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The Stretton Street Affair
The Stretton Street Affair

Chapter III

Cover illustration for The Stretton Street Affair
Context Illustration Reading 1/84 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
As I stood in that room a thousand strange reflections flashed across my mind.
Why had I, a mere passer-by, been called in so suddenly to be taken into the intimacy of the millionaire's household?
Was it by mere accident that I had been invited in, or was it by careful design?
I had lost five thousand pounds by foolish speculation, and yet I had regained it by being party to a criminal offence.
Again, who was the pretty, dark-haired girl who had first uttered those hysterical screams, and then, while fully dressed, had died upon Mrs. De Gex's bed?
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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 Stretton Street Affair

Chapter III

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

Line 1
As I stood in that room a thousand strange reflections flashed across my mind.
Line 2
Why had I, a mere passer-by, been called in so suddenly to be taken into the intimacy of the millionaire's household?
Line 3
Was it by mere accident that I had been invited in, or was it by careful design?
Line 4
I had lost five thousand pounds by foolish speculation, and yet I had regained it by being party to a criminal offence.
Line 5
Again, who was the pretty, dark-haired girl who had first uttered those hysterical screams, and then, while fully dressed, had died upon Mrs. De Gex's bed?

Learner Dictionary

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

Across preposition US /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading “As I stood in that room a thousand strange reflections flashed across my mind.”

Again noun US /again/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Again, who was the pretty, dark-haired girl who had first uttered those hysterical screams, and then, while fully dressed, had died upon Mrs. De Gex's bed?”

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “Why had I, a mere passer-by, been called in so suddenly to be taken into the intimacy of the millionaire's household?”

Being auxiliary verb US /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading “I had lost five thousand pounds by foolish speculation, and yet I had regained it by being party to a criminal offence.”

First noun US /first/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Again, who was the pretty, dark-haired girl who had first uttered those hysterical screams, and then, while fully dressed, had died upon Mrs. De Gex's bed?”

Mind noun US /mind/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “As I stood in that room a thousand strange reflections flashed across my mind.”

Party noun US /party/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “I had lost five thousand pounds by foolish speculation, and yet I had regained it by being party to a criminal offence.”

Stood noun US /stood/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “As I stood in that room a thousand strange reflections flashed across my mind.”

Suddenly noun US /ˈsuddenly/

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

From this reading “Why had I, a mere passer-by, been called in so suddenly to be taken into the intimacy of the millionaire's household?”

Those determiner US /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading “Again, who was the pretty, dark-haired girl who had first uttered those hysterical screams, and then, while fully dressed, had died upon Mrs. De Gex's bed?”

Upon preposition US /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading “Again, who was the pretty, dark-haired girl who had first uttered those hysterical screams, and then, while fully dressed, had died upon Mrs. De Gex's bed?”

Uttered noun US /ˈuttered/

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

From this reading “Again, who was the pretty, dark-haired girl who had first uttered those hysterical screams, and then, while fully dressed, had died upon Mrs. De Gex's bed?”

While conjunction US /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading “Again, who was the pretty, dark-haired girl who had first uttered those hysterical screams, and then, while fully dressed, had died upon Mrs. De Gex's bed?”

Yet conjunction US /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading “I had lost five thousand pounds by foolish speculation, and yet I had regained it by being party to a criminal offence.”

All words in this reading · 71

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 As I stood in that room a thousand strange reflections flashed across my mind.

accident

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

From this reading Was it by mere accident that I had been invited in, or was it by careful design?

acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading As I stood in that room a thousand strange reflections flashed across my mind.

AgainnounUS /again/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Again, who was the pretty, dark-haired girl who had first uttered those hysterical screams, and then, while fully dressed, had died upon Mrs. De Gex's bed?

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading I had lost five thousand pounds by foolish speculation, and yet I had regained it by being party to a criminal offence.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading As I stood in that room a thousand strange reflections flashed across my mind.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Why had I, a mere passer-by, been called in so suddenly to be taken into the intimacy of the millionaire's household?

bed

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

From this reading Again, who was the pretty, dark-haired girl who had first uttered those hysterical screams, and then, while fully dressed, had died upon Mrs. De Gex's bed?

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Why had I, a mere passer-by, been called in so suddenly to be taken into the intimacy of the millionaire's household?

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading I had lost five thousand pounds by foolish speculation, and yet I had regained it by being party to a criminal offence.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Was it by mere accident that I had been invited in, or was it by careful design?

called

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

From this reading Why had I, a mere passer-by, been called in so suddenly to be taken into the intimacy of the millionaire's household?

careful

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

From this reading Was it by mere accident that I had been invited in, or was it by careful design?

criminal

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

From this reading I had lost five thousand pounds by foolish speculation, and yet I had regained it by being party to a criminal offence.

dark-haired

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

From this reading Again, who was the pretty, dark-haired girl who had first uttered those hysterical screams, and then, while fully dressed, had died upon Mrs. De Gex's bed?

De

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

From this reading Again, who was the pretty, dark-haired girl who had first uttered those hysterical screams, and then, while fully dressed, had died upon Mrs. De Gex's bed?

design

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

From this reading Was it by mere accident that I had been invited in, or was it by careful design?

died

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

From this reading Again, who was the pretty, dark-haired girl who had first uttered those hysterical screams, and then, while fully dressed, had died upon Mrs. De Gex's bed?

dressed

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

From this reading Again, who was the pretty, dark-haired girl who had first uttered those hysterical screams, and then, while fully dressed, had died upon Mrs. De Gex's bed?

firstnounUS /first/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Again, who was the pretty, dark-haired girl who had first uttered those hysterical screams, and then, while fully dressed, had died upon Mrs. De Gex's bed?

five

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

From this reading I had lost five thousand pounds by foolish speculation, and yet I had regained it by being party to a criminal offence.

flashed

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

From this reading As I stood in that room a thousand strange reflections flashed across my mind.

foolish

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

From this reading I had lost five thousand pounds by foolish speculation, and yet I had regained it by being party to a criminal offence.

fully

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

From this reading Again, who was the pretty, dark-haired girl who had first uttered those hysterical screams, and then, while fully dressed, had died upon Mrs. De Gex's bed?

Gex's

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

From this reading Again, who was the pretty, dark-haired girl who had first uttered those hysterical screams, and then, while fully dressed, had died upon Mrs. De Gex's bed?

girl

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

From this reading Again, who was the pretty, dark-haired girl who had first uttered those hysterical screams, and then, while fully dressed, had died upon Mrs. De Gex's bed?

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Why had I, a mere passer-by, been called in so suddenly to be taken into the intimacy of the millionaire's household?

household

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

From this reading Why had I, a mere passer-by, been called in so suddenly to be taken into the intimacy of the millionaire's household?

hysterical

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

From this reading Again, who was the pretty, dark-haired girl who had first uttered those hysterical screams, and then, while fully dressed, had died upon Mrs. De Gex's bed?

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading As I stood in that room a thousand strange reflections flashed across my mind.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading As I stood in that room a thousand strange reflections flashed across my mind.

intimacy

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

From this reading Why had I, a mere passer-by, been called in so suddenly to be taken into the intimacy of the millionaire's household?

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Why had I, a mere passer-by, been called in so suddenly to be taken into the intimacy of the millionaire's household?

invited

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

From this reading Was it by mere accident that I had been invited in, or was it by careful design?

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Was it by mere accident that I had been invited in, or was it by careful design?

lost

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

From this reading I had lost five thousand pounds by foolish speculation, and yet I had regained it by being party to a criminal offence.

mere

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

From this reading Why had I, a mere passer-by, been called in so suddenly to be taken into the intimacy of the millionaire's household?

millionaire's

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

From this reading Why had I, a mere passer-by, been called in so suddenly to be taken into the intimacy of the millionaire's household?

mindnounUS /mind/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading As I stood in that room a thousand strange reflections flashed across my mind.

Mrs

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

From this reading Again, who was the pretty, dark-haired girl who had first uttered those hysterical screams, and then, while fully dressed, had died upon Mrs. De Gex's bed?

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading As I stood in that room a thousand strange reflections flashed across my mind.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Why had I, a mere passer-by, been called in so suddenly to be taken into the intimacy of the millionaire's household?

offence

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

From this reading I had lost five thousand pounds by foolish speculation, and yet I had regained it by being party to a criminal offence.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Was it by mere accident that I had been invited in, or was it by careful design?

partynounUS /party/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading I had lost five thousand pounds by foolish speculation, and yet I had regained it by being party to a criminal offence.

passer-by

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

From this reading Why had I, a mere passer-by, been called in so suddenly to be taken into the intimacy of the millionaire's household?

pounds

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

From this reading I had lost five thousand pounds by foolish speculation, and yet I had regained it by being party to a criminal offence.

pretty

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

From this reading Again, who was the pretty, dark-haired girl who had first uttered those hysterical screams, and then, while fully dressed, had died upon Mrs. De Gex's bed?

reflections

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

From this reading As I stood in that room a thousand strange reflections flashed across my mind.

regained

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

From this reading I had lost five thousand pounds by foolish speculation, and yet I had regained it by being party to a criminal offence.

room

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

From this reading As I stood in that room a thousand strange reflections flashed across my mind.

screams

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

From this reading Again, who was the pretty, dark-haired girl who had first uttered those hysterical screams, and then, while fully dressed, had died upon Mrs. De Gex's bed?

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Why had I, a mere passer-by, been called in so suddenly to be taken into the intimacy of the millionaire's household?

speculation

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

From this reading I had lost five thousand pounds by foolish speculation, and yet I had regained it by being party to a criminal offence.

stoodnounUS /stood/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading As I stood in that room a thousand strange reflections flashed across my mind.

strange

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

From this reading As I stood in that room a thousand strange reflections flashed across my mind.

suddenlynounUS /ˈsuddenly/

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

From this reading Why had I, a mere passer-by, been called in so suddenly to be taken into the intimacy of the millionaire's household?

taken

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

From this reading Why had I, a mere passer-by, been called in so suddenly to be taken into the intimacy of the millionaire's household?

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading As I stood in that room a thousand strange reflections flashed across my mind.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Why had I, a mere passer-by, been called in so suddenly to be taken into the intimacy of the millionaire's household?

then

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

From this reading Again, who was the pretty, dark-haired girl who had first uttered those hysterical screams, and then, while fully dressed, had died upon Mrs. De Gex's bed?

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading Again, who was the pretty, dark-haired girl who had first uttered those hysterical screams, and then, while fully dressed, had died upon Mrs. De Gex's bed?

thousand

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

From this reading As I stood in that room a thousand strange reflections flashed across my mind.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Why had I, a mere passer-by, been called in so suddenly to be taken into the intimacy of the millionaire's household?

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading Again, who was the pretty, dark-haired girl who had first uttered those hysterical screams, and then, while fully dressed, had died upon Mrs. De Gex's bed?

utterednounUS /ˈuttered/

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

From this reading Again, who was the pretty, dark-haired girl who had first uttered those hysterical screams, and then, while fully dressed, had died upon Mrs. De Gex's bed?

Wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Was it by mere accident that I had been invited in, or was it by careful design?

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading Again, who was the pretty, dark-haired girl who had first uttered those hysterical screams, and then, while fully dressed, had died upon Mrs. De Gex's bed?

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Again, who was the pretty, dark-haired girl who had first uttered those hysterical screams, and then, while fully dressed, had died upon Mrs. De Gex's bed?

Why

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

From this reading Why had I, a mere passer-by, been called in so suddenly to be taken into the intimacy of the millionaire's household?

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading I had lost five thousand pounds by foolish speculation, and yet I had regained it by being party to a criminal offence.