The Wayfarers

Chapter XII

Chapter 12 of The Wayfarers is here in full — 122 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By J. C. (John Collis) Snaith • Curated US English Learning Edition

English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

I DISCOVER A GREAT AUTHOR WHERE I LEAST EXPECT TO FIND ONE While all this was going forward very eloquent glances were repeatedly exchanged between the justice and the head-constable.

They were both equally at a loss to know what to do in the matter.

Their plain duty was to have me removed in custody.

But this they could not very well do, seeing on what terms of intimacy I had already been placed.

There must be a grave mistake somewhere.

Narrator

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.

Chapter XII Reading 1/24

The Wayfarers

Chapter XII

Chapter 12 of The Wayfarers is here in full — 122 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/24 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

I DISCOVER A GREAT AUTHOR WHERE I LEAST EXPECT TO FIND ONE While all this was going forward very eloquent glances were repeatedly exchanged between the justice and the head-constable.

Line 2

They were both equally at a loss to know what to do in the matter.

/ðeɪ wɜːr boʊθ ˈiːkwəli æt ə lɔːs tuː noʊ wʌt tuː duː ɪn ðə ˈmætər/

Line 3

Their plain duty was to have me removed in custody.

/ðer pleɪn ˈduːti wɑːz tuː hæv miː riˈmuːvd ɪn ˈkʌstədi/

Line 4

But this they could not very well do, seeing on what terms of intimacy I had already been placed.

/bʌt ðɪs ðeɪ kʊd nɑːt ˈveri wel duː ˈsiːɪŋ ɑːn wʌt tɜːrmz ʌv ˈɪntəməsi aɪ hæd ɔːlˈredi bɪn pleɪst/

Line 5

There must be a grave mistake somewhere.

/ðer mʌst biː ə ɡreɪv mɪˈsteɪk ˈsʌmwer/

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.

custody noun US /ˈkʌstədi/

a state of being confined (usually for a short time)

From this reading “Their plain duty was to have me removed in custody.”

discover verb US /dɪˈskʌvər/

discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of

From this reading “I DISCOVER A GREAT AUTHOR WHERE I LEAST EXPECT TO FIND ONE While all this was going forward very eloquent glances were repeatedly exchanged between the justice and the head-constable.”

eloquent adjective US /ˈeləkwənt/

expressing yourself readily, clearly, effectively

equally adverb US /ˈiːkwəli/

to the same degree (often followed by “as”)

From this reading “They were both equally at a loss to know what to do in the matter.”

exchanged adjective US /ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒd/

changed for (replaced by) something different

glances noun US /ˈɡlænsɪz/

plural of “glance” — a quick look

intimacy noun US /ˈɪntəməsi/

close or warm friendship

From this reading “But this they could not very well do, seeing on what terms of intimacy I had already been placed.”

repeatedly adverb US /rɪˈpiːtɪdli/

several time

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

at a loss preposition + article + noun counted as “at … loss”

filled with bewilderment

In this reading “They were both equally at a loss to know what to do in the matter.”

plain duty adjective + noun

In this reading “Their plain duty was to have me removed in custody.”

All words in this reading · 64

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 I DISCOVER A GREAT AUTHOR WHERE I LEAST EXPECT TO FIND ONE While all this was going forward very eloquent glances were repeatedly exchanged between the justice and the head-constable.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

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

alreadyadverbUS /ɔːlˈredi/

prior to a specified or implied time

From this reading But this they could not very well do, seeing on what terms of intimacy I had already been placed.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading They were both equally at a loss to know what to do in the matter.

AUTHORnounUS /ˈɔːθər/

writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading There must be a grave mistake somewhere.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading But this they could not very well do, seeing on what terms of intimacy I had already been placed.

betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

bothdeterminerUS /boʊθ/

the two together, not just one

From this reading They were both equally at a loss to know what to do in the matter.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But this they could not very well do, seeing on what terms of intimacy I had already been placed.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading But this they could not very well do, seeing on what terms of intimacy I had already been placed.

custodynounUS /ˈkʌstədi/

a state of being confined (usually for a short time)

From this reading Their plain duty was to have me removed in custody.

DISCOVERverbUS /dɪˈskʌvər/

discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading They were both equally at a loss to know what to do in the matter.

dutynounUS /ˈduːti/

the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force

From this reading Their plain duty was to have me removed in custody.

eloquentadjectiveUS /ˈeləkwənt/

expressing yourself readily, clearly, effectively

equallyadverbUS /ˈiːkwəli/

to the same degree (often followed by “as”)

From this reading They were both equally at a loss to know what to do in the matter.

exchangedadjectiveUS /ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒd/

changed for (replaced by) something different

EXPECTverbUS /ɪkˈspekt/

regard something as probable or likely

FINDverbUS /faɪnd/

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

forwardadverbUS /ˈfɔːrwərd/

at or to or toward the front

glancesnounUS /ˈɡlænsɪz/

plural of “glance” — a quick look

goingnounUS /ˈɡoʊɪŋ/

the act of departing

gravenounUS /ɡreɪv/

death of a person

From this reading There must be a grave mistake somewhere.

GREATadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading But this they could not very well do, seeing on what terms of intimacy I had already been placed.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Their plain duty was to have me removed in custody.

head-constable

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

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading They were both equally at a loss to know what to do in the matter.

intimacynounUS /ˈɪntəməsi/

close or warm friendship

From this reading But this they could not very well do, seeing on what terms of intimacy I had already been placed.

justicenounUS /ˈdʒʌstəs/

the quality of being just or fair

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading They were both equally at a loss to know what to do in the matter.

LEASTadjectiveUS /liːst/

the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree

lossnounUS /lɔːs/

something that is lost

From this reading They were both equally at a loss to know what to do in the matter.

matternounUS /ˈmætər/

a vaguely specified concern

From this reading They were both equally at a loss to know what to do in the matter.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Their plain duty was to have me removed in custody.

mistakenounUS /mɪˈsteɪk/

a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention

From this reading There must be a grave mistake somewhere.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading There must be a grave mistake somewhere.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading But this they could not very well do, seeing on what terms of intimacy I had already been placed.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading But this they could not very well do, seeing on what terms of intimacy I had already been placed.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading But this they could not very well do, seeing on what terms of intimacy I had already been placed.

ONEpronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

placedadjectiveUS /pleɪst/

situated in a particular spot or position

From this reading But this they could not very well do, seeing on what terms of intimacy I had already been placed.

plainadjectiveUS /pleɪn/

clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment

From this reading Their plain duty was to have me removed in custody.

removedadjectiveUS /riˈmuːvd/

separated in relationship by a given degree of descent

From this reading Their plain duty was to have me removed in custody.

repeatedlyadverbUS /rɪˈpiːtɪdli/

several time

seeingnounUS /ˈsiːɪŋ/

perception by means of the eyes

From this reading But this they could not very well do, seeing on what terms of intimacy I had already been placed.

somewhereadverbUS /ˈsʌmwer/

in or at or to some place

From this reading There must be a grave mistake somewhere.

termsnounUS /tɜːrmz/

status with respect to the relations between people or groups

From this reading But this they could not very well do, seeing on what terms of intimacy I had already been placed.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

TheirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Their plain duty was to have me removed in custody.

ThereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading There must be a grave mistake somewhere.

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading They were both equally at a loss to know what to do in the matter.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

TOparticleUS /tuː/

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

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

welladverbUS /wel/

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading But this they could not very well do, seeing on what terms of intimacy I had already been placed.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading They were both equally at a loss to know what to do in the matter.

WHEREconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

WhileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

Chapter 12 of The Wayfarers by J. C. (John Collis) Snaith holds 122 sentences, grouped into 25 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 12 of The Wayfarers contain?

Chapter 12 holds 122 sentences of The Wayfarers, unabridged, divided into 25 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 12 of The Wayfarers by J. C. (John Collis) Snaith exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 122 sentences, grouped into 25 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 12 of The Wayfarers?

Work through the 25 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 25 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 12 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 12 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 Wayfarers

Common questions about reading The Wayfarers by J. C. (John Collis) Snaith on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Wayfarers?

Yes. All 3553 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #34776 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Wayfarers is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #34776, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Wayfarers take to read?

About 296 minutes of reading across 711 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Wayfarers section by section

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

Open a chapter

Choose one of the 21 chapters of The Wayfarers to begin.
Read one section

Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Listen and tap

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

Vocabulary met early in The Wayfarers

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

Author: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Wayfarers; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Mistress: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Wayfarers; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Dorothy: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Wayfarers; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Marvin: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Wayfarers; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.

Chapter XII

What does chapter 12 of The Wayfarers contain?

How do I study chapter 12 of The Wayfarers?

Can chapter 12 be read aloud to me?

Questions about reading The Wayfarers

How to read The Wayfarers section by section

Open a chapter

Read one section

Listen and tap

Vocabulary met early in The Wayfarers