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The White Peacock
The White Peacock

Chapter XIV · An Arrow from the Impatient God

Chapter XIV of The White Peacock, “An Arrow from the Impatient God,” is here in full — 179 sentences across 36 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Chapter 14 of The White Peacock by D. H. (David Herbert) Lawrence holds 179 sentences, grouped into 36 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 14 of The White Peacock contain?

Chapter 14 holds 179 sentences of The White Peacock, unabridged, divided into 36 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 14 of The White Peacock by D. H. (David Herbert) Lawrence exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 179 sentences, grouped into 36 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 14 of The White Peacock?

Work through the 36 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 36 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 14 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 14 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 White Peacock

Common questions about reading The White Peacock by D. H. (David Herbert) Lawrence on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The White Peacock?

Yes. All 9393 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #38561 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The White Peacock is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #38561, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The White Peacock take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1879 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The White Peacock section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 26 chapters of The White Peacock 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 White Peacock

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

Distinction
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The White Peacock; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Style
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The White Peacock; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Thought
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The White Peacock; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Descriptive
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The White Peacock; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Cover illustration for The White Peacock
Context Illustration Reading 1/36 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
On an afternoon three or four days after the recovery of Sam, matters became complicated.
George, as usual, discovered that he had been dawdling in the portals of his desires, when the doors came to with a bang.
Then he hastened to knock.
“Tell her,” he said, “I will come up tomorrow after milking—tell her I’m coming to see her.”
On the evening of that morrow, the first person to put in an appearance was a garrulous spinster who had called ostensibly to inquire into the absence of the family from church: “I said to Elizabeth, ‘Now what a _thing_ if anything happens to them just now, and the wedding is put off.’
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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 White Peacock

Chapter XIV · An Arrow from the Impatient God

Chapter XIV of The White Peacock, “An Arrow from the Impatient God,” is here in full — 179 sentences across 36 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/36 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
On an afternoon three or four days after the recovery of Sam, matters became complicated.
Line 2
George, as usual, discovered that he had been dawdling in the portals of his desires, when the doors came to with a bang.
Line 3
Then he hastened to knock.
Line 4
“Tell her,” he said, “I will come up tomorrow after milking—tell her I’m coming to see her.”
Line 5
On the evening of that morrow, the first person to put in an appearance was a garrulous spinster who had called ostensibly to inquire into the absence of the family from church: “I said to Elizabeth, ‘Now what a _thing_ if anything happens to them just now, and the wedding is put off.’

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, audio, and collocations from this reading.

After preposition US /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading “On an afternoon three or four days after the recovery of Sam, matters became complicated.”

Anything pronoun US /ˈeniθɪŋ/

any thing at all

From this reading “On the evening of that morrow, the first person to put in an appearance was a garrulous spinster who had called ostensibly to inquire into the absence of the family from church: “I said to Elizabeth, ‘Now what a _thing_ if anything happens to them just now, and the wedding is put off.’”

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “George, as usual, discovered that he had been dawdling in the portals of his desires, when the doors came to with a bang.”

All words in this reading · 81

Every word is available to listen to. 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 George, as usual, discovered that he had been dawdling in the portals of his desires, when the doors came to with a bang.

absence

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

From this reading On the evening of that morrow, the first person to put in an appearance was a garrulous spinster who had called ostensibly to inquire into the absence of the family from church: “I said to Elizabeth, ‘Now what a _thing_ if anything happens to them just now, and the wedding is put off.’

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading On an afternoon three or four days after the recovery of Sam, matters became complicated.

afternoon

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

From this reading On an afternoon three or four days after the recovery of Sam, matters became complicated.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading On an afternoon three or four days after the recovery of Sam, matters became complicated.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading On the evening of that morrow, the first person to put in an appearance was a garrulous spinster who had called ostensibly to inquire into the absence of the family from church: “I said to Elizabeth, ‘Now what a _thing_ if anything happens to them just now, and the wedding is put off.’

anythingpronounUS /ˈeniθɪŋ/

any thing at all

From this reading On the evening of that morrow, the first person to put in an appearance was a garrulous spinster who had called ostensibly to inquire into the absence of the family from church: “I said to Elizabeth, ‘Now what a _thing_ if anything happens to them just now, and the wedding is put off.’

appearance

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

From this reading On the evening of that morrow, the first person to put in an appearance was a garrulous spinster who had called ostensibly to inquire into the absence of the family from church: “I said to Elizabeth, ‘Now what a _thing_ if anything happens to them just now, and the wedding is put off.’

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading George, as usual, discovered that he had been dawdling in the portals of his desires, when the doors came to with a bang.

bang

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

From this reading George, as usual, discovered that he had been dawdling in the portals of his desires, when the doors came to with a bang.

became

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

From this reading On an afternoon three or four days after the recovery of Sam, matters became complicated.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading George, as usual, discovered that he had been dawdling in the portals of his desires, when the doors came to with a bang.

called

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

From this reading On the evening of that morrow, the first person to put in an appearance was a garrulous spinster who had called ostensibly to inquire into the absence of the family from church: “I said to Elizabeth, ‘Now what a _thing_ if anything happens to them just now, and the wedding is put off.’

came

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

From this reading George, as usual, discovered that he had been dawdling in the portals of his desires, when the doors came to with a bang.

church

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

From this reading On the evening of that morrow, the first person to put in an appearance was a garrulous spinster who had called ostensibly to inquire into the absence of the family from church: “I said to Elizabeth, ‘Now what a _thing_ if anything happens to them just now, and the wedding is put off.’

come

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

From this reading “Tell her,” he said, “I will come up tomorrow after milking—tell her I’m coming to see her.”

coming

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

From this reading “Tell her,” he said, “I will come up tomorrow after milking—tell her I’m coming to see her.”

complicated

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

From this reading On an afternoon three or four days after the recovery of Sam, matters became complicated.

dawdling

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

From this reading George, as usual, discovered that he had been dawdling in the portals of his desires, when the doors came to with a bang.

days

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

From this reading On an afternoon three or four days after the recovery of Sam, matters became complicated.

desires

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

From this reading George, as usual, discovered that he had been dawdling in the portals of his desires, when the doors came to with a bang.

discovered

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

From this reading George, as usual, discovered that he had been dawdling in the portals of his desires, when the doors came to with a bang.

doors

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

From this reading George, as usual, discovered that he had been dawdling in the portals of his desires, when the doors came to with a bang.

Elizabeth

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

From this reading On the evening of that morrow, the first person to put in an appearance was a garrulous spinster who had called ostensibly to inquire into the absence of the family from church: “I said to Elizabeth, ‘Now what a _thing_ if anything happens to them just now, and the wedding is put off.’

evening

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

From this reading On the evening of that morrow, the first person to put in an appearance was a garrulous spinster who had called ostensibly to inquire into the absence of the family from church: “I said to Elizabeth, ‘Now what a _thing_ if anything happens to them just now, and the wedding is put off.’

family

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

From this reading On the evening of that morrow, the first person to put in an appearance was a garrulous spinster who had called ostensibly to inquire into the absence of the family from church: “I said to Elizabeth, ‘Now what a _thing_ if anything happens to them just now, and the wedding is put off.’

first

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

From this reading On the evening of that morrow, the first person to put in an appearance was a garrulous spinster who had called ostensibly to inquire into the absence of the family from church: “I said to Elizabeth, ‘Now what a _thing_ if anything happens to them just now, and the wedding is put off.’

four

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

From this reading On an afternoon three or four days after the recovery of Sam, matters became complicated.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading On the evening of that morrow, the first person to put in an appearance was a garrulous spinster who had called ostensibly to inquire into the absence of the family from church: “I said to Elizabeth, ‘Now what a _thing_ if anything happens to them just now, and the wedding is put off.’

garrulous

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

From this reading On the evening of that morrow, the first person to put in an appearance was a garrulous spinster who had called ostensibly to inquire into the absence of the family from church: “I said to Elizabeth, ‘Now what a _thing_ if anything happens to them just now, and the wedding is put off.’

George

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

From this reading George, as usual, discovered that he had been dawdling in the portals of his desires, when the doors came to with a bang.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading George, as usual, discovered that he had been dawdling in the portals of his desires, when the doors came to with a bang.

happens

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

From this reading On the evening of that morrow, the first person to put in an appearance was a garrulous spinster who had called ostensibly to inquire into the absence of the family from church: “I said to Elizabeth, ‘Now what a _thing_ if anything happens to them just now, and the wedding is put off.’

hastened

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

From this reading Then he hastened to knock.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading George, as usual, discovered that he had been dawdling in the portals of his desires, when the doors came to with a bang.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading “Tell her,” he said, “I will come up tomorrow after milking—tell her I’m coming to see her.”

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading George, as usual, discovered that he had been dawdling in the portals of his desires, when the doors came to with a bang.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading “Tell her,” he said, “I will come up tomorrow after milking—tell her I’m coming to see her.”

I'm

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

From this reading “Tell her,” he said, “I will come up tomorrow after milking—tell her I’m coming to see her.”

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading On the evening of that morrow, the first person to put in an appearance was a garrulous spinster who had called ostensibly to inquire into the absence of the family from church: “I said to Elizabeth, ‘Now what a _thing_ if anything happens to them just now, and the wedding is put off.’

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading George, as usual, discovered that he had been dawdling in the portals of his desires, when the doors came to with a bang.

inquire

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

From this reading On the evening of that morrow, the first person to put in an appearance was a garrulous spinster who had called ostensibly to inquire into the absence of the family from church: “I said to Elizabeth, ‘Now what a _thing_ if anything happens to them just now, and the wedding is put off.’

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading On the evening of that morrow, the first person to put in an appearance was a garrulous spinster who had called ostensibly to inquire into the absence of the family from church: “I said to Elizabeth, ‘Now what a _thing_ if anything happens to them just now, and the wedding is put off.’

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading On the evening of that morrow, the first person to put in an appearance was a garrulous spinster who had called ostensibly to inquire into the absence of the family from church: “I said to Elizabeth, ‘Now what a _thing_ if anything happens to them just now, and the wedding is put off.’

just

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

From this reading On the evening of that morrow, the first person to put in an appearance was a garrulous spinster who had called ostensibly to inquire into the absence of the family from church: “I said to Elizabeth, ‘Now what a _thing_ if anything happens to them just now, and the wedding is put off.’

knock

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

From this reading Then he hastened to knock.

matters

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

From this reading On an afternoon three or four days after the recovery of Sam, matters became complicated.

milking

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

From this reading “Tell her,” he said, “I will come up tomorrow after milking—tell her I’m coming to see her.”

morrow

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

From this reading On the evening of that morrow, the first person to put in an appearance was a garrulous spinster who had called ostensibly to inquire into the absence of the family from church: “I said to Elizabeth, ‘Now what a _thing_ if anything happens to them just now, and the wedding is put off.’

Now

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

From this reading On the evening of that morrow, the first person to put in an appearance was a garrulous spinster who had called ostensibly to inquire into the absence of the family from church: “I said to Elizabeth, ‘Now what a _thing_ if anything happens to them just now, and the wedding is put off.’

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading On an afternoon three or four days after the recovery of Sam, matters became complicated.

off

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

From this reading On the evening of that morrow, the first person to put in an appearance was a garrulous spinster who had called ostensibly to inquire into the absence of the family from church: “I said to Elizabeth, ‘Now what a _thing_ if anything happens to them just now, and the wedding is put off.’

OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading On an afternoon three or four days after the recovery of Sam, matters became complicated.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading On an afternoon three or four days after the recovery of Sam, matters became complicated.

ostensibly

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

From this reading On the evening of that morrow, the first person to put in an appearance was a garrulous spinster who had called ostensibly to inquire into the absence of the family from church: “I said to Elizabeth, ‘Now what a _thing_ if anything happens to them just now, and the wedding is put off.’

person

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

From this reading On the evening of that morrow, the first person to put in an appearance was a garrulous spinster who had called ostensibly to inquire into the absence of the family from church: “I said to Elizabeth, ‘Now what a _thing_ if anything happens to them just now, and the wedding is put off.’

portals

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

From this reading George, as usual, discovered that he had been dawdling in the portals of his desires, when the doors came to with a bang.

put

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

From this reading On the evening of that morrow, the first person to put in an appearance was a garrulous spinster who had called ostensibly to inquire into the absence of the family from church: “I said to Elizabeth, ‘Now what a _thing_ if anything happens to them just now, and the wedding is put off.’

recovery

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

From this reading On an afternoon three or four days after the recovery of Sam, matters became complicated.

said

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

From this reading “Tell her,” he said, “I will come up tomorrow after milking—tell her I’m coming to see her.”

Sam

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

From this reading On an afternoon three or four days after the recovery of Sam, matters became complicated.

see

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

From this reading “Tell her,” he said, “I will come up tomorrow after milking—tell her I’m coming to see her.”

spinster

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

From this reading On the evening of that morrow, the first person to put in an appearance was a garrulous spinster who had called ostensibly to inquire into the absence of the family from church: “I said to Elizabeth, ‘Now what a _thing_ if anything happens to them just now, and the wedding is put off.’

Tell

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

From this reading “Tell her,” he said, “I will come up tomorrow after milking—tell her I’m coming to see her.”

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading George, as usual, discovered that he had been dawdling in the portals of his desires, when the doors came to with a bang.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading On an afternoon three or four days after the recovery of Sam, matters became complicated.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading On the evening of that morrow, the first person to put in an appearance was a garrulous spinster who had called ostensibly to inquire into the absence of the family from church: “I said to Elizabeth, ‘Now what a _thing_ if anything happens to them just now, and the wedding is put off.’

Then

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

From this reading Then he hastened to knock.

thing

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

From this reading On the evening of that morrow, the first person to put in an appearance was a garrulous spinster who had called ostensibly to inquire into the absence of the family from church: “I said to Elizabeth, ‘Now what a _thing_ if anything happens to them just now, and the wedding is put off.’

three

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

From this reading On an afternoon three or four days after the recovery of Sam, matters became complicated.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading George, as usual, discovered that he had been dawdling in the portals of his desires, when the doors came to with a bang.

tomorrow

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

From this reading “Tell her,” he said, “I will come up tomorrow after milking—tell her I’m coming to see her.”

up

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

From this reading “Tell her,” he said, “I will come up tomorrow after milking—tell her I’m coming to see her.”

usual

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

From this reading George, as usual, discovered that he had been dawdling in the portals of his desires, when the doors came to with a bang.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading On the evening of that morrow, the first person to put in an appearance was a garrulous spinster who had called ostensibly to inquire into the absence of the family from church: “I said to Elizabeth, ‘Now what a _thing_ if anything happens to them just now, and the wedding is put off.’

wedding

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

From this reading On the evening of that morrow, the first person to put in an appearance was a garrulous spinster who had called ostensibly to inquire into the absence of the family from church: “I said to Elizabeth, ‘Now what a _thing_ if anything happens to them just now, and the wedding is put off.’

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading On the evening of that morrow, the first person to put in an appearance was a garrulous spinster who had called ostensibly to inquire into the absence of the family from church: “I said to Elizabeth, ‘Now what a _thing_ if anything happens to them just now, and the wedding is put off.’

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading George, as usual, discovered that he had been dawdling in the portals of his desires, when the doors came to with a bang.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading On the evening of that morrow, the first person to put in an appearance was a garrulous spinster who had called ostensibly to inquire into the absence of the family from church: “I said to Elizabeth, ‘Now what a _thing_ if anything happens to them just now, and the wedding is put off.’

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading “Tell her,” he said, “I will come up tomorrow after milking—tell her I’m coming to see her.”

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading George, as usual, discovered that he had been dawdling in the portals of his desires, when the doors came to with a bang.