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Then I'll Come Back to You
Then I'll Come Back to You

Chapter XII · Chapter 12

Chapter 12 of Then I'll Come Back to You is here in full — 151 sentences across 31 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Then I'll Come Back to You
Context Illustration Reading 1/30 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.
There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.
But there were no poker chips in front of Fat Joe that night.
Round face propped upon one hand, the latter was staring motionless at a thick pad of yellow paper flat before his eyes.
And Garry himself was sitting with his back toward the light, staring as motionlessly into the cold fireplace.
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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.

Then I'll Come Back to You

Chapter XII · Chapter 12

Chapter 12 of Then I'll Come Back to You is here in full — 151 sentences across 31 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/30 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.
Line 2
There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.
Line 3
But there were no poker chips in front of Fat Joe that night.
Line 4
Round face propped upon one hand, the latter was staring motionless at a thick pad of yellow paper flat before his eyes.
/raʊnd feɪs prɑːpt əˈpɑːn wʌn hænd ðə ˈlætər wɑːz ˈsterɪŋ ˈmoʊʃənləs æt ə θɪk pæd ʌv ˈjeloʊ ˈpeɪpər flæt bɪˈfɔːr hɪz aɪz/
Line 5
And Garry himself was sitting with his back toward the light, staring as motionlessly into the cold fireplace.

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.

chips noun US /tʃɪps/

strips of potato fried in deep fat

From this reading “But there were no poker chips in front of Fat Joe that night.”

elapsed adjective US /ɪˈlæpst/

(of time) having passed or slipped by

From this reading “There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.”

inert adjective US /ˌɪˈnɜːrt/

unable to move or resist motion

From this reading “There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.”

pad noun US /pæd/

a number of sheets of paper fastened together along one edge

From this reading “Round face propped upon one hand, the latter was staring motionless at a thick pad of yellow paper flat before his eyes.”

poker noun US /ˈpoʊkər/

fire iron consisting of a metal rod with a handle; used to stir a fire

From this reading “But there were no poker chips in front of Fat Joe that night.”

propped verb US /prɑːpt/

inflected form of “prop” — support by placing against something solid or rigid

From this reading “Round face propped upon one hand, the latter was staring motionless at a thick pad of yellow paper flat before his eyes.”

shack noun US /ʃæk/

small crude shelter used as a dwelling

From this reading “THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.”

whimsically adverb US /ˈwɪmzɪkli/

in a fanciful manner

From this reading “There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.”

All words in this reading · 118

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 THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading And Garry himself was sitting with his back toward the light, staring as motionlessly into the cold fireplace.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

awaitverbUS /əˈweɪt/

look forward to the probable occurrence of

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading Round face propped upon one hand, the latter was staring motionless at a thick pad of yellow paper flat before his eyes.

black-robed

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

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But there were no poker chips in front of Fat Joe that night.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

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

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

certainadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrtən/

definite but not specified or identified

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

chipsnounUS /tʃɪps/

strips of potato fried in deep fat

From this reading But there were no poker chips in front of Fat Joe that night.

chosennounUS /ˈtʃoʊzən/

one who is the object of choice; who is given preference

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

coldadjectiveUS /koʊld/

having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration

From this reading And Garry himself was sitting with his back toward the light, staring as motionlessly into the cold fireplace.

darknounUS /dɑːrk/

absence of light or illumination

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

Devereau

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

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

doornounUS /dɔːr/

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

duringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/

all through a period, or at some point within it

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

elapsedadjectiveUS /ɪˈlæpst/

(of time) having passed or slipped by

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

facenounUS /feɪs/

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading Round face propped upon one hand, the latter was staring motionless at a thick pad of yellow paper flat before his eyes.

facesnounUS /ˈfeɪsəz/

plural of “face” — the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

FatadjectiveUS /fæt/

having an (over)abundance of flesh

From this reading But there were no poker chips in front of Fat Joe that night.

figurenounUS /ˈfɪɡjər/

a diagram or picture illustrating textual material

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

fireplacenounUS /ˈfaɪərpleɪs/

an open recess in a wall at the base of a chimney where a fire can be built

From this reading And Garry himself was sitting with his back toward the light, staring as motionlessly into the cold fireplace.

flatadjectiveUS /flæt/

having a surface without slope, tilt in which no part is higher or lower than another

From this reading Round face propped upon one hand, the latter was staring motionless at a thick pad of yellow paper flat before his eyes.

floornounUS /flɔːr/

the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

forty-eightadjective

being eight more than forty

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

frontnounUS /frʌnt/

the side that is forward or prominent

From this reading But there were no poker chips in front of Fat Joe that night.

Garry

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

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

gazenounUS /ɡeɪz/

a long fixed look

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

glownounUS /ɡloʊ/

an alert and refreshed state

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

handnounUS /hænd/

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading Round face propped upon one hand, the latter was staring motionless at a thick pad of yellow paper flat before his eyes.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

hoursnounUS /ˈaʊərz/

a period of time assigned for work

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

inertadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈnɜːrt/

unable to move or resist motion

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading And Garry himself was sitting with his back toward the light, staring as motionlessly into the cold fireplace.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

Joe

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

From this reading But there were no poker chips in front of Fat Joe that night.

lampnounUS /læmp/

an artificial source of visible illumination

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

latteradjectiveUS /ˈlætər/

referring to the second of two things or persons mentioned (or the last one or ones of several)

From this reading Round face propped upon one hand, the latter was staring motionless at a thick pad of yellow paper flat before his eyes.

liftedadjectiveUS /ˈlɪftəd/

held up in the air

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

lightadjectiveUS /laɪt/

of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading And Garry himself was sitting with his back toward the light, staring as motionlessly into the cold fireplace.

lightedadjectiveUS /ˈlaɪtəd/

set afire or burning

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

LITERARYadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəreri/

of or relating to or characteristic of literature

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

meetverbUS /miːt/

come together

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

momentnounUS /ˈmoʊmənt/

a particular point in time

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

motionlessadjectiveUS /ˈmoʊʃənləs/

not in physical motion

From this reading Round face propped upon one hand, the latter was staring motionless at a thick pad of yellow paper flat before his eyes.

motionlesslyadverb

without moving; in a motionless manner

From this reading And Garry himself was sitting with his back toward the light, staring as motionlessly into the cold fireplace.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

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

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading But there were no poker chips in front of Fat Joe that night.

O'Mara

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

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

padnounUS /pæd/

a number of sheets of paper fastened together along one edge

From this reading Round face propped upon one hand, the latter was staring motionless at a thick pad of yellow paper flat before his eyes.

papernounUS /ˈpeɪpər/

a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses

From this reading Round face propped upon one hand, the latter was staring motionless at a thick pad of yellow paper flat before his eyes.

pokernounUS /ˈpoʊkər/

fire iron consisting of a metal rod with a handle; used to stir a fire

From this reading But there were no poker chips in front of Fat Joe that night.

proppedverbUS /prɑːpt/

inflected form of “prop” — support by placing against something solid or rigid

From this reading Round face propped upon one hand, the latter was staring motionless at a thick pad of yellow paper flat before his eyes.

quietlyadverbUS /ˈkwaɪətli/

with low volume

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

returnverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrn/

go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

RoundnounUS /raʊnd/

a charge of ammunition for a single shot

From this reading Round face propped upon one hand, the latter was staring motionless at a thick pad of yellow paper flat before his eyes.

scenenounUS /siːn/

the place where some action occurs

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

secondnounUS /ˈsekənd/

1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

shacknounUS /ʃæk/

small crude shelter used as a dwelling

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

sittingnounUS /ˈsɪtɪŋ/

(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)

From this reading And Garry himself was sitting with his back toward the light, staring as motionlessly into the cold fireplace.

smiledverbUS /smaɪld/

past form of “smile” — change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

staringadjectiveUS /ˈsterɪŋ/

(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder

From this reading Round face propped upon one hand, the latter was staring motionless at a thick pad of yellow paper flat before his eyes.

StephennounUS /ˈstiːvən/

English writer (1832-1904)

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

Steve

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

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

stoppedadjectiveUS /stɑːpt/

(of a nose) blocked

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

tablenounUS /ˈteɪbəl/

a set of data arranged in rows and columns

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

ThereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

thickadjectiveUS /θɪk/

not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions

From this reading Round face propped upon one hand, the latter was staring motionless at a thick pad of yellow paper flat before his eyes.

THINGnounUS /θɪŋ/

a special situation

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

Thirty-Mile

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

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

THISdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

touchedadjectiveUS /tʌtʃt/

having come into contact

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/

in the direction of

From this reading And Garry himself was sitting with his back toward the light, staring as motionlessly into the cold fireplace.

tripnounUS /trɪp/

a journey for some purpose (usually including the return)

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

twonounUS /tuː/

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

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

up-river

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

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading Round face propped upon one hand, the latter was staring motionless at a thick pad of yellow paper flat before his eyes.

waitverbUS /weɪt/

stay in one place and anticipate or expect something

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/

used to introduce two or more possibilities

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

whimsicallyadverbUS /ˈwɪmzɪkli/

in a fanciful manner

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading THIS LITERARY THING It was dark, the night of that second day, when Stephen O'Mara came quietly up to the open door of his own lighted shack and stopped for a moment to gaze in at the two men whose faces were touched by the glow of the lamp on the table.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading And Garry himself was sitting with his back toward the light, staring as motionlessly into the cold fireplace.

wonderedverbUS /ˈwʌndərd/

past form of “wonder” — have a wish or desire to know something

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading There had been more than one moment in those forty-eight hours which had elapsed since he had lifted that black-robed, inert figure from the floor in which Steve had wondered whether Garry Devereau would even await his return to Thirty-Mile; more than once he had smiled whimsically to himself, during the trip back up-river, over the scene which he was certain would meet his eyes, had Garry chosen to wait.

yellowadjectiveUS /ˈjeloʊ/

of the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk

From this reading Round face propped upon one hand, the latter was staring motionless at a thick pad of yellow paper flat before his eyes.

Chapter 12 of Then I'll Come Back to You by Larry, -1925 Evans holds 151 sentences, grouped into 31 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 12 of Then I'll Come Back to You contain?

Chapter 12 holds 151 sentences of Then I'll Come Back to You, unabridged, divided into 31 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 12 of Then I'll Come Back to You by Larry, -1925 Evans exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 151 sentences, grouped into 31 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 12 of Then I'll Come Back to You?

Work through the 31 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 31 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 12 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 12 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 Then I'll Come Back to You

Common questions about reading Then I'll Come Back to You by Larry, -1925 Evans on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Then I'll Come Back to You?

Yes. All 6395 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #18894 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Then I'll Come Back to You is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #18894, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Then I'll Come Back to You take to read?

About 532 minutes of reading across 1279 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Then I'll Come Back to You section by section

How to work through Then I'll Come Back to You section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 24 chapters of Then I'll Come Back to You 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 Then I'll Come Back to You

Words and structures a reader meets early in Then I'll Come Back to You, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Caleb
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Then I'll Come Back to You; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Hunter
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Then I'll Come Back to You; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Never
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Then I'll Come Back to You; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Married
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Then I'll Come Back to You; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.