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Blake's Burden
Blake's Burden

Chapter XIX

Cover illustration for Blake's Burden
Context Illustration Reading 1/27 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
CHALLONER'S DECISION The morning was mild and Challoner paced slowly up and down his shrubbery.
Bright sunshine fell upon him, the massed evergreens cut off the wind, and in a sheltered border spear-like green points were pushing through the soil in promise of the spring.
Challoner knew them all, the veined crocus blades, the tight-closed heads of the hyacinths, and the twin shoots of the daffodils, but, fond as he was of his garden, he gave them scanty attention, and by and by sat down in a sheltered nook lost in painful thought.
He had a careworn look and had left the house in a restless mood with a wish to be alone in the open air.
Mrs. Chudleigh's revelation had been a shock.
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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.

Blake's Burden

Chapter XIX

Reading 1/27 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
CHALLONER'S DECISION The morning was mild and Challoner paced slowly up and down his shrubbery.
Line 2
Bright sunshine fell upon him, the massed evergreens cut off the wind, and in a sheltered border spear-like green points were pushing through the soil in promise of the spring.
Line 3
Challoner knew them all, the veined crocus blades, the tight-closed heads of the hyacinths, and the twin shoots of the daffodils, but, fond as he was of his garden, he gave them scanty attention, and by and by sat down in a sheltered nook lost in painful thought.
Line 4
He had a careworn look and had left the house in a restless mood with a wish to be alone in the open air.
Line 5
Mrs. Chudleigh's revelation had been a shock.

Learner Dictionary

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

Alone noun US /alone/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He had a careworn look and had left the house in a restless mood with a wish to be alone in the open air.”

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “Mrs. Chudleigh's revelation had been a shock.”

Left noun US /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He had a careworn look and had left the house in a restless mood with a wish to be alone in the open air.”

Look noun US /look/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He had a careworn look and had left the house in a restless mood with a wish to be alone in the open air.”

Morning noun US /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “CHALLONER'S DECISION The morning was mild and Challoner paced slowly up and down his shrubbery.”

Open verb US /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading “He had a careworn look and had left the house in a restless mood with a wish to be alone in the open air.”

Scanty adjective US /ˈskænti/

small or barely sufficient in amount

From this reading “Challoner knew them all, the veined crocus blades, the tight-closed heads of the hyacinths, and the twin shoots of the daffodils, but, fond as he was of his garden, he gave them scanty attention, and by and by sat down in a sheltered nook lost in painful thought.”

Thought noun US /thought/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Challoner knew them all, the veined crocus blades, the tight-closed heads of the hyacinths, and the twin shoots of the daffodils, but, fond as he was of his garden, he gave them scanty attention, and by and by sat down in a sheltered nook lost in painful thought.”

Through noun US /ˈthrough/

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

From this reading “Bright sunshine fell upon him, the massed evergreens cut off the wind, and in a sheltered border spear-like green points were pushing through the soil in promise of the spring.”

Upon preposition US /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading “Bright sunshine fell upon him, the massed evergreens cut off the wind, and in a sheltered border spear-like green points were pushing through the soil in promise of the spring.”

Wind noun US /wind/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Bright sunshine fell upon him, the massed evergreens cut off the wind, and in a sheltered border spear-like green points were pushing through the soil in promise of the spring.”

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 Bright sunshine fell upon him, the massed evergreens cut off the wind, and in a sheltered border spear-like green points were pushing through the soil in promise of the spring.

air

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

From this reading He had a careworn look and had left the house in a restless mood with a wish to be alone in the open air.

all

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

From this reading Challoner knew them all, the veined crocus blades, the tight-closed heads of the hyacinths, and the twin shoots of the daffodils, but, fond as he was of his garden, he gave them scanty attention, and by and by sat down in a sheltered nook lost in painful thought.

alonenounUS /alone/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He had a careworn look and had left the house in a restless mood with a wish to be alone in the open air.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading CHALLONER'S DECISION The morning was mild and Challoner paced slowly up and down his shrubbery.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Challoner knew them all, the veined crocus blades, the tight-closed heads of the hyacinths, and the twin shoots of the daffodils, but, fond as he was of his garden, he gave them scanty attention, and by and by sat down in a sheltered nook lost in painful thought.

attention

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

From this reading Challoner knew them all, the veined crocus blades, the tight-closed heads of the hyacinths, and the twin shoots of the daffodils, but, fond as he was of his garden, he gave them scanty attention, and by and by sat down in a sheltered nook lost in painful thought.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading He had a careworn look and had left the house in a restless mood with a wish to be alone in the open air.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Mrs. Chudleigh's revelation had been a shock.

blades

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

From this reading Challoner knew them all, the veined crocus blades, the tight-closed heads of the hyacinths, and the twin shoots of the daffodils, but, fond as he was of his garden, he gave them scanty attention, and by and by sat down in a sheltered nook lost in painful thought.

border

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

From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon him, the massed evergreens cut off the wind, and in a sheltered border spear-like green points were pushing through the soil in promise of the spring.

Bright

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

From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon him, the massed evergreens cut off the wind, and in a sheltered border spear-like green points were pushing through the soil in promise of the spring.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Challoner knew them all, the veined crocus blades, the tight-closed heads of the hyacinths, and the twin shoots of the daffodils, but, fond as he was of his garden, he gave them scanty attention, and by and by sat down in a sheltered nook lost in painful thought.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Challoner knew them all, the veined crocus blades, the tight-closed heads of the hyacinths, and the twin shoots of the daffodils, but, fond as he was of his garden, he gave them scanty attention, and by and by sat down in a sheltered nook lost in painful thought.

careworn

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

From this reading He had a careworn look and had left the house in a restless mood with a wish to be alone in the open air.

Challoner

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

From this reading CHALLONER'S DECISION The morning was mild and Challoner paced slowly up and down his shrubbery.

CHALLONER'S

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

From this reading CHALLONER'S DECISION The morning was mild and Challoner paced slowly up and down his shrubbery.

Chudleigh's

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

From this reading Mrs. Chudleigh's revelation had been a shock.

crocus

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

From this reading Challoner knew them all, the veined crocus blades, the tight-closed heads of the hyacinths, and the twin shoots of the daffodils, but, fond as he was of his garden, he gave them scanty attention, and by and by sat down in a sheltered nook lost in painful thought.

cut

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

From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon him, the massed evergreens cut off the wind, and in a sheltered border spear-like green points were pushing through the soil in promise of the spring.

daffodils

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

From this reading Challoner knew them all, the veined crocus blades, the tight-closed heads of the hyacinths, and the twin shoots of the daffodils, but, fond as he was of his garden, he gave them scanty attention, and by and by sat down in a sheltered nook lost in painful thought.

DECISION

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

From this reading CHALLONER'S DECISION The morning was mild and Challoner paced slowly up and down his shrubbery.

down

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

From this reading CHALLONER'S DECISION The morning was mild and Challoner paced slowly up and down his shrubbery.

evergreens

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

From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon him, the massed evergreens cut off the wind, and in a sheltered border spear-like green points were pushing through the soil in promise of the spring.

fell

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

From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon him, the massed evergreens cut off the wind, and in a sheltered border spear-like green points were pushing through the soil in promise of the spring.

fond

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

From this reading Challoner knew them all, the veined crocus blades, the tight-closed heads of the hyacinths, and the twin shoots of the daffodils, but, fond as he was of his garden, he gave them scanty attention, and by and by sat down in a sheltered nook lost in painful thought.

garden

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

From this reading Challoner knew them all, the veined crocus blades, the tight-closed heads of the hyacinths, and the twin shoots of the daffodils, but, fond as he was of his garden, he gave them scanty attention, and by and by sat down in a sheltered nook lost in painful thought.

gave

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

From this reading Challoner knew them all, the veined crocus blades, the tight-closed heads of the hyacinths, and the twin shoots of the daffodils, but, fond as he was of his garden, he gave them scanty attention, and by and by sat down in a sheltered nook lost in painful thought.

green

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

From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon him, the massed evergreens cut off the wind, and in a sheltered border spear-like green points were pushing through the soil in promise of the spring.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading He had a careworn look and had left the house in a restless mood with a wish to be alone in the open air.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Challoner knew them all, the veined crocus blades, the tight-closed heads of the hyacinths, and the twin shoots of the daffodils, but, fond as he was of his garden, he gave them scanty attention, and by and by sat down in a sheltered nook lost in painful thought.

heads

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

From this reading Challoner knew them all, the veined crocus blades, the tight-closed heads of the hyacinths, and the twin shoots of the daffodils, but, fond as he was of his garden, he gave them scanty attention, and by and by sat down in a sheltered nook lost in painful thought.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon him, the massed evergreens cut off the wind, and in a sheltered border spear-like green points were pushing through the soil in promise of the spring.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading CHALLONER'S DECISION The morning was mild and Challoner paced slowly up and down his shrubbery.

house

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

From this reading He had a careworn look and had left the house in a restless mood with a wish to be alone in the open air.

hyacinths

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

From this reading Challoner knew them all, the veined crocus blades, the tight-closed heads of the hyacinths, and the twin shoots of the daffodils, but, fond as he was of his garden, he gave them scanty attention, and by and by sat down in a sheltered nook lost in painful thought.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon him, the massed evergreens cut off the wind, and in a sheltered border spear-like green points were pushing through the soil in promise of the spring.

knew

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

From this reading Challoner knew them all, the veined crocus blades, the tight-closed heads of the hyacinths, and the twin shoots of the daffodils, but, fond as he was of his garden, he gave them scanty attention, and by and by sat down in a sheltered nook lost in painful thought.

leftnounUS /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He had a careworn look and had left the house in a restless mood with a wish to be alone in the open air.

looknounUS /look/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He had a careworn look and had left the house in a restless mood with a wish to be alone in the open air.

lost

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

From this reading Challoner knew them all, the veined crocus blades, the tight-closed heads of the hyacinths, and the twin shoots of the daffodils, but, fond as he was of his garden, he gave them scanty attention, and by and by sat down in a sheltered nook lost in painful thought.

massed

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

From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon him, the massed evergreens cut off the wind, and in a sheltered border spear-like green points were pushing through the soil in promise of the spring.

mild

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

From this reading CHALLONER'S DECISION The morning was mild and Challoner paced slowly up and down his shrubbery.

mood

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

From this reading He had a careworn look and had left the house in a restless mood with a wish to be alone in the open air.

morningnounUS /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading CHALLONER'S DECISION The morning was mild and Challoner paced slowly up and down his shrubbery.

Mrs

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

From this reading Mrs. Chudleigh's revelation had been a shock.

nook

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

From this reading Challoner knew them all, the veined crocus blades, the tight-closed heads of the hyacinths, and the twin shoots of the daffodils, but, fond as he was of his garden, he gave them scanty attention, and by and by sat down in a sheltered nook lost in painful thought.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon him, the massed evergreens cut off the wind, and in a sheltered border spear-like green points were pushing through the soil in promise of the spring.

off

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

From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon him, the massed evergreens cut off the wind, and in a sheltered border spear-like green points were pushing through the soil in promise of the spring.

openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading He had a careworn look and had left the house in a restless mood with a wish to be alone in the open air.

paced

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

From this reading CHALLONER'S DECISION The morning was mild and Challoner paced slowly up and down his shrubbery.

painful

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

From this reading Challoner knew them all, the veined crocus blades, the tight-closed heads of the hyacinths, and the twin shoots of the daffodils, but, fond as he was of his garden, he gave them scanty attention, and by and by sat down in a sheltered nook lost in painful thought.

points

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

From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon him, the massed evergreens cut off the wind, and in a sheltered border spear-like green points were pushing through the soil in promise of the spring.

promise

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

From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon him, the massed evergreens cut off the wind, and in a sheltered border spear-like green points were pushing through the soil in promise of the spring.

pushing

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

From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon him, the massed evergreens cut off the wind, and in a sheltered border spear-like green points were pushing through the soil in promise of the spring.

restless

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

From this reading He had a careworn look and had left the house in a restless mood with a wish to be alone in the open air.

revelation

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

From this reading Mrs. Chudleigh's revelation had been a shock.

sat

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

From this reading Challoner knew them all, the veined crocus blades, the tight-closed heads of the hyacinths, and the twin shoots of the daffodils, but, fond as he was of his garden, he gave them scanty attention, and by and by sat down in a sheltered nook lost in painful thought.

scantyadjectiveUS /ˈskænti/

small or barely sufficient in amount

From this reading Challoner knew them all, the veined crocus blades, the tight-closed heads of the hyacinths, and the twin shoots of the daffodils, but, fond as he was of his garden, he gave them scanty attention, and by and by sat down in a sheltered nook lost in painful thought.

sheltered

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

From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon him, the massed evergreens cut off the wind, and in a sheltered border spear-like green points were pushing through the soil in promise of the spring.

shock

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

From this reading Mrs. Chudleigh's revelation had been a shock.

shoots

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

From this reading Challoner knew them all, the veined crocus blades, the tight-closed heads of the hyacinths, and the twin shoots of the daffodils, but, fond as he was of his garden, he gave them scanty attention, and by and by sat down in a sheltered nook lost in painful thought.

shrubbery

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

From this reading CHALLONER'S DECISION The morning was mild and Challoner paced slowly up and down his shrubbery.

slowly

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

From this reading CHALLONER'S DECISION The morning was mild and Challoner paced slowly up and down his shrubbery.

soil

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

From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon him, the massed evergreens cut off the wind, and in a sheltered border spear-like green points were pushing through the soil in promise of the spring.

spear-like

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

From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon him, the massed evergreens cut off the wind, and in a sheltered border spear-like green points were pushing through the soil in promise of the spring.

spring

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

From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon him, the massed evergreens cut off the wind, and in a sheltered border spear-like green points were pushing through the soil in promise of the spring.

sunshine

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

From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon him, the massed evergreens cut off the wind, and in a sheltered border spear-like green points were pushing through the soil in promise of the spring.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading CHALLONER'S DECISION The morning was mild and Challoner paced slowly up and down his shrubbery.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Challoner knew them all, the veined crocus blades, the tight-closed heads of the hyacinths, and the twin shoots of the daffodils, but, fond as he was of his garden, he gave them scanty attention, and by and by sat down in a sheltered nook lost in painful thought.

thoughtnounUS /thought/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Challoner knew them all, the veined crocus blades, the tight-closed heads of the hyacinths, and the twin shoots of the daffodils, but, fond as he was of his garden, he gave them scanty attention, and by and by sat down in a sheltered nook lost in painful thought.

throughnounUS /ˈthrough/

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

From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon him, the massed evergreens cut off the wind, and in a sheltered border spear-like green points were pushing through the soil in promise of the spring.

tight-closed

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

From this reading Challoner knew them all, the veined crocus blades, the tight-closed heads of the hyacinths, and the twin shoots of the daffodils, but, fond as he was of his garden, he gave them scanty attention, and by and by sat down in a sheltered nook lost in painful thought.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading He had a careworn look and had left the house in a restless mood with a wish to be alone in the open air.

twin

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

From this reading Challoner knew them all, the veined crocus blades, the tight-closed heads of the hyacinths, and the twin shoots of the daffodils, but, fond as he was of his garden, he gave them scanty attention, and by and by sat down in a sheltered nook lost in painful thought.

up

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

From this reading CHALLONER'S DECISION The morning was mild and Challoner paced slowly up and down his shrubbery.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon him, the massed evergreens cut off the wind, and in a sheltered border spear-like green points were pushing through the soil in promise of the spring.

veined

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

From this reading Challoner knew them all, the veined crocus blades, the tight-closed heads of the hyacinths, and the twin shoots of the daffodils, but, fond as he was of his garden, he gave them scanty attention, and by and by sat down in a sheltered nook lost in painful thought.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading CHALLONER'S DECISION The morning was mild and Challoner paced slowly up and down his shrubbery.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon him, the massed evergreens cut off the wind, and in a sheltered border spear-like green points were pushing through the soil in promise of the spring.

windnounUS /wind/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon him, the massed evergreens cut off the wind, and in a sheltered border spear-like green points were pushing through the soil in promise of the spring.

wish

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

From this reading He had a careworn look and had left the house in a restless mood with a wish to be alone in the open air.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading He had a careworn look and had left the house in a restless mood with a wish to be alone in the open air.