Chapter 15 of Wilderness of Spring 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 XV
Chapter 15 of Wilderness of Spring is here in full — 406 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"It's not fitting, John. The gossip that's gone on about us, all these years, it's become a--a--what's the word I want?" "A commonplace?" "Yes, of course--that, with a pox. But don't you see?--if we was to wed now there'd be talk of another kind, and then--then I must be Madam Kenny and bear it like a lady, which I am _not_, John, and cannot be.
Chapter 15 of Wilderness of Spring 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.
have
From this reading “But don't you see?--if we was to wed now there'd be talk of another kind, and then--then I must be Madam Kenny and bear it like a lady, which I am _not_, John, and cannot be.”
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading “The gossip that's gone on about us, all these years, it's become a--a--what's the word I want?"”
completely ordinary and unremarkable
From this reading “"A commonplace?"”
in harmony with the spirit of particular persons or occasion
From this reading “"It's not fitting, John.”
light informal conversation for social occasions
From this reading “The gossip that's gone on about us, all these years, it's become a--a--what's the word I want?"”
a woman of refinement
From this reading “But don't you see?--if we was to wed now there'd be talk of another kind, and then--then I must be Madam Kenny and bear it like a lady, which I am _not_, John, and cannot be.”
a common venereal disease caused by the treponema pallidum spirochete; symptoms change through progressive stages; can be congenital (transmitted through the placenta)
From this reading “"Yes, of course--that, with a pox.”
take in marriage
From this reading “But don't you see?--if we was to wed now there'd be talk of another kind, and then--then I must be Madam Kenny and bear it like a lady, which I am _not_, John, and cannot be.”
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.
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The gossip that's gone on about us, all these years, it's become a--a--what's the word I want?"
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The gossip that's gone on about us, all these years, it's become a--a--what's the word I want?"
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading The gossip that's gone on about us, all these years, it's become a--a--what's the word I want?"
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading But don't you see?--if we was to wed now there'd be talk of another kind, and then--then I must be Madam Kenny and bear it like a lady, which I am _not_, John, and cannot be.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading But don't you see?--if we was to wed now there'd be talk of another kind, and then--then I must be Madam Kenny and bear it like a lady, which I am _not_, John, and cannot be.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading But don't you see?--if we was to wed now there'd be talk of another kind, and then--then I must be Madam Kenny and bear it like a lady, which I am _not_, John, and cannot be.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading But don't you see?--if we was to wed now there'd be talk of another kind, and then--then I must be Madam Kenny and bear it like a lady, which I am _not_, John, and cannot be.
have
From this reading But don't you see?--if we was to wed now there'd be talk of another kind, and then--then I must be Madam Kenny and bear it like a lady, which I am _not_, John, and cannot be.
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading The gossip that's gone on about us, all these years, it's become a--a--what's the word I want?"
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But don't you see?--if we was to wed now there'd be talk of another kind, and then--then I must be Madam Kenny and bear it like a lady, which I am _not_, John, and cannot be.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But don't you see?--if we was to wed now there'd be talk of another kind, and then--then I must be Madam Kenny and bear it like a lady, which I am _not_, John, and cannot be.
completely ordinary and unremarkable
From this reading "A commonplace?"
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading "Yes, of course--that, with a pox.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But don't you see?--if we was to wed now there'd be talk of another kind, and then--then I must be Madam Kenny and bear it like a lady, which I am _not_, John, and cannot be.
in harmony with the spirit of particular persons or occasion
From this reading "It's not fitting, John.
destroyed or killed
From this reading The gossip that's gone on about us, all these years, it's become a--a--what's the word I want?"
light informal conversation for social occasions
From this reading The gossip that's gone on about us, all these years, it's become a--a--what's the word I want?"
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading The gossip that's gone on about us, all these years, it's become a--a--what's the word I want?"
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading But don't you see?--if we was to wed now there'd be talk of another kind, and then--then I must be Madam Kenny and bear it like a lady, which I am _not_, John, and cannot be.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But don't you see?--if we was to wed now there'd be talk of another kind, and then--then I must be Madam Kenny and bear it like a lady, which I am _not_, John, and cannot be.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "It's not fitting, John.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading "It's not fitting, John.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But don't you see?--if we was to wed now there'd be talk of another kind, and then--then I must be Madam Kenny and bear it like a lady, which I am _not_, John, and cannot be.
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading But don't you see?--if we was to wed now there'd be talk of another kind, and then--then I must be Madam Kenny and bear it like a lady, which I am _not_, John, and cannot be.
a polite name for any woman
From this reading But don't you see?--if we was to wed now there'd be talk of another kind, and then--then I must be Madam Kenny and bear it like a lady, which I am _not_, John, and cannot be.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading But don't you see?--if we was to wed now there'd be talk of another kind, and then--then I must be Madam Kenny and bear it like a lady, which I am _not_, John, and cannot be.
a woman of refinement
From this reading But don't you see?--if we was to wed now there'd be talk of another kind, and then--then I must be Madam Kenny and bear it like a lady, which I am _not_, John, and cannot be.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading But don't you see?--if we was to wed now there'd be talk of another kind, and then--then I must be Madam Kenny and bear it like a lady, which I am _not_, John, and cannot be.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "It's not fitting, John.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading But don't you see?--if we was to wed now there'd be talk of another kind, and then--then I must be Madam Kenny and bear it like a lady, which I am _not_, John, and cannot be.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Yes, of course--that, with a pox.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The gossip that's gone on about us, all these years, it's become a--a--what's the word I want?"
a common venereal disease caused by the treponema pallidum spirochete; symptoms change through progressive stages; can be congenital (transmitted through the placenta)
From this reading "Yes, of course--that, with a pox.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading But don't you see?--if we was to wed now there'd be talk of another kind, and then--then I must be Madam Kenny and bear it like a lady, which I am _not_, John, and cannot be.
exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading But don't you see?--if we was to wed now there'd be talk of another kind, and then--then I must be Madam Kenny and bear it like a lady, which I am _not_, John, and cannot be.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "Yes, of course--that, with a pox.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The gossip that's gone on about us, all these years, it's become a--a--what's the word I want?"
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The gossip that's gone on about us, all these years, it's become a--a--what's the word I want?"
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading But don't you see?--if we was to wed now there'd be talk of another kind, and then--then I must be Madam Kenny and bear it like a lady, which I am _not_, John, and cannot be.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But don't you see?--if we was to wed now there'd be talk of another kind, and then--then I must be Madam Kenny and bear it like a lady, which I am _not_, John, and cannot be.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading The gossip that's gone on about us, all these years, it's become a--a--what's the word I want?"
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But don't you see?--if we was to wed now there'd be talk of another kind, and then--then I must be Madam Kenny and bear it like a lady, which I am _not_, John, and cannot be.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The gossip that's gone on about us, all these years, it's become a--a--what's the word I want?"
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading The gossip that's gone on about us, all these years, it's become a--a--what's the word I want?"
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But don't you see?--if we was to wed now there'd be talk of another kind, and then--then I must be Madam Kenny and bear it like a lady, which I am _not_, John, and cannot be.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading But don't you see?--if we was to wed now there'd be talk of another kind, and then--then I must be Madam Kenny and bear it like a lady, which I am _not_, John, and cannot be.
take in marriage
From this reading But don't you see?--if we was to wed now there'd be talk of another kind, and then--then I must be Madam Kenny and bear it like a lady, which I am _not_, John, and cannot be.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The gossip that's gone on about us, all these years, it's become a--a--what's the word I want?"
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading But don't you see?--if we was to wed now there'd be talk of another kind, and then--then I must be Madam Kenny and bear it like a lady, which I am _not_, John, and cannot be.
in the company of; together with
From this reading "Yes, of course--that, with a pox.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading The gossip that's gone on about us, all these years, it's become a--a--what's the word I want?"
a late time of life
From this reading The gossip that's gone on about us, all these years, it's become a--a--what's the word I want?"
an affirmative
From this reading "Yes, of course--that, with a pox.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading But don't you see?--if we was to wed now there'd be talk of another kind, and then--then I must be Madam Kenny and bear it like a lady, which I am _not_, John, and cannot be.
Chapter 15 of Wilderness of Spring by Edgar Pangborn 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 15 holds 406 sentences of Wilderness of Spring, unabridged, divided into 82 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 15 of Wilderness of Spring by Edgar Pangborn 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 15 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 Wilderness of Spring by Edgar Pangborn on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 8768 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #39907 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #39907, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 1754 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Wilderness of Spring section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 22 chapters of Wilderness of Spring 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 Wilderness of Spring, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
