Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Under the Red Robe
Under the Red Robe

Chapter VI · So that was their plan. Two or three hours to the southward,

Cover illustration for Under the Red Robe
Context Illustration Reading 1/62 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
the long, white, glittering wall stretched east and west above the brown woods.
Beyond that lay Spain.
Once across the border, I might be detained, if no worse happened to me, as a prisoner of war; for we were then at war with Spain on the Italian side.
Or I might be handed over to one of the savage bands, half smugglers, half brigands, that held the passes; or be delivered, worse fate of all, into the power of the French exiles, of whom some would be likely to recognise me and cut my throat.
‘It is a long way into Spain,’ I muttered, watching in a kind of fascination Clon handling his pistols.
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 the Red Robe

Chapter VI · So that was their plan. Two or three hours to the southward,

Reading 1/62 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
the long, white, glittering wall stretched east and west above the brown woods.
Line 2
Beyond that lay Spain.
Line 3
Once across the border, I might be detained, if no worse happened to me, as a prisoner of war; for we were then at war with Spain on the Italian side.
Line 4
Or I might be handed over to one of the savage bands, half smugglers, half brigands, that held the passes; or be delivered, worse fate of all, into the power of the French exiles, of whom some would be likely to recognise me and cut my throat.
Line 5
‘It is a long way into Spain,’ I muttered, watching in a kind of fascination Clon handling his pistols.

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

Above preposition US /əˈbʌv/

higher than, or over, something

From this reading “the long, white, glittering wall stretched east and west above the brown woods.”

Across preposition US /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading “Once across the border, I might be detained, if no worse happened to me, as a prisoner of war; for we were then at war with Spain on the Italian side.”

Beyond preposition US /bɪˈɑːnd/

on the far side of; further than

From this reading “Beyond that lay Spain.”

Half noun US /half/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Or I might be handed over to one of the savage bands, half smugglers, half brigands, that held the passes; or be delivered, worse fate of all, into the power of the French exiles, of whom some would be likely to recognise me and cut my throat.”

Long noun US /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “the long, white, glittering wall stretched east and west above the brown woods.”

Might modal verb US /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading “Once across the border, I might be detained, if no worse happened to me, as a prisoner of war; for we were then at war with Spain on the Italian side.”

Muttered verb US /ˈmʌtərd/

spoke in a low voice that was difficult to hear

From this reading “‘It is a long way into Spain,’ I muttered, watching in a kind of fascination Clon handling his pistols.”

Once noun US /once/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Once across the border, I might be detained, if no worse happened to me, as a prisoner of war; for we were then at war with Spain on the Italian side.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “Or I might be handed over to one of the savage bands, half smugglers, half brigands, that held the passes; or be delivered, worse fate of all, into the power of the French exiles, of whom some would be likely to recognise me and cut my throat.”

Over preposition US /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading “Or I might be handed over to one of the savage bands, half smugglers, half brigands, that held the passes; or be delivered, worse fate of all, into the power of the French exiles, of whom some would be likely to recognise me and cut my throat.”

Throat noun US /θroʊt/

The passage at the back of the mouth.

From this reading “Or I might be handed over to one of the savage bands, half smugglers, half brigands, that held the passes; or be delivered, worse fate of all, into the power of the French exiles, of whom some would be likely to recognise me and cut my throat.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

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

From this reading “Or I might be handed over to one of the savage bands, half smugglers, half brigands, that held the passes; or be delivered, worse fate of all, into the power of the French exiles, of whom some would be likely to recognise me and cut my throat.”

All words in this reading · 81

Every word is available to listen to. 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 Once across the border, I might be detained, if no worse happened to me, as a prisoner of war; for we were then at war with Spain on the Italian side.

aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/

higher than, or over, something

From this reading the long, white, glittering wall stretched east and west above the brown woods.

acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading Once across the border, I might be detained, if no worse happened to me, as a prisoner of war; for we were then at war with Spain on the Italian side.

all

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

From this reading Or I might be handed over to one of the savage bands, half smugglers, half brigands, that held the passes; or be delivered, worse fate of all, into the power of the French exiles, of whom some would be likely to recognise me and cut my throat.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading the long, white, glittering wall stretched east and west above the brown woods.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Once across the border, I might be detained, if no worse happened to me, as a prisoner of war; for we were then at war with Spain on the Italian side.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Once across the border, I might be detained, if no worse happened to me, as a prisoner of war; for we were then at war with Spain on the Italian side.

bands

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

From this reading Or I might be handed over to one of the savage bands, half smugglers, half brigands, that held the passes; or be delivered, worse fate of all, into the power of the French exiles, of whom some would be likely to recognise me and cut my throat.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading Once across the border, I might be detained, if no worse happened to me, as a prisoner of war; for we were then at war with Spain on the Italian side.

BeyondprepositionUS /bɪˈɑːnd/

on the far side of; further than

From this reading Beyond that lay Spain.

border

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

From this reading Once across the border, I might be detained, if no worse happened to me, as a prisoner of war; for we were then at war with Spain on the Italian side.

brigands

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

From this reading Or I might be handed over to one of the savage bands, half smugglers, half brigands, that held the passes; or be delivered, worse fate of all, into the power of the French exiles, of whom some would be likely to recognise me and cut my throat.

brown

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

From this reading the long, white, glittering wall stretched east and west above the brown woods.

Clon

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

From this reading ‘It is a long way into Spain,’ I muttered, watching in a kind of fascination Clon handling his pistols.

cut

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

From this reading Or I might be handed over to one of the savage bands, half smugglers, half brigands, that held the passes; or be delivered, worse fate of all, into the power of the French exiles, of whom some would be likely to recognise me and cut my throat.

delivered

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

From this reading Or I might be handed over to one of the savage bands, half smugglers, half brigands, that held the passes; or be delivered, worse fate of all, into the power of the French exiles, of whom some would be likely to recognise me and cut my throat.

detained

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

From this reading Once across the border, I might be detained, if no worse happened to me, as a prisoner of war; for we were then at war with Spain on the Italian side.

east

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

From this reading the long, white, glittering wall stretched east and west above the brown woods.

exiles

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

From this reading Or I might be handed over to one of the savage bands, half smugglers, half brigands, that held the passes; or be delivered, worse fate of all, into the power of the French exiles, of whom some would be likely to recognise me and cut my throat.

fascination

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

From this reading ‘It is a long way into Spain,’ I muttered, watching in a kind of fascination Clon handling his pistols.

fate

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

From this reading Or I might be handed over to one of the savage bands, half smugglers, half brigands, that held the passes; or be delivered, worse fate of all, into the power of the French exiles, of whom some would be likely to recognise me and cut my throat.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Once across the border, I might be detained, if no worse happened to me, as a prisoner of war; for we were then at war with Spain on the Italian side.

French

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

From this reading Or I might be handed over to one of the savage bands, half smugglers, half brigands, that held the passes; or be delivered, worse fate of all, into the power of the French exiles, of whom some would be likely to recognise me and cut my throat.

glittering

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

From this reading the long, white, glittering wall stretched east and west above the brown woods.

halfnounUS /half/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Or I might be handed over to one of the savage bands, half smugglers, half brigands, that held the passes; or be delivered, worse fate of all, into the power of the French exiles, of whom some would be likely to recognise me and cut my throat.

handed

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

From this reading Or I might be handed over to one of the savage bands, half smugglers, half brigands, that held the passes; or be delivered, worse fate of all, into the power of the French exiles, of whom some would be likely to recognise me and cut my throat.

handling

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

From this reading ‘It is a long way into Spain,’ I muttered, watching in a kind of fascination Clon handling his pistols.

happened

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

From this reading Once across the border, I might be detained, if no worse happened to me, as a prisoner of war; for we were then at war with Spain on the Italian side.

held

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

From this reading Or I might be handed over to one of the savage bands, half smugglers, half brigands, that held the passes; or be delivered, worse fate of all, into the power of the French exiles, of whom some would be likely to recognise me and cut my throat.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading ‘It is a long way into Spain,’ I muttered, watching in a kind of fascination Clon handling his pistols.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading Once across the border, I might be detained, if no worse happened to me, as a prisoner of war; for we were then at war with Spain on the Italian side.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Once across the border, I might be detained, if no worse happened to me, as a prisoner of war; for we were then at war with Spain on the Italian side.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading ‘It is a long way into Spain,’ I muttered, watching in a kind of fascination Clon handling his pistols.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Or I might be handed over to one of the savage bands, half smugglers, half brigands, that held the passes; or be delivered, worse fate of all, into the power of the French exiles, of whom some would be likely to recognise me and cut my throat.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading ‘It is a long way into Spain,’ I muttered, watching in a kind of fascination Clon handling his pistols.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading ‘It is a long way into Spain,’ I muttered, watching in a kind of fascination Clon handling his pistols.

Italian

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

From this reading Once across the border, I might be detained, if no worse happened to me, as a prisoner of war; for we were then at war with Spain on the Italian side.

kind

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

From this reading ‘It is a long way into Spain,’ I muttered, watching in a kind of fascination Clon handling his pistols.

lay

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

From this reading Beyond that lay Spain.

likely

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

From this reading Or I might be handed over to one of the savage bands, half smugglers, half brigands, that held the passes; or be delivered, worse fate of all, into the power of the French exiles, of whom some would be likely to recognise me and cut my throat.

longnounUS /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading the long, white, glittering wall stretched east and west above the brown woods.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading Once across the border, I might be detained, if no worse happened to me, as a prisoner of war; for we were then at war with Spain on the Italian side.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading Once across the border, I might be detained, if no worse happened to me, as a prisoner of war; for we were then at war with Spain on the Italian side.

mutteredverbUS /ˈmʌtərd/

spoke in a low voice that was difficult to hear

From this reading ‘It is a long way into Spain,’ I muttered, watching in a kind of fascination Clon handling his pistols.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Or I might be handed over to one of the savage bands, half smugglers, half brigands, that held the passes; or be delivered, worse fate of all, into the power of the French exiles, of whom some would be likely to recognise me and cut my throat.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading Once across the border, I might be detained, if no worse happened to me, as a prisoner of war; for we were then at war with Spain on the Italian side.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Once across the border, I might be detained, if no worse happened to me, as a prisoner of war; for we were then at war with Spain on the Italian side.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Once across the border, I might be detained, if no worse happened to me, as a prisoner of war; for we were then at war with Spain on the Italian side.

Once

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

From this reading Once across the border, I might be detained, if no worse happened to me, as a prisoner of war; for we were then at war with Spain on the Italian side.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Or I might be handed over to one of the savage bands, half smugglers, half brigands, that held the passes; or be delivered, worse fate of all, into the power of the French exiles, of whom some would be likely to recognise me and cut my throat.

OrconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Or I might be handed over to one of the savage bands, half smugglers, half brigands, that held the passes; or be delivered, worse fate of all, into the power of the French exiles, of whom some would be likely to recognise me and cut my throat.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading Or I might be handed over to one of the savage bands, half smugglers, half brigands, that held the passes; or be delivered, worse fate of all, into the power of the French exiles, of whom some would be likely to recognise me and cut my throat.

passes

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

From this reading Or I might be handed over to one of the savage bands, half smugglers, half brigands, that held the passes; or be delivered, worse fate of all, into the power of the French exiles, of whom some would be likely to recognise me and cut my throat.

pistols

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

From this reading ‘It is a long way into Spain,’ I muttered, watching in a kind of fascination Clon handling his pistols.

power

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

From this reading Or I might be handed over to one of the savage bands, half smugglers, half brigands, that held the passes; or be delivered, worse fate of all, into the power of the French exiles, of whom some would be likely to recognise me and cut my throat.

prisoner

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

From this reading Once across the border, I might be detained, if no worse happened to me, as a prisoner of war; for we were then at war with Spain on the Italian side.

recognise

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

From this reading Or I might be handed over to one of the savage bands, half smugglers, half brigands, that held the passes; or be delivered, worse fate of all, into the power of the French exiles, of whom some would be likely to recognise me and cut my throat.

savage

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

From this reading Or I might be handed over to one of the savage bands, half smugglers, half brigands, that held the passes; or be delivered, worse fate of all, into the power of the French exiles, of whom some would be likely to recognise me and cut my throat.

side

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

From this reading Once across the border, I might be detained, if no worse happened to me, as a prisoner of war; for we were then at war with Spain on the Italian side.

smugglers

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

From this reading Or I might be handed over to one of the savage bands, half smugglers, half brigands, that held the passes; or be delivered, worse fate of all, into the power of the French exiles, of whom some would be likely to recognise me and cut my throat.

some

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

From this reading Or I might be handed over to one of the savage bands, half smugglers, half brigands, that held the passes; or be delivered, worse fate of all, into the power of the French exiles, of whom some would be likely to recognise me and cut my throat.

Spain

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

From this reading Beyond that lay Spain.

stretched

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

From this reading the long, white, glittering wall stretched east and west above the brown woods.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Beyond that lay Spain.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading the long, white, glittering wall stretched east and west above the brown woods.

then

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

From this reading Once across the border, I might be detained, if no worse happened to me, as a prisoner of war; for we were then at war with Spain on the Italian side.

throatnounUS /θroʊt/

The passage at the back of the mouth.

From this reading Or I might be handed over to one of the savage bands, half smugglers, half brigands, that held the passes; or be delivered, worse fate of all, into the power of the French exiles, of whom some would be likely to recognise me and cut my throat.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Once across the border, I might be detained, if no worse happened to me, as a prisoner of war; for we were then at war with Spain on the Italian side.

wall

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

From this reading the long, white, glittering wall stretched east and west above the brown woods.

war

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

From this reading Once across the border, I might be detained, if no worse happened to me, as a prisoner of war; for we were then at war with Spain on the Italian side.

watching

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

From this reading ‘It is a long way into Spain,’ I muttered, watching in a kind of fascination Clon handling his pistols.

way

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

From this reading ‘It is a long way into Spain,’ I muttered, watching in a kind of fascination Clon handling his pistols.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading Once across the border, I might be detained, if no worse happened to me, as a prisoner of war; for we were then at war with Spain on the Italian side.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Once across the border, I might be detained, if no worse happened to me, as a prisoner of war; for we were then at war with Spain on the Italian side.

west

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

From this reading the long, white, glittering wall stretched east and west above the brown woods.

white

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

From this reading the long, white, glittering wall stretched east and west above the brown woods.

whompronounUS /huːm/

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Or I might be handed over to one of the savage bands, half smugglers, half brigands, that held the passes; or be delivered, worse fate of all, into the power of the French exiles, of whom some would be likely to recognise me and cut my throat.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Once across the border, I might be detained, if no worse happened to me, as a prisoner of war; for we were then at war with Spain on the Italian side.

woods

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

From this reading the long, white, glittering wall stretched east and west above the brown woods.

worse

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

From this reading Once across the border, I might be detained, if no worse happened to me, as a prisoner of war; for we were then at war with Spain on the Italian side.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading Or I might be handed over to one of the savage bands, half smugglers, half brigands, that held the passes; or be delivered, worse fate of all, into the power of the French exiles, of whom some would be likely to recognise me and cut my throat.