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Tracked by a Tattoo: A Mystery
Tracked by a Tattoo: A Mystery

Chapter XXXI · A Letter from Hersham, Senior

Chapter XXXI of Tracked by a Tattoo: A Mystery, “A Letter from Hersham, Senior,” is here in full — 188 sentences across 38 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Tracked by a Tattoo: A Mystery
Context Illustration Reading 1/37 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Upon hearing this untruthful and obstinate denial of the baronet's story, Fanks wheeled round his chair, until it directly faced that of Binjoy.
At the sullen creature he looked sternly, and shook an emphatic forefinger in his face.
"Now look you here, Dr. Binjoy, or Renshaw, or whatever you choose to call yourself," he said, sternly.
"I believe that Sir Louis has spoken the truth about this matter.
I have not the least doubt that you and your accomplice, Turnor, lured him into the Tooley Alley crime, with which, to my belief, he has nothing to do whatever.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Tracked by a Tattoo: A Mystery

Chapter XXXI · A Letter from Hersham, Senior

Chapter XXXI of Tracked by a Tattoo: A Mystery, “A Letter from Hersham, Senior,” is here in full — 188 sentences across 38 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/37 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Upon hearing this untruthful and obstinate denial of the baronet's story, Fanks wheeled round his chair, until it directly faced that of Binjoy.
Line 2
At the sullen creature he looked sternly, and shook an emphatic forefinger in his face.
/æt ðə ˈsʌlən ˈkriːtʃər hiː lʊkt ˈstɜːrnli ənd ʃʊk æn emˈfætɪk ˈfɔːrfɪŋɡər ɪn hɪz feɪs/
Line 3
"Now look you here, Dr. Binjoy, or Renshaw, or whatever you choose to call yourself," he said, sternly.
Line 4
"I believe that Sir Louis has spoken the truth about this matter.
/aɪ bɪˈliːv ðæt sɜːr ˈluːɪs hæz ˈspoʊkən ðə truːθ əˈbaʊt ðɪs ˈmætər/
Line 5
I have not the least doubt that you and your accomplice, Turnor, lured him into the Tooley Alley crime, with which, to my belief, he has nothing to do whatever.

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.

accomplice noun US /əˈkɑːm.plɪs/

A person who helps another commit a daring crime or secret scheme.

From this reading “I have not the least doubt that you and your accomplice, Turnor, lured him into the Tooley Alley crime, with which, to my belief, he has nothing to do whatever.”

Alley noun US /ˈæli/

a narrow street with walls on both sides

From this reading “I have not the least doubt that you and your accomplice, Turnor, lured him into the Tooley Alley crime, with which, to my belief, he has nothing to do whatever.”

denial noun US /dɪˈnaɪəl/

the act of refusing to comply (as with a request)

From this reading “Upon hearing this untruthful and obstinate denial of the baronet's story, Fanks wheeled round his chair, until it directly faced that of Binjoy.”

emphatic adjective US /emˈfætɪk/

spoken with emphasis

From this reading “At the sullen creature he looked sternly, and shook an emphatic forefinger in his face.”

forefinger noun US /ˈfɔːrfɪŋɡər/

the finger next to the thumb

From this reading “At the sullen creature he looked sternly, and shook an emphatic forefinger in his face.”

lured verb US /lʊrd/

past form of “lure” — provoke someone to do something through (often false or exaggerated) promises or persuasion

From this reading “I have not the least doubt that you and your accomplice, Turnor, lured him into the Tooley Alley crime, with which, to my belief, he has nothing to do whatever.”

obstinate adjective US /ˈɑːbstənət/

tenaciously unwilling or marked by tenacious unwillingness to yield

From this reading “Upon hearing this untruthful and obstinate denial of the baronet's story, Fanks wheeled round his chair, until it directly faced that of Binjoy.”

untruthful adjective US /ənˈtruːθfəl/

not expressing or given to expressing the truth

From this reading “Upon hearing this untruthful and obstinate denial of the baronet's story, Fanks wheeled round his chair, until it directly faced that of Binjoy.”

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.

wheeled round adjective + noun

In this reading “Upon hearing this untruthful and obstinate denial of the baronet's story, Fanks wheeled round his chair, until it directly faced that of Binjoy.”

least doubt adjective + noun

In this reading “I have not the least doubt that you and your accomplice, Turnor, lured him into the Tooley Alley crime, with which, to my belief, he has nothing to do whatever.”

Upon hearing preposition + noun

In this reading “Upon hearing this untruthful and obstinate denial of the baronet's story, Fanks wheeled round his chair, until it directly faced that of Binjoy.”

All words in this reading · 75

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.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading "I believe that Sir Louis has spoken the truth about this matter.

accomplicenounUS /əˈkɑːm.plɪs/

A person who helps another commit a daring crime or secret scheme.

From this reading I have not the least doubt that you and your accomplice, Turnor, lured him into the Tooley Alley crime, with which, to my belief, he has nothing to do whatever.

AlleynounUS /ˈæli/

a narrow street with walls on both sides

From this reading I have not the least doubt that you and your accomplice, Turnor, lured him into the Tooley Alley crime, with which, to my belief, he has nothing to do whatever.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading At the sullen creature he looked sternly, and shook an emphatic forefinger in his face.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Upon hearing this untruthful and obstinate denial of the baronet's story, Fanks wheeled round his chair, until it directly faced that of Binjoy.

AtprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading At the sullen creature he looked sternly, and shook an emphatic forefinger in his face.

baronet's

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

From this reading Upon hearing this untruthful and obstinate denial of the baronet's story, Fanks wheeled round his chair, until it directly faced that of Binjoy.

beliefnounUS /bɪˈliːf/

any cognitive content held as true

From this reading I have not the least doubt that you and your accomplice, Turnor, lured him into the Tooley Alley crime, with which, to my belief, he has nothing to do whatever.

believeverbUS /bɪˈliːv/

accept as true; take to be true

From this reading "I believe that Sir Louis has spoken the truth about this matter.

Binjoy

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

From this reading Upon hearing this untruthful and obstinate denial of the baronet's story, Fanks wheeled round his chair, until it directly faced that of Binjoy.

callverbUS /kɔːl/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading "Now look you here, Dr. Binjoy, or Renshaw, or whatever you choose to call yourself," he said, sternly.

chairnounUS /tʃer/

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

From this reading Upon hearing this untruthful and obstinate denial of the baronet's story, Fanks wheeled round his chair, until it directly faced that of Binjoy.

chooseverbUS /tʃuːz/

pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives

From this reading "Now look you here, Dr. Binjoy, or Renshaw, or whatever you choose to call yourself," he said, sternly.

creaturenounUS /ˈkriːtʃər/

a living organism characterized by voluntary movement

From this reading At the sullen creature he looked sternly, and shook an emphatic forefinger in his face.

crimenounUS /kraɪm/

(criminal law) an act punishable by law; usually considered an evil act

From this reading I have not the least doubt that you and your accomplice, Turnor, lured him into the Tooley Alley crime, with which, to my belief, he has nothing to do whatever.

denialnounUS /dɪˈnaɪəl/

the act of refusing to comply (as with a request)

From this reading Upon hearing this untruthful and obstinate denial of the baronet's story, Fanks wheeled round his chair, until it directly faced that of Binjoy.

directlyadverbUS /dərˈektli/

without deviation

From this reading Upon hearing this untruthful and obstinate denial of the baronet's story, Fanks wheeled round his chair, until it directly faced that of Binjoy.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading I have not the least doubt that you and your accomplice, Turnor, lured him into the Tooley Alley crime, with which, to my belief, he has nothing to do whatever.

doubtnounUS /daʊt/

the state of being unsure of something

From this reading I have not the least doubt that you and your accomplice, Turnor, lured him into the Tooley Alley crime, with which, to my belief, he has nothing to do whatever.

Dr

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

From this reading "Now look you here, Dr. Binjoy, or Renshaw, or whatever you choose to call yourself," he said, sternly.

emphaticadjectiveUS /emˈfætɪk/

spoken with emphasis

From this reading At the sullen creature he looked sternly, and shook an emphatic forefinger in his face.

facenounUS /feɪs/

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

From this reading At the sullen creature he looked sternly, and shook an emphatic forefinger in his face.

facedadjectiveUS /feɪst/

having a face or facing especially of a specified kind or number; often used in combination

From this reading Upon hearing this untruthful and obstinate denial of the baronet's story, Fanks wheeled round his chair, until it directly faced that of Binjoy.

Fanks

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

From this reading Upon hearing this untruthful and obstinate denial of the baronet's story, Fanks wheeled round his chair, until it directly faced that of Binjoy.

forefingernounUS /ˈfɔːrfɪŋɡər/

the finger next to the thumb

From this reading At the sullen creature he looked sternly, and shook an emphatic forefinger in his face.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading "I believe that Sir Louis has spoken the truth about this matter.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading I have not the least doubt that you and your accomplice, Turnor, lured him into the Tooley Alley crime, with which, to my belief, he has nothing to do whatever.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading At the sullen creature he looked sternly, and shook an emphatic forefinger in his face.

hearingnounUS /ˈhiːrɪŋ/

(law) a proceeding (usually by a court) where evidence is taken for the purpose of determining an issue of fact and reaching a decision based on that evidence

From this reading Upon hearing this untruthful and obstinate denial of the baronet's story, Fanks wheeled round his chair, until it directly faced that of Binjoy.

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading "Now look you here, Dr. Binjoy, or Renshaw, or whatever you choose to call yourself," he said, sternly.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading I have not the least doubt that you and your accomplice, Turnor, lured him into the Tooley Alley crime, with which, to my belief, he has nothing to do whatever.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Upon hearing this untruthful and obstinate denial of the baronet's story, Fanks wheeled round his chair, until it directly faced that of Binjoy.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading "I believe that Sir Louis has spoken the truth about this matter.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading At the sullen creature he looked sternly, and shook an emphatic forefinger in his face.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading I have not the least doubt that you and your accomplice, Turnor, lured him into the Tooley Alley crime, with which, to my belief, he has nothing to do whatever.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Upon hearing this untruthful and obstinate denial of the baronet's story, Fanks wheeled round his chair, until it directly faced that of Binjoy.

leastadjectiveUS /liːst/

the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree

From this reading I have not the least doubt that you and your accomplice, Turnor, lured him into the Tooley Alley crime, with which, to my belief, he has nothing to do whatever.

lookverbUS /lʊk/

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading "Now look you here, Dr. Binjoy, or Renshaw, or whatever you choose to call yourself," he said, sternly.

lookedverbUS /lʊkt/

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

From this reading At the sullen creature he looked sternly, and shook an emphatic forefinger in his face.

LouisnounUS /ˈluːɪs/

United States prizefighter who was world heavyweight champion for 12 years (1914-1981)

From this reading "I believe that Sir Louis has spoken the truth about this matter.

luredverbUS /lʊrd/

past form of “lure” — provoke someone to do something through (often false or exaggerated) promises or persuasion

From this reading I have not the least doubt that you and your accomplice, Turnor, lured him into the Tooley Alley crime, with which, to my belief, he has nothing to do whatever.

matternounUS /ˈmætər/

a vaguely specified concern

From this reading "I believe that Sir Louis has spoken the truth about this matter.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading I have not the least doubt that you and your accomplice, Turnor, lured him into the Tooley Alley crime, with which, to my belief, he has nothing to do whatever.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading I have not the least doubt that you and your accomplice, Turnor, lured him into the Tooley Alley crime, with which, to my belief, he has nothing to do whatever.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading I have not the least doubt that you and your accomplice, Turnor, lured him into the Tooley Alley crime, with which, to my belief, he has nothing to do whatever.

NowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading "Now look you here, Dr. Binjoy, or Renshaw, or whatever you choose to call yourself," he said, sternly.

obstinateadjectiveUS /ˈɑːbstənət/

tenaciously unwilling or marked by tenacious unwillingness to yield

From this reading Upon hearing this untruthful and obstinate denial of the baronet's story, Fanks wheeled round his chair, until it directly faced that of Binjoy.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Upon hearing this untruthful and obstinate denial of the baronet's story, Fanks wheeled round his chair, until it directly faced that of Binjoy.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading "Now look you here, Dr. Binjoy, or Renshaw, or whatever you choose to call yourself," he said, sternly.

Renshaw

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

From this reading "Now look you here, Dr. Binjoy, or Renshaw, or whatever you choose to call yourself," he said, sternly.

roundnounUS /raʊnd/

a charge of ammunition for a single shot

From this reading Upon hearing this untruthful and obstinate denial of the baronet's story, Fanks wheeled round his chair, until it directly faced that of Binjoy.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading "Now look you here, Dr. Binjoy, or Renshaw, or whatever you choose to call yourself," he said, sternly.

shooknounUS /ʃʊk/

a disassembled barrel; the parts packed for storage or shipment

From this reading At the sullen creature he looked sternly, and shook an emphatic forefinger in his face.

SirnounUS /sɜːr/

term of address for a man

From this reading "I believe that Sir Louis has spoken the truth about this matter.

spokenadjectiveUS /ˈspoʊkən/

uttered through the medium of speech or characterized by speech; sometimes used in combination

From this reading "I believe that Sir Louis has spoken the truth about this matter.

sternlyadverbUS /ˈstɜːrnli/

with sternness; in a severe manner

From this reading At the sullen creature he looked sternly, and shook an emphatic forefinger in his face.

storynounUS /ˈstɔːri/

a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program

From this reading Upon hearing this untruthful and obstinate denial of the baronet's story, Fanks wheeled round his chair, until it directly faced that of Binjoy.

sullenadjectiveUS /ˈsʌlən/

showing a brooding ill humor

From this reading At the sullen creature he looked sternly, and shook an emphatic forefinger in his face.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Upon hearing this untruthful and obstinate denial of the baronet's story, Fanks wheeled round his chair, until it directly faced that of Binjoy.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Upon hearing this untruthful and obstinate denial of the baronet's story, Fanks wheeled round his chair, until it directly faced that of Binjoy.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading Upon hearing this untruthful and obstinate denial of the baronet's story, Fanks wheeled round his chair, until it directly faced that of Binjoy.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading "Now look you here, Dr. Binjoy, or Renshaw, or whatever you choose to call yourself," he said, sternly.

Tooley

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

From this reading I have not the least doubt that you and your accomplice, Turnor, lured him into the Tooley Alley crime, with which, to my belief, he has nothing to do whatever.

truthnounUS /truːθ/

a fact that has been verified

From this reading "I believe that Sir Louis has spoken the truth about this matter.

Turnor

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

From this reading I have not the least doubt that you and your accomplice, Turnor, lured him into the Tooley Alley crime, with which, to my belief, he has nothing to do whatever.

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading Upon hearing this untruthful and obstinate denial of the baronet's story, Fanks wheeled round his chair, until it directly faced that of Binjoy.

untruthfuladjectiveUS /ənˈtruːθfəl/

not expressing or given to expressing the truth

From this reading Upon hearing this untruthful and obstinate denial of the baronet's story, Fanks wheeled round his chair, until it directly faced that of Binjoy.

UponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading Upon hearing this untruthful and obstinate denial of the baronet's story, Fanks wheeled round his chair, until it directly faced that of Binjoy.

whateverdeterminerUS /ˌwʌˈtevər/

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

From this reading "Now look you here, Dr. Binjoy, or Renshaw, or whatever you choose to call yourself," he said, sternly.

wheeledadjectiveUS /wiːld/

having wheels; often used in combination

From this reading Upon hearing this untruthful and obstinate denial of the baronet's story, Fanks wheeled round his chair, until it directly faced that of Binjoy.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading I have not the least doubt that you and your accomplice, Turnor, lured him into the Tooley Alley crime, with which, to my belief, he has nothing to do whatever.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading I have not the least doubt that you and your accomplice, Turnor, lured him into the Tooley Alley crime, with which, to my belief, he has nothing to do whatever.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "Now look you here, Dr. Binjoy, or Renshaw, or whatever you choose to call yourself," he said, sternly.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading I have not the least doubt that you and your accomplice, Turnor, lured him into the Tooley Alley crime, with which, to my belief, he has nothing to do whatever.

yourselfpronounUS /jərˈself/

used when the person spoken to is also the object of the action

From this reading "Now look you here, Dr. Binjoy, or Renshaw, or whatever you choose to call yourself," he said, sternly.

Chapter 31 of Tracked by a Tattoo: A Mystery by Fergus Hume holds 188 sentences, grouped into 38 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 31 of Tracked by a Tattoo: A Mystery contain?

Chapter 31 holds 188 sentences of Tracked by a Tattoo: A Mystery, unabridged, divided into 38 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 31 of Tracked by a Tattoo: A Mystery by Fergus Hume exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 188 sentences, grouped into 38 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 31 of Tracked by a Tattoo: A Mystery?

Work through the 38 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 38 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 31 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 31 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 Tracked by a Tattoo: A Mystery

Common questions about reading Tracked by a Tattoo: A Mystery by Fergus Hume on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Tracked by a Tattoo: A Mystery?

Yes. All 5734 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #55783 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Tracked by a Tattoo: A Mystery is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #55783, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Tracked by a Tattoo: A Mystery take to read?

About 477 minutes of reading across 1147 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in Tracked by a Tattoo: A Mystery

Words and structures a reader meets early in Tracked by a Tattoo: A Mystery, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Everywhere
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tracked by a Tattoo: A Mystery; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Throughout
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tracked by a Tattoo: A Mystery; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Source
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tracked by a Tattoo: A Mystery; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Evident
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tracked by a Tattoo: A Mystery; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.