amicably
with friendliness; cooperatively
amnestied
pardoned
angler
a person who schemes to get something
apostle
an early leader of a new reform movement
arbitrate
to settle; to mediate
assiduous
persistent; diligent
bankrupt
in a state of financial ruin; destitute
bawd
a prostitute
benefactrice
a woman who gives monetary aid as a gift
Brahms
German classical composer (1833-1897)
brandy
an alcoholic drink made from distilled fruit juice
brazen
self-assured; insolent
bribe
a benefit given in exchange for certain conduct
cask
a barrel containing liquids
clangor
a loud clanging noise
coffers
funds; a treasury
Cognac
a high quality brandy
commandeered
taken by force; appropriated
communism
a political system where an authoritarian state controls the economy and divides goods equally amongst the citizens toward a collective vision of social order
commuter
a train transporting individuals back and forth from home to work (usually from the countryside or suburbs to a larger city)
compatriots
fellow citizens
condone
to excuse and allow
connive
to scheme; to plan an illegal action
conscience
one's sense of right and wrong
consternation
a state of terror
corpse
a dead body
Court of Appeal
a court to which appeals are made with regard to the judgment of a lower court
crockery
pots, jars, and dishes
denunciation
a public denouncement
distrain
to seize goods or property to force the payment of a debt
emigrated
to migrate to another country
emphatically
forcefully expressed
endowment
a gift of funds or property to a group
eunuch
a man whose testes have been removed and traditionally guards a woman's bedchamber
exorbitant
outrageously high
foundry
a factory where metal is melted and cast
Goethe
famous German poet, writer, and scientist (1749-1832)
grotesquerie
the state of being distorted and unnatural
homely
plain; unattractive
homicidal
capable of murder
humanitarian
one who advances the general human welfare; one who helps alleviate suffering
impassively
without emotion or expression
indignation
anger at an injustice
infernal
demonic; hellish; cruel
ironmongery
a hardware store
laymen
ordinary men without expert knowledge (not a part of the professional class or of the clergy)
liturgy
a form or rite of public worship
lorgnette
opera glasses
marrow
the tender innermost part of the bone
metamorphose
to transform
misdemeanors
petty crimes
morale
state of confidence
nihilistic
extremely skeptical of moral values
oath
a promise to tell the truth
on credit or account
to make purchases with the promise to pay later
opera-recitative
a passage sung in the rhythm of natural speech
opium
a highly addictive narcotic derived from poppy flowers
outmoded
no longer fashionable; no longer useful
pallid
lacking color; wan
paternity
fatherhood
pawned
to give some thing as a pledge on a loan
periphery
the outer boundary; perimeter
perjury
the deliberate breach of an oath to tell the truth by giving false testimony
perseverance
persistence; tenacity; determination
piteous
arousing compassion
poacher
someone who illegally hunts or catches fish
portals
entryways
portentous
overbearing pompousness
prodigal
lavish; extravagent; generous
ramrod
to watch over and force
ramshackle
ill-kept; broken-down; disintegrating
redeem
to make free of debt; to restore honor
sedan-chair
a covered chair for one person, usually lifted by two men
serviette
a napkin
soughing
murmuring; sighing
soutane
a long garment worn by the clergy with buttons down the front
spectre
an apparition or ghost
spires
steeples; the top part of a structure that tapers into a point
spurn
to reject with scorn
starlet
a young actress predicted to become a great film star
stethoscope
a medical instrument used to listen to the body
tatterdemalion
ragged; shabby
threadbare
old and frayed
toil
to work under difficult conditions
trysting-place
a meeting place; a designated place for a secret rendezvous
tuberculosis
an infectious disease where bacteria collects in the lungs
