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Under Lock and Key: A Story. Volume 2 (of 3)
Under Lock and Key: A Story. Volume 2 (of 3)

Chapter XVI

Chapter 16 of Under Lock and Key: A Story. Volume 2 (of 3) is here in full — 173 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By T. W. (Thomas Wilkinson) Speight • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for Under Lock and Key: A Story. Volume 2 (of 3)
Context Illustration Reading 1/34 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
MADGIN JUNIOR'S THIRD REPORT.
"Button's Hotel.
"St. Helier, Jersey.
"My dear Dad,--My telegram from Oxenholme, followed by my brief note from London, will have prepared you in part for the strange events that have happened since the date of my last report.
I now purpose giving you, as succinctly as possible, a narrative of those events from the point where my last report broke off.
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.

Under Lock and Key: A Story. Volume 2 (of 3)

Chapter XVI

Chapter 16 of Under Lock and Key: A Story. Volume 2 (of 3) is here in full — 173 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/34 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
MADGIN JUNIOR'S THIRD REPORT.
Line 2
"Button's Hotel.
Line 3
"St. Helier, Jersey.
Line 4
"My dear Dad,--My telegram from Oxenholme, followed by my brief note from London, will have prepared you in part for the strange events that have happened since the date of my last report.
Line 5
I now purpose giving you, as succinctly as possible, a narrative of those events from the point where my last report broke off.
/aɪ naʊ ˈpɜːrpəs ˈɡɪvɪŋ juː æz səkˈsɪŋktli æz ˈpɑːsəbəl ə ˈnærətɪv ʌv ðoʊz ɪˈvents frʌm ðə pɔɪnt wer maɪ læst riˈpɔːrt broʊk ɔːf/

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.

brief adjective US /briːf/

of short duration or distance

From this reading “"My dear Dad,--My telegram from Oxenholme, followed by my brief note from London, will have prepared you in part for the strange events that have happened since the date of my last report.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Dad noun US /dæd/

an informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk

From this reading “"My dear Dad,--My telegram from Oxenholme, followed by my brief note from London, will have prepared you in part for the strange events that have happened since the date of my last report.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
date noun US /deɪt/

the specified day of the month

From this reading “"My dear Dad,--My telegram from Oxenholme, followed by my brief note from London, will have prepared you in part for the strange events that have happened since the date of my last report.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Jersey noun US /ˈdʒɜːrzi/

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

From this reading “"St. Helier, Jersey.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
junior's noun US /ˈdʒuːnjərz/

possessive form of “junior” — term of address for a disrespectful and annoying male

From this reading “MADGIN JUNIOR'S THIRD REPORT.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
narrative noun US /ˈnærətɪv/

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 “I now purpose giving you, as succinctly as possible, a narrative of those events from the point where my last report broke off.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
succinctly adverb US /səkˈsɪŋktli/

with concise and precise brevity; to the point

From this reading “I now purpose giving you, as succinctly as possible, a narrative of those events from the point where my last report broke off.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
telegram noun US /ˈteləɡræm/

a message transmitted by telegraph

From this reading “"My dear Dad,--My telegram from Oxenholme, followed by my brief note from London, will have prepared you in part for the strange events that have happened since the date of my last report.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

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.

brief note adjective + noun

In this reading “"My dear Dad,--My telegram from Oxenholme, followed by my brief note from London, will have prepared you in part for the strange events that have happened since the date of my last report.”

674 times in 426,211 chapters
followed by verb + particle counted as “follow by”

In this reading “"My dear Dad,--My telegram from Oxenholme, followed by my brief note from London, will have prepared you in part for the strange events that have happened since the date of my last report.”

40,602 times in 426,211 chapters
strange events adjective + noun counted as “strange event”

In this reading “"My dear Dad,--My telegram from Oxenholme, followed by my brief note from London, will have prepared you in part for the strange events that have happened since the date of my last report.”

557 times in 426,211 chapters
happened since verb + particle counted as “happen since”

In this reading “"My dear Dad,--My telegram from Oxenholme, followed by my brief note from London, will have prepared you in part for the strange events that have happened since the date of my last report.”

1,369 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 50

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 I now purpose giving you, as succinctly as possible, a narrative of those events from the point where my last report broke off.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading I now purpose giving you, as succinctly as possible, a narrative of those events from the point where my last report broke off.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
briefadjectiveUS /briːf/

of short duration or distance

From this reading "My dear Dad,--My telegram from Oxenholme, followed by my brief note from London, will have prepared you in part for the strange events that have happened since the date of my last report.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
brokeadjectiveUS /broʊk/

lacking funds

From this reading I now purpose giving you, as succinctly as possible, a narrative of those events from the point where my last report broke off.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Button's

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

From this reading "Button's Hotel.

Pending verification
byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading "My dear Dad,--My telegram from Oxenholme, followed by my brief note from London, will have prepared you in part for the strange events that have happened since the date of my last report.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
DadnounUS /dæd/

an informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk

From this reading "My dear Dad,--My telegram from Oxenholme, followed by my brief note from London, will have prepared you in part for the strange events that have happened since the date of my last report.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
datenounUS /deɪt/

the specified day of the month

From this reading "My dear Dad,--My telegram from Oxenholme, followed by my brief note from London, will have prepared you in part for the strange events that have happened since the date of my last report.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
dearadjectiveUS /dɪr/

dearly loved

From this reading "My dear Dad,--My telegram from Oxenholme, followed by my brief note from London, will have prepared you in part for the strange events that have happened since the date of my last report.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
eventsnounUS /ɪˈvents/

plural of “event” — something that happens at a given place and time

From this reading "My dear Dad,--My telegram from Oxenholme, followed by my brief note from London, will have prepared you in part for the strange events that have happened since the date of my last report.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
followedverbUS /ˈfɑːloʊd/

past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after

From this reading "My dear Dad,--My telegram from Oxenholme, followed by my brief note from London, will have prepared you in part for the strange events that have happened since the date of my last report.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading "My dear Dad,--My telegram from Oxenholme, followed by my brief note from London, will have prepared you in part for the strange events that have happened since the date of my last report.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading "My dear Dad,--My telegram from Oxenholme, followed by my brief note from London, will have prepared you in part for the strange events that have happened since the date of my last report.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
givingnounUS /ˈɡɪvɪŋ/

the act of giving

From this reading I now purpose giving you, as succinctly as possible, a narrative of those events from the point where my last report broke off.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
happenedverbUS /ˈhæpənd/

past form of “happen” — come to pass

From this reading "My dear Dad,--My telegram from Oxenholme, followed by my brief note from London, will have prepared you in part for the strange events that have happened since the date of my last report.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading "My dear Dad,--My telegram from Oxenholme, followed by my brief note from London, will have prepared you in part for the strange events that have happened since the date of my last report.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
Helier

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

From this reading "St. Helier, Jersey.

Pending verification
HotelnounUS /hoʊˈtel/

a building where travelers can pay for lodging and meals and other services

From this reading "Button's Hotel.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I now purpose giving you, as succinctly as possible, a narrative of those events from the point where my last report broke off.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading "My dear Dad,--My telegram from Oxenholme, followed by my brief note from London, will have prepared you in part for the strange events that have happened since the date of my last report.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
JerseynounUS /ˈdʒɜːrzi/

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

From this reading "St. Helier, Jersey.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
JUNIOR'SnounUS /ˈdʒuːnjərz/

possessive form of “junior” — term of address for a disrespectful and annoying male

From this reading MADGIN JUNIOR'S THIRD REPORT.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lastadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading "My dear Dad,--My telegram from Oxenholme, followed by my brief note from London, will have prepared you in part for the strange events that have happened since the date of my last report.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
LondonnounUS /ˈlʌndən/

the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center

From this reading "My dear Dad,--My telegram from Oxenholme, followed by my brief note from London, will have prepared you in part for the strange events that have happened since the date of my last report.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MADGIN

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

From this reading MADGIN JUNIOR'S THIRD REPORT.

Pending verification
MydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading "My dear Dad,--My telegram from Oxenholme, followed by my brief note from London, will have prepared you in part for the strange events that have happened since the date of my last report.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
narrativenounUS /ˈnærətɪv/

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 I now purpose giving you, as succinctly as possible, a narrative of those events from the point where my last report broke off.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
notenounUS /noʊt/

a brief written record

From this reading "My dear Dad,--My telegram from Oxenholme, followed by my brief note from London, will have prepared you in part for the strange events that have happened since the date of my last report.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
nowadverbUS /naʊ/

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

From this reading I now purpose giving you, as succinctly as possible, a narrative of those events from the point where my last report broke off.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading "My dear Dad,--My telegram from Oxenholme, followed by my brief note from London, will have prepared you in part for the strange events that have happened since the date of my last report.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
offadverbUS /ɔːf/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading I now purpose giving you, as succinctly as possible, a narrative of those events from the point where my last report broke off.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Oxenholme

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

From this reading "My dear Dad,--My telegram from Oxenholme, followed by my brief note from London, will have prepared you in part for the strange events that have happened since the date of my last report.

Pending verification
partnounUS /pɑːrt/

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading "My dear Dad,--My telegram from Oxenholme, followed by my brief note from London, will have prepared you in part for the strange events that have happened since the date of my last report.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
pointnounUS /pɔɪnt/

a geometric element that has position but no extension

From this reading I now purpose giving you, as succinctly as possible, a narrative of those events from the point where my last report broke off.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
possibleadjectiveUS /ˈpɑːsəbəl/

capable of happening or existing

From this reading I now purpose giving you, as succinctly as possible, a narrative of those events from the point where my last report broke off.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
preparedadjectiveUS /priˈperd/

made ready or fit or suitable beforehand

From this reading "My dear Dad,--My telegram from Oxenholme, followed by my brief note from London, will have prepared you in part for the strange events that have happened since the date of my last report.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
purposenounUS /ˈpɜːrpəs/

an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions

From this reading I now purpose giving you, as succinctly as possible, a narrative of those events from the point where my last report broke off.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
REPORTverbUS /riˈpɔːrt/

to give an account or representation of in words

From this reading MADGIN JUNIOR'S THIRD REPORT.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading "My dear Dad,--My telegram from Oxenholme, followed by my brief note from London, will have prepared you in part for the strange events that have happened since the date of my last report.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
St

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

From this reading "St. Helier, Jersey.

Pending verification
strangeadjectiveUS /streɪndʒ/

being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird

From this reading "My dear Dad,--My telegram from Oxenholme, followed by my brief note from London, will have prepared you in part for the strange events that have happened since the date of my last report.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
succinctlyadverbUS /səkˈsɪŋktli/

with concise and precise brevity; to the point

From this reading I now purpose giving you, as succinctly as possible, a narrative of those events from the point where my last report broke off.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
telegramnounUS /ˈteləɡræm/

a message transmitted by telegraph

From this reading "My dear Dad,--My telegram from Oxenholme, followed by my brief note from London, will have prepared you in part for the strange events that have happened since the date of my last report.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading "My dear Dad,--My telegram from Oxenholme, followed by my brief note from London, will have prepared you in part for the strange events that have happened since the date of my last report.

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 "My dear Dad,--My telegram from Oxenholme, followed by my brief note from London, will have prepared you in part for the strange events that have happened since the date of my last report.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
THIRDnounUS /θɜːrd/

one of three equal parts of a divisible whole

From this reading MADGIN JUNIOR'S THIRD REPORT.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

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

From this reading I now purpose giving you, as succinctly as possible, a narrative of those events from the point where my last report broke off.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading I now purpose giving you, as succinctly as possible, a narrative of those events from the point where my last report broke off.

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

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading "My dear Dad,--My telegram from Oxenholme, followed by my brief note from London, will have prepared you in part for the strange events that have happened since the date of my last report.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "My dear Dad,--My telegram from Oxenholme, followed by my brief note from London, will have prepared you in part for the strange events that have happened since the date of my last report.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 16 of Under Lock and Key: A Story. Volume 2 (of 3) by T. W. (Thomas Wilkinson) Speight holds 173 sentences, grouped into 35 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 16 of Under Lock and Key: A Story. Volume 2 (of 3) contain?

Chapter 16 holds 173 sentences of Under Lock and Key: A Story. Volume 2 (of 3), unabridged, divided into 35 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 16 of Under Lock and Key: A Story. Volume 2 (of 3) by T. W. (Thomas Wilkinson) Speight exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 173 sentences, grouped into 35 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 16 of Under Lock and Key: A Story. Volume 2 (of 3)?

Work through the 35 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 35 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 16 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 16 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 Under Lock and Key: A Story. Volume 2 (of 3)

Common questions about reading Under Lock and Key: A Story. Volume 2 (of 3) by T. W. (Thomas Wilkinson) Speight on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Under Lock and Key: A Story. Volume 2 (of 3)?

Yes. All 2440 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #57295 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Under Lock and Key: A Story. Volume 2 (of 3) is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #57295, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Under Lock and Key: A Story. Volume 2 (of 3) take to read?

About 203 minutes of reading across 488 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Under Lock and Key: A Story. Volume 2 (of 3) section by section

How to work through Under Lock and Key: A Story. Volume 2 (of 3) section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 16 chapters of Under Lock and Key: A Story. Volume 2 (of 3) 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 Under Lock and Key: A Story. Volume 2 (of 3)

Words and structures a reader meets early in Under Lock and Key: A Story. Volume 2 (of 3), each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Janet
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Under Lock and Key: A Story. Volume 2 (of 3); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Character
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Under Lock and Key: A Story. Volume 2 (of 3); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Entering
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Under Lock and Key: A Story. Volume 2 (of 3); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Pollexfen's
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Under Lock and Key: A Story. Volume 2 (of 3); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.