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Through the Wall
Through the Wall

Chapter XXIII · Chapter 23

Chapter 23 of Through the Wall is here in full — 348 sentences across 70 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Cleveland Moffett • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for Through the Wall
Context Illustration Reading 1/69 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
GROENER AT BAY Two hours later (it was nearly seven) Judge Hauteville sat in his office at the Palais de Justice, hurrying through a meal that had been brought in from a restaurant.
"There," he muttered, wiping his mouth, "that will keep me going for a few hours," and he touched the bell.
"Is M. Coquenil back yet?" he asked when the clerk appeared.
"Yes, sir," replied the latter, "he's waiting."
"Good!
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.

Through the Wall

Chapter XXIII · Chapter 23

Chapter 23 of Through the Wall is here in full — 348 sentences across 70 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/69 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
GROENER AT BAY Two hours later (it was nearly seven) Judge Hauteville sat in his office at the Palais de Justice, hurrying through a meal that had been brought in from a restaurant.
Line 2
"There," he muttered, wiping his mouth, "that will keep me going for a few hours," and he touched the bell.
/ðer hiː ˈmʌtərd ˈwaɪpɪŋ hɪz maʊθ ðæt wɪl kiːp miː ˈɡoʊɪŋ fɔːr ə fjuː ˈaʊərz ənd hiː tʌtʃt ðə bel/
Line 3
"Is M. Coquenil back yet?" he asked when the clerk appeared.
Line 4
"Yes, sir," replied the latter, "he's waiting."
Line 5
"Good!
/ɡʊd/

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.

bay noun US /beɪ/

an indentation of a shoreline larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf

From this reading “GROENER AT BAY Two hours later (it was nearly seven) Judge Hauteville sat in his office at the Palais de Justice, hurrying through a meal that had been brought in from a restaurant.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
bell noun US /bel/

a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck

From this reading “"There," he muttered, wiping his mouth, "that will keep me going for a few hours," and he touched the bell.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
clerk noun US /klɜːrk/

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

From this reading “"Is M. Coquenil back yet?" he asked when the clerk appeared.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hurrying adjective US /ˈhɜːriɪŋ/

moving with great haste

From this reading “GROENER AT BAY Two hours later (it was nearly seven) Judge Hauteville sat in his office at the Palais de Justice, hurrying through a meal that had been brought in from a restaurant.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
meal noun US /miːl/

the food served and eaten at one time

From this reading “GROENER AT BAY Two hours later (it was nearly seven) Judge Hauteville sat in his office at the Palais de Justice, hurrying through a meal that had been brought in from a restaurant.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
muttered verb US /ˈmʌtərd/

past form of “mutter” — talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice

From this reading “"There," he muttered, wiping his mouth, "that will keep me going for a few hours," and he touched the bell.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
restaurant noun US /ˈrestərɑːnt/

a building where people go to eat

From this reading “GROENER AT BAY Two hours later (it was nearly seven) Judge Hauteville sat in his office at the Palais de Justice, hurrying through a meal that had been brought in from a restaurant.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wiping verb US /ˈwaɪpɪŋ/

-ing form of “wipe” — rub with a circular motion

From this reading “"There," he muttered, wiping his mouth, "that will keep me going for a few hours," and he touched the bell.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

All words in this reading · 60

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 GROENER AT BAY Two hours later (it was nearly seven) Judge Hauteville sat in his office at the Palais de Justice, hurrying through a meal that had been brought in from a restaurant.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading "There," he muttered, wiping his mouth, "that will keep me going for a few hours," and he touched the bell.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
appearedverbUS /əˈpɪrd/

past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading "Is M. Coquenil back yet?" he asked when the clerk appeared.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
askedverbUS /æskt/

past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading "Is M. Coquenil back yet?" he asked when the clerk appeared.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ATprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading GROENER AT BAY Two hours later (it was nearly seven) Judge Hauteville sat in his office at the Palais de Justice, hurrying through a meal that had been brought in from a restaurant.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading "Is M. Coquenil back yet?" he asked when the clerk appeared.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
BAYnounUS /beɪ/

an indentation of a shoreline larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf

From this reading GROENER AT BAY Two hours later (it was nearly seven) Judge Hauteville sat in his office at the Palais de Justice, hurrying through a meal that had been brought in from a restaurant.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading GROENER AT BAY Two hours later (it was nearly seven) Judge Hauteville sat in his office at the Palais de Justice, hurrying through a meal that had been brought in from a restaurant.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
bellnounUS /bel/

a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck

From this reading "There," he muttered, wiping his mouth, "that will keep me going for a few hours," and he touched the bell.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
broughtverbUS /brɔːt/

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading GROENER AT BAY Two hours later (it was nearly seven) Judge Hauteville sat in his office at the Palais de Justice, hurrying through a meal that had been brought in from a restaurant.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
clerknounUS /klɜːrk/

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

From this reading "Is M. Coquenil back yet?" he asked when the clerk appeared.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Coquenil

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

From this reading "Is M. Coquenil back yet?" he asked when the clerk appeared.

Pending verification
denounUS /diː/

a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies

From this reading GROENER AT BAY Two hours later (it was nearly seven) Judge Hauteville sat in his office at the Palais de Justice, hurrying through a meal that had been brought in from a restaurant.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fewadjectiveUS /fjuː/

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

From this reading "There," he muttered, wiping his mouth, "that will keep me going for a few hours," and he touched the bell.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading "There," he muttered, wiping his mouth, "that will keep me going for a few hours," and he touched the bell.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading GROENER AT BAY Two hours later (it was nearly seven) Judge Hauteville sat in his office at the Palais de Justice, hurrying through a meal that had been brought in from a restaurant.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
goingnounUS /ˈɡoʊɪŋ/

the act of departing

From this reading "There," he muttered, wiping his mouth, "that will keep me going for a few hours," and he touched the bell.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
GoodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading "Good!

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
GROENER

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

From this reading GROENER AT BAY Two hours later (it was nearly seven) Judge Hauteville sat in his office at the Palais de Justice, hurrying through a meal that had been brought in from a restaurant.

Pending verification
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading GROENER AT BAY Two hours later (it was nearly seven) Judge Hauteville sat in his office at the Palais de Justice, hurrying through a meal that had been brought in from a restaurant.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
Hauteville

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

From this reading GROENER AT BAY Two hours later (it was nearly seven) Judge Hauteville sat in his office at the Palais de Justice, hurrying through a meal that had been brought in from a restaurant.

Pending verification
hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading "There," he muttered, wiping his mouth, "that will keep me going for a few hours," and he touched the bell.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
he's

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

From this reading "Yes, sir," replied the latter, "he's waiting."

Pending verification
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading GROENER AT BAY Two hours later (it was nearly seven) Judge Hauteville sat in his office at the Palais de Justice, hurrying through a meal that had been brought in from a restaurant.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hoursnounUS /ˈaʊərz/

a period of time assigned for work

From this reading GROENER AT BAY Two hours later (it was nearly seven) Judge Hauteville sat in his office at the Palais de Justice, hurrying through a meal that had been brought in from a restaurant.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hurryingadjectiveUS /ˈhɜːriɪŋ/

moving with great haste

From this reading GROENER AT BAY Two hours later (it was nearly seven) Judge Hauteville sat in his office at the Palais de Justice, hurrying through a meal that had been brought in from a restaurant.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading GROENER AT BAY Two hours later (it was nearly seven) Judge Hauteville sat in his office at the Palais de Justice, hurrying through a meal that had been brought in from a restaurant.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
Isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading "Is M. Coquenil back yet?" he asked when the clerk appeared.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading GROENER AT BAY Two hours later (it was nearly seven) Judge Hauteville sat in his office at the Palais de Justice, hurrying through a meal that had been brought in from a restaurant.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
JudgeverbUS /dʒʌdʒ/

determine the result of (a competition)

From this reading GROENER AT BAY Two hours later (it was nearly seven) Judge Hauteville sat in his office at the Palais de Justice, hurrying through a meal that had been brought in from a restaurant.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
JusticenounUS /ˈdʒʌstəs/

the quality of being just or fair

From this reading GROENER AT BAY Two hours later (it was nearly seven) Judge Hauteville sat in his office at the Palais de Justice, hurrying through a meal that had been brought in from a restaurant.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
keepverbUS /kiːp/

cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”

From this reading "There," he muttered, wiping his mouth, "that will keep me going for a few hours," and he touched the bell.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lateradverbUS /ˈleɪtər/

happening at a time subsequent to a reference time

From this reading GROENER AT BAY Two hours later (it was nearly seven) Judge Hauteville sat in his office at the Palais de Justice, hurrying through a meal that had been brought in from a restaurant.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
latteradjectiveUS /ˈlætər/

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

From this reading "Yes, sir," replied the latter, "he's waiting."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MnounUS /em/

the basic unit of length adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites (approximately 1.094 yards)

From this reading "Is M. Coquenil back yet?" he asked when the clerk appeared.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading "There," he muttered, wiping his mouth, "that will keep me going for a few hours," and he touched the bell.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
mealnounUS /miːl/

the food served and eaten at one time

From this reading GROENER AT BAY Two hours later (it was nearly seven) Judge Hauteville sat in his office at the Palais de Justice, hurrying through a meal that had been brought in from a restaurant.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mouthnounUS /maʊθ/

the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge

From this reading "There," he muttered, wiping his mouth, "that will keep me going for a few hours," and he touched the bell.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mutteredverbUS /ˈmʌtərd/

past form of “mutter” — talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice

From this reading "There," he muttered, wiping his mouth, "that will keep me going for a few hours," and he touched the bell.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
nearlyadverbUS /ˈnɪrli/

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading GROENER AT BAY Two hours later (it was nearly seven) Judge Hauteville sat in his office at the Palais de Justice, hurrying through a meal that had been brought in from a restaurant.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
officenounUS /ˈɔːfɪs/

place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed

From this reading GROENER AT BAY Two hours later (it was nearly seven) Judge Hauteville sat in his office at the Palais de Justice, hurrying through a meal that had been brought in from a restaurant.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Palais

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

From this reading GROENER AT BAY Two hours later (it was nearly seven) Judge Hauteville sat in his office at the Palais de Justice, hurrying through a meal that had been brought in from a restaurant.

Pending verification
repliedverbUS /rɪˈplaɪd/

inflected form of “reply” — react verbally

From this reading "Yes, sir," replied the latter, "he's waiting."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
restaurantnounUS /ˈrestərɑːnt/

a building where people go to eat

From this reading GROENER AT BAY Two hours later (it was nearly seven) Judge Hauteville sat in his office at the Palais de Justice, hurrying through a meal that had been brought in from a restaurant.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
satnounUS /sæt/

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

From this reading GROENER AT BAY Two hours later (it was nearly seven) Judge Hauteville sat in his office at the Palais de Justice, hurrying through a meal that had been brought in from a restaurant.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sevennounUS /ˈsevən/

the cardinal number that is the sum of six and one

From this reading GROENER AT BAY Two hours later (it was nearly seven) Judge Hauteville sat in his office at the Palais de Justice, hurrying through a meal that had been brought in from a restaurant.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sirnounUS /sɜːr/

term of address for a man

From this reading "Yes, sir," replied the latter, "he's waiting."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading GROENER AT BAY Two hours later (it was nearly seven) Judge Hauteville sat in his office at the Palais de Justice, hurrying through a meal that had been brought in from a restaurant.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading GROENER AT BAY Two hours later (it was nearly seven) Judge Hauteville sat in his office at the Palais de Justice, hurrying through a meal that had been brought in from a restaurant.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ThereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading "There," he muttered, wiping his mouth, "that will keep me going for a few hours," and he touched the bell.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading GROENER AT BAY Two hours later (it was nearly seven) Judge Hauteville sat in his office at the Palais de Justice, hurrying through a meal that had been brought in from a restaurant.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
touchedadjectiveUS /tʌtʃt/

having come into contact

From this reading "There," he muttered, wiping his mouth, "that will keep me going for a few hours," and he touched the bell.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
TwonounUS /tuː/

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

From this reading GROENER AT BAY Two hours later (it was nearly seven) Judge Hauteville sat in his office at the Palais de Justice, hurrying through a meal that had been brought in from a restaurant.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
waitingnounUS /ˈweɪtɪŋ/

the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)

From this reading "Yes, sir," replied the latter, "he's waiting."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading GROENER AT BAY Two hours later (it was nearly seven) Judge Hauteville sat in his office at the Palais de Justice, hurrying through a meal that had been brought in from a restaurant.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading "Is M. Coquenil back yet?" he asked when the clerk appeared.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading "There," he muttered, wiping his mouth, "that will keep me going for a few hours," and he touched the bell.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
wipingverbUS /ˈwaɪpɪŋ/

-ing form of “wipe” — rub with a circular motion

From this reading "There," he muttered, wiping his mouth, "that will keep me going for a few hours," and he touched the bell.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
YesnounUS /jes/

an affirmative

From this reading "Yes, sir," replied the latter, "he's waiting."

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading "Is M. Coquenil back yet?" he asked when the clerk appeared.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 23 of Through the Wall by Cleveland Moffett holds 348 sentences, grouped into 70 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 23 of Through the Wall contain?

Chapter 23 holds 348 sentences of Through the Wall, unabridged, divided into 70 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 23 of Through the Wall by Cleveland Moffett exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 348 sentences, grouped into 70 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 23 of Through the Wall?

Work through the 70 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 70 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 23 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 23 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 Through the Wall

Common questions about reading Through the Wall by Cleveland Moffett on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Through the Wall?

Yes. All 7676 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #11373 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Through the Wall is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #11373, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Through the Wall take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1536 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in Through the Wall

Words and structures a reader meets early in Through the Wall, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Blood-red
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Through the Wall; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Worthy
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Through the Wall; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Remarkable
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Through the Wall; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Criminal
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Through the Wall; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.