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The Chevalier's daughter
The Chevalier's daughter

Chapter VIII

Cover illustration for The Chevalier's daughter
Context Illustration Reading 1/81 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
FLIGHT.
THE next day my father took Andrew and myself once more into the vault—this time by the secret passage which led from the pastor's room in the tower.
We had a lantern with us, which we lighted as soon as we had shut ourselves in, for the lower passage and the staircase were quite dark.
"I made a discovery in this place some years since, which I think may be of great service to us, if worse comes to worst," said my father.
"There used to be a legend to the effect that a great cavern existed under this vault which had an outlet to the sea-shore, and to which there was formerly an entrance from this place.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Chevalier's daughter

Chapter VIII

Reading 1/81 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
FLIGHT.
Line 2
THE next day my father took Andrew and myself once more into the vault—this time by the secret passage which led from the pastor's room in the tower.
Line 3
We had a lantern with us, which we lighted as soon as we had shut ourselves in, for the lower passage and the staircase were quite dark.
Line 4
"I made a discovery in this place some years since, which I think may be of great service to us, if worse comes to worst," said my father.
Line 5
"There used to be a legend to the effect that a great cavern existed under this vault which had an outlet to the sea-shore, and to which there was formerly an entrance from this place.

Learner Dictionary

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

Cavern noun US /ˈkæv.ərn/

A large, vast underground cave, often filled with forgotten ancient treasures.

From this reading “"There used to be a legend to the effect that a great cavern existed under this vault which had an outlet to the sea-shore, and to which there was formerly an entrance from this place.”

Great noun US /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “"I made a discovery in this place some years since, which I think may be of great service to us, if worse comes to worst," said my father.”

May modal verb US /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading “"I made a discovery in this place some years since, which I think may be of great service to us, if worse comes to worst," said my father.”

Myself pronoun US /ˌmaɪˈself/

used when the speaker is also the object of the action

From this reading “THE next day my father took Andrew and myself once more into the vault—this time by the secret passage which led from the pastor's room in the tower.”

Next noun US /next/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “THE next day my father took Andrew and myself once more into the vault—this time by the secret passage which led from the pastor's room in the tower.”

Once noun US /once/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “THE next day my father took Andrew and myself once more into the vault—this time by the secret passage which led from the pastor's room in the tower.”

Ourselves pronoun US /aʊərˈselvz/

used when we are both doing the action and receiving it

From this reading “We had a lantern with us, which we lighted as soon as we had shut ourselves in, for the lower passage and the staircase were quite dark.”

Passage noun US /ˈpassage/

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

From this reading “THE next day my father took Andrew and myself once more into the vault—this time by the secret passage which led from the pastor's room in the tower.”

Quite noun US /quite/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “We had a lantern with us, which we lighted as soon as we had shut ourselves in, for the lower passage and the staircase were quite dark.”

Secret noun US /ˈsiː.krət/

Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.

From this reading “THE next day my father took Andrew and myself once more into the vault—this time by the secret passage which led from the pastor's room in the tower.”

Since preposition US /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading “"I made a discovery in this place some years since, which I think may be of great service to us, if worse comes to worst," said my father.”

Soon noun US /soon/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “We had a lantern with us, which we lighted as soon as we had shut ourselves in, for the lower passage and the staircase were quite dark.”

Think noun US /think/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “"I made a discovery in this place some years since, which I think may be of great service to us, if worse comes to worst," said my father.”

Time noun US /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “THE next day my father took Andrew and myself once more into the vault—this time by the secret passage which led from the pastor's room in the tower.”

Took noun US /took/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “THE next day my father took Andrew and myself once more into the vault—this time by the secret passage which led from the pastor's room in the tower.”

Under preposition US /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading “"There used to be a legend to the effect that a great cavern existed under this vault which had an outlet to the sea-shore, and to which there was formerly an entrance from this place.”

Vault noun US /vɔːlt/

a stone room, often below a church, used for burial

From this reading “THE next day my father took Andrew and myself once more into the vault—this time by the secret passage which led from the pastor's room in the tower.”

All words in this reading · 76

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 We had a lantern with us, which we lighted as soon as we had shut ourselves in, for the lower passage and the staircase were quite dark.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading "There used to be a legend to the effect that a great cavern existed under this vault which had an outlet to the sea-shore, and to which there was formerly an entrance from this place.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading THE next day my father took Andrew and myself once more into the vault—this time by the secret passage which led from the pastor's room in the tower.

Andrew

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

From this reading THE next day my father took Andrew and myself once more into the vault—this time by the secret passage which led from the pastor's room in the tower.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading We had a lantern with us, which we lighted as soon as we had shut ourselves in, for the lower passage and the staircase were quite dark.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading "I made a discovery in this place some years since, which I think may be of great service to us, if worse comes to worst," said my father.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading THE next day my father took Andrew and myself once more into the vault—this time by the secret passage which led from the pastor's room in the tower.

cavernnounUS /ˈkæv.ərn/

A large, vast underground cave, often filled with forgotten ancient treasures.

From this reading "There used to be a legend to the effect that a great cavern existed under this vault which had an outlet to the sea-shore, and to which there was formerly an entrance from this place.

comes

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

From this reading "I made a discovery in this place some years since, which I think may be of great service to us, if worse comes to worst," said my father.

dark

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

From this reading We had a lantern with us, which we lighted as soon as we had shut ourselves in, for the lower passage and the staircase were quite dark.

day

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

From this reading THE next day my father took Andrew and myself once more into the vault—this time by the secret passage which led from the pastor's room in the tower.

discovery

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

From this reading "I made a discovery in this place some years since, which I think may be of great service to us, if worse comes to worst," said my father.

effect

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

From this reading "There used to be a legend to the effect that a great cavern existed under this vault which had an outlet to the sea-shore, and to which there was formerly an entrance from this place.

entrance

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

From this reading "There used to be a legend to the effect that a great cavern existed under this vault which had an outlet to the sea-shore, and to which there was formerly an entrance from this place.

existed

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

From this reading "There used to be a legend to the effect that a great cavern existed under this vault which had an outlet to the sea-shore, and to which there was formerly an entrance from this place.

father

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

From this reading THE next day my father took Andrew and myself once more into the vault—this time by the secret passage which led from the pastor's room in the tower.

FLIGHT

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

From this reading FLIGHT.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading We had a lantern with us, which we lighted as soon as we had shut ourselves in, for the lower passage and the staircase were quite dark.

formerly

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

From this reading "There used to be a legend to the effect that a great cavern existed under this vault which had an outlet to the sea-shore, and to which there was formerly an entrance from this place.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading THE next day my father took Andrew and myself once more into the vault—this time by the secret passage which led from the pastor's room in the tower.

greatnounUS /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading "I made a discovery in this place some years since, which I think may be of great service to us, if worse comes to worst," said my father.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading We had a lantern with us, which we lighted as soon as we had shut ourselves in, for the lower passage and the staircase were quite dark.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading "I made a discovery in this place some years since, which I think may be of great service to us, if worse comes to worst," said my father.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading "I made a discovery in this place some years since, which I think may be of great service to us, if worse comes to worst," said my father.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading THE next day my father took Andrew and myself once more into the vault—this time by the secret passage which led from the pastor's room in the tower.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading THE next day my father took Andrew and myself once more into the vault—this time by the secret passage which led from the pastor's room in the tower.

lantern

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

From this reading We had a lantern with us, which we lighted as soon as we had shut ourselves in, for the lower passage and the staircase were quite dark.

led

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

From this reading THE next day my father took Andrew and myself once more into the vault—this time by the secret passage which led from the pastor's room in the tower.

legend

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

From this reading "There used to be a legend to the effect that a great cavern existed under this vault which had an outlet to the sea-shore, and to which there was formerly an entrance from this place.

lighted

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

From this reading We had a lantern with us, which we lighted as soon as we had shut ourselves in, for the lower passage and the staircase were quite dark.

lower

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

From this reading We had a lantern with us, which we lighted as soon as we had shut ourselves in, for the lower passage and the staircase were quite dark.

made

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

From this reading "I made a discovery in this place some years since, which I think may be of great service to us, if worse comes to worst," said my father.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading "I made a discovery in this place some years since, which I think may be of great service to us, if worse comes to worst," said my father.

more

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

From this reading THE next day my father took Andrew and myself once more into the vault—this time by the secret passage which led from the pastor's room in the tower.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading THE next day my father took Andrew and myself once more into the vault—this time by the secret passage which led from the pastor's room in the tower.

myselfpronounUS /ˌmaɪˈself/

used when the speaker is also the object of the action

From this reading THE next day my father took Andrew and myself once more into the vault—this time by the secret passage which led from the pastor's room in the tower.

nextnounUS /next/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading THE next day my father took Andrew and myself once more into the vault—this time by the secret passage which led from the pastor's room in the tower.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading "I made a discovery in this place some years since, which I think may be of great service to us, if worse comes to worst," said my father.

once

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

From this reading THE next day my father took Andrew and myself once more into the vault—this time by the secret passage which led from the pastor's room in the tower.

ourselvespronounUS /aʊərˈselvz/

used when we are both doing the action and receiving it

From this reading We had a lantern with us, which we lighted as soon as we had shut ourselves in, for the lower passage and the staircase were quite dark.

outlet

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

From this reading "There used to be a legend to the effect that a great cavern existed under this vault which had an outlet to the sea-shore, and to which there was formerly an entrance from this place.

passagenounUS /ˈpassage/

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

From this reading THE next day my father took Andrew and myself once more into the vault—this time by the secret passage which led from the pastor's room in the tower.

pastor's

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

From this reading THE next day my father took Andrew and myself once more into the vault—this time by the secret passage which led from the pastor's room in the tower.

place

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

From this reading "I made a discovery in this place some years since, which I think may be of great service to us, if worse comes to worst," said my father.

quitenounUS /quite/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading We had a lantern with us, which we lighted as soon as we had shut ourselves in, for the lower passage and the staircase were quite dark.

room

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

From this reading THE next day my father took Andrew and myself once more into the vault—this time by the secret passage which led from the pastor's room in the tower.

said

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

From this reading "I made a discovery in this place some years since, which I think may be of great service to us, if worse comes to worst," said my father.

sea-shore

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

From this reading "There used to be a legend to the effect that a great cavern existed under this vault which had an outlet to the sea-shore, and to which there was formerly an entrance from this place.

secretnounUS /ˈsiː.krət/

Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.

From this reading THE next day my father took Andrew and myself once more into the vault—this time by the secret passage which led from the pastor's room in the tower.

service

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

From this reading "I made a discovery in this place some years since, which I think may be of great service to us, if worse comes to worst," said my father.

shut

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

From this reading We had a lantern with us, which we lighted as soon as we had shut ourselves in, for the lower passage and the staircase were quite dark.

sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading "I made a discovery in this place some years since, which I think may be of great service to us, if worse comes to worst," said my father.

some

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

From this reading "I made a discovery in this place some years since, which I think may be of great service to us, if worse comes to worst," said my father.

soon

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

From this reading We had a lantern with us, which we lighted as soon as we had shut ourselves in, for the lower passage and the staircase were quite dark.

staircase

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

From this reading We had a lantern with us, which we lighted as soon as we had shut ourselves in, for the lower passage and the staircase were quite dark.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading "There used to be a legend to the effect that a great cavern existed under this vault which had an outlet to the sea-shore, and to which there was formerly an entrance from this place.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE next day my father took Andrew and myself once more into the vault—this time by the secret passage which led from the pastor's room in the tower.

There

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

From this reading "There used to be a legend to the effect that a great cavern existed under this vault which had an outlet to the sea-shore, and to which there was formerly an entrance from this place.

thinknounUS /think/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading "I made a discovery in this place some years since, which I think may be of great service to us, if worse comes to worst," said my father.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading THE next day my father took Andrew and myself once more into the vault—this time by the secret passage which led from the pastor's room in the tower.

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading THE next day my father took Andrew and myself once more into the vault—this time by the secret passage which led from the pastor's room in the tower.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading "I made a discovery in this place some years since, which I think may be of great service to us, if worse comes to worst," said my father.

tooknounUS /took/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading THE next day my father took Andrew and myself once more into the vault—this time by the secret passage which led from the pastor's room in the tower.

tower

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

From this reading THE next day my father took Andrew and myself once more into the vault—this time by the secret passage which led from the pastor's room in the tower.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading "There used to be a legend to the effect that a great cavern existed under this vault which had an outlet to the sea-shore, and to which there was formerly an entrance from this place.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading We had a lantern with us, which we lighted as soon as we had shut ourselves in, for the lower passage and the staircase were quite dark.

used

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

From this reading "There used to be a legend to the effect that a great cavern existed under this vault which had an outlet to the sea-shore, and to which there was formerly an entrance from this place.

vaultnounUS /vɔːlt/

a stone room, often below a church, used for burial

From this reading THE next day my father took Andrew and myself once more into the vault—this time by the secret passage which led from the pastor's room in the tower.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading "There used to be a legend to the effect that a great cavern existed under this vault which had an outlet to the sea-shore, and to which there was formerly an entrance from this place.

WepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading We had a lantern with us, which we lighted as soon as we had shut ourselves in, for the lower passage and the staircase were quite dark.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading We had a lantern with us, which we lighted as soon as we had shut ourselves in, for the lower passage and the staircase were quite dark.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading THE next day my father took Andrew and myself once more into the vault—this time by the secret passage which led from the pastor's room in the tower.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading We had a lantern with us, which we lighted as soon as we had shut ourselves in, for the lower passage and the staircase were quite dark.

worse

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

From this reading "I made a discovery in this place some years since, which I think may be of great service to us, if worse comes to worst," said my father.

worst

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

From this reading "I made a discovery in this place some years since, which I think may be of great service to us, if worse comes to worst," said my father.

years

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

From this reading "I made a discovery in this place some years since, which I think may be of great service to us, if worse comes to worst," said my father.