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Madame Firmiani
Madame Firmiani

Chapter II

Cover illustration for Madame Firmiani
Context Illustration Reading 1/34 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
“Well, madame,” returned the old man, “do you know what some one came to tell me in the depths of my province?
That my nephew had ruined himself for you, and that the poor fellow was living in a garret while you were in silk and gold.
Forgive my rustic sincerity; it may be useful for you to know of these calumnies.”
“Stop, monsieur,” said Madame Firmiani, with an imperative gesture; “I know all that.
You are too polite to continue this subject if I request you to leave it, and too gallant--in the old-fashioned sense of the word,” she added with a slight tone of irony--“not to agree that you have no right to question me.
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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.

Madame Firmiani

Chapter II

Reading 1/34 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
“Well, madame,” returned the old man, “do you know what some one came to tell me in the depths of my province?
Line 2
That my nephew had ruined himself for you, and that the poor fellow was living in a garret while you were in silk and gold.
Line 3
Forgive my rustic sincerity; it may be useful for you to know of these calumnies.”
Line 4
“Stop, monsieur,” said Madame Firmiani, with an imperative gesture; “I know all that.
Line 5
You are too polite to continue this subject if I request you to leave it, and too gallant--in the old-fashioned sense of the word,” she added with a slight tone of irony--“not to agree that you have no right to question me.

Learner Dictionary

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

Added noun US /added/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “You are too polite to continue this subject if I request you to leave it, and too gallant--in the old-fashioned sense of the word,” she added with a slight tone of irony--“not to agree that you have no right to question me.”

Calumnies plural noun US /ˈkæləmniz/

false statements intended to damage someone’s reputation

From this reading “Forgive my rustic sincerity; it may be useful for you to know of these calumnies.””

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “You are too polite to continue this subject if I request you to leave it, and too gallant--in the old-fashioned sense of the word,” she added with a slight tone of irony--“not to agree that you have no right to question me.”

Himself pronoun US /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading “That my nephew had ruined himself for you, and that the poor fellow was living in a garret while you were in silk and gold.”

Know noun US /know/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading ““Well, madame,” returned the old man, “do you know what some one came to tell me in the depths of my province?”

May modal verb US /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading “Forgive my rustic sincerity; it may be useful for you to know of these calumnies.””

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading ““Well, madame,” returned the old man, “do you know what some one came to tell me in the depths of my province?”

Poor noun US /poor/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “That my nephew had ruined himself for you, and that the poor fellow was living in a garret while you were in silk and gold.”

Question noun US /ˈquestion/

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

From this reading “You are too polite to continue this subject if I request you to leave it, and too gallant--in the old-fashioned sense of the word,” she added with a slight tone of irony--“not to agree that you have no right to question me.”

Returned noun US /ˈreturned/

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

From this reading ““Well, madame,” returned the old man, “do you know what some one came to tell me in the depths of my province?”

Right noun US /right/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “You are too polite to continue this subject if I request you to leave it, and too gallant--in the old-fashioned sense of the word,” she added with a slight tone of irony--“not to agree that you have no right to question me.”

Tell noun US /tell/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading ““Well, madame,” returned the old man, “do you know what some one came to tell me in the depths of my province?”

These determiner US /ðiːz/

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

From this reading “Forgive my rustic sincerity; it may be useful for you to know of these calumnies.””

Well noun US /well/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading ““Well, madame,” returned the old man, “do you know what some one came to tell me in the depths of my province?”

While conjunction US /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading “That my nephew had ruined himself for you, and that the poor fellow was living in a garret while you were in silk and gold.”

All words in this reading · 81

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 That my nephew had ruined himself for you, and that the poor fellow was living in a garret while you were in silk and gold.

addednounUS /added/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading You are too polite to continue this subject if I request you to leave it, and too gallant--in the old-fashioned sense of the word,” she added with a slight tone of irony--“not to agree that you have no right to question me.

agree

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

From this reading You are too polite to continue this subject if I request you to leave it, and too gallant--in the old-fashioned sense of the word,” she added with a slight tone of irony--“not to agree that you have no right to question me.

all

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

From this reading “Stop, monsieur,” said Madame Firmiani, with an imperative gesture; “I know all that.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading “Stop, monsieur,” said Madame Firmiani, with an imperative gesture; “I know all that.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading That my nephew had ruined himself for you, and that the poor fellow was living in a garret while you were in silk and gold.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading You are too polite to continue this subject if I request you to leave it, and too gallant--in the old-fashioned sense of the word,” she added with a slight tone of irony--“not to agree that you have no right to question me.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Forgive my rustic sincerity; it may be useful for you to know of these calumnies.”

calumniesplural nounUS /ˈkæləmniz/

false statements intended to damage someone’s reputation

From this reading Forgive my rustic sincerity; it may be useful for you to know of these calumnies.”

came

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

From this reading “Well, madame,” returned the old man, “do you know what some one came to tell me in the depths of my province?

continue

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

From this reading You are too polite to continue this subject if I request you to leave it, and too gallant--in the old-fashioned sense of the word,” she added with a slight tone of irony--“not to agree that you have no right to question me.

depths

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

From this reading “Well, madame,” returned the old man, “do you know what some one came to tell me in the depths of my province?

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading “Well, madame,” returned the old man, “do you know what some one came to tell me in the depths of my province?

fellow

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

From this reading That my nephew had ruined himself for you, and that the poor fellow was living in a garret while you were in silk and gold.

Firmiani

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

From this reading “Stop, monsieur,” said Madame Firmiani, with an imperative gesture; “I know all that.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading That my nephew had ruined himself for you, and that the poor fellow was living in a garret while you were in silk and gold.

Forgive

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

From this reading Forgive my rustic sincerity; it may be useful for you to know of these calumnies.”

gallant

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

From this reading You are too polite to continue this subject if I request you to leave it, and too gallant--in the old-fashioned sense of the word,” she added with a slight tone of irony--“not to agree that you have no right to question me.

garret

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

From this reading That my nephew had ruined himself for you, and that the poor fellow was living in a garret while you were in silk and gold.

gesture

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

From this reading “Stop, monsieur,” said Madame Firmiani, with an imperative gesture; “I know all that.

gold

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

From this reading That my nephew had ruined himself for you, and that the poor fellow was living in a garret while you were in silk and gold.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading That my nephew had ruined himself for you, and that the poor fellow was living in a garret while you were in silk and gold.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading You are too polite to continue this subject if I request you to leave it, and too gallant--in the old-fashioned sense of the word,” she added with a slight tone of irony--“not to agree that you have no right to question me.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading That my nephew had ruined himself for you, and that the poor fellow was living in a garret while you were in silk and gold.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading “Stop, monsieur,” said Madame Firmiani, with an imperative gesture; “I know all that.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading You are too polite to continue this subject if I request you to leave it, and too gallant--in the old-fashioned sense of the word,” she added with a slight tone of irony--“not to agree that you have no right to question me.

imperative

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

From this reading “Stop, monsieur,” said Madame Firmiani, with an imperative gesture; “I know all that.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading “Well, madame,” returned the old man, “do you know what some one came to tell me in the depths of my province?

irony

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

From this reading You are too polite to continue this subject if I request you to leave it, and too gallant--in the old-fashioned sense of the word,” she added with a slight tone of irony--“not to agree that you have no right to question me.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Forgive my rustic sincerity; it may be useful for you to know of these calumnies.”

knownounUS /know/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Well, madame,” returned the old man, “do you know what some one came to tell me in the depths of my province?

leave

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

From this reading You are too polite to continue this subject if I request you to leave it, and too gallant--in the old-fashioned sense of the word,” she added with a slight tone of irony--“not to agree that you have no right to question me.

living

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

From this reading That my nephew had ruined himself for you, and that the poor fellow was living in a garret while you were in silk and gold.

madame

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

From this reading “Well, madame,” returned the old man, “do you know what some one came to tell me in the depths of my province?

man

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

From this reading “Well, madame,” returned the old man, “do you know what some one came to tell me in the depths of my province?

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading Forgive my rustic sincerity; it may be useful for you to know of these calumnies.”

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading “Well, madame,” returned the old man, “do you know what some one came to tell me in the depths of my province?

monsieur

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

From this reading “Stop, monsieur,” said Madame Firmiani, with an imperative gesture; “I know all that.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading “Well, madame,” returned the old man, “do you know what some one came to tell me in the depths of my province?

nephew

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

From this reading That my nephew had ruined himself for you, and that the poor fellow was living in a garret while you were in silk and gold.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading You are too polite to continue this subject if I request you to leave it, and too gallant--in the old-fashioned sense of the word,” she added with a slight tone of irony--“not to agree that you have no right to question me.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading You are too polite to continue this subject if I request you to leave it, and too gallant--in the old-fashioned sense of the word,” she added with a slight tone of irony--“not to agree that you have no right to question me.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading “Well, madame,” returned the old man, “do you know what some one came to tell me in the depths of my province?

old

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

From this reading “Well, madame,” returned the old man, “do you know what some one came to tell me in the depths of my province?

old-fashioned

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

From this reading You are too polite to continue this subject if I request you to leave it, and too gallant--in the old-fashioned sense of the word,” she added with a slight tone of irony--“not to agree that you have no right to question me.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “Well, madame,” returned the old man, “do you know what some one came to tell me in the depths of my province?

polite

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

From this reading You are too polite to continue this subject if I request you to leave it, and too gallant--in the old-fashioned sense of the word,” she added with a slight tone of irony--“not to agree that you have no right to question me.

poornounUS /poor/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading That my nephew had ruined himself for you, and that the poor fellow was living in a garret while you were in silk and gold.

province

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

From this reading “Well, madame,” returned the old man, “do you know what some one came to tell me in the depths of my province?

questionnounUS /ˈquestion/

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

From this reading You are too polite to continue this subject if I request you to leave it, and too gallant--in the old-fashioned sense of the word,” she added with a slight tone of irony--“not to agree that you have no right to question me.

request

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

From this reading You are too polite to continue this subject if I request you to leave it, and too gallant--in the old-fashioned sense of the word,” she added with a slight tone of irony--“not to agree that you have no right to question me.

returnednounUS /ˈreturned/

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

From this reading “Well, madame,” returned the old man, “do you know what some one came to tell me in the depths of my province?

rightnounUS /right/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading You are too polite to continue this subject if I request you to leave it, and too gallant--in the old-fashioned sense of the word,” she added with a slight tone of irony--“not to agree that you have no right to question me.

ruined

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

From this reading That my nephew had ruined himself for you, and that the poor fellow was living in a garret while you were in silk and gold.

rustic

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

From this reading Forgive my rustic sincerity; it may be useful for you to know of these calumnies.”

said

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

From this reading “Stop, monsieur,” said Madame Firmiani, with an imperative gesture; “I know all that.

sense

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

From this reading You are too polite to continue this subject if I request you to leave it, and too gallant--in the old-fashioned sense of the word,” she added with a slight tone of irony--“not to agree that you have no right to question me.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading You are too polite to continue this subject if I request you to leave it, and too gallant--in the old-fashioned sense of the word,” she added with a slight tone of irony--“not to agree that you have no right to question me.

silk

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

From this reading That my nephew had ruined himself for you, and that the poor fellow was living in a garret while you were in silk and gold.

sincerity

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

From this reading Forgive my rustic sincerity; it may be useful for you to know of these calumnies.”

slight

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

From this reading You are too polite to continue this subject if I request you to leave it, and too gallant--in the old-fashioned sense of the word,” she added with a slight tone of irony--“not to agree that you have no right to question me.

some

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

From this reading “Well, madame,” returned the old man, “do you know what some one came to tell me in the depths of my province?

Stop

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

From this reading “Stop, monsieur,” said Madame Firmiani, with an imperative gesture; “I know all that.

subject

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

From this reading You are too polite to continue this subject if I request you to leave it, and too gallant--in the old-fashioned sense of the word,” she added with a slight tone of irony--“not to agree that you have no right to question me.

tellnounUS /tell/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Well, madame,” returned the old man, “do you know what some one came to tell me in the depths of my province?

ThatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading That my nephew had ruined himself for you, and that the poor fellow was living in a garret while you were in silk and gold.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading “Well, madame,” returned the old man, “do you know what some one came to tell me in the depths of my province?

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

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

From this reading Forgive my rustic sincerity; it may be useful for you to know of these calumnies.”

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading You are too polite to continue this subject if I request you to leave it, and too gallant--in the old-fashioned sense of the word,” she added with a slight tone of irony--“not to agree that you have no right to question me.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading “Well, madame,” returned the old man, “do you know what some one came to tell me in the depths of my province?

tone

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

From this reading You are too polite to continue this subject if I request you to leave it, and too gallant--in the old-fashioned sense of the word,” she added with a slight tone of irony--“not to agree that you have no right to question me.

too

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

From this reading You are too polite to continue this subject if I request you to leave it, and too gallant--in the old-fashioned sense of the word,” she added with a slight tone of irony--“not to agree that you have no right to question me.

useful

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

From this reading Forgive my rustic sincerity; it may be useful for you to know of these calumnies.”

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading That my nephew had ruined himself for you, and that the poor fellow was living in a garret while you were in silk and gold.

Well

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

From this reading “Well, madame,” returned the old man, “do you know what some one came to tell me in the depths of my province?

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading That my nephew had ruined himself for you, and that the poor fellow was living in a garret while you were in silk and gold.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading “Well, madame,” returned the old man, “do you know what some one came to tell me in the depths of my province?

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading That my nephew had ruined himself for you, and that the poor fellow was living in a garret while you were in silk and gold.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading “Stop, monsieur,” said Madame Firmiani, with an imperative gesture; “I know all that.

word

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

From this reading You are too polite to continue this subject if I request you to leave it, and too gallant--in the old-fashioned sense of the word,” she added with a slight tone of irony--“not to agree that you have no right to question me.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “Well, madame,” returned the old man, “do you know what some one came to tell me in the depths of my province?