Chapter 1 of The Wyvern mystery is here in full — 126 sentences across 26 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of The Wyvern mystery is here in full — 126 sentences across 26 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
[IMAGE: images/img_000_th.jpg CAPTION: “She stood up--how pretty she was!--looking on her work.”] A Novel. BY J. S. LE FANU, AUTHOR OF “UNCLE SILAS,” “GUY DEVERELL,” ETC. _WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY B. S. LE FANU._ London: WARD AND DOWNEY, 12, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN. 1889.
Chapter 1 of The Wyvern mystery is here in full — 126 sentences across 26 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/25 · 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.
writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)
From this reading “BY J. S. LE FANU, AUTHOR OF “UNCLE SILAS,” “GUY DEVERELL,” ETC.”
taking exception; especially a quibble based on a captious argument
From this reading “[IMAGE: images/img_000_th.jpg CAPTION: “She stood up--how pretty she was!--looking on her work.”]”
an informal term for a youth or man
From this reading “BY J. S. LE FANU, AUTHOR OF “UNCLE SILAS,” “GUY DEVERELL,” ETC.”
plural of “illustration” — artwork that helps make something clear or attractive
From this reading “_WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY B. S. LE FANU._ London: WARD AND DOWNEY, 12, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.”
an iconic mental representation
From this reading “[IMAGE: images/img_000_th.jpg CAPTION: “She stood up--how pretty she was!--looking on her work.”]”
plural of “image” — an iconic mental representation
From this reading “[IMAGE: images/img_000_th.jpg CAPTION: “She stood up--how pretty she was!--looking on her work.”]”
an extended fictional work in prose; usually in the form of a story
From this reading “A Novel.”
a person who is under the protection or in the custody of another
From this reading “_WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY B. S. LE FANU._ London: WARD AND DOWNEY, 12, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.”
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.
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.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading [IMAGE: images/img_000_th.jpg CAPTION: “She stood up--how pretty she was!--looking on her work.”]
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY B. S. LE FANU._ London: WARD AND DOWNEY, 12, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 1889.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A Novel.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading _WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY B. S. LE FANU._ London: WARD AND DOWNEY, 12, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)
From this reading BY J. S. LE FANU, AUTHOR OF “UNCLE SILAS,” “GUY DEVERELL,” ETC.
aerobic rod-shaped spore-producing bacterium; often occurring in chainlike formations; found primarily in soil
From this reading _WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY B. S. LE FANU._ London: WARD AND DOWNEY, 12, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading BY J. S. LE FANU, AUTHOR OF “UNCLE SILAS,” “GUY DEVERELL,” ETC.
taking exception; especially a quibble based on a captious argument
From this reading [IMAGE: images/img_000_th.jpg CAPTION: “She stood up--how pretty she was!--looking on her work.”]
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY B. S. LE FANU._ London: WARD AND DOWNEY, 12, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BY J. S. LE FANU, AUTHOR OF “UNCLE SILAS,” “GUY DEVERELL,” ETC.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY B. S. LE FANU._ London: WARD AND DOWNEY, 12, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BY J. S. LE FANU, AUTHOR OF “UNCLE SILAS,” “GUY DEVERELL,” ETC.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BY J. S. LE FANU, AUTHOR OF “UNCLE SILAS,” “GUY DEVERELL,” ETC.
a plot of ground where plants are cultivated
From this reading _WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY B. S. LE FANU._ London: WARD AND DOWNEY, 12, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
an informal term for a youth or man
From this reading BY J. S. LE FANU, AUTHOR OF “UNCLE SILAS,” “GUY DEVERELL,” ETC.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading [IMAGE: images/img_000_th.jpg CAPTION: “She stood up--how pretty she was!--looking on her work.”]
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading [IMAGE: images/img_000_th.jpg CAPTION: “She stood up--how pretty she was!--looking on her work.”]
plural of “illustration” — artwork that helps make something clear or attractive
From this reading _WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY B. S. LE FANU._ London: WARD AND DOWNEY, 12, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
an iconic mental representation
From this reading [IMAGE: images/img_000_th.jpg CAPTION: “She stood up--how pretty she was!--looking on her work.”]
plural of “image” — an iconic mental representation
From this reading [IMAGE: images/img_000_th.jpg CAPTION: “She stood up--how pretty she was!--looking on her work.”]
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading [IMAGE: images/img_000_th.jpg CAPTION: “She stood up--how pretty she was!--looking on her work.”]
a unit of electrical energy equal to the work done when a current of one ampere passes through a resistance of one ohm for one second
From this reading BY J. S. LE FANU, AUTHOR OF “UNCLE SILAS,” “GUY DEVERELL,” ETC.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading [IMAGE: images/img_000_th.jpg CAPTION: “She stood up--how pretty she was!--looking on her work.”]
a chronic inflammatory collagen disease affecting connective tissue (skin or joints)
From this reading BY J. S. LE FANU, AUTHOR OF “UNCLE SILAS,” “GUY DEVERELL,” ETC.
the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center
From this reading _WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY B. S. LE FANU._ London: WARD AND DOWNEY, 12, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading [IMAGE: images/img_000_th.jpg CAPTION: “She stood up--how pretty she was!--looking on her work.”]
an extended fictional work in prose; usually in the form of a story
From this reading A Novel.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading BY J. S. LE FANU, AUTHOR OF “UNCLE SILAS,” “GUY DEVERELL,” ETC.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading [IMAGE: images/img_000_th.jpg CAPTION: “She stood up--how pretty she was!--looking on her work.”]
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading [IMAGE: images/img_000_th.jpg CAPTION: “She stood up--how pretty she was!--looking on her work.”]
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading BY J. S. LE FANU, AUTHOR OF “UNCLE SILAS,” “GUY DEVERELL,” ETC.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading [IMAGE: images/img_000_th.jpg CAPTION: “She stood up--how pretty she was!--looking on her work.”]
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BY J. S. LE FANU, AUTHOR OF “UNCLE SILAS,” “GUY DEVERELL,” ETC.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading [IMAGE: images/img_000_th.jpg CAPTION: “She stood up--how pretty she was!--looking on her work.”]
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading _WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY B. S. LE FANU._ London: WARD AND DOWNEY, 12, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
the fifth day of the week; the fourth working day
From this reading [IMAGE: images/img_000_th.jpg CAPTION: “She stood up--how pretty she was!--looking on her work.”]
the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt
From this reading BY J. S. LE FANU, AUTHOR OF “UNCLE SILAS,” “GUY DEVERELL,” ETC.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading [IMAGE: images/img_000_th.jpg CAPTION: “She stood up--how pretty she was!--looking on her work.”]
a person who is under the protection or in the custody of another
From this reading _WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY B. S. LE FANU._ London: WARD AND DOWNEY, 12, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading [IMAGE: images/img_000_th.jpg CAPTION: “She stood up--how pretty she was!--looking on her work.”]
in the company of; together with
From this reading _WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY B. S. LE FANU._ London: WARD AND DOWNEY, 12, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading [IMAGE: images/img_000_th.jpg CAPTION: “She stood up--how pretty she was!--looking on her work.”]
the English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461 to 1485; its emblem was a white rose
From this reading _WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY B. S. LE FANU._ London: WARD AND DOWNEY, 12, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
Chapter 1 of The Wyvern mystery by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu holds 126 sentences, grouped into 26 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 1 holds 126 sentences of The Wyvern mystery, unabridged, divided into 26 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of The Wyvern mystery by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 126 sentences, grouped into 26 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 26 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 26 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 1 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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About 5 minutes of reading across 0 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
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Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in The Wyvern mystery, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
