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Cobwebs and Cables
Cobwebs and Cables

Chapter XXXI

Cover illustration for Cobwebs and Cables
Context Illustration Reading 1/48 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
WITHIN AND WITHOUT.
After speaking to Canon Pascal for a few minutes, with an agitation and a reserve which he could not but observe, Phebe left the house to go home.
In one of the darkest corners of the cloisters she caught sight of the figure of Jean Merle, watching for her to come out.
For an instant Phebe paused, as if to speak to him once more; but her heart was over-fraught with conflicting emotions, whilst bewildering thoughts oppressed her brain.
She longed for a solitary walk homewards, along the two or three miles of a crowded thoroughfare, where she could how feel as much alone as she had ever done on the solitary uplands about her birth-place.
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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.

Cobwebs and Cables

Chapter XXXI

Reading 1/48 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
WITHIN AND WITHOUT.
/wɪˈðɪn ənd wɪˈθaʊt/
Line 2
After speaking to Canon Pascal for a few minutes, with an agitation and a reserve which he could not but observe, Phebe left the house to go home.
Line 3
In one of the darkest corners of the cloisters she caught sight of the figure of Jean Merle, watching for her to come out.
Line 4
For an instant Phebe paused, as if to speak to him once more; but her heart was over-fraught with conflicting emotions, whilst bewildering thoughts oppressed her brain.
Line 5
She longed for a solitary walk homewards, along the two or three miles of a crowded thoroughfare, where she could how feel as much alone as she had ever done on the solitary uplands about her birth-place.

Learner Dictionary

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

About preposition US /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading “She longed for a solitary walk homewards, along the two or three miles of a crowded thoroughfare, where she could how feel as much alone as she had ever done on the solitary uplands about her birth-place.”

After preposition US /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading “After speaking to Canon Pascal for a few minutes, with an agitation and a reserve which he could not but observe, Phebe left the house to go home.”

Alone noun US /alone/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She longed for a solitary walk homewards, along the two or three miles of a crowded thoroughfare, where she could how feel as much alone as she had ever done on the solitary uplands about her birth-place.”

Along preposition US /əˈlɔːŋ/

following the length of something from one end toward the other

From this reading “She longed for a solitary walk homewards, along the two or three miles of a crowded thoroughfare, where she could how feel as much alone as she had ever done on the solitary uplands about her birth-place.”

Come noun US /come/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “In one of the darkest corners of the cloisters she caught sight of the figure of Jean Merle, watching for her to come out.”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading “After speaking to Canon Pascal for a few minutes, with an agitation and a reserve which he could not but observe, Phebe left the house to go home.”

Done noun US /done/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She longed for a solitary walk homewards, along the two or three miles of a crowded thoroughfare, where she could how feel as much alone as she had ever done on the solitary uplands about her birth-place.”

Ever noun US /ever/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She longed for a solitary walk homewards, along the two or three miles of a crowded thoroughfare, where she could how feel as much alone as she had ever done on the solitary uplands about her birth-place.”

Left noun US /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “After speaking to Canon Pascal for a few minutes, with an agitation and a reserve which he could not but observe, Phebe left the house to go home.”

Once noun US /once/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “For an instant Phebe paused, as if to speak to him once more; but her heart was over-fraught with conflicting emotions, whilst bewildering thoughts oppressed her brain.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “In one of the darkest corners of the cloisters she caught sight of the figure of Jean Merle, watching for her to come out.”

Speak noun US /speak/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “For an instant Phebe paused, as if to speak to him once more; but her heart was over-fraught with conflicting emotions, whilst bewildering thoughts oppressed her brain.”

Whilst conjunction US /waɪlst/

an old and formal word for “while”

From this reading “For an instant Phebe paused, as if to speak to him once more; but her heart was over-fraught with conflicting emotions, whilst bewildering thoughts oppressed her brain.”

WITHIN preposition US /wɪˈðɪn/

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading “WITHIN AND WITHOUT.”

WITHOUT preposition US /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading “WITHIN AND WITHOUT.”

All words in this reading · 85

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 After speaking to Canon Pascal for a few minutes, with an agitation and a reserve which he could not but observe, Phebe left the house to go home.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading She longed for a solitary walk homewards, along the two or three miles of a crowded thoroughfare, where she could how feel as much alone as she had ever done on the solitary uplands about her birth-place.

AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading After speaking to Canon Pascal for a few minutes, with an agitation and a reserve which he could not but observe, Phebe left the house to go home.

agitation

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

From this reading After speaking to Canon Pascal for a few minutes, with an agitation and a reserve which he could not but observe, Phebe left the house to go home.

alonenounUS /alone/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She longed for a solitary walk homewards, along the two or three miles of a crowded thoroughfare, where she could how feel as much alone as she had ever done on the solitary uplands about her birth-place.

alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/

following the length of something from one end toward the other

From this reading She longed for a solitary walk homewards, along the two or three miles of a crowded thoroughfare, where she could how feel as much alone as she had ever done on the solitary uplands about her birth-place.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading After speaking to Canon Pascal for a few minutes, with an agitation and a reserve which he could not but observe, Phebe left the house to go home.

ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading WITHIN AND WITHOUT.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading For an instant Phebe paused, as if to speak to him once more; but her heart was over-fraught with conflicting emotions, whilst bewildering thoughts oppressed her brain.

bewildering

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

From this reading For an instant Phebe paused, as if to speak to him once more; but her heart was over-fraught with conflicting emotions, whilst bewildering thoughts oppressed her brain.

birth-place

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

From this reading She longed for a solitary walk homewards, along the two or three miles of a crowded thoroughfare, where she could how feel as much alone as she had ever done on the solitary uplands about her birth-place.

brain

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

From this reading For an instant Phebe paused, as if to speak to him once more; but her heart was over-fraught with conflicting emotions, whilst bewildering thoughts oppressed her brain.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading After speaking to Canon Pascal for a few minutes, with an agitation and a reserve which he could not but observe, Phebe left the house to go home.

Canon

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

From this reading After speaking to Canon Pascal for a few minutes, with an agitation and a reserve which he could not but observe, Phebe left the house to go home.

caught

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

From this reading In one of the darkest corners of the cloisters she caught sight of the figure of Jean Merle, watching for her to come out.

cloisters

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

From this reading In one of the darkest corners of the cloisters she caught sight of the figure of Jean Merle, watching for her to come out.

comenounUS /come/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading In one of the darkest corners of the cloisters she caught sight of the figure of Jean Merle, watching for her to come out.

conflicting

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

From this reading For an instant Phebe paused, as if to speak to him once more; but her heart was over-fraught with conflicting emotions, whilst bewildering thoughts oppressed her brain.

corners

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

From this reading In one of the darkest corners of the cloisters she caught sight of the figure of Jean Merle, watching for her to come out.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading After speaking to Canon Pascal for a few minutes, with an agitation and a reserve which he could not but observe, Phebe left the house to go home.

crowded

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

From this reading She longed for a solitary walk homewards, along the two or three miles of a crowded thoroughfare, where she could how feel as much alone as she had ever done on the solitary uplands about her birth-place.

darkest

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

From this reading In one of the darkest corners of the cloisters she caught sight of the figure of Jean Merle, watching for her to come out.

donenounUS /done/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She longed for a solitary walk homewards, along the two or three miles of a crowded thoroughfare, where she could how feel as much alone as she had ever done on the solitary uplands about her birth-place.

emotions

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

From this reading For an instant Phebe paused, as if to speak to him once more; but her heart was over-fraught with conflicting emotions, whilst bewildering thoughts oppressed her brain.

evernounUS /ever/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She longed for a solitary walk homewards, along the two or three miles of a crowded thoroughfare, where she could how feel as much alone as she had ever done on the solitary uplands about her birth-place.

feel

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

From this reading She longed for a solitary walk homewards, along the two or three miles of a crowded thoroughfare, where she could how feel as much alone as she had ever done on the solitary uplands about her birth-place.

few

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

From this reading After speaking to Canon Pascal for a few minutes, with an agitation and a reserve which he could not but observe, Phebe left the house to go home.

figure

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

From this reading In one of the darkest corners of the cloisters she caught sight of the figure of Jean Merle, watching for her to come out.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading After speaking to Canon Pascal for a few minutes, with an agitation and a reserve which he could not but observe, Phebe left the house to go home.

go

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

From this reading After speaking to Canon Pascal for a few minutes, with an agitation and a reserve which he could not but observe, Phebe left the house to go home.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading She longed for a solitary walk homewards, along the two or three miles of a crowded thoroughfare, where she could how feel as much alone as she had ever done on the solitary uplands about her birth-place.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading After speaking to Canon Pascal for a few minutes, with an agitation and a reserve which he could not but observe, Phebe left the house to go home.

heart

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

From this reading For an instant Phebe paused, as if to speak to him once more; but her heart was over-fraught with conflicting emotions, whilst bewildering thoughts oppressed her brain.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading In one of the darkest corners of the cloisters she caught sight of the figure of Jean Merle, watching for her to come out.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading For an instant Phebe paused, as if to speak to him once more; but her heart was over-fraught with conflicting emotions, whilst bewildering thoughts oppressed her brain.

home

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

From this reading After speaking to Canon Pascal for a few minutes, with an agitation and a reserve which he could not but observe, Phebe left the house to go home.

homewards

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

From this reading She longed for a solitary walk homewards, along the two or three miles of a crowded thoroughfare, where she could how feel as much alone as she had ever done on the solitary uplands about her birth-place.

house

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

From this reading After speaking to Canon Pascal for a few minutes, with an agitation and a reserve which he could not but observe, Phebe left the house to go home.

how

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

From this reading She longed for a solitary walk homewards, along the two or three miles of a crowded thoroughfare, where she could how feel as much alone as she had ever done on the solitary uplands about her birth-place.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading For an instant Phebe paused, as if to speak to him once more; but her heart was over-fraught with conflicting emotions, whilst bewildering thoughts oppressed her brain.

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading In one of the darkest corners of the cloisters she caught sight of the figure of Jean Merle, watching for her to come out.

instant

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

From this reading For an instant Phebe paused, as if to speak to him once more; but her heart was over-fraught with conflicting emotions, whilst bewildering thoughts oppressed her brain.

Jean

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

From this reading In one of the darkest corners of the cloisters she caught sight of the figure of Jean Merle, watching for her to come out.

leftnounUS /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading After speaking to Canon Pascal for a few minutes, with an agitation and a reserve which he could not but observe, Phebe left the house to go home.

longed

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

From this reading She longed for a solitary walk homewards, along the two or three miles of a crowded thoroughfare, where she could how feel as much alone as she had ever done on the solitary uplands about her birth-place.

Merle

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

From this reading In one of the darkest corners of the cloisters she caught sight of the figure of Jean Merle, watching for her to come out.

miles

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

From this reading She longed for a solitary walk homewards, along the two or three miles of a crowded thoroughfare, where she could how feel as much alone as she had ever done on the solitary uplands about her birth-place.

minutes

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

From this reading After speaking to Canon Pascal for a few minutes, with an agitation and a reserve which he could not but observe, Phebe left the house to go home.

more

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

From this reading For an instant Phebe paused, as if to speak to him once more; but her heart was over-fraught with conflicting emotions, whilst bewildering thoughts oppressed her brain.

much

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

From this reading She longed for a solitary walk homewards, along the two or three miles of a crowded thoroughfare, where she could how feel as much alone as she had ever done on the solitary uplands about her birth-place.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading After speaking to Canon Pascal for a few minutes, with an agitation and a reserve which he could not but observe, Phebe left the house to go home.

observe

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

From this reading After speaking to Canon Pascal for a few minutes, with an agitation and a reserve which he could not but observe, Phebe left the house to go home.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading In one of the darkest corners of the cloisters she caught sight of the figure of Jean Merle, watching for her to come out.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading She longed for a solitary walk homewards, along the two or three miles of a crowded thoroughfare, where she could how feel as much alone as she had ever done on the solitary uplands about her birth-place.

once

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

From this reading For an instant Phebe paused, as if to speak to him once more; but her heart was over-fraught with conflicting emotions, whilst bewildering thoughts oppressed her brain.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading In one of the darkest corners of the cloisters she caught sight of the figure of Jean Merle, watching for her to come out.

oppressed

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

From this reading For an instant Phebe paused, as if to speak to him once more; but her heart was over-fraught with conflicting emotions, whilst bewildering thoughts oppressed her brain.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading She longed for a solitary walk homewards, along the two or three miles of a crowded thoroughfare, where she could how feel as much alone as she had ever done on the solitary uplands about her birth-place.

out

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

From this reading In one of the darkest corners of the cloisters she caught sight of the figure of Jean Merle, watching for her to come out.

over-fraught

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

From this reading For an instant Phebe paused, as if to speak to him once more; but her heart was over-fraught with conflicting emotions, whilst bewildering thoughts oppressed her brain.

Pascal

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

From this reading After speaking to Canon Pascal for a few minutes, with an agitation and a reserve which he could not but observe, Phebe left the house to go home.

paused

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

From this reading For an instant Phebe paused, as if to speak to him once more; but her heart was over-fraught with conflicting emotions, whilst bewildering thoughts oppressed her brain.

Phebe

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

From this reading After speaking to Canon Pascal for a few minutes, with an agitation and a reserve which he could not but observe, Phebe left the house to go home.

reserve

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

From this reading After speaking to Canon Pascal for a few minutes, with an agitation and a reserve which he could not but observe, Phebe left the house to go home.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading In one of the darkest corners of the cloisters she caught sight of the figure of Jean Merle, watching for her to come out.

sight

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

From this reading In one of the darkest corners of the cloisters she caught sight of the figure of Jean Merle, watching for her to come out.

solitary

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

From this reading She longed for a solitary walk homewards, along the two or three miles of a crowded thoroughfare, where she could how feel as much alone as she had ever done on the solitary uplands about her birth-place.

speak

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

From this reading For an instant Phebe paused, as if to speak to him once more; but her heart was over-fraught with conflicting emotions, whilst bewildering thoughts oppressed her brain.

speaking

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

From this reading After speaking to Canon Pascal for a few minutes, with an agitation and a reserve which he could not but observe, Phebe left the house to go home.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading After speaking to Canon Pascal for a few minutes, with an agitation and a reserve which he could not but observe, Phebe left the house to go home.

thoroughfare

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

From this reading She longed for a solitary walk homewards, along the two or three miles of a crowded thoroughfare, where she could how feel as much alone as she had ever done on the solitary uplands about her birth-place.

thoughts

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

From this reading For an instant Phebe paused, as if to speak to him once more; but her heart was over-fraught with conflicting emotions, whilst bewildering thoughts oppressed her brain.

three

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

From this reading She longed for a solitary walk homewards, along the two or three miles of a crowded thoroughfare, where she could how feel as much alone as she had ever done on the solitary uplands about her birth-place.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading After speaking to Canon Pascal for a few minutes, with an agitation and a reserve which he could not but observe, Phebe left the house to go home.

two

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

From this reading She longed for a solitary walk homewards, along the two or three miles of a crowded thoroughfare, where she could how feel as much alone as she had ever done on the solitary uplands about her birth-place.

uplands

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

From this reading She longed for a solitary walk homewards, along the two or three miles of a crowded thoroughfare, where she could how feel as much alone as she had ever done on the solitary uplands about her birth-place.

walk

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

From this reading She longed for a solitary walk homewards, along the two or three miles of a crowded thoroughfare, where she could how feel as much alone as she had ever done on the solitary uplands about her birth-place.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading For an instant Phebe paused, as if to speak to him once more; but her heart was over-fraught with conflicting emotions, whilst bewildering thoughts oppressed her brain.

watching

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

From this reading In one of the darkest corners of the cloisters she caught sight of the figure of Jean Merle, watching for her to come out.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading She longed for a solitary walk homewards, along the two or three miles of a crowded thoroughfare, where she could how feel as much alone as she had ever done on the solitary uplands about her birth-place.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading After speaking to Canon Pascal for a few minutes, with an agitation and a reserve which he could not but observe, Phebe left the house to go home.

whilstconjunctionUS /waɪlst/

an old and formal word for “while”

From this reading For an instant Phebe paused, as if to speak to him once more; but her heart was over-fraught with conflicting emotions, whilst bewildering thoughts oppressed her brain.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading After speaking to Canon Pascal for a few minutes, with an agitation and a reserve which he could not but observe, Phebe left the house to go home.

WITHINprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading WITHIN AND WITHOUT.

WITHOUTprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading WITHIN AND WITHOUT.