Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
The Yarn of Old Harbour Town
The Yarn of Old Harbour Town

Chapter VI

Chapter 6 of The Yarn of Old Harbour Town is here in full — 213 sentences across 43 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Yarn of Old Harbour Town
Context Illustration Reading 1/42 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE LETTER Mr Greyquill's office was in High Street.
He used two rooms for his professional affairs, and the rest of the house, which was a small one, he lived in.
He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.
Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.
He never looked so white as he did this morning.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
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 Yarn of Old Harbour Town

Chapter VI

Chapter 6 of The Yarn of Old Harbour Town is here in full — 213 sentences across 43 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/42 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE LETTER Mr Greyquill's office was in High Street.
Line 2
He used two rooms for his professional affairs, and the rest of the house, which was a small one, he lived in.
/hiː juːzd tuː ruːmz fɔːr hɪz prəˈfeʃənəl əˈferz ənd ðə rest ʌv ðə haʊs wɪtʃ wɑːz ə smɔːl wʌn hiː lɪvd ɪn/
Line 3
He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.
Line 4
Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.
Line 5
He never looked so white as he did this morning.
/hiː ˈnevər lʊkt soʊ waɪt æz hiː dɪd ðɪs ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

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.

adjacent adjective US /əˈdʒeɪsənt/

nearest in space or position; immediately adjoining without intervening space

From this reading “Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.”

flourishing adjective US /ˈflɜːrɪʃɪŋ/

very lively and profitable

From this reading “He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.”

Lawrence's noun US /ˈlɔːrənsɪz/

possessive form of “lawrence” — Roman martyr; supposedly Lawrence was ordered by the police to give up the church's treasure and when he responded by presenting the poor people of Rome he was roasted to death on a gridiron (died in 258)

From this reading “Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.”

mornings noun US /ˈmɔːrnɪŋz/

plural of “morning” — the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading “Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.”

prescribed adjective US /priˈskraɪbd/

set down as a rule or guide

From this reading “He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.”

proverb noun US /ˈprɑːvərb/

a condensed but memorable saying embodying some important fact of experience that is taken as true by many people

From this reading “He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.”

rents noun US /rents/

plural of “rent” — a payment or series of payments made by the lessee to an owner for use of some property, facility, equipment, or service

From this reading “Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.”

unimpeachable adjective US /ˌʌnɪmˈpiːtʃəbəl/

beyond doubt or reproach

From this reading “He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.”

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.

two rooms noun + noun

In this reading “He used two rooms for his professional affairs, and the rest of the house, which was a small one, he lived in.”

lived in verb + particle counted as “live in”

live in the house where one works

In this reading “He used two rooms for his professional affairs, and the rest of the house, which was a small one, he lived in.”

passed into verb + particle counted as “pass into”

In this reading “He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.”

rest of verb + particle

In this reading “He used two rooms for his professional affairs, and the rest of the house, which was a small one, he lived in.”

All words in this reading · 103

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.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading He used two rooms for his professional affairs, and the rest of the house, which was a small one, he lived in.

adjacentadjectiveUS /əˈdʒeɪsənt/

nearest in space or position; immediately adjoining without intervening space

From this reading Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.

affairsnounUS /əˈferz/

matters of personal concern

From this reading He used two rooms for his professional affairs, and the rest of the house, which was a small one, he lived in.

agreedadjectiveUS /əˈɡriːd/

united by being of the same opinion

From this reading He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.

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 He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading He used two rooms for his professional affairs, and the rest of the house, which was a small one, he lived in.

anotherdeterminerUS /əˈnʌðər/

one more of the same kind, or a different one

From this reading Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading He never looked so white as he did this morning.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.

attorneynounUS /əˈtɜːrni/

a professional person authorized to practice law; conducts lawsuits or gives legal advice

From this reading He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.

brownnounUS /braʊn/

an orange of low brightness and saturation

From this reading Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.

BuildingsnounUS /ˈbɪldɪŋz/

plural of “building” — a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place

From this reading Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.

chairnounUS /tʃer/

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

From this reading Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.

clerknounUS /klɜːrk/

an employee who performs clerical work (e.g., keeps records or accounts)

From this reading Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.

collectverbUS /kəˈlekt/

get or gather together

From this reading Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

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

From this reading He never looked so white as he did this morning.

dishonourableadjective

lacking honor or integrity; deserving dishonor

From this reading He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.

doingsnounUS /ˈduːɪŋz/

manner of acting or controlling yourself

From this reading He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.

eyeshotnoun

the range of the eye

From this reading Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.

flourishingadjectiveUS /ˈflɜːrɪʃɪŋ/

very lively and profitable

From this reading He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.

followingadjectiveUS /ˈfɑːloʊɪŋ/

about to be mentioned or specified

From this reading Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading He used two rooms for his professional affairs, and the rest of the house, which was a small one, he lived in.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.

goingnounUS /ˈɡoʊɪŋ/

the act of departing

From this reading Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.

Greyquill

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

From this reading He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.

Greyquill's

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

From this reading THE LETTER Mr Greyquill's office was in High Street.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.

half-past

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

From this reading Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He used two rooms for his professional affairs, and the rest of the house, which was a small one, he lived in.

healthnounUS /helθ/

a healthy state of wellbeing free from disease

From this reading Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.

heldadjectiveUS /held/

occupied or in the control of; often used in combination

From this reading He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.

HighadjectiveUS /haɪ/

greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading THE LETTER Mr Greyquill's office was in High Street.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading He used two rooms for his professional affairs, and the rest of the house, which was a small one, he lived in.

honourableadjectiveUS /ˈɑːnərəbəl/

worthy of being honored; entitled to honor and respect

From this reading He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.

housenounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading He used two rooms for his professional affairs, and the rest of the house, which was a small one, he lived in.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading THE LETTER Mr Greyquill's office was in High Street.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.

keptadjectiveUS /kept/

(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded

From this reading He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.

Lawrence'snounUS /ˈlɔːrənsɪz/

possessive form of “lawrence” — Roman martyr; supposedly Lawrence was ordered by the police to give up the church's treasure and when he responded by presenting the poor people of Rome he was roasted to death on a gridiron (died in 258)

From this reading Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.

LETTERnounUS /ˈletər/

a written message addressed to a person or organization

From this reading THE LETTER Mr Greyquill's office was in High Street.

linesnounUS /laɪnz/

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

From this reading He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.

livedverbUS /lɪvd/

past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading He used two rooms for his professional affairs, and the rest of the house, which was a small one, he lived in.

lookedverbUS /lʊkt/

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading He never looked so white as he did this morning.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.

meanverbUS /miːn/

mean or intend to express or convey

From this reading He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading He never looked so white as he did this morning.

morningsnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋz/

plural of “morning” — the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.

MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading THE LETTER Mr Greyquill's office was in High Street.

nameverbUS /neɪm/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading He never looked so white as he did this morning.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading He used two rooms for his professional affairs, and the rest of the house, which was a small one, he lived in.

officenounUS /ˈɔːfɪs/

place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed

From this reading THE LETTER Mr Greyquill's office was in High Street.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

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

From this reading Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading He used two rooms for his professional affairs, and the rest of the house, which was a small one, he lived in.

outsideadjectiveUS /ˈaʊtˈsaɪd/

relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit

From this reading He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.

passedverbUS /pæst/

past form of “pass” — go across or through

From this reading He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.

prescribedadjectiveUS /priˈskraɪbd/

set down as a rule or guide

From this reading He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.

professionaladjectiveUS /prəˈfeʃənəl/

engaged in a profession or engaging in as a profession or means of livelihood

From this reading He used two rooms for his professional affairs, and the rest of the house, which was a small one, he lived in.

proposedverbUS /prəˈpoʊzd/

past form of “propose” — make a proposal, declare a plan for something

From this reading Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.

proverbnounUS /ˈprɑːvərb/

a condensed but memorable saying embodying some important fact of experience that is taken as true by many people

From this reading He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.

rentsnounUS /rents/

plural of “rent” — a payment or series of payments made by the lessee to an owner for use of some property, facility, equipment, or service

From this reading Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.

restverbUS /rest/

not move; be in a resting position

From this reading He used two rooms for his professional affairs, and the rest of the house, which was a small one, he lived in.

roguerynoun

reckless or malicious behavior that causes discomfort or annoyance in others

From this reading He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.

roomnounUS /ruːm/

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.

roomsnounUS /ruːmz/

apartment consisting of a series of connected rooms used as a living unit (as in a hotel)

From this reading He used two rooms for his professional affairs, and the rest of the house, which was a small one, he lived in.

rosenounUS /roʊz/

any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses

From this reading Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.

rulesnounUS /ruːlz/

plural of “rule” — a principle or condition that customarily governs behavior

From this reading He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.

satnounUS /sæt/

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

From this reading Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.

scoundrelnounUS /ˈskaʊndrəl/

a wicked or evil person; someone who does evil deliberately

From this reading He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.

ShortadjectiveUS /ʃɔːrt/

primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration

From this reading Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.

smalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/

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

From this reading He used two rooms for his professional affairs, and the rest of the house, which was a small one, he lived in.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.

StreetnounUS /striːt/

a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading THE LETTER Mr Greyquill's office was in High Street.

tablenounUS /ˈteɪbəl/

a set of data arranged in rows and columns

From this reading Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE LETTER Mr Greyquill's office was in High Street.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading He never looked so white as he did this morning.

thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.

twelvenounUS /twelv/

the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one

From this reading Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.

twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading He used two rooms for his professional affairs, and the rest of the house, which was a small one, he lived in.

understoodadjectiveUS /ˌʌndərˈstʊd/

fully apprehended as to purport or meaning or explanation

From this reading He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.

unimpeachableadjectiveUS /ˌʌnɪmˈpiːtʃəbəl/

beyond doubt or reproach

From this reading He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.

usedadjectiveUS /juːzd/

employed in accomplishing something

From this reading He used two rooms for his professional affairs, and the rest of the house, which was a small one, he lived in.

villainynoun

the quality of evil by virtue of villainous behavior

From this reading He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading THE LETTER Mr Greyquill's office was in High Street.

welladverbUS /wel/

(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 He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading He used two rooms for his professional affairs, and the rest of the house, which was a small one, he lived in.

whitenounUS /waɪt/

a Caucasian

From this reading He never looked so white as he did this morning.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.

wignounUS /wɪɡ/

hairpiece covering the head and made of real or synthetic hair

From this reading Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.

withinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading He was an attorney, and a flourishing one: so mean that his name had passed into a proverb, but honourable in his dishonourable doings, so that though every man agreed that Greyquill was a scoundrel, all held that he kept well within the lines of his villainy, and that he was unimpeachable outside the prescribed and understood rules of his roguery.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading Two mornings following the day on which Mr Short had proposed Mr Lawrence's health, old Mr Greyquill rose from his chair at his office table, and said to his clerk in the brown wig, who sat within eyeshot at another table in the adjacent room, that he was going to collect his rents at Greyquill's Buildings, and that he would not be back before half-past twelve.

Chapter 6 of The Yarn of Old Harbour Town by William Clark Russell holds 213 sentences, grouped into 43 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 6 of The Yarn of Old Harbour Town contain?

Chapter 6 holds 213 sentences of The Yarn of Old Harbour Town, unabridged, divided into 43 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 6 of The Yarn of Old Harbour Town by William Clark Russell exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 213 sentences, grouped into 43 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 6 of The Yarn of Old Harbour Town?

Work through the 43 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 43 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 6 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 6 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 Yarn of Old Harbour Town

Common questions about reading The Yarn of Old Harbour Town by William Clark Russell on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Yarn of Old Harbour Town?

Yes. All 4067 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #63076 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Yarn of Old Harbour Town is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #63076, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Yarn of Old Harbour Town take to read?

About 338 minutes of reading across 814 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Yarn of Old Harbour Town section by section

How to work through The Yarn of Old Harbour Town section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 16 chapters of The Yarn of Old Harbour Town 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 Yarn of Old Harbour Town

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Yarn of Old Harbour Town, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Https
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Yarn of Old Harbour Town; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Crown
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Yarn of Old Harbour Town; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Cloth
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Yarn of Old Harbour Town; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Stars
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Yarn of Old Harbour Town; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.