The Wyvern mystery

Chapter IV · The Old Squire Unlike Himself

Chapter IV of The Wyvern mystery, “The Old Squire Unlike Himself,” is here in full — 57 sentences across 12 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu • Curated US English Learning Edition

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He talked very little that night in the old-fashioned drawing-room, where Alice played his favourite old airs for him on the piano, which he still called the “harpsichord.”

He sat sometimes dozing, sometimes listening to her music, in the great chair by the fire.

He ruminated, perhaps, but he did not open the subject, whatever it might be, which he had hinted at.

[IMAGE: images/img_027.jpg CAPTION: “He sat sometimes dozing, sometimes listening to her music, in the great chair by the fire.”]

But before ten o’clock came, he got up and stood with his back to the fire.

Narrator

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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English

LEARNER DICTIONARY

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/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/

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A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Chapter IV Reading 1/11

The Wyvern mystery Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu

Chapter IV

The Old Squire Unlike Himself

Chapter IV of The Wyvern mystery, “The Old Squire Unlike Himself,” is here in full — 57 sentences across 12 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

He talked very little that night in the old-fashioned drawing-room, where Alice played his favourite old airs for him on the piano, which he still called the “harpsichord.” He sat sometimes dozing, sometimes listening to her music, in the great chair by the fire. He ruminated, perhaps, but he did not open the subject, whatever it might be, which he had hinted at. [IMAGE: images/img_027.jpg CAPTION: “He sat sometimes dozing, sometimes listening to her music, in the great chair by the fire.”] But before ten o’clock came, he got up and stood with his back to the fire.

The Wyvern mystery

Chapter IV · The Old Squire Unlike Himself

Chapter IV of The Wyvern mystery, “The Old Squire Unlike Himself,” is here in full — 57 sentences across 12 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/11 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

He talked very little that night in the old-fashioned drawing-room, where Alice played his favourite old airs for him on the piano, which he still called the “harpsichord.”

Line 2

He sat sometimes dozing, sometimes listening to her music, in the great chair by the fire.

/hiː sæt səmˈtaɪmz ˈdoʊzɪŋ səmˈtaɪmz ˈlɪsənɪŋ tuː hɜːr ˈmjuːzɪk ɪn ðə ɡreɪt tʃer baɪ ðə ˈfaɪər/

Line 3

He ruminated, perhaps, but he did not open the subject, whatever it might be, which he had hinted at.

/hiː ˈruːmɪneɪtɪd pərˈhæps bʌt hiː dɪd nɑːt ˈoʊ.pən ðə səbˈdʒekt ˌwʌˈtevər ɪt maɪt biː wɪtʃ hiː hæd ˈhɪntəd æt/

Line 4

[IMAGE: images/img_027.jpg CAPTION: “He sat sometimes dozing, sometimes listening to her music, in the great chair by the fire.”]

Line 5

But before ten o’clock came, he got up and stood with his back to the fire.

/bʌt bɪˈfɔːr ten əˈklɑːk keɪm hiː ɡɑːt ʌp ənd stʊd wɪð hɪz bæk tuː ðə ˈfaɪər/

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.

airs noun US /erz/

affected manners intended to impress others

From this reading “He talked very little that night in the old-fashioned drawing-room, where Alice played his favourite old airs for him on the piano, which he still called the “harpsichord.””

caption noun US /ˈkæpʃən/

taking exception; especially a quibble based on a captious argument

From this reading “[IMAGE: images/img_027.jpg CAPTION: “He sat sometimes dozing, sometimes listening to her music, in the great chair by the fire.”]”

dozing verb US /ˈdoʊzɪŋ/

-ing form of “doze” — sleep lightly or for a short period of time

From this reading “He sat sometimes dozing, sometimes listening to her music, in the great chair by the fire.”

harpsichord noun US /ˈhɑːrpsəkɔːrd/

a clavier with strings that are plucked by plectra mounted on pivots

hinted verb US /ˈhɪntəd/

past form of “hint” — drop a hint; intimate by a hint

From this reading “He ruminated, perhaps, but he did not open the subject, whatever it might be, which he had hinted at.”

images noun US /ˈɪmədʒəz/

plural of “image” — an iconic mental representation

From this reading “[IMAGE: images/img_027.jpg CAPTION: “He sat sometimes dozing, sometimes listening to her music, in the great chair by the fire.”]”

old-fashioned adjective US /ˌoʊldˈfæʃənd/

out of fashion

ruminated verb US /ˈruːmɪneɪtɪd/

past form of “ruminate” — chew the cuds

From this reading “He ruminated, perhaps, but he did not open the subject, whatever it might be, which he had hinted at.”

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.

got up verb + adjective counted as “get up”

rise to one's feet

In this reading “But before ten o’clock came, he got up and stood with his back to the fire.”

on the piano preposition + article + noun counted as “on … piano”

In this reading “He talked very little that night in the old-fashioned drawing-room, where Alice played his favourite old airs for him on the piano, which he still called the “harpsichord.””

All words in this reading · 66

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.

027

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

From this reading [IMAGE: images/img_027.jpg CAPTION: “He sat sometimes dozing, sometimes listening to her music, in the great chair by the fire.”]

airsnounUS /erz/

affected manners intended to impress others

From this reading He talked very little that night in the old-fashioned drawing-room, where Alice played his favourite old airs for him on the piano, which he still called the “harpsichord.”

Alice

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

From this reading He talked very little that night in the old-fashioned drawing-room, where Alice played his favourite old airs for him on the piano, which he still called the “harpsichord.”

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading But before ten o’clock came, he got up and stood with his back to the fire.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading He ruminated, perhaps, but he did not open the subject, whatever it might be, which he had hinted at.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading But before ten o’clock came, he got up and stood with his back to the fire.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading He ruminated, perhaps, but he did not open the subject, whatever it might be, which he had hinted at.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading But before ten o’clock came, he got up and stood with his back to the fire.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading He ruminated, perhaps, but he did not open the subject, whatever it might be, which he had hinted at.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading He sat sometimes dozing, sometimes listening to her music, in the great chair by the fire.

calledverbUS /kɔːld/

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading He talked very little that night in the old-fashioned drawing-room, where Alice played his favourite old airs for him on the piano, which he still called the “harpsichord.”

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading But before ten o’clock came, he got up and stood with his back to the fire.

CAPTIONnounUS /ˈkæpʃən/

taking exception; especially a quibble based on a captious argument

From this reading [IMAGE: images/img_027.jpg CAPTION: “He sat sometimes dozing, sometimes listening to her music, in the great chair by the fire.”]

chairnounUS /tʃer/

a seat for one person, with a support for the back

From this reading He sat sometimes dozing, sometimes listening to her music, in the great chair by the fire.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading He ruminated, perhaps, but he did not open the subject, whatever it might be, which he had hinted at.

dozingverbUS /ˈdoʊzɪŋ/

-ing form of “doze” — sleep lightly or for a short period of time

From this reading He sat sometimes dozing, sometimes listening to her music, in the great chair by the fire.

drawing-room

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

From this reading He talked very little that night in the old-fashioned drawing-room, where Alice played his favourite old airs for him on the piano, which he still called the “harpsichord.”

favouritenounUS /ˈfeɪvərɪt/

a competitor thought likely to win

From this reading He talked very little that night in the old-fashioned drawing-room, where Alice played his favourite old airs for him on the piano, which he still called the “harpsichord.”

fireverbUS /ˈfaɪər/

start firing a weapon

From this reading He sat sometimes dozing, sometimes listening to her music, in the great chair by the fire.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading He talked very little that night in the old-fashioned drawing-room, where Alice played his favourite old airs for him on the piano, which he still called the “harpsichord.”

gotverbUS /ɡɑːt/

inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading But before ten o’clock came, he got up and stood with his back to the fire.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

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

From this reading He sat sometimes dozing, sometimes listening to her music, in the great chair by the fire.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading He ruminated, perhaps, but he did not open the subject, whatever it might be, which he had hinted at.

harpsichordnounUS /ˈhɑːrpsəkɔːrd/

a clavier with strings that are plucked by plectra mounted on pivots

From this reading He talked very little that night in the old-fashioned drawing-room, where Alice played his favourite old airs for him on the piano, which he still called the “harpsichord.”

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He talked very little that night in the old-fashioned drawing-room, where Alice played his favourite old airs for him on the piano, which he still called the “harpsichord.”

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading He sat sometimes dozing, sometimes listening to her music, in the great chair by the fire.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading He talked very little that night in the old-fashioned drawing-room, where Alice played his favourite old airs for him on the piano, which he still called the “harpsichord.”

hintedverbUS /ˈhɪntəd/

past form of “hint” — drop a hint; intimate by a hint

From this reading He ruminated, perhaps, but he did not open the subject, whatever it might be, which he had hinted at.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading He talked very little that night in the old-fashioned drawing-room, where Alice played his favourite old airs for him on the piano, which he still called the “harpsichord.”

IMAGEnounUS /ˈɪmədʒ/

an iconic mental representation

From this reading [IMAGE: images/img_027.jpg CAPTION: “He sat sometimes dozing, sometimes listening to her music, in the great chair by the fire.”]

imagesnounUS /ˈɪmədʒəz/

plural of “image” — an iconic mental representation

From this reading [IMAGE: images/img_027.jpg CAPTION: “He sat sometimes dozing, sometimes listening to her music, in the great chair by the fire.”]

img

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

From this reading [IMAGE: images/img_027.jpg CAPTION: “He sat sometimes dozing, sometimes listening to her music, in the great chair by the fire.”]

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading He talked very little that night in the old-fashioned drawing-room, where Alice played his favourite old airs for him on the piano, which he still called the “harpsichord.”

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading He ruminated, perhaps, but he did not open the subject, whatever it might be, which he had hinted at.

jpg

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

From this reading [IMAGE: images/img_027.jpg CAPTION: “He sat sometimes dozing, sometimes listening to her music, in the great chair by the fire.”]

listeningnounUS /ˈlɪsənɪŋ/

the act of hearing attentively

From this reading He sat sometimes dozing, sometimes listening to her music, in the great chair by the fire.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading He talked very little that night in the old-fashioned drawing-room, where Alice played his favourite old airs for him on the piano, which he still called the “harpsichord.”

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading He ruminated, perhaps, but he did not open the subject, whatever it might be, which he had hinted at.

musicnounUS /ˈmjuːzɪk/

an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner

From this reading He sat sometimes dozing, sometimes listening to her music, in the great chair by the fire.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading He talked very little that night in the old-fashioned drawing-room, where Alice played his favourite old airs for him on the piano, which he still called the “harpsichord.”

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading He ruminated, perhaps, but he did not open the subject, whatever it might be, which he had hinted at.

o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/

according to the clock

From this reading But before ten o’clock came, he got up and stood with his back to the fire.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading He talked very little that night in the old-fashioned drawing-room, where Alice played his favourite old airs for him on the piano, which he still called the “harpsichord.”

old-fashionedadjectiveUS /ˌoʊldˈfæʃənd/

out of fashion

From this reading He talked very little that night in the old-fashioned drawing-room, where Alice played his favourite old airs for him on the piano, which he still called the “harpsichord.”

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading He talked very little that night in the old-fashioned drawing-room, where Alice played his favourite old airs for him on the piano, which he still called the “harpsichord.”

openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading He ruminated, perhaps, but he did not open the subject, whatever it might be, which he had hinted at.

perhapsadverbUS /pərˈhæps/

by chance

From this reading He ruminated, perhaps, but he did not open the subject, whatever it might be, which he had hinted at.

pianonounUS /piˈænoʊ/

a keyboard instrument that is played by depressing keys that cause hammers to strike tuned strings and produce sounds

From this reading He talked very little that night in the old-fashioned drawing-room, where Alice played his favourite old airs for him on the piano, which he still called the “harpsichord.”

playedadjectiveUS /pleɪd/

(of games) engaged in

From this reading He talked very little that night in the old-fashioned drawing-room, where Alice played his favourite old airs for him on the piano, which he still called the “harpsichord.”

ruminatedverbUS /ˈruːmɪneɪtɪd/

past form of “ruminate” — chew the cuds

From this reading He ruminated, perhaps, but he did not open the subject, whatever it might be, which he had hinted at.

satnounUS /sæt/

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading He sat sometimes dozing, sometimes listening to her music, in the great chair by the fire.

sometimesadverbUS /səmˈtaɪmz/

on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always

From this reading He sat sometimes dozing, sometimes listening to her music, in the great chair by the fire.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading He talked very little that night in the old-fashioned drawing-room, where Alice played his favourite old airs for him on the piano, which he still called the “harpsichord.”

stoodverbUS /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading But before ten o’clock came, he got up and stood with his back to the fire.

subjectnounUS /səbˈdʒekt/

the subject matter of a conversation or discussion

From this reading He ruminated, perhaps, but he did not open the subject, whatever it might be, which he had hinted at.

talkedverbUS /tɔːkt/

past form of “talk” — exchange thoughts; talk with

From this reading He talked very little that night in the old-fashioned drawing-room, where Alice played his favourite old airs for him on the piano, which he still called the “harpsichord.”

tennounUS /ten/

the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system

From this reading But before ten o’clock came, he got up and stood with his back to the fire.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading He talked very little that night in the old-fashioned drawing-room, where Alice played his favourite old airs for him on the piano, which he still called the “harpsichord.”

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading He talked very little that night in the old-fashioned drawing-room, where Alice played his favourite old airs for him on the piano, which he still called the “harpsichord.”

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading He sat sometimes dozing, sometimes listening to her music, in the great chair by the fire.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading But before ten o’clock came, he got up and stood with his back to the fire.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading He talked very little that night in the old-fashioned drawing-room, where Alice played his favourite old airs for him on the piano, which he still called the “harpsichord.”

whateverdeterminerUS /ˌwʌˈtevər/

any or all of a kind, it does not matter which

From this reading He ruminated, perhaps, but he did not open the subject, whatever it might be, which he had hinted at.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading He talked very little that night in the old-fashioned drawing-room, where Alice played his favourite old airs for him on the piano, which he still called the “harpsichord.”

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading He talked very little that night in the old-fashioned drawing-room, where Alice played his favourite old airs for him on the piano, which he still called the “harpsichord.”

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading But before ten o’clock came, he got up and stood with his back to the fire.

Chapter 4 of The Wyvern mystery by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu holds 57 sentences, grouped into 12 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 4 of The Wyvern mystery contain?

Chapter 4 holds 57 sentences of The Wyvern mystery, unabridged, divided into 12 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of The Wyvern mystery by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 57 sentences, grouped into 12 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.

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Chapter IV · The Old Squire Unlike Himself

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