Chapter 2 of Victorian Short Stories is here in full — 406 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter II
Chapter 2 of Victorian Short Stories is here in full — 406 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence. 'Norah! Who was that man that came to my house last night?' 'Man, sir!' As if infinitely surprised; but it was only to gain time.
Chapter 2 of Victorian Short Stories is here in full — 406 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/81 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading “You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.”
the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation
From this reading “You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.”
having a face or facing especially of a specified kind or number; often used in combination
From this reading “You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.”
obtain
From this reading “As if infinitely surprised; but it was only to gain time.”
without bounds
From this reading “As if infinitely surprised; but it was only to gain time.”
possessive form of “nephew” — a son of your brother or sister
From this reading “You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.”
taken unawares or suddenly and feeling wonder or astonishment
From this reading “As if infinitely surprised; but it was only to gain time.”
intensity or forcefulness of expression
From this reading “You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.”
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.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.
Having no one else present.
From this reading You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading As if infinitely surprised; but it was only to gain time.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Who was that man that came to my house last night?'
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.
the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation
From this reading You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.
a room used for dining
From this reading You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.
having a face or facing especially of a specified kind or number; often used in combination
From this reading You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.
something many people believe that is false
From this reading You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.
obtain
From this reading As if infinitely surprised; but it was only to gain time.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Who was that man that came to my house last night?'
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading As if infinitely surprised; but it was only to gain time.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.
without bounds
From this reading As if infinitely surprised; but it was only to gain time.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.
immediately past
From this reading Who was that man that came to my house last night?'
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Who was that man that came to my house last night?'
an artist of consummate skill
From this reading You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.
a form of address for a man
From this reading You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Who was that man that came to my house last night?'
possessive form of “nephew” — a son of your brother or sister
From this reading You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Who was that man that came to my house last night?'
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'Norah!
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.
and nothing more
From this reading As if infinitely surprised; but it was only to gain time.
perception by means of the eyes
From this reading You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.
term of address for a man
From this reading 'Man, sir!'
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.
taken unawares or suddenly and feeling wonder or astonishment
From this reading As if infinitely surprised; but it was only to gain time.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading As if infinitely surprised; but it was only to gain time.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Who was that man that came to my house last night?'
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.
intensity or forcefulness of expression
From this reading You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Who was that man that came to my house last night?'
which person or people
From this reading Who was that man that came to my house last night?'
in the company of; together with
From this reading You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading You may fancy, now, her look of determination, as she faced her master alone in the dining-room; Mr and Mrs Chadwick having left the affair in their nephew's hands, seeing that he took it up with such vehemence.
Chapter 2 of Victorian Short Stories by Elizabeth Cleghorn [Contributor] Gaskell holds 406 sentences, grouped into 82 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.
Chapter 2 holds 406 sentences of Victorian Short Stories, unabridged, divided into 82 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 2 of Victorian Short Stories by Elizabeth Cleghorn [Contributor] Gaskell exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 406 sentences, grouped into 82 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.
Work through the 82 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 82 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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 2 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.
Common questions about reading Victorian Short Stories by Elizabeth Cleghorn [Contributor] Gaskell on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 2026 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #15252 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #15252, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 168 minutes of reading across 406 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Victorian Short Stories section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 5 chapters of Victorian Short Stories to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in Victorian Short Stories, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
