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The Ball at Sceaux
The Ball at Sceaux

Chapter I

Cover illustration for The Ball at Sceaux
Context Illustration Reading 1/31 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
To Henri de Balzac, his brother Honore.
The Comte de Fontaine, head of one of the oldest families in Poitou, had served the Bourbon cause with intelligence and bravery during the war in La Vendee against the Republic.
After having escaped all the dangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormy period of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, “I am one of the men who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne.”
And the pleasantry had some truth in it, as spoken by a man left for dead at the bloody battle of Les Quatre Chemins.
Though ruined by confiscation, the staunch Vendeen steadily refused the lucrative posts offered to him by the Emperor Napoleon.
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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.

The Ball at Sceaux

Chapter I

Reading 1/31 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
To Henri de Balzac, his brother Honore.
Line 2
The Comte de Fontaine, head of one of the oldest families in Poitou, had served the Bourbon cause with intelligence and bravery during the war in La Vendee against the Republic.
Line 3
After having escaped all the dangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormy period of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, “I am one of the men who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne.”
Line 4
And the pleasantry had some truth in it, as spoken by a man left for dead at the bloody battle of Les Quatre Chemins.
Line 5
Though ruined by confiscation, the staunch Vendeen steadily refused the lucrative posts offered to him by the Emperor Napoleon.

Learner Dictionary

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

After preposition US /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading “After having escaped all the dangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormy period of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, “I am one of the men who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne.””

Against preposition US /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading “The Comte de Fontaine, head of one of the oldest families in Poitou, had served the Bourbon cause with intelligence and bravery during the war in La Vendee against the Republic.”

Dead noun US /dead/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “And the pleasantry had some truth in it, as spoken by a man left for dead at the bloody battle of Les Quatre Chemins.”

During preposition US /ˈdʊrɪŋ/

all through a period, or at some point within it

From this reading “The Comte de Fontaine, head of one of the oldest families in Poitou, had served the Bourbon cause with intelligence and bravery during the war in La Vendee against the Republic.”

Having auxiliary verb US /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading “After having escaped all the dangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormy period of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, “I am one of the men who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne.””

Left noun US /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “And the pleasantry had some truth in it, as spoken by a man left for dead at the bloody battle of Les Quatre Chemins.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “The Comte de Fontaine, head of one of the oldest families in Poitou, had served the Bourbon cause with intelligence and bravery during the war in La Vendee against the Republic.”

Themselves pronoun US /ðemˈselvz/

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading “After having escaped all the dangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormy period of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, “I am one of the men who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne.””

Though conjunction US /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading “Though ruined by confiscation, the staunch Vendeen steadily refused the lucrative posts offered to him by the Emperor Napoleon.”

All words in this reading · 92

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 And the pleasantry had some truth in it, as spoken by a man left for dead at the bloody battle of Les Quatre Chemins.

AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading After having escaped all the dangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormy period of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, “I am one of the men who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne.”

againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading The Comte de Fontaine, head of one of the oldest families in Poitou, had served the Bourbon cause with intelligence and bravery during the war in La Vendee against the Republic.

all

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

From this reading After having escaped all the dangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormy period of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, “I am one of the men who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne.”

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading After having escaped all the dangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormy period of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, “I am one of the men who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne.”

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The Comte de Fontaine, head of one of the oldest families in Poitou, had served the Bourbon cause with intelligence and bravery during the war in La Vendee against the Republic.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading And the pleasantry had some truth in it, as spoken by a man left for dead at the bloody battle of Les Quatre Chemins.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading And the pleasantry had some truth in it, as spoken by a man left for dead at the bloody battle of Les Quatre Chemins.

Balzac

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

From this reading To Henri de Balzac, his brother Honore.

battle

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

From this reading And the pleasantry had some truth in it, as spoken by a man left for dead at the bloody battle of Les Quatre Chemins.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading After having escaped all the dangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormy period of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, “I am one of the men who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne.”

bloody

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

From this reading And the pleasantry had some truth in it, as spoken by a man left for dead at the bloody battle of Les Quatre Chemins.

Bourbon

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

From this reading The Comte de Fontaine, head of one of the oldest families in Poitou, had served the Bourbon cause with intelligence and bravery during the war in La Vendee against the Republic.

bravery

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

From this reading The Comte de Fontaine, head of one of the oldest families in Poitou, had served the Bourbon cause with intelligence and bravery during the war in La Vendee against the Republic.

brother

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

From this reading To Henri de Balzac, his brother Honore.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading And the pleasantry had some truth in it, as spoken by a man left for dead at the bloody battle of Les Quatre Chemins.

cause

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

From this reading The Comte de Fontaine, head of one of the oldest families in Poitou, had served the Bourbon cause with intelligence and bravery during the war in La Vendee against the Republic.

Chemins

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

From this reading And the pleasantry had some truth in it, as spoken by a man left for dead at the bloody battle of Les Quatre Chemins.

Comte

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

From this reading The Comte de Fontaine, head of one of the oldest families in Poitou, had served the Bourbon cause with intelligence and bravery during the war in La Vendee against the Republic.

confiscation

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

From this reading Though ruined by confiscation, the staunch Vendeen steadily refused the lucrative posts offered to him by the Emperor Napoleon.

dangers

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

From this reading After having escaped all the dangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormy period of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, “I am one of the men who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne.”

de

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

From this reading To Henri de Balzac, his brother Honore.

deadnounUS /dead/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading And the pleasantry had some truth in it, as spoken by a man left for dead at the bloody battle of Les Quatre Chemins.

duringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/

all through a period, or at some point within it

From this reading The Comte de Fontaine, head of one of the oldest families in Poitou, had served the Bourbon cause with intelligence and bravery during the war in La Vendee against the Republic.

Emperor

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

From this reading Though ruined by confiscation, the staunch Vendeen steadily refused the lucrative posts offered to him by the Emperor Napoleon.

escaped

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

From this reading After having escaped all the dangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormy period of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, “I am one of the men who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne.”

families

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

From this reading The Comte de Fontaine, head of one of the oldest families in Poitou, had served the Bourbon cause with intelligence and bravery during the war in La Vendee against the Republic.

Fontaine

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

From this reading The Comte de Fontaine, head of one of the oldest families in Poitou, had served the Bourbon cause with intelligence and bravery during the war in La Vendee against the Republic.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading And the pleasantry had some truth in it, as spoken by a man left for dead at the bloody battle of Les Quatre Chemins.

gave

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

From this reading After having escaped all the dangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormy period of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, “I am one of the men who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne.”

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading The Comte de Fontaine, head of one of the oldest families in Poitou, had served the Bourbon cause with intelligence and bravery during the war in La Vendee against the Republic.

havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading After having escaped all the dangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormy period of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, “I am one of the men who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne.”

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading After having escaped all the dangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormy period of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, “I am one of the men who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne.”

head

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

From this reading The Comte de Fontaine, head of one of the oldest families in Poitou, had served the Bourbon cause with intelligence and bravery during the war in La Vendee against the Republic.

Henri

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

From this reading To Henri de Balzac, his brother Honore.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading Though ruined by confiscation, the staunch Vendeen steadily refused the lucrative posts offered to him by the Emperor Napoleon.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading To Henri de Balzac, his brother Honore.

history

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

From this reading After having escaped all the dangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormy period of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, “I am one of the men who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne.”

Honore

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

From this reading To Henri de Balzac, his brother Honore.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading After having escaped all the dangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormy period of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, “I am one of the men who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne.”

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The Comte de Fontaine, head of one of the oldest families in Poitou, had served the Bourbon cause with intelligence and bravery during the war in La Vendee against the Republic.

intelligence

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

From this reading The Comte de Fontaine, head of one of the oldest families in Poitou, had served the Bourbon cause with intelligence and bravery during the war in La Vendee against the Republic.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading And the pleasantry had some truth in it, as spoken by a man left for dead at the bloody battle of Les Quatre Chemins.

jest

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

From this reading After having escaped all the dangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormy period of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, “I am one of the men who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne.”

killed

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

From this reading After having escaped all the dangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormy period of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, “I am one of the men who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne.”

La

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

From this reading The Comte de Fontaine, head of one of the oldest families in Poitou, had served the Bourbon cause with intelligence and bravery during the war in La Vendee against the Republic.

leaders

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

From this reading After having escaped all the dangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormy period of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, “I am one of the men who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne.”

leftnounUS /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading And the pleasantry had some truth in it, as spoken by a man left for dead at the bloody battle of Les Quatre Chemins.

Les

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

From this reading And the pleasantry had some truth in it, as spoken by a man left for dead at the bloody battle of Les Quatre Chemins.

lucrative

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

From this reading Though ruined by confiscation, the staunch Vendeen steadily refused the lucrative posts offered to him by the Emperor Napoleon.

man

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

From this reading And the pleasantry had some truth in it, as spoken by a man left for dead at the bloody battle of Les Quatre Chemins.

men

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

From this reading After having escaped all the dangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormy period of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, “I am one of the men who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne.”

modern

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

From this reading After having escaped all the dangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormy period of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, “I am one of the men who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne.”

Napoleon

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

From this reading Though ruined by confiscation, the staunch Vendeen steadily refused the lucrative posts offered to him by the Emperor Napoleon.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The Comte de Fontaine, head of one of the oldest families in Poitou, had served the Bourbon cause with intelligence and bravery during the war in La Vendee against the Republic.

offered

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

From this reading Though ruined by confiscation, the staunch Vendeen steadily refused the lucrative posts offered to him by the Emperor Napoleon.

oldest

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

From this reading The Comte de Fontaine, head of one of the oldest families in Poitou, had served the Bourbon cause with intelligence and bravery during the war in La Vendee against the Republic.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading After having escaped all the dangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormy period of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, “I am one of the men who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne.”

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading The Comte de Fontaine, head of one of the oldest families in Poitou, had served the Bourbon cause with intelligence and bravery during the war in La Vendee against the Republic.

period

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

From this reading After having escaped all the dangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormy period of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, “I am one of the men who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne.”

pleasantry

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

From this reading And the pleasantry had some truth in it, as spoken by a man left for dead at the bloody battle of Les Quatre Chemins.

Poitou

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

From this reading The Comte de Fontaine, head of one of the oldest families in Poitou, had served the Bourbon cause with intelligence and bravery during the war in La Vendee against the Republic.

posts

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

From this reading Though ruined by confiscation, the staunch Vendeen steadily refused the lucrative posts offered to him by the Emperor Napoleon.

Quatre

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

From this reading And the pleasantry had some truth in it, as spoken by a man left for dead at the bloody battle of Les Quatre Chemins.

refused

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

From this reading Though ruined by confiscation, the staunch Vendeen steadily refused the lucrative posts offered to him by the Emperor Napoleon.

Republic

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

From this reading The Comte de Fontaine, head of one of the oldest families in Poitou, had served the Bourbon cause with intelligence and bravery during the war in La Vendee against the Republic.

royalist

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

From this reading After having escaped all the dangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormy period of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, “I am one of the men who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne.”

ruined

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

From this reading Though ruined by confiscation, the staunch Vendeen steadily refused the lucrative posts offered to him by the Emperor Napoleon.

say

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

From this reading After having escaped all the dangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormy period of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, “I am one of the men who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne.”

served

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

From this reading The Comte de Fontaine, head of one of the oldest families in Poitou, had served the Bourbon cause with intelligence and bravery during the war in La Vendee against the Republic.

some

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

From this reading And the pleasantry had some truth in it, as spoken by a man left for dead at the bloody battle of Les Quatre Chemins.

spoken

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

From this reading And the pleasantry had some truth in it, as spoken by a man left for dead at the bloody battle of Les Quatre Chemins.

staunch

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

From this reading Though ruined by confiscation, the staunch Vendeen steadily refused the lucrative posts offered to him by the Emperor Napoleon.

steadily

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

From this reading Though ruined by confiscation, the staunch Vendeen steadily refused the lucrative posts offered to him by the Emperor Napoleon.

steps

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

From this reading After having escaped all the dangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormy period of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, “I am one of the men who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne.”

stormy

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

From this reading After having escaped all the dangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormy period of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, “I am one of the men who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne.”

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The Comte de Fontaine, head of one of the oldest families in Poitou, had served the Bourbon cause with intelligence and bravery during the war in La Vendee against the Republic.

themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading After having escaped all the dangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormy period of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, “I am one of the men who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne.”

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading After having escaped all the dangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormy period of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, “I am one of the men who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne.”

ThoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading Though ruined by confiscation, the staunch Vendeen steadily refused the lucrative posts offered to him by the Emperor Napoleon.

threatened

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

From this reading After having escaped all the dangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormy period of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, “I am one of the men who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne.”

throne

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

From this reading After having escaped all the dangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormy period of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, “I am one of the men who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne.”

ToparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading To Henri de Balzac, his brother Honore.

truth

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

From this reading And the pleasantry had some truth in it, as spoken by a man left for dead at the bloody battle of Les Quatre Chemins.

Vendee

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

From this reading The Comte de Fontaine, head of one of the oldest families in Poitou, had served the Bourbon cause with intelligence and bravery during the war in La Vendee against the Republic.

Vendeen

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

From this reading Though ruined by confiscation, the staunch Vendeen steadily refused the lucrative posts offered to him by the Emperor Napoleon.

war

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

From this reading The Comte de Fontaine, head of one of the oldest families in Poitou, had served the Bourbon cause with intelligence and bravery during the war in La Vendee against the Republic.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading After having escaped all the dangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormy period of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, “I am one of the men who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne.”

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading After having escaped all the dangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormy period of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, “I am one of the men who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne.”

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading After having escaped all the dangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormy period of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, “I am one of the men who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne.”

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The Comte de Fontaine, head of one of the oldest families in Poitou, had served the Bourbon cause with intelligence and bravery during the war in La Vendee against the Republic.

wont

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

From this reading After having escaped all the dangers which threatened the royalist leaders during this stormy period of modern history, he was wont to say in jest, “I am one of the men who gave themselves to be killed on the steps of the throne.”