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What Can She Do?
What Can She Do?

Chapter XXIV

Cover illustration for What Can She Do?
Context Illustration Reading 1/52 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
A HORROR OF GREAT DARKNESS By the time Edith reached home the transient strength and transient brightening of the skies seemed to pass away.
Her mother was no better and the poor girl saw too plainly the grisly spectres, care, want, and shame upon her hearth, to fear any good fairy that left such traces as she saw in her garden.
But the mystery troubled her; she longed to know who it was.
As she mused upon it on her way home, Arden Lacey suddenly occurred to her, and there was a glimmer of a smile and a faint increase of color on her pale face.
But she did not suggest her suspicion to Hannibal, when he eagerly asked if it were Malcom.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

What Can She Do?

Chapter XXIV

Reading 1/52 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
A HORROR OF GREAT DARKNESS By the time Edith reached home the transient strength and transient brightening of the skies seemed to pass away.
Line 2
Her mother was no better and the poor girl saw too plainly the grisly spectres, care, want, and shame upon her hearth, to fear any good fairy that left such traces as she saw in her garden.
Line 3
But the mystery troubled her; she longed to know who it was.
Line 4
As she mused upon it on her way home, Arden Lacey suddenly occurred to her, and there was a glimmer of a smile and a faint increase of color on her pale face.
Line 5
But she did not suggest her suspicion to Hannibal, when he eagerly asked if it were Malcom.

Learner Dictionary

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

Asked noun US /asked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “But she did not suggest her suspicion to Hannibal, when he eagerly asked if it were Malcom.”

Good noun US /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Her mother was no better and the poor girl saw too plainly the grisly spectres, care, want, and shame upon her hearth, to fear any good fairy that left such traces as she saw in her garden.”

GREAT noun US /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “A HORROR OF GREAT DARKNESS By the time Edith reached home the transient strength and transient brightening of the skies seemed to pass away.”

Know noun US /know/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “But the mystery troubled her; she longed to know who it was.”

Left noun US /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Her mother was no better and the poor girl saw too plainly the grisly spectres, care, want, and shame upon her hearth, to fear any good fairy that left such traces as she saw in her garden.”

Plainly noun US /ˈplainly/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “Her mother was no better and the poor girl saw too plainly the grisly spectres, care, want, and shame upon her hearth, to fear any good fairy that left such traces as she saw in her garden.”

Poor noun US /poor/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Her mother was no better and the poor girl saw too plainly the grisly spectres, care, want, and shame upon her hearth, to fear any good fairy that left such traces as she saw in her garden.”

Seemed noun US /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “A HORROR OF GREAT DARKNESS By the time Edith reached home the transient strength and transient brightening of the skies seemed to pass away.”

Strength noun US /ˈstrength/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “A HORROR OF GREAT DARKNESS By the time Edith reached home the transient strength and transient brightening of the skies seemed to pass away.”

Suddenly noun US /ˈsuddenly/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “As she mused upon it on her way home, Arden Lacey suddenly occurred to her, and there was a glimmer of a smile and a faint increase of color on her pale face.”

Time noun US /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “A HORROR OF GREAT DARKNESS By the time Edith reached home the transient strength and transient brightening of the skies seemed to pass away.”

Upon preposition US /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading “Her mother was no better and the poor girl saw too plainly the grisly spectres, care, want, and shame upon her hearth, to fear any good fairy that left such traces as she saw in her garden.”

All words in this reading · 83

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 A HORROR OF GREAT DARKNESS By the time Edith reached home the transient strength and transient brightening of the skies seemed to pass away.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading A HORROR OF GREAT DARKNESS By the time Edith reached home the transient strength and transient brightening of the skies seemed to pass away.

any

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

From this reading Her mother was no better and the poor girl saw too plainly the grisly spectres, care, want, and shame upon her hearth, to fear any good fairy that left such traces as she saw in her garden.

Arden

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

From this reading As she mused upon it on her way home, Arden Lacey suddenly occurred to her, and there was a glimmer of a smile and a faint increase of color on her pale face.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Her mother was no better and the poor girl saw too plainly the grisly spectres, care, want, and shame upon her hearth, to fear any good fairy that left such traces as she saw in her garden.

askednounUS /asked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading But she did not suggest her suspicion to Hannibal, when he eagerly asked if it were Malcom.

away

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

From this reading A HORROR OF GREAT DARKNESS By the time Edith reached home the transient strength and transient brightening of the skies seemed to pass away.

better

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

From this reading Her mother was no better and the poor girl saw too plainly the grisly spectres, care, want, and shame upon her hearth, to fear any good fairy that left such traces as she saw in her garden.

brightening

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

From this reading A HORROR OF GREAT DARKNESS By the time Edith reached home the transient strength and transient brightening of the skies seemed to pass away.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But the mystery troubled her; she longed to know who it was.

ByprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading A HORROR OF GREAT DARKNESS By the time Edith reached home the transient strength and transient brightening of the skies seemed to pass away.

care

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

From this reading Her mother was no better and the poor girl saw too plainly the grisly spectres, care, want, and shame upon her hearth, to fear any good fairy that left such traces as she saw in her garden.

color

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

From this reading As she mused upon it on her way home, Arden Lacey suddenly occurred to her, and there was a glimmer of a smile and a faint increase of color on her pale face.

DARKNESS

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

From this reading A HORROR OF GREAT DARKNESS By the time Edith reached home the transient strength and transient brightening of the skies seemed to pass away.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading But she did not suggest her suspicion to Hannibal, when he eagerly asked if it were Malcom.

eagerly

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

From this reading But she did not suggest her suspicion to Hannibal, when he eagerly asked if it were Malcom.

Edith

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

From this reading A HORROR OF GREAT DARKNESS By the time Edith reached home the transient strength and transient brightening of the skies seemed to pass away.

face

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

From this reading As she mused upon it on her way home, Arden Lacey suddenly occurred to her, and there was a glimmer of a smile and a faint increase of color on her pale face.

faint

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

From this reading As she mused upon it on her way home, Arden Lacey suddenly occurred to her, and there was a glimmer of a smile and a faint increase of color on her pale face.

fairy

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

From this reading Her mother was no better and the poor girl saw too plainly the grisly spectres, care, want, and shame upon her hearth, to fear any good fairy that left such traces as she saw in her garden.

fear

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

From this reading Her mother was no better and the poor girl saw too plainly the grisly spectres, care, want, and shame upon her hearth, to fear any good fairy that left such traces as she saw in her garden.

garden

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

From this reading Her mother was no better and the poor girl saw too plainly the grisly spectres, care, want, and shame upon her hearth, to fear any good fairy that left such traces as she saw in her garden.

girl

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

From this reading Her mother was no better and the poor girl saw too plainly the grisly spectres, care, want, and shame upon her hearth, to fear any good fairy that left such traces as she saw in her garden.

glimmer

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

From this reading As she mused upon it on her way home, Arden Lacey suddenly occurred to her, and there was a glimmer of a smile and a faint increase of color on her pale face.

goodnounUS /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Her mother was no better and the poor girl saw too plainly the grisly spectres, care, want, and shame upon her hearth, to fear any good fairy that left such traces as she saw in her garden.

GREATnounUS /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading A HORROR OF GREAT DARKNESS By the time Edith reached home the transient strength and transient brightening of the skies seemed to pass away.

grisly

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

From this reading Her mother was no better and the poor girl saw too plainly the grisly spectres, care, want, and shame upon her hearth, to fear any good fairy that left such traces as she saw in her garden.

Hannibal

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

From this reading But she did not suggest her suspicion to Hannibal, when he eagerly asked if it were Malcom.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading But she did not suggest her suspicion to Hannibal, when he eagerly asked if it were Malcom.

hearth

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

From this reading Her mother was no better and the poor girl saw too plainly the grisly spectres, care, want, and shame upon her hearth, to fear any good fairy that left such traces as she saw in her garden.

HerdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Her mother was no better and the poor girl saw too plainly the grisly spectres, care, want, and shame upon her hearth, to fear any good fairy that left such traces as she saw in her garden.

home

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

From this reading A HORROR OF GREAT DARKNESS By the time Edith reached home the transient strength and transient brightening of the skies seemed to pass away.

HORROR

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

From this reading A HORROR OF GREAT DARKNESS By the time Edith reached home the transient strength and transient brightening of the skies seemed to pass away.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading But she did not suggest her suspicion to Hannibal, when he eagerly asked if it were Malcom.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Her mother was no better and the poor girl saw too plainly the grisly spectres, care, want, and shame upon her hearth, to fear any good fairy that left such traces as she saw in her garden.

increase

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

From this reading As she mused upon it on her way home, Arden Lacey suddenly occurred to her, and there was a glimmer of a smile and a faint increase of color on her pale face.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading But the mystery troubled her; she longed to know who it was.

knownounUS /know/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading But the mystery troubled her; she longed to know who it was.

Lacey

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

From this reading As she mused upon it on her way home, Arden Lacey suddenly occurred to her, and there was a glimmer of a smile and a faint increase of color on her pale face.

leftnounUS /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Her mother was no better and the poor girl saw too plainly the grisly spectres, care, want, and shame upon her hearth, to fear any good fairy that left such traces as she saw in her garden.

longed

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

From this reading But the mystery troubled her; she longed to know who it was.

Malcom

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

From this reading But she did not suggest her suspicion to Hannibal, when he eagerly asked if it were Malcom.

mother

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

From this reading Her mother was no better and the poor girl saw too plainly the grisly spectres, care, want, and shame upon her hearth, to fear any good fairy that left such traces as she saw in her garden.

mused

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

From this reading As she mused upon it on her way home, Arden Lacey suddenly occurred to her, and there was a glimmer of a smile and a faint increase of color on her pale face.

mystery

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

From this reading But the mystery troubled her; she longed to know who it was.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading Her mother was no better and the poor girl saw too plainly the grisly spectres, care, want, and shame upon her hearth, to fear any good fairy that left such traces as she saw in her garden.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading But she did not suggest her suspicion to Hannibal, when he eagerly asked if it were Malcom.

occurred

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

From this reading As she mused upon it on her way home, Arden Lacey suddenly occurred to her, and there was a glimmer of a smile and a faint increase of color on her pale face.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading A HORROR OF GREAT DARKNESS By the time Edith reached home the transient strength and transient brightening of the skies seemed to pass away.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading As she mused upon it on her way home, Arden Lacey suddenly occurred to her, and there was a glimmer of a smile and a faint increase of color on her pale face.

pale

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

From this reading As she mused upon it on her way home, Arden Lacey suddenly occurred to her, and there was a glimmer of a smile and a faint increase of color on her pale face.

pass

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

From this reading A HORROR OF GREAT DARKNESS By the time Edith reached home the transient strength and transient brightening of the skies seemed to pass away.

plainlynounUS /ˈplainly/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading Her mother was no better and the poor girl saw too plainly the grisly spectres, care, want, and shame upon her hearth, to fear any good fairy that left such traces as she saw in her garden.

poornounUS /poor/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Her mother was no better and the poor girl saw too plainly the grisly spectres, care, want, and shame upon her hearth, to fear any good fairy that left such traces as she saw in her garden.

reached

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

From this reading A HORROR OF GREAT DARKNESS By the time Edith reached home the transient strength and transient brightening of the skies seemed to pass away.

saw

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

From this reading Her mother was no better and the poor girl saw too plainly the grisly spectres, care, want, and shame upon her hearth, to fear any good fairy that left such traces as she saw in her garden.

seemednounUS /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading A HORROR OF GREAT DARKNESS By the time Edith reached home the transient strength and transient brightening of the skies seemed to pass away.

shame

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

From this reading Her mother was no better and the poor girl saw too plainly the grisly spectres, care, want, and shame upon her hearth, to fear any good fairy that left such traces as she saw in her garden.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Her mother was no better and the poor girl saw too plainly the grisly spectres, care, want, and shame upon her hearth, to fear any good fairy that left such traces as she saw in her garden.

skies

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

From this reading A HORROR OF GREAT DARKNESS By the time Edith reached home the transient strength and transient brightening of the skies seemed to pass away.

smile

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

From this reading As she mused upon it on her way home, Arden Lacey suddenly occurred to her, and there was a glimmer of a smile and a faint increase of color on her pale face.

spectres

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

From this reading Her mother was no better and the poor girl saw too plainly the grisly spectres, care, want, and shame upon her hearth, to fear any good fairy that left such traces as she saw in her garden.

strengthnounUS /ˈstrength/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading A HORROR OF GREAT DARKNESS By the time Edith reached home the transient strength and transient brightening of the skies seemed to pass away.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading Her mother was no better and the poor girl saw too plainly the grisly spectres, care, want, and shame upon her hearth, to fear any good fairy that left such traces as she saw in her garden.

suddenlynounUS /ˈsuddenly/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading As she mused upon it on her way home, Arden Lacey suddenly occurred to her, and there was a glimmer of a smile and a faint increase of color on her pale face.

suggest

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

From this reading But she did not suggest her suspicion to Hannibal, when he eagerly asked if it were Malcom.

suspicion

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

From this reading But she did not suggest her suspicion to Hannibal, when he eagerly asked if it were Malcom.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Her mother was no better and the poor girl saw too plainly the grisly spectres, care, want, and shame upon her hearth, to fear any good fairy that left such traces as she saw in her garden.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading A HORROR OF GREAT DARKNESS By the time Edith reached home the transient strength and transient brightening of the skies seemed to pass away.

there

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

From this reading As she mused upon it on her way home, Arden Lacey suddenly occurred to her, and there was a glimmer of a smile and a faint increase of color on her pale face.

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading A HORROR OF GREAT DARKNESS By the time Edith reached home the transient strength and transient brightening of the skies seemed to pass away.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading A HORROR OF GREAT DARKNESS By the time Edith reached home the transient strength and transient brightening of the skies seemed to pass away.

too

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

From this reading Her mother was no better and the poor girl saw too plainly the grisly spectres, care, want, and shame upon her hearth, to fear any good fairy that left such traces as she saw in her garden.

traces

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

From this reading Her mother was no better and the poor girl saw too plainly the grisly spectres, care, want, and shame upon her hearth, to fear any good fairy that left such traces as she saw in her garden.

transient

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

From this reading A HORROR OF GREAT DARKNESS By the time Edith reached home the transient strength and transient brightening of the skies seemed to pass away.

troubled

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

From this reading But the mystery troubled her; she longed to know who it was.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading Her mother was no better and the poor girl saw too plainly the grisly spectres, care, want, and shame upon her hearth, to fear any good fairy that left such traces as she saw in her garden.

want

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

From this reading Her mother was no better and the poor girl saw too plainly the grisly spectres, care, want, and shame upon her hearth, to fear any good fairy that left such traces as she saw in her garden.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Her mother was no better and the poor girl saw too plainly the grisly spectres, care, want, and shame upon her hearth, to fear any good fairy that left such traces as she saw in her garden.

way

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

From this reading As she mused upon it on her way home, Arden Lacey suddenly occurred to her, and there was a glimmer of a smile and a faint increase of color on her pale face.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading But she did not suggest her suspicion to Hannibal, when he eagerly asked if it were Malcom.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading But she did not suggest her suspicion to Hannibal, when he eagerly asked if it were Malcom.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading But the mystery troubled her; she longed to know who it was.