Chapter 5 of The white countess is here in full — 186 sentences across 38 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter V
Chapter 5 of The white countess is here in full — 186 sentences across 38 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Audrey stared at the doctor. “Thank you,” said she, “I don’t want either a prescription or a sleeping draught. I’m quite well, quite sane. I can’t have been deceived. I saw the woman, I heard her speak, I saw and heard, not so well, but still I did see and hear him--a man who dragged her out of this room and into the next.”
Chapter 5 of The white countess is here in full — 186 sentences across 38 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/37 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
past form of “deceive” — be false to; be dishonest with
From this reading “I can’t have been deceived.”
inflected form of “drag” — pull, as against a resistance
From this reading “I saw the woman, I heard her speak, I saw and heard, not so well, but still I did see and hear him--a man who dragged her out of this room and into the next.””
a serving of drink (usually alcoholic) drawn from a keg
From this reading ““Thank you,” said she, “I don’t want either a prescription or a sleeping draught.”
directions prescribed beforehand; the action of prescribing authoritative rules or directions
From this reading ““Thank you,” said she, “I don’t want either a prescription or a sleeping draught.”
mentally healthy; free from mental disorder
From this reading “I’m quite well, quite sane.”
the state of being asleep
From this reading ““Thank you,” said she, “I don’t want either a prescription or a sleeping draught.”
past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading “Audrey stared at the doctor.”
express gratitude or show appreciation to
From this reading ““Thank you,” said she, “I don’t want either a prescription or a sleeping draught.”
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.
a soporific drug in the form of a pill (or tablet or capsule)
In this reading ““Thank you,” said she, “I don’t want either a prescription or a sleeping draught.”
In this reading “I’m quite well, quite sane.”
In this reading “Audrey stared at the doctor.”
Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.
Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “Thank you,” said she, “I don’t want either a prescription or a sleeping draught.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I saw the woman, I heard her speak, I saw and heard, not so well, but still I did see and hear him--a man who dragged her out of this room and into the next.”
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Audrey stared at the doctor.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Audrey stared at the doctor.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading I can’t have been deceived.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading I saw the woman, I heard her speak, I saw and heard, not so well, but still I did see and hear him--a man who dragged her out of this room and into the next.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I can’t have been deceived.
past form of “deceive” — be false to; be dishonest with
From this reading I can’t have been deceived.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading I saw the woman, I heard her speak, I saw and heard, not so well, but still I did see and hear him--a man who dragged her out of this room and into the next.”
a licensed medical practitioner
From this reading Audrey stared at the doctor.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Thank you,” said she, “I don’t want either a prescription or a sleeping draught.
inflected form of “drag” — pull, as against a resistance
From this reading I saw the woman, I heard her speak, I saw and heard, not so well, but still I did see and hear him--a man who dragged her out of this room and into the next.”
a serving of drink (usually alcoholic) drawn from a keg
From this reading “Thank you,” said she, “I don’t want either a prescription or a sleeping draught.
one or the other of two
From this reading “Thank you,” said she, “I don’t want either a prescription or a sleeping draught.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading I can’t have been deceived.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading I saw the woman, I heard her speak, I saw and heard, not so well, but still I did see and hear him--a man who dragged her out of this room and into the next.”
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading I saw the woman, I heard her speak, I saw and heard, not so well, but still I did see and hear him--a man who dragged her out of this room and into the next.”
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading I saw the woman, I heard her speak, I saw and heard, not so well, but still I did see and hear him--a man who dragged her out of this room and into the next.”
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I saw the woman, I heard her speak, I saw and heard, not so well, but still I did see and hear him--a man who dragged her out of this room and into the next.”
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “Thank you,” said she, “I don’t want either a prescription or a sleeping draught.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’m quite well, quite sane.
moving to the inside of something
From this reading I saw the woman, I heard her speak, I saw and heard, not so well, but still I did see and hear him--a man who dragged her out of this room and into the next.”
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading I saw the woman, I heard her speak, I saw and heard, not so well, but still I did see and hear him--a man who dragged her out of this room and into the next.”
immediately following in time or order
From this reading I saw the woman, I heard her speak, I saw and heard, not so well, but still I did see and hear him--a man who dragged her out of this room and into the next.”
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading I saw the woman, I heard her speak, I saw and heard, not so well, but still I did see and hear him--a man who dragged her out of this room and into the next.”
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I saw the woman, I heard her speak, I saw and heard, not so well, but still I did see and hear him--a man who dragged her out of this room and into the next.”
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading “Thank you,” said she, “I don’t want either a prescription or a sleeping draught.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading I saw the woman, I heard her speak, I saw and heard, not so well, but still I did see and hear him--a man who dragged her out of this room and into the next.”
directions prescribed beforehand; the action of prescribing authoritative rules or directions
From this reading “Thank you,” said she, “I don’t want either a prescription or a sleeping draught.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading I’m quite well, quite sane.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading I saw the woman, I heard her speak, I saw and heard, not so well, but still I did see and hear him--a man who dragged her out of this room and into the next.”
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Thank you,” said she, “I don’t want either a prescription or a sleeping draught.
mentally healthy; free from mental disorder
From this reading I’m quite well, quite sane.
cut with a saw
From this reading I saw the woman, I heard her speak, I saw and heard, not so well, but still I did see and hear him--a man who dragged her out of this room and into the next.”
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading I saw the woman, I heard her speak, I saw and heard, not so well, but still I did see and hear him--a man who dragged her out of this room and into the next.”
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Thank you,” said she, “I don’t want either a prescription or a sleeping draught.
the state of being asleep
From this reading “Thank you,” said she, “I don’t want either a prescription or a sleeping draught.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading I saw the woman, I heard her speak, I saw and heard, not so well, but still I did see and hear him--a man who dragged her out of this room and into the next.”
express in speech
From this reading I saw the woman, I heard her speak, I saw and heard, not so well, but still I did see and hear him--a man who dragged her out of this room and into the next.”
past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading Audrey stared at the doctor.
not in physical motion
From this reading I saw the woman, I heard her speak, I saw and heard, not so well, but still I did see and hear him--a man who dragged her out of this room and into the next.”
express gratitude or show appreciation to
From this reading “Thank you,” said she, “I don’t want either a prescription or a sleeping draught.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Audrey stared at the doctor.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading I saw the woman, I heard her speak, I saw and heard, not so well, but still I did see and hear him--a man who dragged her out of this room and into the next.”
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading “Thank you,” said she, “I don’t want either a prescription or a sleeping draught.
(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 I’m quite well, quite sane.
which person or people
From this reading I saw the woman, I heard her speak, I saw and heard, not so well, but still I did see and hear him--a man who dragged her out of this room and into the next.”
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading I saw the woman, I heard her speak, I saw and heard, not so well, but still I did see and hear him--a man who dragged her out of this room and into the next.”
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Thank you,” said she, “I don’t want either a prescription or a sleeping draught.
Chapter 5 of The white countess by Florence Warden holds 186 sentences, grouped into 38 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.
Chapter 5 holds 186 sentences of The white countess, unabridged, divided into 38 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 5 of The white countess by Florence Warden exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 186 sentences, grouped into 38 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 38 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 38 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 5 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.
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Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in The white countess, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
