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The Wings of Icarus
The Wings of Icarus

Chapter XXX · Chapter 30

Chapter 30 of The Wings of Icarus is here in full — 23 sentences across 5 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Wings of Icarus
Context Illustration Reading 1/4 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
GRAYSMILL, February 19th.
Beloved, we wrote you a few lines together this afternoon, but I must write again, I alone, to thank you for your letter and tell you all you ask to know.
Yet, indeed, I know not what to tell you.
I am happy; the sun is in my heart.
I tried to write to you before, but the words failed me; besides--my own self is a stranger to me.
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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 Wings of Icarus

Chapter XXX · Chapter 30

Chapter 30 of The Wings of Icarus is here in full — 23 sentences across 5 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/4 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
GRAYSMILL, February 19th.
Line 2
Beloved, we wrote you a few lines together this afternoon, but I must write again, I alone, to thank you for your letter and tell you all you ask to know.
/bɪˈlʌvd wiː roʊt juː ə fjuː laɪnz təˈɡeðər ðɪs ˌæftərˈnuːn bʌt aɪ mʌst raɪt əˈɡen aɪ əˈloʊn tuː θæŋk juː fɔːr jɔːr ˈletər ənd tel juː ɔːl juː æsk tuː noʊ/
Line 3
Yet, indeed, I know not what to tell you.
/jet ˌɪnˈdiːd aɪ noʊ nɑːt wʌt tuː tel juː/
Line 4
I am happy; the sun is in my heart.
/aɪ æm ˈhæpi ðə sʌn ɪz ɪn maɪ hɑːrt/
Line 5
I tried to write to you before, but the words failed me; besides--my own self is a stranger to me.

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.

afternoon noun US /ˌæftərˈnuːn/

the part of the day between noon and evening

From this reading “Beloved, we wrote you a few lines together this afternoon, but I must write again, I alone, to thank you for your letter and tell you all you ask to know.”

Beloved adjective US /bɪˈlʌvd/

dearly loved

From this reading “Beloved, we wrote you a few lines together this afternoon, but I must write again, I alone, to thank you for your letter and tell you all you ask to know.”

failed verb US /feɪld/

past form of “fail” — fail to do something; leave something undone

From this reading “I tried to write to you before, but the words failed me; besides--my own self is a stranger to me.”

February noun US /ˈfebjəweri/

the month following January and preceding March

From this reading “GRAYSMILL, February 19th.”

lines noun US /laɪnz/

plural of “line” — a formation of people or things one beside another

From this reading “Beloved, we wrote you a few lines together this afternoon, but I must write again, I alone, to thank you for your letter and tell you all you ask to know.”

self noun US /self/

your consciousness of your own identity

From this reading “I tried to write to you before, but the words failed me; besides--my own self is a stranger to me.”

stranger noun US /ˈstreɪndʒər/

anyone who does not belong in the environment in which they are found

From this reading “I tried to write to you before, but the words failed me; besides--my own self is a stranger to me.”

wrote verb US /roʊt/

inflected form of “write” — produce a literary work

From this reading “Beloved, we wrote you a few lines together this afternoon, but I must write again, I alone, to thank you for your letter and tell you all you ask to know.”

All words in this reading · 50

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.

19th

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

From this reading GRAYSMILL, February 19th.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Beloved, we wrote you a few lines together this afternoon, but I must write again, I alone, to thank you for your letter and tell you all you ask to know.

afternoonnounUS /ˌæftərˈnuːn/

the part of the day between noon and evening

From this reading Beloved, we wrote you a few lines together this afternoon, but I must write again, I alone, to thank you for your letter and tell you all you ask to know.

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading Beloved, we wrote you a few lines together this afternoon, but I must write again, I alone, to thank you for your letter and tell you all you ask to know.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

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

From this reading Beloved, we wrote you a few lines together this afternoon, but I must write again, I alone, to thank you for your letter and tell you all you ask to know.

aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading Beloved, we wrote you a few lines together this afternoon, but I must write again, I alone, to thank you for your letter and tell you all you ask to know.

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading I am happy; the sun is in my heart.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Beloved, we wrote you a few lines together this afternoon, but I must write again, I alone, to thank you for your letter and tell you all you ask to know.

askverbUS /æsk/

make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading Beloved, we wrote you a few lines together this afternoon, but I must write again, I alone, to thank you for your letter and tell you all you ask to know.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading I tried to write to you before, but the words failed me; besides--my own self is a stranger to me.

BelovedadjectiveUS /bɪˈlʌvd/

dearly loved

From this reading Beloved, we wrote you a few lines together this afternoon, but I must write again, I alone, to thank you for your letter and tell you all you ask to know.

besidesprepositionUS /bɪˈsaɪdz/

in addition to; as well as

From this reading I tried to write to you before, but the words failed me; besides--my own self is a stranger to me.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Beloved, we wrote you a few lines together this afternoon, but I must write again, I alone, to thank you for your letter and tell you all you ask to know.

failedverbUS /feɪld/

past form of “fail” — fail to do something; leave something undone

From this reading I tried to write to you before, but the words failed me; besides--my own self is a stranger to me.

FebruarynounUS /ˈfebjəweri/

the month following January and preceding March

From this reading GRAYSMILL, February 19th.

fewadjectiveUS /fjuː/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading Beloved, we wrote you a few lines together this afternoon, but I must write again, I alone, to thank you for your letter and tell you all you ask to know.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Beloved, we wrote you a few lines together this afternoon, but I must write again, I alone, to thank you for your letter and tell you all you ask to know.

GRAYSMILL

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

From this reading GRAYSMILL, February 19th.

happyadjectiveUS /ˈhæpi/

enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure

From this reading I am happy; the sun is in my heart.

heartnounUS /hɑːrt/

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading I am happy; the sun is in my heart.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading Beloved, we wrote you a few lines together this afternoon, but I must write again, I alone, to thank you for your letter and tell you all you ask to know.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading I am happy; the sun is in my heart.

indeedadverbUS /ˌɪnˈdiːd/

in truth (often tends to intensify)

From this reading Yet, indeed, I know not what to tell you.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading I am happy; the sun is in my heart.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

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

From this reading Beloved, we wrote you a few lines together this afternoon, but I must write again, I alone, to thank you for your letter and tell you all you ask to know.

letternounUS /ˈletər/

a written message addressed to a person or organization

From this reading Beloved, we wrote you a few lines together this afternoon, but I must write again, I alone, to thank you for your letter and tell you all you ask to know.

linesnounUS /laɪnz/

plural of “line” — a formation of people or things one beside another

From this reading Beloved, we wrote you a few lines together this afternoon, but I must write again, I alone, to thank you for your letter and tell you all you ask to know.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading I tried to write to you before, but the words failed me; besides--my own self is a stranger to me.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading Beloved, we wrote you a few lines together this afternoon, but I must write again, I alone, to thank you for your letter and tell you all you ask to know.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading I am happy; the sun is in my heart.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Yet, indeed, I know not what to tell you.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading I tried to write to you before, but the words failed me; besides--my own self is a stranger to me.

selfnounUS /self/

your consciousness of your own identity

From this reading I tried to write to you before, but the words failed me; besides--my own self is a stranger to me.

strangernounUS /ˈstreɪndʒər/

anyone who does not belong in the environment in which they are found

From this reading I tried to write to you before, but the words failed me; besides--my own self is a stranger to me.

sunnounUS /sʌn/

the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system

From this reading I am happy; the sun is in my heart.

tellverbUS /tel/

express in words

From this reading Beloved, we wrote you a few lines together this afternoon, but I must write again, I alone, to thank you for your letter and tell you all you ask to know.

thankverbUS /θæŋk/

express gratitude or show appreciation to

From this reading Beloved, we wrote you a few lines together this afternoon, but I must write again, I alone, to thank you for your letter and tell you all you ask to know.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading I am happy; the sun is in my heart.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading Beloved, we wrote you a few lines together this afternoon, but I must write again, I alone, to thank you for your letter and tell you all you ask to know.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Beloved, we wrote you a few lines together this afternoon, but I must write again, I alone, to thank you for your letter and tell you all you ask to know.

togetheradverbUS /təˈɡeðər/

in contact with each other or in proximity

From this reading Beloved, we wrote you a few lines together this afternoon, but I must write again, I alone, to thank you for your letter and tell you all you ask to know.

triedadjectiveUS /traɪd/

tested and proved useful or correct

From this reading I tried to write to you before, but the words failed me; besides--my own self is a stranger to me.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading Beloved, we wrote you a few lines together this afternoon, but I must write again, I alone, to thank you for your letter and tell you all you ask to know.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading Yet, indeed, I know not what to tell you.

wordsnounUS /wɜːrdz/

the words that are spoken

From this reading I tried to write to you before, but the words failed me; besides--my own self is a stranger to me.

writeverbUS /raɪt/

produce a literary work

From this reading Beloved, we wrote you a few lines together this afternoon, but I must write again, I alone, to thank you for your letter and tell you all you ask to know.

wroteverbUS /roʊt/

inflected form of “write” — produce a literary work

From this reading Beloved, we wrote you a few lines together this afternoon, but I must write again, I alone, to thank you for your letter and tell you all you ask to know.

YetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading Yet, indeed, I know not what to tell you.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Beloved, we wrote you a few lines together this afternoon, but I must write again, I alone, to thank you for your letter and tell you all you ask to know.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Beloved, we wrote you a few lines together this afternoon, but I must write again, I alone, to thank you for your letter and tell you all you ask to know.

Chapter 30 of The Wings of Icarus by Laurence Alma-Tadema holds 23 sentences, grouped into 5 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 30 of The Wings of Icarus contain?

Chapter 30 holds 23 sentences of The Wings of Icarus, unabridged, divided into 5 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 30 of The Wings of Icarus by Laurence Alma-Tadema exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 23 sentences, grouped into 5 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 30 of The Wings of Icarus?

Work through the 5 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 5 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 30 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 30 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 Wings of Icarus

Common questions about reading The Wings of Icarus by Laurence Alma-Tadema on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Wings of Icarus?

Yes. All 2158 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #17255 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Wings of Icarus is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #17255, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Wings of Icarus take to read?

About 179 minutes of reading across 432 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Wings of Icarus section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 35 chapters of The Wings of Icarus 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 Wings of Icarus

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

Fletcher's
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Wings of Icarus; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Graysmill
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Wings of Icarus; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Beloved
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Wings of Icarus; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Constance
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Wings of Icarus; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.