Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Poor Relations
Poor Relations

Chapter XXV

Cover illustration for Poor Relations
Context Illustration Reading 1/84 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
She rose from her filthy old chair by the fireside, and went to a table covered with a green cloth so worn that you could count the threads.
A huge toad sat dozing there beside a cage inhabited by a black disheveled-looking fowl.
"Astaroth! here, my son!" she said, and the creature looked up intelligently at her as she rapped him on the back with a long knitting-needle.--"And you, Mademoiselle Cleopatre!--attention!" she continued, tapping the ancient fowl on the beak.
Then Mme. Fontaine began to think; for several seconds she did not move; she looked like a corpse, her eyes rolled in their sockets and grew white; then she rose stiff and erect, and a cavernous voice cried:
"Here I am!"
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Poor Relations

Chapter XXV

Reading 1/84 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
She rose from her filthy old chair by the fireside, and went to a table covered with a green cloth so worn that you could count the threads.
Line 2
A huge toad sat dozing there beside a cage inhabited by a black disheveled-looking fowl.
Line 3
"Astaroth! here, my son!" she said, and the creature looked up intelligently at her as she rapped him on the back with a long knitting-needle.--"And you, Mademoiselle Cleopatre!--attention!" she continued, tapping the ancient fowl on the beak.
Line 4
Then Mme. Fontaine began to think; for several seconds she did not move; she looked like a corpse, her eyes rolled in their sockets and grew white; then she rose stiff and erect, and a cavernous voice cried:
Line 5
"Here I am!"
/here aɪ æm/

Learner Dictionary

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

Ancient adjective US /ˈeɪn.ʃənt/

Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.

From this reading “"Astaroth! here, my son!" she said, and the creature looked up intelligently at her as she rapped him on the back with a long knitting-needle.--"And you, Mademoiselle Cleopatre!--attention!" she continued, tapping the ancient fowl on the beak.”

Began noun US /began/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Then Mme. Fontaine began to think; for several seconds she did not move; she looked like a corpse, her eyes rolled in their sockets and grew white; then she rose stiff and erect, and a cavernous voice cried:”

Beside preposition US /bɪˈsaɪd/

next to; at the side of

From this reading “A huge toad sat dozing there beside a cage inhabited by a black disheveled-looking fowl.”

Continued noun US /ˈcontinued/

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

From this reading “"Astaroth! here, my son!" she said, and the creature looked up intelligently at her as she rapped him on the back with a long knitting-needle.--"And you, Mademoiselle Cleopatre!--attention!" she continued, tapping the ancient fowl on the beak.”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

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

From this reading “She rose from her filthy old chair by the fireside, and went to a table covered with a green cloth so worn that you could count the threads.”

Creature noun US /ˈcreature/

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

From this reading “"Astaroth! here, my son!" she said, and the creature looked up intelligently at her as she rapped him on the back with a long knitting-needle.--"And you, Mademoiselle Cleopatre!--attention!" she continued, tapping the ancient fowl on the beak.”

Cried noun US /cried/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Then Mme. Fontaine began to think; for several seconds she did not move; she looked like a corpse, her eyes rolled in their sockets and grew white; then she rose stiff and erect, and a cavernous voice cried:”

Here noun US /here/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “"Astaroth! here, my son!" she said, and the creature looked up intelligently at her as she rapped him on the back with a long knitting-needle.--"And you, Mademoiselle Cleopatre!--attention!" she continued, tapping the ancient fowl on the beak.”

Long noun US /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “"Astaroth! here, my son!" she said, and the creature looked up intelligently at her as she rapped him on the back with a long knitting-needle.--"And you, Mademoiselle Cleopatre!--attention!" she continued, tapping the ancient fowl on the beak.”

Looked noun US /looked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “"Astaroth! here, my son!" she said, and the creature looked up intelligently at her as she rapped him on the back with a long knitting-needle.--"And you, Mademoiselle Cleopatre!--attention!" she continued, tapping the ancient fowl on the beak.”

Several noun US /ˈseveral/

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

From this reading “Then Mme. Fontaine began to think; for several seconds she did not move; she looked like a corpse, her eyes rolled in their sockets and grew white; then she rose stiff and erect, and a cavernous voice cried:”

Think noun US /think/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Then Mme. Fontaine began to think; for several seconds she did not move; she looked like a corpse, her eyes rolled in their sockets and grew white; then she rose stiff and erect, and a cavernous voice cried:”

Went noun US /went/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She rose from her filthy old chair by the fireside, and went to a table covered with a green cloth so worn that you could count the threads.”

Worn verb US /wɔːrn/

Damaged or thinned by continuous use.

From this reading “She rose from her filthy old chair by the fireside, and went to a table covered with a green cloth so worn that you could count the threads.”

All words in this reading · 88

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 She rose from her filthy old chair by the fireside, and went to a table covered with a green cloth so worn that you could count the threads.

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading "Here I am!"

ancientadjectiveUS /ˈeɪn.ʃənt/

Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.

From this reading "Astaroth! here, my son!" she said, and the creature looked up intelligently at her as she rapped him on the back with a long knitting-needle.--"And you, Mademoiselle Cleopatre!--attention!" she continued, tapping the ancient fowl on the beak.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading She rose from her filthy old chair by the fireside, and went to a table covered with a green cloth so worn that you could count the threads.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading "Astaroth! here, my son!" she said, and the creature looked up intelligently at her as she rapped him on the back with a long knitting-needle.--"And you, Mademoiselle Cleopatre!--attention!" she continued, tapping the ancient fowl on the beak.

Astaroth

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

From this reading "Astaroth! here, my son!" she said, and the creature looked up intelligently at her as she rapped him on the back with a long knitting-needle.--"And you, Mademoiselle Cleopatre!--attention!" she continued, tapping the ancient fowl on the beak.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading "Astaroth! here, my son!" she said, and the creature looked up intelligently at her as she rapped him on the back with a long knitting-needle.--"And you, Mademoiselle Cleopatre!--attention!" she continued, tapping the ancient fowl on the beak.

attention

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

From this reading "Astaroth! here, my son!" she said, and the creature looked up intelligently at her as she rapped him on the back with a long knitting-needle.--"And you, Mademoiselle Cleopatre!--attention!" she continued, tapping the ancient fowl on the beak.

back

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

From this reading "Astaroth! here, my son!" she said, and the creature looked up intelligently at her as she rapped him on the back with a long knitting-needle.--"And you, Mademoiselle Cleopatre!--attention!" she continued, tapping the ancient fowl on the beak.

beak

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

From this reading "Astaroth! here, my son!" she said, and the creature looked up intelligently at her as she rapped him on the back with a long knitting-needle.--"And you, Mademoiselle Cleopatre!--attention!" she continued, tapping the ancient fowl on the beak.

begannounUS /began/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Then Mme. Fontaine began to think; for several seconds she did not move; she looked like a corpse, her eyes rolled in their sockets and grew white; then she rose stiff and erect, and a cavernous voice cried:

besideprepositionUS /bɪˈsaɪd/

next to; at the side of

From this reading A huge toad sat dozing there beside a cage inhabited by a black disheveled-looking fowl.

black

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

From this reading A huge toad sat dozing there beside a cage inhabited by a black disheveled-looking fowl.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading She rose from her filthy old chair by the fireside, and went to a table covered with a green cloth so worn that you could count the threads.

cage

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

From this reading A huge toad sat dozing there beside a cage inhabited by a black disheveled-looking fowl.

cavernous

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

From this reading Then Mme. Fontaine began to think; for several seconds she did not move; she looked like a corpse, her eyes rolled in their sockets and grew white; then she rose stiff and erect, and a cavernous voice cried:

chair

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

From this reading She rose from her filthy old chair by the fireside, and went to a table covered with a green cloth so worn that you could count the threads.

Cleopatre

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

From this reading "Astaroth! here, my son!" she said, and the creature looked up intelligently at her as she rapped him on the back with a long knitting-needle.--"And you, Mademoiselle Cleopatre!--attention!" she continued, tapping the ancient fowl on the beak.

cloth

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

From this reading She rose from her filthy old chair by the fireside, and went to a table covered with a green cloth so worn that you could count the threads.

continuednounUS /ˈcontinued/

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

From this reading "Astaroth! here, my son!" she said, and the creature looked up intelligently at her as she rapped him on the back with a long knitting-needle.--"And you, Mademoiselle Cleopatre!--attention!" she continued, tapping the ancient fowl on the beak.

corpse

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

From this reading Then Mme. Fontaine began to think; for several seconds she did not move; she looked like a corpse, her eyes rolled in their sockets and grew white; then she rose stiff and erect, and a cavernous voice cried:

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading She rose from her filthy old chair by the fireside, and went to a table covered with a green cloth so worn that you could count the threads.

count

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

From this reading She rose from her filthy old chair by the fireside, and went to a table covered with a green cloth so worn that you could count the threads.

covered

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

From this reading She rose from her filthy old chair by the fireside, and went to a table covered with a green cloth so worn that you could count the threads.

creaturenounUS /ˈcreature/

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

From this reading "Astaroth! here, my son!" she said, and the creature looked up intelligently at her as she rapped him on the back with a long knitting-needle.--"And you, Mademoiselle Cleopatre!--attention!" she continued, tapping the ancient fowl on the beak.

criednounUS /cried/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Then Mme. Fontaine began to think; for several seconds she did not move; she looked like a corpse, her eyes rolled in their sockets and grew white; then she rose stiff and erect, and a cavernous voice cried:

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading Then Mme. Fontaine began to think; for several seconds she did not move; she looked like a corpse, her eyes rolled in their sockets and grew white; then she rose stiff and erect, and a cavernous voice cried:

disheveled-looking

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

From this reading A huge toad sat dozing there beside a cage inhabited by a black disheveled-looking fowl.

dozing

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

From this reading A huge toad sat dozing there beside a cage inhabited by a black disheveled-looking fowl.

erect

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

From this reading Then Mme. Fontaine began to think; for several seconds she did not move; she looked like a corpse, her eyes rolled in their sockets and grew white; then she rose stiff and erect, and a cavernous voice cried:

eyes

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

From this reading Then Mme. Fontaine began to think; for several seconds she did not move; she looked like a corpse, her eyes rolled in their sockets and grew white; then she rose stiff and erect, and a cavernous voice cried:

filthy

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

From this reading She rose from her filthy old chair by the fireside, and went to a table covered with a green cloth so worn that you could count the threads.

fireside

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

From this reading She rose from her filthy old chair by the fireside, and went to a table covered with a green cloth so worn that you could count the threads.

Fontaine

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

From this reading Then Mme. Fontaine began to think; for several seconds she did not move; she looked like a corpse, her eyes rolled in their sockets and grew white; then she rose stiff and erect, and a cavernous voice cried:

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Then Mme. Fontaine began to think; for several seconds she did not move; she looked like a corpse, her eyes rolled in their sockets and grew white; then she rose stiff and erect, and a cavernous voice cried:

fowl

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

From this reading A huge toad sat dozing there beside a cage inhabited by a black disheveled-looking fowl.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading She rose from her filthy old chair by the fireside, and went to a table covered with a green cloth so worn that you could count the threads.

green

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

From this reading She rose from her filthy old chair by the fireside, and went to a table covered with a green cloth so worn that you could count the threads.

grew

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

From this reading Then Mme. Fontaine began to think; for several seconds she did not move; she looked like a corpse, her eyes rolled in their sockets and grew white; then she rose stiff and erect, and a cavernous voice cried:

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading She rose from her filthy old chair by the fireside, and went to a table covered with a green cloth so worn that you could count the threads.

herenounUS /here/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading "Astaroth! here, my son!" she said, and the creature looked up intelligently at her as she rapped him on the back with a long knitting-needle.--"And you, Mademoiselle Cleopatre!--attention!" she continued, tapping the ancient fowl on the beak.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading "Astaroth! here, my son!" she said, and the creature looked up intelligently at her as she rapped him on the back with a long knitting-needle.--"And you, Mademoiselle Cleopatre!--attention!" she continued, tapping the ancient fowl on the beak.

huge

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

From this reading A huge toad sat dozing there beside a cage inhabited by a black disheveled-looking fowl.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading "Here I am!"

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Then Mme. Fontaine began to think; for several seconds she did not move; she looked like a corpse, her eyes rolled in their sockets and grew white; then she rose stiff and erect, and a cavernous voice cried:

inhabited

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

From this reading A huge toad sat dozing there beside a cage inhabited by a black disheveled-looking fowl.

intelligently

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

From this reading "Astaroth! here, my son!" she said, and the creature looked up intelligently at her as she rapped him on the back with a long knitting-needle.--"And you, Mademoiselle Cleopatre!--attention!" she continued, tapping the ancient fowl on the beak.

knitting-needle

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

From this reading "Astaroth! here, my son!" she said, and the creature looked up intelligently at her as she rapped him on the back with a long knitting-needle.--"And you, Mademoiselle Cleopatre!--attention!" she continued, tapping the ancient fowl on the beak.

like

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

From this reading Then Mme. Fontaine began to think; for several seconds she did not move; she looked like a corpse, her eyes rolled in their sockets and grew white; then she rose stiff and erect, and a cavernous voice cried:

longnounUS /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading "Astaroth! here, my son!" she said, and the creature looked up intelligently at her as she rapped him on the back with a long knitting-needle.--"And you, Mademoiselle Cleopatre!--attention!" she continued, tapping the ancient fowl on the beak.

lookednounUS /looked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading "Astaroth! here, my son!" she said, and the creature looked up intelligently at her as she rapped him on the back with a long knitting-needle.--"And you, Mademoiselle Cleopatre!--attention!" she continued, tapping the ancient fowl on the beak.

Mademoiselle

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

From this reading "Astaroth! here, my son!" she said, and the creature looked up intelligently at her as she rapped him on the back with a long knitting-needle.--"And you, Mademoiselle Cleopatre!--attention!" she continued, tapping the ancient fowl on the beak.

Mme

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

From this reading Then Mme. Fontaine began to think; for several seconds she did not move; she looked like a corpse, her eyes rolled in their sockets and grew white; then she rose stiff and erect, and a cavernous voice cried:

move

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

From this reading Then Mme. Fontaine began to think; for several seconds she did not move; she looked like a corpse, her eyes rolled in their sockets and grew white; then she rose stiff and erect, and a cavernous voice cried:

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading "Astaroth! here, my son!" she said, and the creature looked up intelligently at her as she rapped him on the back with a long knitting-needle.--"And you, Mademoiselle Cleopatre!--attention!" she continued, tapping the ancient fowl on the beak.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Then Mme. Fontaine began to think; for several seconds she did not move; she looked like a corpse, her eyes rolled in their sockets and grew white; then she rose stiff and erect, and a cavernous voice cried:

old

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

From this reading She rose from her filthy old chair by the fireside, and went to a table covered with a green cloth so worn that you could count the threads.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading "Astaroth! here, my son!" she said, and the creature looked up intelligently at her as she rapped him on the back with a long knitting-needle.--"And you, Mademoiselle Cleopatre!--attention!" she continued, tapping the ancient fowl on the beak.

rapped

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

From this reading "Astaroth! here, my son!" she said, and the creature looked up intelligently at her as she rapped him on the back with a long knitting-needle.--"And you, Mademoiselle Cleopatre!--attention!" she continued, tapping the ancient fowl on the beak.

rolled

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

From this reading Then Mme. Fontaine began to think; for several seconds she did not move; she looked like a corpse, her eyes rolled in their sockets and grew white; then she rose stiff and erect, and a cavernous voice cried:

rose

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

From this reading She rose from her filthy old chair by the fireside, and went to a table covered with a green cloth so worn that you could count the threads.

said

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

From this reading "Astaroth! here, my son!" she said, and the creature looked up intelligently at her as she rapped him on the back with a long knitting-needle.--"And you, Mademoiselle Cleopatre!--attention!" she continued, tapping the ancient fowl on the beak.

sat

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

From this reading A huge toad sat dozing there beside a cage inhabited by a black disheveled-looking fowl.

seconds

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

From this reading Then Mme. Fontaine began to think; for several seconds she did not move; she looked like a corpse, her eyes rolled in their sockets and grew white; then she rose stiff and erect, and a cavernous voice cried:

several

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

From this reading Then Mme. Fontaine began to think; for several seconds she did not move; she looked like a corpse, her eyes rolled in their sockets and grew white; then she rose stiff and erect, and a cavernous voice cried:

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading She rose from her filthy old chair by the fireside, and went to a table covered with a green cloth so worn that you could count the threads.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading She rose from her filthy old chair by the fireside, and went to a table covered with a green cloth so worn that you could count the threads.

sockets

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

From this reading Then Mme. Fontaine began to think; for several seconds she did not move; she looked like a corpse, her eyes rolled in their sockets and grew white; then she rose stiff and erect, and a cavernous voice cried:

son

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

From this reading "Astaroth! here, my son!" she said, and the creature looked up intelligently at her as she rapped him on the back with a long knitting-needle.--"And you, Mademoiselle Cleopatre!--attention!" she continued, tapping the ancient fowl on the beak.

stiff

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

From this reading Then Mme. Fontaine began to think; for several seconds she did not move; she looked like a corpse, her eyes rolled in their sockets and grew white; then she rose stiff and erect, and a cavernous voice cried:

table

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

From this reading She rose from her filthy old chair by the fireside, and went to a table covered with a green cloth so worn that you could count the threads.

tapping

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

From this reading "Astaroth! here, my son!" she said, and the creature looked up intelligently at her as she rapped him on the back with a long knitting-needle.--"And you, Mademoiselle Cleopatre!--attention!" she continued, tapping the ancient fowl on the beak.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading She rose from her filthy old chair by the fireside, and went to a table covered with a green cloth so worn that you could count the threads.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading She rose from her filthy old chair by the fireside, and went to a table covered with a green cloth so worn that you could count the threads.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Then Mme. Fontaine began to think; for several seconds she did not move; she looked like a corpse, her eyes rolled in their sockets and grew white; then she rose stiff and erect, and a cavernous voice cried:

Then

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

From this reading Then Mme. Fontaine began to think; for several seconds she did not move; she looked like a corpse, her eyes rolled in their sockets and grew white; then she rose stiff and erect, and a cavernous voice cried:

there

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

From this reading A huge toad sat dozing there beside a cage inhabited by a black disheveled-looking fowl.

thinknounUS /think/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Then Mme. Fontaine began to think; for several seconds she did not move; she looked like a corpse, her eyes rolled in their sockets and grew white; then she rose stiff and erect, and a cavernous voice cried:

threads

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

From this reading She rose from her filthy old chair by the fireside, and went to a table covered with a green cloth so worn that you could count the threads.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading She rose from her filthy old chair by the fireside, and went to a table covered with a green cloth so worn that you could count the threads.

toad

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

From this reading A huge toad sat dozing there beside a cage inhabited by a black disheveled-looking fowl.

up

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

From this reading "Astaroth! here, my son!" she said, and the creature looked up intelligently at her as she rapped him on the back with a long knitting-needle.--"And you, Mademoiselle Cleopatre!--attention!" she continued, tapping the ancient fowl on the beak.

voice

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

From this reading Then Mme. Fontaine began to think; for several seconds she did not move; she looked like a corpse, her eyes rolled in their sockets and grew white; then she rose stiff and erect, and a cavernous voice cried:

wentnounUS /went/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She rose from her filthy old chair by the fireside, and went to a table covered with a green cloth so worn that you could count the threads.

white

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

From this reading Then Mme. Fontaine began to think; for several seconds she did not move; she looked like a corpse, her eyes rolled in their sockets and grew white; then she rose stiff and erect, and a cavernous voice cried:

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading She rose from her filthy old chair by the fireside, and went to a table covered with a green cloth so worn that you could count the threads.

wornverbUS /wɔːrn/

Damaged or thinned by continuous use.

From this reading She rose from her filthy old chair by the fireside, and went to a table covered with a green cloth so worn that you could count the threads.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading She rose from her filthy old chair by the fireside, and went to a table covered with a green cloth so worn that you could count the threads.