Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Twenty years after
Twenty years after

Chapter XXXIX · Chapter 39

Chapter 39 of Twenty years after is here in full — 287 sentences across 58 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Twenty years after
Context Illustration Reading 1/57 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Difficult for Kings to return to the Capitals of their Kingdoms.
Whilst D’Artagnan and Porthos were engaged in conducting the cardinal to Saint Germain, Athos and Aramis returned to Paris.
Each had his own particular visit to make.
Aramis rushed to the Hôtel de Ville, where Madame de Longueville was sojourning.
The duchess loudly lamented the announcement of peace.
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.

Twenty years after

Chapter XXXIX · Chapter 39

Chapter 39 of Twenty years after is here in full — 287 sentences across 58 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/57 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Difficult for Kings to return to the Capitals of their Kingdoms.
/ˈdɪfəkəlt fɔːr kɪŋz tuː rɪˈtɜːrn tuː ðə ˈkæpətəlz ʌv ðer ˈkɪŋdəmz/
Line 2
Whilst D’Artagnan and Porthos were engaged in conducting the cardinal to Saint Germain, Athos and Aramis returned to Paris.
Line 3
Each had his own particular visit to make.
/iːtʃ hæd hɪz oʊn pərˈtɪkjələr ˈvɪzɪt tuː meɪk/
Line 4
Aramis rushed to the Hôtel de Ville, where Madame de Longueville was sojourning.
Line 5
The duchess loudly lamented the announcement of peace.
/ðə ˈdʌtʃəs ˈlaʊdli ləˈmentɪd ðə əˈnaʊnsmənt ʌv piːs/

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.

announcement noun US /əˈnaʊnsmənt/

a formal public statement

From this reading “The duchess loudly lamented the announcement of peace.”

Capitals noun US /ˈkæpətəlz/

plural of “capital” — assets available for use in the production of further assets

From this reading “Difficult for Kings to return to the Capitals of their Kingdoms.”

cardinal noun US /ˈkɑːrdənəl/

(Roman Catholic Church) one of a group of more than 100 prominent bishops in the Sacred College who advise the Pope and elect new Popes

From this reading “Whilst D’Artagnan and Porthos were engaged in conducting the cardinal to Saint Germain, Athos and Aramis returned to Paris.”

conducting noun US /kənˈdʌktɪŋ/

the way of administering a business

From this reading “Whilst D’Artagnan and Porthos were engaged in conducting the cardinal to Saint Germain, Athos and Aramis returned to Paris.”

Kingdoms noun US /ˈkɪŋdəmz/

plural of “kingdom” — a domain in which something is dominant

From this reading “Difficult for Kings to return to the Capitals of their Kingdoms.”

lamented adjective US /ləˈmentɪd/

mourned or grieved for

From this reading “The duchess loudly lamented the announcement of peace.”

loudly adverb US /ˈlaʊdli/

with relatively high volume

From this reading “The duchess loudly lamented the announcement of peace.”

sojourning verb US /ˈsoʊdʒərnɪŋ/

-ing form of “sojourn” — spend a certain length of time; reside temporarily

From this reading “Aramis rushed to the Hôtel de Ville, where Madame de Longueville was sojourning.”

All words in this reading · 46

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.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Whilst D’Artagnan and Porthos were engaged in conducting the cardinal to Saint Germain, Athos and Aramis returned to Paris.

announcementnounUS /əˈnaʊnsmənt/

a formal public statement

From this reading The duchess loudly lamented the announcement of peace.

Aramis

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

From this reading Whilst D’Artagnan and Porthos were engaged in conducting the cardinal to Saint Germain, Athos and Aramis returned to Paris.

Athosnoun

an autonomous area in northeastern Greece that is the site of several Greek Orthodox monasteries founded in the tenth century

From this reading Whilst D’Artagnan and Porthos were engaged in conducting the cardinal to Saint Germain, Athos and Aramis returned to Paris.

CapitalsnounUS /ˈkæpətəlz/

plural of “capital” — assets available for use in the production of further assets

From this reading Difficult for Kings to return to the Capitals of their Kingdoms.

cardinalnounUS /ˈkɑːrdənəl/

(Roman Catholic Church) one of a group of more than 100 prominent bishops in the Sacred College who advise the Pope and elect new Popes

From this reading Whilst D’Artagnan and Porthos were engaged in conducting the cardinal to Saint Germain, Athos and Aramis returned to Paris.

conductingnounUS /kənˈdʌktɪŋ/

the way of administering a business

From this reading Whilst D’Artagnan and Porthos were engaged in conducting the cardinal to Saint Germain, Athos and Aramis returned to Paris.

D'Artagnan

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

From this reading Whilst D’Artagnan and Porthos were engaged in conducting the cardinal to Saint Germain, Athos and Aramis returned to Paris.

denounUS /diː/

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

From this reading Aramis rushed to the Hôtel de Ville, where Madame de Longueville was sojourning.

DifficultadjectiveUS /ˈdɪfəkəlt/

not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure

From this reading Difficult for Kings to return to the Capitals of their Kingdoms.

duchessnounUS /ˈdʌtʃəs/

the wife of a duke or a woman holding ducal title in her own right

From this reading The duchess loudly lamented the announcement of peace.

EachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading Each had his own particular visit to make.

engagedadjectiveUS /enˈɡeɪdʒd/

having ones attention or mind or energy engaged

From this reading Whilst D’Artagnan and Porthos were engaged in conducting the cardinal to Saint Germain, Athos and Aramis returned to Paris.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Difficult for Kings to return to the Capitals of their Kingdoms.

Germain

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

From this reading Whilst D’Artagnan and Porthos were engaged in conducting the cardinal to Saint Germain, Athos and Aramis returned to Paris.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Each had his own particular visit to make.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Each had his own particular visit to make.

Hôtel

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

From this reading Aramis rushed to the Hôtel de Ville, where Madame de Longueville was sojourning.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Whilst D’Artagnan and Porthos were engaged in conducting the cardinal to Saint Germain, Athos and Aramis returned to Paris.

KingdomsnounUS /ˈkɪŋdəmz/

plural of “kingdom” — a domain in which something is dominant

From this reading Difficult for Kings to return to the Capitals of their Kingdoms.

KingsnounUS /kɪŋz/

plural of “king” — a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom

From this reading Difficult for Kings to return to the Capitals of their Kingdoms.

lamentedadjectiveUS /ləˈmentɪd/

mourned or grieved for

From this reading The duchess loudly lamented the announcement of peace.

Longueville

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

From this reading Aramis rushed to the Hôtel de Ville, where Madame de Longueville was sojourning.

loudlyadverbUS /ˈlaʊdli/

with relatively high volume

From this reading The duchess loudly lamented the announcement of peace.

MadamenounUS /ˈmædəm/

title used for a married Frenchwoman

From this reading Aramis rushed to the Hôtel de Ville, where Madame de Longueville was sojourning.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading Each had his own particular visit to make.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Difficult for Kings to return to the Capitals of their Kingdoms.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading Each had his own particular visit to make.

ParisnounUS /ˈperɪs/

the capital and largest city of France; and international center of culture and commerce

From this reading Whilst D’Artagnan and Porthos were engaged in conducting the cardinal to Saint Germain, Athos and Aramis returned to Paris.

particularadjectiveUS /pərˈtɪkjələr/

unique or specific to a person or thing or category

From this reading Each had his own particular visit to make.

peacenounUS /piːs/

the state prevailing during the absence of war

From this reading The duchess loudly lamented the announcement of peace.

Porthos

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

From this reading Whilst D’Artagnan and Porthos were engaged in conducting the cardinal to Saint Germain, Athos and Aramis returned to Paris.

returnverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrn/

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

From this reading Difficult for Kings to return to the Capitals of their Kingdoms.

returnedverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrnd/

past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading Whilst D’Artagnan and Porthos were engaged in conducting the cardinal to Saint Germain, Athos and Aramis returned to Paris.

rushedadjectiveUS /rʌʃt/

done under pressure

From this reading Aramis rushed to the Hôtel de Ville, where Madame de Longueville was sojourning.

SaintnounUS /seɪnt/

a person who has died and has been declared a saint by canonization

From this reading Whilst D’Artagnan and Porthos were engaged in conducting the cardinal to Saint Germain, Athos and Aramis returned to Paris.

sojourningverbUS /ˈsoʊdʒərnɪŋ/

-ing form of “sojourn” — spend a certain length of time; reside temporarily

From this reading Aramis rushed to the Hôtel de Ville, where Madame de Longueville was sojourning.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Difficult for Kings to return to the Capitals of their Kingdoms.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Difficult for Kings to return to the Capitals of their Kingdoms.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Difficult for Kings to return to the Capitals of their Kingdoms.

Ville

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

From this reading Aramis rushed to the Hôtel de Ville, where Madame de Longueville was sojourning.

visitverbUS /ˈvɪzɪt/

go to see a place, as for entertainment

From this reading Each had his own particular visit to make.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Aramis rushed to the Hôtel de Ville, where Madame de Longueville was sojourning.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Whilst D’Artagnan and Porthos were engaged in conducting the cardinal to Saint Germain, Athos and Aramis returned to Paris.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading Aramis rushed to the Hôtel de Ville, where Madame de Longueville was sojourning.

WhilstconjunctionUS /waɪlst/

an old and formal word for “while”

From this reading Whilst D’Artagnan and Porthos were engaged in conducting the cardinal to Saint Germain, Athos and Aramis returned to Paris.

Chapter 39 of Twenty years after by Alexandre Dumas holds 287 sentences, grouped into 58 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 39 of Twenty years after contain?

Chapter 39 holds 287 sentences of Twenty years after, unabridged, divided into 58 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 39 of Twenty years after by Alexandre Dumas exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 287 sentences, grouped into 58 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 39 of Twenty years after?

Work through the 58 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 58 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 39 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 39 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 Twenty years after

Common questions about reading Twenty years after by Alexandre Dumas on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Twenty years after?

Yes. All 15265 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1259 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Twenty years after is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #1259, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Twenty years after take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 3053 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Twenty years after section by section

How to work through Twenty years after section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 39 chapters of Twenty years after 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 Twenty years after

Words and structures a reader meets early in Twenty years after, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Chapter
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Twenty years after; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Noble
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Twenty years after; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Natures
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Twenty years after; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Never
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Twenty years after; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.