Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Within an Inch of His Life
Within an Inch of His Life

Chapter XX · Chapter 20

Chapter 20 of Within an Inch of His Life is here in full — 302 sentences across 61 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Within an Inch of His Life
Context Illustration Reading 1/60 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"'Ah! you are surprised at my determination, Jacques.
I understand that.
Wives who have betrayed their husbands have not accustomed their lovers to be held responsible by them.
When they are betrayed, they dare not cry out; when they are abandoned, they submit; when they are sacrificed, they hide their tears, for to cry would be to avow their wrong.
Who would pity them, besides?
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Within an Inch of His Life

Chapter XX · Chapter 20

Chapter 20 of Within an Inch of His Life is here in full — 302 sentences across 61 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/60 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"'Ah! you are surprised at my determination, Jacques.
Line 2
I understand that.
/aɪ ˌʌndərˈstænd ðæt/
Line 3
Wives who have betrayed their husbands have not accustomed their lovers to be held responsible by them.
/waɪvz huː hæv bɪˈtreɪd ðer ˈhʌzbəndz hæv nɑːt əˈkʌstəmd ðer ˈlʌvərz tuː biː held riˈspɑːnsəbəl baɪ ðem/
Line 4
When they are betrayed, they dare not cry out; when they are abandoned, they submit; when they are sacrificed, they hide their tears, for to cry would be to avow their wrong.
/wen ðeɪ ɑːr bɪˈtreɪd ðeɪ der nɑːt kraɪ aʊt wen ðeɪ ɑːr əˈbændənd ðeɪ səbˈmɪt wen ðeɪ ɑːr ˈsækrəfaɪst ðeɪ haɪd ðer terz fɔːr tuː kraɪ wʊd biː tuː əˈvaʊ ðer rɔːŋ/
Line 5
Who would pity them, besides?
/huː wʊd ˈpɪti ðem bɪˈsaɪdz/

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.

abandoned adjective US /əˈbændənd/

forsaken by owner or inhabitants

From this reading “When they are betrayed, they dare not cry out; when they are abandoned, they submit; when they are sacrificed, they hide their tears, for to cry would be to avow their wrong.”

avow verb US /əˈvaʊ/

to declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true

From this reading “When they are betrayed, they dare not cry out; when they are abandoned, they submit; when they are sacrificed, they hide their tears, for to cry would be to avow their wrong.”

determination noun US /dɪˌtɜːrməˈneɪʃən/

the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation

From this reading “"'Ah! you are surprised at my determination, Jacques.”

husbands noun US /ˈhʌzbəndz/

plural of “husband” — a married man; a woman's partner in marriage

From this reading “Wives who have betrayed their husbands have not accustomed their lovers to be held responsible by them.”

lovers noun US /ˈlʌvərz/

plural of “lover” — a person who loves someone or is loved by someone

From this reading “Wives who have betrayed their husbands have not accustomed their lovers to be held responsible by them.”

responsible adjective US /riˈspɑːnsəbəl/

worthy of or requiring responsibility or trust; or held accountable

From this reading “Wives who have betrayed their husbands have not accustomed their lovers to be held responsible by them.”

sacrificed verb US /ˈsækrəfaɪst/

past form of “sacrifice” — endure the loss of

From this reading “When they are betrayed, they dare not cry out; when they are abandoned, they submit; when they are sacrificed, they hide their tears, for to cry would be to avow their wrong.”

submit verb US /səbˈmɪt/

refer for judgment or consideration

From this reading “When they are betrayed, they dare not cry out; when they are abandoned, they submit; when they are sacrificed, they hide their tears, for to cry would be to avow their wrong.”

All words in this reading · 42

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.

abandonedadjectiveUS /əˈbændənd/

forsaken by owner or inhabitants

From this reading When they are betrayed, they dare not cry out; when they are abandoned, they submit; when they are sacrificed, they hide their tears, for to cry would be to avow their wrong.

accustomedadjectiveUS /əˈkʌstəmd/

commonly used or practiced; usual

From this reading Wives who have betrayed their husbands have not accustomed their lovers to be held responsible by them.

Ah

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

From this reading "'Ah! you are surprised at my determination, Jacques.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading "'Ah! you are surprised at my determination, Jacques.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading "'Ah! you are surprised at my determination, Jacques.

avowverbUS /əˈvaʊ/

to declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true

From this reading When they are betrayed, they dare not cry out; when they are abandoned, they submit; when they are sacrificed, they hide their tears, for to cry would be to avow their wrong.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Wives who have betrayed their husbands have not accustomed their lovers to be held responsible by them.

besidesprepositionUS /bɪˈsaɪdz/

in addition to; as well as

From this reading Who would pity them, besides?

betrayedverbUS /bɪˈtreɪd/

past form of “betray” — reveal unintentionally

From this reading Wives who have betrayed their husbands have not accustomed their lovers to be held responsible by them.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Wives who have betrayed their husbands have not accustomed their lovers to be held responsible by them.

cryverbUS /kraɪ/

utter a sudden loud cry

From this reading When they are betrayed, they dare not cry out; when they are abandoned, they submit; when they are sacrificed, they hide their tears, for to cry would be to avow their wrong.

dareverbUS /der/

take upon oneself; act presumptuously, without permission

From this reading When they are betrayed, they dare not cry out; when they are abandoned, they submit; when they are sacrificed, they hide their tears, for to cry would be to avow their wrong.

determinationnounUS /dɪˌtɜːrməˈneɪʃən/

the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation

From this reading "'Ah! you are surprised at my determination, Jacques.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading When they are betrayed, they dare not cry out; when they are abandoned, they submit; when they are sacrificed, they hide their tears, for to cry would be to avow their wrong.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Wives who have betrayed their husbands have not accustomed their lovers to be held responsible by them.

heldadjectiveUS /held/

occupied or in the control of; often used in combination

From this reading Wives who have betrayed their husbands have not accustomed their lovers to be held responsible by them.

hideverbUS /haɪd/

prevent from being seen or discovered

From this reading When they are betrayed, they dare not cry out; when they are abandoned, they submit; when they are sacrificed, they hide their tears, for to cry would be to avow their wrong.

husbandsnounUS /ˈhʌzbəndz/

plural of “husband” — a married man; a woman's partner in marriage

From this reading Wives who have betrayed their husbands have not accustomed their lovers to be held responsible by them.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I understand that.

Jacques

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

From this reading "'Ah! you are surprised at my determination, Jacques.

loversnounUS /ˈlʌvərz/

plural of “lover” — a person who loves someone or is loved by someone

From this reading Wives who have betrayed their husbands have not accustomed their lovers to be held responsible by them.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading "'Ah! you are surprised at my determination, Jacques.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Wives who have betrayed their husbands have not accustomed their lovers to be held responsible by them.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading When they are betrayed, they dare not cry out; when they are abandoned, they submit; when they are sacrificed, they hide their tears, for to cry would be to avow their wrong.

pitynounUS /ˈpɪti/

a feeling of sympathy and sorrow for the misfortunes of others

From this reading Who would pity them, besides?

responsibleadjectiveUS /riˈspɑːnsəbəl/

worthy of or requiring responsibility or trust; or held accountable

From this reading Wives who have betrayed their husbands have not accustomed their lovers to be held responsible by them.

sacrificedverbUS /ˈsækrəfaɪst/

past form of “sacrifice” — endure the loss of

From this reading When they are betrayed, they dare not cry out; when they are abandoned, they submit; when they are sacrificed, they hide their tears, for to cry would be to avow their wrong.

submitverbUS /səbˈmɪt/

refer for judgment or consideration

From this reading When they are betrayed, they dare not cry out; when they are abandoned, they submit; when they are sacrificed, they hide their tears, for to cry would be to avow their wrong.

surprisedadjectiveUS /sərˈpraɪzd/

taken unawares or suddenly and feeling wonder or astonishment

From this reading "'Ah! you are surprised at my determination, Jacques.

tearsnounUS /terz/

the process of shedding tears (usually accompanied by sobs or other inarticulate sounds)

From this reading When they are betrayed, they dare not cry out; when they are abandoned, they submit; when they are sacrificed, they hide their tears, for to cry would be to avow their wrong.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading I understand that.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Wives who have betrayed their husbands have not accustomed their lovers to be held responsible by them.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Wives who have betrayed their husbands have not accustomed their lovers to be held responsible by them.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading When they are betrayed, they dare not cry out; when they are abandoned, they submit; when they are sacrificed, they hide their tears, for to cry would be to avow their wrong.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Wives who have betrayed their husbands have not accustomed their lovers to be held responsible by them.

understandverbUS /ˌʌndərˈstænd/

know and comprehend the nature or meaning of

From this reading I understand that.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When they are betrayed, they dare not cry out; when they are abandoned, they submit; when they are sacrificed, they hide their tears, for to cry would be to avow their wrong.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Wives who have betrayed their husbands have not accustomed their lovers to be held responsible by them.

WivesnounUS /waɪvz/

plural of “wife” — a married woman; a man's partner in marriage

From this reading Wives who have betrayed their husbands have not accustomed their lovers to be held responsible by them.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading When they are betrayed, they dare not cry out; when they are abandoned, they submit; when they are sacrificed, they hide their tears, for to cry would be to avow their wrong.

wrongadjectiveUS /rɔːŋ/

not correct; not in conformity with fact or truth

From this reading When they are betrayed, they dare not cry out; when they are abandoned, they submit; when they are sacrificed, they hide their tears, for to cry would be to avow their wrong.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "'Ah! you are surprised at my determination, Jacques.

Chapter 20 of Within an Inch of His Life by Emile Gaboriau holds 302 sentences, grouped into 61 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 20 of Within an Inch of His Life contain?

Chapter 20 holds 302 sentences of Within an Inch of His Life, unabridged, divided into 61 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 20 of Within an Inch of His Life by Emile Gaboriau exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 302 sentences, grouped into 61 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 20 of Within an Inch of His Life?

Work through the 61 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 61 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 20 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 20 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, a public-domain edition. 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.