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Within an Inch of His Life
Within an Inch of His Life

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Within an Inch of His Life is here in full — 275 sentences across 55 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/55 · 5 lines
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In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.
A number of peaceful citizens rushed to the windows.
The dark night allowed these only to see a peasant in his shirt sleeves, and bareheaded, who belabored a large gray mare, on which he rode bareback, with his heels and a huge stick.
This man, after having passed the suburbs, turned into National Street, formerly Imperial Street, crossed New-Market Square, and stopped at last before the fine house which stands at the corner of Castle Street.
This was the house of the mayor of Sauveterre, M. Seneschal, a former lawyer, and now a member of the general council.
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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.

Within an Inch of His Life

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Within an Inch of His Life is here in full — 275 sentences across 55 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/55 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.
Line 2
A number of peaceful citizens rushed to the windows.
/ə ˈnʌmbər ʌv ˈpiːsfəl ˈsɪtəzənz rʌʃt tuː ðə ˈwɪndoʊz/
Line 3
The dark night allowed these only to see a peasant in his shirt sleeves, and bareheaded, who belabored a large gray mare, on which he rode bareback, with his heels and a huge stick.
Line 4
This man, after having passed the suburbs, turned into National Street, formerly Imperial Street, crossed New-Market Square, and stopped at last before the fine house which stands at the corner of Castle Street.
Line 5
This was the house of the mayor of Sauveterre, M. Seneschal, a former lawyer, and now a member of the general council.

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.

belabored verb US /bɪˈleɪbərd/

past form of “belabor” — to work at or to absurd length

From this reading “The dark night allowed these only to see a peasant in his shirt sleeves, and bareheaded, who belabored a large gray mare, on which he rode bareback, with his heels and a huge stick.”

densely adverb US /ˈdensli/

in a stupid manner

From this reading “In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.”

gallop verb US /ˈɡæləp/

ride at a galloping pace

From this reading “In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.”

mare noun US /mer/

female equine animal

From this reading “The dark night allowed these only to see a peasant in his shirt sleeves, and bareheaded, who belabored a large gray mare, on which he rode bareback, with his heels and a huge stick.”

populated adjective US /ˈpɑːpjəleɪtɪd/

furnished with inhabitants

From this reading “In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.”

sleeves noun US /sliːvz/

plural of “sleeve” — the part of a garment that is attached at the armhole and that provides a cloth covering for the arm

From this reading “The dark night allowed these only to see a peasant in his shirt sleeves, and bareheaded, who belabored a large gray mare, on which he rode bareback, with his heels and a huge stick.”

suburb noun US /ˈsʌbərb/

a residential district located on the outskirts of a city

From this reading “In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.”

suburbs noun US /ˈsʌbərbz/

plural of “suburb” — a residential district located on the outskirts of a city

From this reading “This man, after having passed the suburbs, turned into National Street, formerly Imperial Street, crossed New-Market Square, and stopped at last before the fine house which stands at the corner of Castle Street.”

All words in this reading · 97

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.

1871

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

From this reading In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.

22nd

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

From this reading In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.

23rd

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

From this reading In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading This man, after having passed the suburbs, turned into National Street, formerly Imperial Street, crossed New-Market Square, and stopped at last before the fine house which stands at the corner of Castle Street.

allowedverbUS /əˈlaʊd/

past form of “allow” — make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen

From this reading The dark night allowed these only to see a peasant in his shirt sleeves, and bareheaded, who belabored a large gray mare, on which he rode bareback, with his heels and a huge stick.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading This man, after having passed the suburbs, turned into National Street, formerly Imperial Street, crossed New-Market Square, and stopped at last before the fine house which stands at the corner of Castle Street.

barebackadjective

riding without a saddle

From this reading The dark night allowed these only to see a peasant in his shirt sleeves, and bareheaded, who belabored a large gray mare, on which he rode bareback, with his heels and a huge stick.

bareheadedadjective

having the head uncovered

From this reading The dark night allowed these only to see a peasant in his shirt sleeves, and bareheaded, who belabored a large gray mare, on which he rode bareback, with his heels and a huge stick.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading This man, after having passed the suburbs, turned into National Street, formerly Imperial Street, crossed New-Market Square, and stopped at last before the fine house which stands at the corner of Castle Street.

belaboredverbUS /bɪˈleɪbərd/

past form of “belabor” — to work at or to absurd length

From this reading The dark night allowed these only to see a peasant in his shirt sleeves, and bareheaded, who belabored a large gray mare, on which he rode bareback, with his heels and a huge stick.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.

CastlenounUS /ˈkæsəl/

a large and stately mansion

From this reading This man, after having passed the suburbs, turned into National Street, formerly Imperial Street, crossed New-Market Square, and stopped at last before the fine house which stands at the corner of Castle Street.

citizensnounUS /ˈsɪtəzənz/

plural of “citizen” — a native or naturalized member of a state or other political community

From this reading A number of peaceful citizens rushed to the windows.

cornernounUS /ˈkɔːrnər/

a place off to the side of an area

From this reading This man, after having passed the suburbs, turned into National Street, formerly Imperial Street, crossed New-Market Square, and stopped at last before the fine house which stands at the corner of Castle Street.

councilnounUS /ˈkaʊnsəl/

a body serving in an administrative capacity

From this reading This was the house of the mayor of Sauveterre, M. Seneschal, a former lawyer, and now a member of the general council.

crossedadjectiveUS /krɔːst/

placed crosswise

From this reading This man, after having passed the suburbs, turned into National Street, formerly Imperial Street, crossed New-Market Square, and stopped at last before the fine house which stands at the corner of Castle Street.

darknounUS /dɑːrk/

absence of light or illumination

From this reading The dark night allowed these only to see a peasant in his shirt sleeves, and bareheaded, who belabored a large gray mare, on which he rode bareback, with his heels and a huge stick.

denselyadverbUS /ˈdensli/

in a stupid manner

From this reading In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.

fineadjectiveUS /faɪn/

being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition

From this reading This man, after having passed the suburbs, turned into National Street, formerly Imperial Street, crossed New-Market Square, and stopped at last before the fine house which stands at the corner of Castle Street.

formeradjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrmər/

referring to the first of two things or persons mentioned (or the earlier one or ones of several)

From this reading This was the house of the mayor of Sauveterre, M. Seneschal, a former lawyer, and now a member of the general council.

formerlyadverbUS /ˈfɔːrmərli/

at a previous time

From this reading This man, after having passed the suburbs, turned into National Street, formerly Imperial Street, crossed New-Market Square, and stopped at last before the fine house which stands at the corner of Castle Street.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.

furiousadjectiveUS /ˈfjʊriəs/

marked by extreme and violent energy

From this reading In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.

gallopverbUS /ˈɡæləp/

ride at a galloping pace

From this reading In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.

generaladjectiveUS /ˈdʒenərəl/

applying to all or most members of a category or group

From this reading This was the house of the mayor of Sauveterre, M. Seneschal, a former lawyer, and now a member of the general council.

graynounUS /ɡreɪ/

a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black

From this reading The dark night allowed these only to see a peasant in his shirt sleeves, and bareheaded, who belabored a large gray mare, on which he rode bareback, with his heels and a huge stick.

havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading This man, after having passed the suburbs, turned into National Street, formerly Imperial Street, crossed New-Market Square, and stopped at last before the fine house which stands at the corner of Castle Street.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading The dark night allowed these only to see a peasant in his shirt sleeves, and bareheaded, who belabored a large gray mare, on which he rode bareback, with his heels and a huge stick.

heelsnounUS /hiːlz/

plural of “heel” — the bottom of a shoe or boot; the back part of a shoe or boot that touches the ground and provides elevation

From this reading The dark night allowed these only to see a peasant in his shirt sleeves, and bareheaded, who belabored a large gray mare, on which he rode bareback, with his heels and a huge stick.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading The dark night allowed these only to see a peasant in his shirt sleeves, and bareheaded, who belabored a large gray mare, on which he rode bareback, with his heels and a huge stick.

horsenounUS /hɔːrs/

solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times

From this reading In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.

housenounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading This man, after having passed the suburbs, turned into National Street, formerly Imperial Street, crossed New-Market Square, and stopped at last before the fine house which stands at the corner of Castle Street.

hugeadjectiveUS /hjuːdʒ/

unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope

From this reading The dark night allowed these only to see a peasant in his shirt sleeves, and bareheaded, who belabored a large gray mare, on which he rode bareback, with his heels and a huge stick.

ill-paved

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

From this reading In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.

ImperialadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpɪriəl/

relating to or associated with an empire

From this reading This man, after having passed the suburbs, turned into National Street, formerly Imperial Street, crossed New-Market Square, and stopped at last before the fine house which stands at the corner of Castle Street.

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading This man, after having passed the suburbs, turned into National Street, formerly Imperial Street, crossed New-Market Square, and stopped at last before the fine house which stands at the corner of Castle Street.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.

JunenounUS /dʒuːn/

the month following May and preceding July

From this reading In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.

largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading The dark night allowed these only to see a peasant in his shirt sleeves, and bareheaded, who belabored a large gray mare, on which he rode bareback, with his heels and a huge stick.

lastadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading This man, after having passed the suburbs, turned into National Street, formerly Imperial Street, crossed New-Market Square, and stopped at last before the fine house which stands at the corner of Castle Street.

lawyernounUS /ˈlɔːjər/

a professional person authorized to practice law; conducts lawsuits or gives legal advice

From this reading This was the house of the mayor of Sauveterre, M. Seneschal, a former lawyer, and now a member of the general council.

MnounUS /em/

the basic unit of length adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites (approximately 1.094 yards)

From this reading This was the house of the mayor of Sauveterre, M. Seneschal, a former lawyer, and now a member of the general council.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading This man, after having passed the suburbs, turned into National Street, formerly Imperial Street, crossed New-Market Square, and stopped at last before the fine house which stands at the corner of Castle Street.

marenounUS /mer/

female equine animal

From this reading The dark night allowed these only to see a peasant in his shirt sleeves, and bareheaded, who belabored a large gray mare, on which he rode bareback, with his heels and a huge stick.

mayornounUS /ˈmeɪər/

the head of a city government

From this reading This was the house of the mayor of Sauveterre, M. Seneschal, a former lawyer, and now a member of the general council.

membernounUS /ˈmembər/

one of the persons who compose a social group (especially individuals who have joined and participate in a group organization)

From this reading This was the house of the mayor of Sauveterre, M. Seneschal, a former lawyer, and now a member of the general council.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.

mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.

NationaladjectiveUS /ˈnæʃənəl/

of or relating to or belonging to a nation or country

From this reading This man, after having passed the suburbs, turned into National Street, formerly Imperial Street, crossed New-Market Square, and stopped at last before the fine house which stands at the corner of Castle Street.

New-Market

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

From this reading This man, after having passed the suburbs, turned into National Street, formerly Imperial Street, crossed New-Market Square, and stopped at last before the fine house which stands at the corner of Castle Street.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

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

From this reading This was the house of the mayor of Sauveterre, M. Seneschal, a former lawyer, and now a member of the general council.

numbernounUS /ˈnʌmbər/

the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals

From this reading A number of peaceful citizens rushed to the windows.

o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/

according to the clock

From this reading In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading The dark night allowed these only to see a peasant in his shirt sleeves, and bareheaded, who belabored a large gray mare, on which he rode bareback, with his heels and a huge stick.

ParisnounUS /ˈperɪs/

the capital and largest city of France; and international center of culture and commerce

From this reading In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.

passedverbUS /pæst/

past form of “pass” — go across or through

From this reading This man, after having passed the suburbs, turned into National Street, formerly Imperial Street, crossed New-Market Square, and stopped at last before the fine house which stands at the corner of Castle Street.

peacefuladjectiveUS /ˈpiːsfəl/

not disturbed by strife or turmoil or war

From this reading A number of peaceful citizens rushed to the windows.

peasantnounUS /ˈpezənt/

a country person

From this reading The dark night allowed these only to see a peasant in his shirt sleeves, and bareheaded, who belabored a large gray mare, on which he rode bareback, with his heels and a huge stick.

populatedadjectiveUS /ˈpɑːpjəleɪtɪd/

furnished with inhabitants

From this reading In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.

prettyadjectiveUS /ˈprɪti/

pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing

From this reading In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.

principalnounUS /ˈprɪnsəpəl/

the original amount of a debt on which interest is calculated

From this reading In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.

rodeverbUS /roʊd/

inflected form of “ride” — sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions

From this reading The dark night allowed these only to see a peasant in his shirt sleeves, and bareheaded, who belabored a large gray mare, on which he rode bareback, with his heels and a huge stick.

rushedadjectiveUS /rʌʃt/

done under pressure

From this reading A number of peaceful citizens rushed to the windows.

Sauveterre

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

From this reading In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading The dark night allowed these only to see a peasant in his shirt sleeves, and bareheaded, who belabored a large gray mare, on which he rode bareback, with his heels and a huge stick.

Seneschalnoun

the chief steward or butler of a great household

From this reading This was the house of the mayor of Sauveterre, M. Seneschal, a former lawyer, and now a member of the general council.

shirtnounUS /ʃɜːrt/

a garment worn on the upper half of the body

From this reading The dark night allowed these only to see a peasant in his shirt sleeves, and bareheaded, who belabored a large gray mare, on which he rode bareback, with his heels and a huge stick.

sleevesnounUS /sliːvz/

plural of “sleeve” — the part of a garment that is attached at the armhole and that provides a cloth covering for the arm

From this reading The dark night allowed these only to see a peasant in his shirt sleeves, and bareheaded, who belabored a large gray mare, on which he rode bareback, with his heels and a huge stick.

SquareverbUS /skwer/

make square

From this reading This man, after having passed the suburbs, turned into National Street, formerly Imperial Street, crossed New-Market Square, and stopped at last before the fine house which stands at the corner of Castle Street.

standsnounUS /stændz/

plural of “stand” — a support or foundation

From this reading This man, after having passed the suburbs, turned into National Street, formerly Imperial Street, crossed New-Market Square, and stopped at last before the fine house which stands at the corner of Castle Street.

startledadjectiveUS /ˈstɑːrtəld/

excited by sudden surprise or alarm and making a quick involuntary movement

From this reading In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.

stickverbUS /stɪk/

put, fix, force, or implant

From this reading The dark night allowed these only to see a peasant in his shirt sleeves, and bareheaded, who belabored a large gray mare, on which he rode bareback, with his heels and a huge stick.

stoppedadjectiveUS /stɑːpt/

(of a nose) blocked

From this reading This man, after having passed the suburbs, turned into National Street, formerly Imperial Street, crossed New-Market Square, and stopped at last before the fine house which stands at the corner of Castle Street.

StreetnounUS /striːt/

a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading This man, after having passed the suburbs, turned into National Street, formerly Imperial Street, crossed New-Market Square, and stopped at last before the fine house which stands at the corner of Castle Street.

streetsnounUS /striːts/

plural of “street” — a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.

suburbnounUS /ˈsʌbərb/

a residential district located on the outskirts of a city

From this reading In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.

suburbsnounUS /ˈsʌbərbz/

plural of “suburb” — a residential district located on the outskirts of a city

From this reading This man, after having passed the suburbs, turned into National Street, formerly Imperial Street, crossed New-Market Square, and stopped at last before the fine house which stands at the corner of Castle Street.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading The dark night allowed these only to see a peasant in his shirt sleeves, and bareheaded, who belabored a large gray mare, on which he rode bareback, with his heels and a huge stick.

ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading This man, after having passed the suburbs, turned into National Street, formerly Imperial Street, crossed New-Market Square, and stopped at last before the fine house which stands at the corner of Castle Street.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.

towardsprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrdz/

in the direction of

From this reading In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.

townnounUS /taʊn/

an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city

From this reading In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.

turnedadjectiveUS /tɜːrnd/

moved around an axis or center

From this reading This man, after having passed the suburbs, turned into National Street, formerly Imperial Street, crossed New-Market Square, and stopped at last before the fine house which stands at the corner of Castle Street.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading In the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of June, 1871, towards one o'clock in the morning, the Paris suburb of Sauveterre, the principal and most densely populated suburb of that pretty town, was startled by the furious gallop of a horse on its ill-paved streets.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading The dark night allowed these only to see a peasant in his shirt sleeves, and bareheaded, who belabored a large gray mare, on which he rode bareback, with his heels and a huge stick.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading The dark night allowed these only to see a peasant in his shirt sleeves, and bareheaded, who belabored a large gray mare, on which he rode bareback, with his heels and a huge stick.

windowsnounUS /ˈwɪndoʊz/

(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface

From this reading A number of peaceful citizens rushed to the windows.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The dark night allowed these only to see a peasant in his shirt sleeves, and bareheaded, who belabored a large gray mare, on which he rode bareback, with his heels and a huge stick.

Chapter 1 of Within an Inch of His Life by Emile Gaboriau holds 275 sentences, grouped into 55 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 1 of Within an Inch of His Life contain?

Chapter 1 holds 275 sentences of Within an Inch of His Life, unabridged, divided into 55 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Within an Inch of His Life by Emile Gaboriau exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 275 sentences, grouped into 55 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 1 of Within an Inch of His Life?

Work through the 55 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 55 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 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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 Within an Inch of His Life

Common questions about reading Within an Inch of His Life by Emile Gaboriau on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Within an Inch of His Life?

Yes. All 10818 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #3336 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Within an Inch of His Life is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #3336, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Within an Inch of His Life take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 2164 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Within an Inch of His Life section by section

How to work through Within an Inch of His Life section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of Within an Inch of His Life 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 Within an Inch of His Life

Words and structures a reader meets early in Within an Inch of His Life, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Night
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Within an Inch of His Life; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Towards
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Within an Inch of His Life; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
O'clock
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Within an Inch of His Life; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Morning
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Within an Inch of His Life; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.