax
Context Illustration Reading 1/110 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
_FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE._ Towards the end of September, Harry Musgrave and Bessie Fairfax were married.
Lady Latimer protested against this conclusion by her absence, but she permitted Dora Meadows to go to the church to look on.
The wedding differed but very little from other weddings.
Harry Musgrave was attended by his friend Forsyth, and Polly and Totty Carnegie were the bridesmaids.
Mr. Moxon married the young couple, and Mr. Carnegie gave the bride away.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Vicissitudes of Bessie Fairfax

Chapter XL · Chapter 40

Chapter 40 of The Vicissitudes of Bessie Fairfax is here in full — 553 sentences across 111 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/110 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
_FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE._ Towards the end of September, Harry Musgrave and Bessie Fairfax were married.
Line 2
Lady Latimer protested against this conclusion by her absence, but she permitted Dora Meadows to go to the church to look on.
Line 3
The wedding differed but very little from other weddings.
/ðə ˈwedɪŋ ˈdɪfərd bʌt ˈveri ˈlɪtəl frʌm ˈʌðər ˈwedɪŋz/
Line 4
Harry Musgrave was attended by his friend Forsyth, and Polly and Totty Carnegie were the bridesmaids.
Line 5
Mr. Moxon married the young couple, and Mr. Carnegie gave the bride away.

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.

attended adjective US /əˈtendɪd/

playing or singing with instrumental or vocal accompaniment

From this reading “Harry Musgrave was attended by his friend Forsyth, and Polly and Totty Carnegie were the bridesmaids.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
bridesmaids noun US /ˈbraɪdzmeɪdz/

plural of “bridesmaid” — an unmarried woman who attends the bride at a wedding

From this reading “Harry Musgrave was attended by his friend Forsyth, and Polly and Totty Carnegie were the bridesmaids.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Carnegie noun US /ˈkɑːrnəɡi/

United States educator famous for writing a book about how to win friends and influence people (1888-1955)

From this reading “Harry Musgrave was attended by his friend Forsyth, and Polly and Totty Carnegie were the bridesmaids.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
differed verb US /ˈdɪfərd/

past form of “differ” — be different

From this reading “The wedding differed but very little from other weddings.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Meadows noun US /ˈmedoʊz/

plural of “meadow” — a field where grass or alfalfa are grown to be made into hay

From this reading “Lady Latimer protested against this conclusion by her absence, but she permitted Dora Meadows to go to the church to look on.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
protested verb US /prəˈtestɪd/

past form of “protest” — utter words of protest

From this reading “Lady Latimer protested against this conclusion by her absence, but she permitted Dora Meadows to go to the church to look on.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
September noun US /sepˈtembər/

the month following August and preceding October

From this reading “_FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE._ Towards the end of September, Harry Musgrave and Bessie Fairfax were married.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
weddings noun US /ˈwedɪŋz/

plural of “wedding” — the social event at which the ceremony of marriage is performed

From this reading “The wedding differed but very little from other weddings.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

All words in this reading · 57

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.

absencenounUS /ˈæbsəns/

the state of being absent

From this reading Lady Latimer protested against this conclusion by her absence, but she permitted Dora Meadows to go to the church to look on.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading Lady Latimer protested against this conclusion by her absence, but she permitted Dora Meadows to go to the church to look on.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading _FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE._ Towards the end of September, Harry Musgrave and Bessie Fairfax were married.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
attendedadjectiveUS /əˈtendɪd/

playing or singing with instrumental or vocal accompaniment

From this reading Harry Musgrave was attended by his friend Forsyth, and Polly and Totty Carnegie were the bridesmaids.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading Mr. Moxon married the young couple, and Mr. Carnegie gave the bride away.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Bessie

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

From this reading _FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE._ Towards the end of September, Harry Musgrave and Bessie Fairfax were married.

Pending verification
BETTERadjectiveUS /ˈbetər/

(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another

From this reading _FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE._ Towards the end of September, Harry Musgrave and Bessie Fairfax were married.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
bridenounUS /braɪd/

a woman who has recently been married

From this reading Mr. Moxon married the young couple, and Mr. Carnegie gave the bride away.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
bridesmaidsnounUS /ˈbraɪdzmeɪdz/

plural of “bridesmaid” — an unmarried woman who attends the bride at a wedding

From this reading Harry Musgrave was attended by his friend Forsyth, and Polly and Totty Carnegie were the bridesmaids.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Lady Latimer protested against this conclusion by her absence, but she permitted Dora Meadows to go to the church to look on.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Lady Latimer protested against this conclusion by her absence, but she permitted Dora Meadows to go to the church to look on.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
CarnegienounUS /ˈkɑːrnəɡi/

United States educator famous for writing a book about how to win friends and influence people (1888-1955)

From this reading Harry Musgrave was attended by his friend Forsyth, and Polly and Totty Carnegie were the bridesmaids.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
churchnounUS /tʃɜːrtʃ/

one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship

From this reading Lady Latimer protested against this conclusion by her absence, but she permitted Dora Meadows to go to the church to look on.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
conclusionnounUS /kənˈkluːʒən/

a position or opinion or judgment reached after consideration

From this reading Lady Latimer protested against this conclusion by her absence, but she permitted Dora Meadows to go to the church to look on.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
couplenounUS /ˈkʌpəl/

a pair who associate with one another

From this reading Mr. Moxon married the young couple, and Mr. Carnegie gave the bride away.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
differedverbUS /ˈdɪfərd/

past form of “differ” — be different

From this reading The wedding differed but very little from other weddings.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Dora

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

From this reading Lady Latimer protested against this conclusion by her absence, but she permitted Dora Meadows to go to the church to look on.

Pending verification
endnounUS /end/

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading _FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE._ Towards the end of September, Harry Musgrave and Bessie Fairfax were married.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Fairfax

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

From this reading _FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE._ Towards the end of September, Harry Musgrave and Bessie Fairfax were married.

Pending verification
FORprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading _FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE._ Towards the end of September, Harry Musgrave and Bessie Fairfax were married.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
Forsyth

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

From this reading Harry Musgrave was attended by his friend Forsyth, and Polly and Totty Carnegie were the bridesmaids.

Pending verification
friendnounUS /frend/

a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading Harry Musgrave was attended by his friend Forsyth, and Polly and Totty Carnegie were the bridesmaids.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading The wedding differed but very little from other weddings.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
gaveverbUS /ɡeɪv/

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

From this reading Mr. Moxon married the young couple, and Mr. Carnegie gave the bride away.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

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

From this reading Lady Latimer protested against this conclusion by her absence, but she permitted Dora Meadows to go to the church to look on.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
HarryverbUS /ˈheri/

annoy continually or chronically

From this reading _FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE._ Towards the end of September, Harry Musgrave and Bessie Fairfax were married.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Lady Latimer protested against this conclusion by her absence, but she permitted Dora Meadows to go to the church to look on.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Harry Musgrave was attended by his friend Forsyth, and Polly and Totty Carnegie were the bridesmaids.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
LadynounUS /ˈleɪdi/

a polite name for any woman

From this reading Lady Latimer protested against this conclusion by her absence, but she permitted Dora Meadows to go to the church to look on.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Latimer

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

From this reading Lady Latimer protested against this conclusion by her absence, but she permitted Dora Meadows to go to the church to look on.

Pending verification
littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading The wedding differed but very little from other weddings.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lookverbUS /lʊk/

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading Lady Latimer protested against this conclusion by her absence, but she permitted Dora Meadows to go to the church to look on.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
marriedadjectiveUS /ˈmerid/

joined in matrimony

From this reading _FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE._ Towards the end of September, Harry Musgrave and Bessie Fairfax were married.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MeadowsnounUS /ˈmedoʊz/

plural of “meadow” — a field where grass or alfalfa are grown to be made into hay

From this reading Lady Latimer protested against this conclusion by her absence, but she permitted Dora Meadows to go to the church to look on.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Moxon

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

From this reading Mr. Moxon married the young couple, and Mr. Carnegie gave the bride away.

Pending verification
MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading Mr. Moxon married the young couple, and Mr. Carnegie gave the bride away.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Musgrave

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

From this reading _FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE._ Towards the end of September, Harry Musgrave and Bessie Fairfax were married.

Pending verification
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading _FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE._ Towards the end of September, Harry Musgrave and Bessie Fairfax were married.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Lady Latimer protested against this conclusion by her absence, but she permitted Dora Meadows to go to the church to look on.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading The wedding differed but very little from other weddings.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
permittedverbUS /pərˈmɪtɪd/

inflected form of “permit” — consent to, give permission

From this reading Lady Latimer protested against this conclusion by her absence, but she permitted Dora Meadows to go to the church to look on.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Polly

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

From this reading Harry Musgrave was attended by his friend Forsyth, and Polly and Totty Carnegie were the bridesmaids.

Pending verification
protestedverbUS /prəˈtestɪd/

past form of “protest” — utter words of protest

From this reading Lady Latimer protested against this conclusion by her absence, but she permitted Dora Meadows to go to the church to look on.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SeptembernounUS /sepˈtembər/

the month following August and preceding October

From this reading _FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE._ Towards the end of September, Harry Musgrave and Bessie Fairfax were married.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading Lady Latimer protested against this conclusion by her absence, but she permitted Dora Meadows to go to the church to look on.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading _FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE._ Towards the end of September, Harry Musgrave and Bessie Fairfax were married.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading Lady Latimer protested against this conclusion by her absence, but she permitted Dora Meadows to go to the church to look on.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Lady Latimer protested against this conclusion by her absence, but she permitted Dora Meadows to go to the church to look on.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
Totty

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

From this reading Harry Musgrave was attended by his friend Forsyth, and Polly and Totty Carnegie were the bridesmaids.

Pending verification
TowardsprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrdz/

in the direction of

From this reading _FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE._ Towards the end of September, Harry Musgrave and Bessie Fairfax were married.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading The wedding differed but very little from other weddings.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Harry Musgrave was attended by his friend Forsyth, and Polly and Totty Carnegie were the bridesmaids.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
weddingnounUS /ˈwedɪŋ/

the social event at which the ceremony of marriage is performed

From this reading The wedding differed but very little from other weddings.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
weddingsnounUS /ˈwedɪŋz/

plural of “wedding” — the social event at which the ceremony of marriage is performed

From this reading The wedding differed but very little from other weddings.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading _FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE._ Towards the end of September, Harry Musgrave and Bessie Fairfax were married.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
WORSEadjectiveUS /wɜːrs/

(comparative of “bad”) inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability

From this reading _FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE._ Towards the end of September, Harry Musgrave and Bessie Fairfax were married.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

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

From this reading Mr. Moxon married the young couple, and Mr. Carnegie gave the bride away.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Chapter 40 of The Vicissitudes of Bessie Fairfax by Holme Lee holds 553 sentences, grouped into 111 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 40 of The Vicissitudes of Bessie Fairfax contain?

Chapter 40 holds 553 sentences of The Vicissitudes of Bessie Fairfax, unabridged, divided into 111 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 40 of The Vicissitudes of Bessie Fairfax by Holme Lee exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 553 sentences, grouped into 111 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 40 of The Vicissitudes of Bessie Fairfax?

Work through the 111 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 111 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 40 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 40 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 Vicissitudes of Bessie Fairfax

Common questions about reading The Vicissitudes of Bessie Fairfax by Holme Lee on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Vicissitudes of Bessie Fairfax?

Yes. All 7813 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #17086 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Vicissitudes of Bessie Fairfax is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #17086, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Vicissitudes of Bessie Fairfax take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1563 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Vicissitudes of Bessie Fairfax section by section

How to work through The Vicissitudes of Bessie Fairfax section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  2. Read one section

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  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in The Vicissitudes of Bessie Fairfax

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Vicissitudes of Bessie Fairfax, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Lawyer's
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Vicissitudes of Bessie Fairfax; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Letter
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Vicissitudes of Bessie Fairfax; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Postman
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Vicissitudes of Bessie Fairfax; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Bring
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Vicissitudes of Bessie Fairfax; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.