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Love in a Mask
Love in a Mask

Chapter I

Cover illustration for Love in a Mask
Context Illustration Reading 1/90 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Balzac, in gratitude to the Duchesse de Dino for her friendship and unfailing kindness to him, one day presented her with the story of "L'Amour Masque" (Love in a Mask) in his own handwriting.
The duchess was one of the few French aristocrats who in Balzac's time welcomed untitled authors to their salons, and her library boasted many such offerings from the literary men of her day.
She placed Balzac's unpublished book on her shelves by the side of similarly unpublished poems by Alfred de Musset, and stories by Eugene Sue and others.
The Balzac manuscript was incased in a finely tooled binding of great richness and beauty, bearing the _ex libris_ of the ducal family.
For more than half a century the manuscript remained where the duchess had placed it.
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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.

Love in a Mask

Chapter I

Reading 1/90 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Balzac, in gratitude to the Duchesse de Dino for her friendship and unfailing kindness to him, one day presented her with the story of "L'Amour Masque" (Love in a Mask) in his own handwriting.
Line 2
The duchess was one of the few French aristocrats who in Balzac's time welcomed untitled authors to their salons, and her library boasted many such offerings from the literary men of her day.
Line 3
She placed Balzac's unpublished book on her shelves by the side of similarly unpublished poems by Alfred de Musset, and stories by Eugene Sue and others.
Line 4
The Balzac manuscript was incased in a finely tooled binding of great richness and beauty, bearing the _ex libris_ of the ducal family.
Line 5
For more than half a century the manuscript remained where the duchess had placed it.

Learner Dictionary

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

Great noun US /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The Balzac manuscript was incased in a finely tooled binding of great richness and beauty, bearing the _ex libris_ of the ducal family.”

Half noun US /half/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “For more than half a century the manuscript remained where the duchess had placed it.”

Manuscript noun US /ˈmæn.jə.skrɪpt/

A book, document, or piece of music written by hand rather than typed or printed.

From this reading “The Balzac manuscript was incased in a finely tooled binding of great richness and beauty, bearing the _ex libris_ of the ducal family.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “Balzac, in gratitude to the Duchesse de Dino for her friendship and unfailing kindness to him, one day presented her with the story of "L'Amour Masque" (Love in a Mask) in his own handwriting.”

Remained noun US /ˈremained/

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

From this reading “For more than half a century the manuscript remained where the duchess had placed it.”

Shelves noun US /ʃelvz/

Plural of shelf; the vast wooden or stone structures holding archives.

From this reading “She placed Balzac's unpublished book on her shelves by the side of similarly unpublished poems by Alfred de Musset, and stories by Eugene Sue and others.”

Time noun US /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The duchess was one of the few French aristocrats who in Balzac's time welcomed untitled authors to their salons, and her library boasted many such offerings from the literary men of her day.”

All words in this reading · 87

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 Balzac, in gratitude to the Duchesse de Dino for her friendship and unfailing kindness to him, one day presented her with the story of "L'Amour Masque" (Love in a Mask) in his own handwriting.

Alfred

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

From this reading She placed Balzac's unpublished book on her shelves by the side of similarly unpublished poems by Alfred de Musset, and stories by Eugene Sue and others.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Balzac, in gratitude to the Duchesse de Dino for her friendship and unfailing kindness to him, one day presented her with the story of "L'Amour Masque" (Love in a Mask) in his own handwriting.

aristocrats

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

From this reading The duchess was one of the few French aristocrats who in Balzac's time welcomed untitled authors to their salons, and her library boasted many such offerings from the literary men of her day.

authors

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

From this reading The duchess was one of the few French aristocrats who in Balzac's time welcomed untitled authors to their salons, and her library boasted many such offerings from the literary men of her day.

Balzac

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

From this reading Balzac, in gratitude to the Duchesse de Dino for her friendship and unfailing kindness to him, one day presented her with the story of "L'Amour Masque" (Love in a Mask) in his own handwriting.

Balzac's

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

From this reading The duchess was one of the few French aristocrats who in Balzac's time welcomed untitled authors to their salons, and her library boasted many such offerings from the literary men of her day.

bearing

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

From this reading The Balzac manuscript was incased in a finely tooled binding of great richness and beauty, bearing the _ex libris_ of the ducal family.

beauty

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

From this reading The Balzac manuscript was incased in a finely tooled binding of great richness and beauty, bearing the _ex libris_ of the ducal family.

binding

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

From this reading The Balzac manuscript was incased in a finely tooled binding of great richness and beauty, bearing the _ex libris_ of the ducal family.

boasted

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

From this reading The duchess was one of the few French aristocrats who in Balzac's time welcomed untitled authors to their salons, and her library boasted many such offerings from the literary men of her day.

book

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

From this reading She placed Balzac's unpublished book on her shelves by the side of similarly unpublished poems by Alfred de Musset, and stories by Eugene Sue and others.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading She placed Balzac's unpublished book on her shelves by the side of similarly unpublished poems by Alfred de Musset, and stories by Eugene Sue and others.

century

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

From this reading For more than half a century the manuscript remained where the duchess had placed it.

day

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

From this reading Balzac, in gratitude to the Duchesse de Dino for her friendship and unfailing kindness to him, one day presented her with the story of "L'Amour Masque" (Love in a Mask) in his own handwriting.

de

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

From this reading Balzac, in gratitude to the Duchesse de Dino for her friendship and unfailing kindness to him, one day presented her with the story of "L'Amour Masque" (Love in a Mask) in his own handwriting.

Dino

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

From this reading Balzac, in gratitude to the Duchesse de Dino for her friendship and unfailing kindness to him, one day presented her with the story of "L'Amour Masque" (Love in a Mask) in his own handwriting.

ducal

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

From this reading The Balzac manuscript was incased in a finely tooled binding of great richness and beauty, bearing the _ex libris_ of the ducal family.

duchess

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

From this reading The duchess was one of the few French aristocrats who in Balzac's time welcomed untitled authors to their salons, and her library boasted many such offerings from the literary men of her day.

Duchesse

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

From this reading Balzac, in gratitude to the Duchesse de Dino for her friendship and unfailing kindness to him, one day presented her with the story of "L'Amour Masque" (Love in a Mask) in his own handwriting.

Eugene

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

From this reading She placed Balzac's unpublished book on her shelves by the side of similarly unpublished poems by Alfred de Musset, and stories by Eugene Sue and others.

ex

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

From this reading The Balzac manuscript was incased in a finely tooled binding of great richness and beauty, bearing the _ex libris_ of the ducal family.

family

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

From this reading The Balzac manuscript was incased in a finely tooled binding of great richness and beauty, bearing the _ex libris_ of the ducal family.

few

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

From this reading The duchess was one of the few French aristocrats who in Balzac's time welcomed untitled authors to their salons, and her library boasted many such offerings from the literary men of her day.

finely

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

From this reading The Balzac manuscript was incased in a finely tooled binding of great richness and beauty, bearing the _ex libris_ of the ducal family.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Balzac, in gratitude to the Duchesse de Dino for her friendship and unfailing kindness to him, one day presented her with the story of "L'Amour Masque" (Love in a Mask) in his own handwriting.

French

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

From this reading The duchess was one of the few French aristocrats who in Balzac's time welcomed untitled authors to their salons, and her library boasted many such offerings from the literary men of her day.

friendship

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

From this reading Balzac, in gratitude to the Duchesse de Dino for her friendship and unfailing kindness to him, one day presented her with the story of "L'Amour Masque" (Love in a Mask) in his own handwriting.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading The duchess was one of the few French aristocrats who in Balzac's time welcomed untitled authors to their salons, and her library boasted many such offerings from the literary men of her day.

gratitude

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

From this reading Balzac, in gratitude to the Duchesse de Dino for her friendship and unfailing kindness to him, one day presented her with the story of "L'Amour Masque" (Love in a Mask) in his own handwriting.

greatnounUS /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The Balzac manuscript was incased in a finely tooled binding of great richness and beauty, bearing the _ex libris_ of the ducal family.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading For more than half a century the manuscript remained where the duchess had placed it.

halfnounUS /half/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading For more than half a century the manuscript remained where the duchess had placed it.

handwriting

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

From this reading Balzac, in gratitude to the Duchesse de Dino for her friendship and unfailing kindness to him, one day presented her with the story of "L'Amour Masque" (Love in a Mask) in his own handwriting.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Balzac, in gratitude to the Duchesse de Dino for her friendship and unfailing kindness to him, one day presented her with the story of "L'Amour Masque" (Love in a Mask) in his own handwriting.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading Balzac, in gratitude to the Duchesse de Dino for her friendship and unfailing kindness to him, one day presented her with the story of "L'Amour Masque" (Love in a Mask) in his own handwriting.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Balzac, in gratitude to the Duchesse de Dino for her friendship and unfailing kindness to him, one day presented her with the story of "L'Amour Masque" (Love in a Mask) in his own handwriting.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Balzac, in gratitude to the Duchesse de Dino for her friendship and unfailing kindness to him, one day presented her with the story of "L'Amour Masque" (Love in a Mask) in his own handwriting.

incased

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

From this reading The Balzac manuscript was incased in a finely tooled binding of great richness and beauty, bearing the _ex libris_ of the ducal family.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading For more than half a century the manuscript remained where the duchess had placed it.

kindness

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

From this reading Balzac, in gratitude to the Duchesse de Dino for her friendship and unfailing kindness to him, one day presented her with the story of "L'Amour Masque" (Love in a Mask) in his own handwriting.

L'Amour

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

From this reading Balzac, in gratitude to the Duchesse de Dino for her friendship and unfailing kindness to him, one day presented her with the story of "L'Amour Masque" (Love in a Mask) in his own handwriting.

library

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

From this reading The duchess was one of the few French aristocrats who in Balzac's time welcomed untitled authors to their salons, and her library boasted many such offerings from the literary men of her day.

libris

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

From this reading The Balzac manuscript was incased in a finely tooled binding of great richness and beauty, bearing the _ex libris_ of the ducal family.

literary

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

From this reading The duchess was one of the few French aristocrats who in Balzac's time welcomed untitled authors to their salons, and her library boasted many such offerings from the literary men of her day.

Love

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

From this reading Balzac, in gratitude to the Duchesse de Dino for her friendship and unfailing kindness to him, one day presented her with the story of "L'Amour Masque" (Love in a Mask) in his own handwriting.

manuscriptnounUS /ˈmæn.jə.skrɪpt/

A book, document, or piece of music written by hand rather than typed or printed.

From this reading The Balzac manuscript was incased in a finely tooled binding of great richness and beauty, bearing the _ex libris_ of the ducal family.

many

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

From this reading The duchess was one of the few French aristocrats who in Balzac's time welcomed untitled authors to their salons, and her library boasted many such offerings from the literary men of her day.

Mask

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

From this reading Balzac, in gratitude to the Duchesse de Dino for her friendship and unfailing kindness to him, one day presented her with the story of "L'Amour Masque" (Love in a Mask) in his own handwriting.

Masque

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

From this reading Balzac, in gratitude to the Duchesse de Dino for her friendship and unfailing kindness to him, one day presented her with the story of "L'Amour Masque" (Love in a Mask) in his own handwriting.

men

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

From this reading The duchess was one of the few French aristocrats who in Balzac's time welcomed untitled authors to their salons, and her library boasted many such offerings from the literary men of her day.

more

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

From this reading For more than half a century the manuscript remained where the duchess had placed it.

Musset

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

From this reading She placed Balzac's unpublished book on her shelves by the side of similarly unpublished poems by Alfred de Musset, and stories by Eugene Sue and others.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Balzac, in gratitude to the Duchesse de Dino for her friendship and unfailing kindness to him, one day presented her with the story of "L'Amour Masque" (Love in a Mask) in his own handwriting.

offerings

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

From this reading The duchess was one of the few French aristocrats who in Balzac's time welcomed untitled authors to their salons, and her library boasted many such offerings from the literary men of her day.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading She placed Balzac's unpublished book on her shelves by the side of similarly unpublished poems by Alfred de Musset, and stories by Eugene Sue and others.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Balzac, in gratitude to the Duchesse de Dino for her friendship and unfailing kindness to him, one day presented her with the story of "L'Amour Masque" (Love in a Mask) in his own handwriting.

others

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

From this reading She placed Balzac's unpublished book on her shelves by the side of similarly unpublished poems by Alfred de Musset, and stories by Eugene Sue and others.

own

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

From this reading Balzac, in gratitude to the Duchesse de Dino for her friendship and unfailing kindness to him, one day presented her with the story of "L'Amour Masque" (Love in a Mask) in his own handwriting.

placed

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

From this reading She placed Balzac's unpublished book on her shelves by the side of similarly unpublished poems by Alfred de Musset, and stories by Eugene Sue and others.

poems

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

From this reading She placed Balzac's unpublished book on her shelves by the side of similarly unpublished poems by Alfred de Musset, and stories by Eugene Sue and others.

presented

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

From this reading Balzac, in gratitude to the Duchesse de Dino for her friendship and unfailing kindness to him, one day presented her with the story of "L'Amour Masque" (Love in a Mask) in his own handwriting.

remainednounUS /ˈremained/

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

From this reading For more than half a century the manuscript remained where the duchess had placed it.

richness

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

From this reading The Balzac manuscript was incased in a finely tooled binding of great richness and beauty, bearing the _ex libris_ of the ducal family.

salons

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

From this reading The duchess was one of the few French aristocrats who in Balzac's time welcomed untitled authors to their salons, and her library boasted many such offerings from the literary men of her day.

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading She placed Balzac's unpublished book on her shelves by the side of similarly unpublished poems by Alfred de Musset, and stories by Eugene Sue and others.

shelvesnounUS /ʃelvz/

Plural of shelf; the vast wooden or stone structures holding archives.

From this reading She placed Balzac's unpublished book on her shelves by the side of similarly unpublished poems by Alfred de Musset, and stories by Eugene Sue and others.

side

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

From this reading She placed Balzac's unpublished book on her shelves by the side of similarly unpublished poems by Alfred de Musset, and stories by Eugene Sue and others.

similarly

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

From this reading She placed Balzac's unpublished book on her shelves by the side of similarly unpublished poems by Alfred de Musset, and stories by Eugene Sue and others.

stories

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

From this reading She placed Balzac's unpublished book on her shelves by the side of similarly unpublished poems by Alfred de Musset, and stories by Eugene Sue and others.

story

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

From this reading Balzac, in gratitude to the Duchesse de Dino for her friendship and unfailing kindness to him, one day presented her with the story of "L'Amour Masque" (Love in a Mask) in his own handwriting.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading The duchess was one of the few French aristocrats who in Balzac's time welcomed untitled authors to their salons, and her library boasted many such offerings from the literary men of her day.

Sue

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

From this reading She placed Balzac's unpublished book on her shelves by the side of similarly unpublished poems by Alfred de Musset, and stories by Eugene Sue and others.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading For more than half a century the manuscript remained where the duchess had placed it.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Balzac, in gratitude to the Duchesse de Dino for her friendship and unfailing kindness to him, one day presented her with the story of "L'Amour Masque" (Love in a Mask) in his own handwriting.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading The duchess was one of the few French aristocrats who in Balzac's time welcomed untitled authors to their salons, and her library boasted many such offerings from the literary men of her day.

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The duchess was one of the few French aristocrats who in Balzac's time welcomed untitled authors to their salons, and her library boasted many such offerings from the literary men of her day.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Balzac, in gratitude to the Duchesse de Dino for her friendship and unfailing kindness to him, one day presented her with the story of "L'Amour Masque" (Love in a Mask) in his own handwriting.

tooled

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

From this reading The Balzac manuscript was incased in a finely tooled binding of great richness and beauty, bearing the _ex libris_ of the ducal family.

unfailing

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

From this reading Balzac, in gratitude to the Duchesse de Dino for her friendship and unfailing kindness to him, one day presented her with the story of "L'Amour Masque" (Love in a Mask) in his own handwriting.

unpublished

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

From this reading She placed Balzac's unpublished book on her shelves by the side of similarly unpublished poems by Alfred de Musset, and stories by Eugene Sue and others.

untitled

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

From this reading The duchess was one of the few French aristocrats who in Balzac's time welcomed untitled authors to their salons, and her library boasted many such offerings from the literary men of her day.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The duchess was one of the few French aristocrats who in Balzac's time welcomed untitled authors to their salons, and her library boasted many such offerings from the literary men of her day.

welcomed

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

From this reading The duchess was one of the few French aristocrats who in Balzac's time welcomed untitled authors to their salons, and her library boasted many such offerings from the literary men of her day.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading For more than half a century the manuscript remained where the duchess had placed it.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading The duchess was one of the few French aristocrats who in Balzac's time welcomed untitled authors to their salons, and her library boasted many such offerings from the literary men of her day.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Balzac, in gratitude to the Duchesse de Dino for her friendship and unfailing kindness to him, one day presented her with the story of "L'Amour Masque" (Love in a Mask) in his own handwriting.