serious; not joking; straight
misfortune; adverse fortune; hapless fate; checkered (life, career, etc.); varied; eventful
to weave a pattern; to begin to weave
blighted love; disappointed love
chivalrous spirit; chivalry
to drown; to cause to be indulged or addicted
evil thought; malicious motive; spite
within the story (of a book, play, film, etc.)
character (in a play or novel); dramatis personae
plan; plot; idea; conception; vision; scheme
please don't fuss over me; don't go to any trouble; don't bother
phantasmagoric; protean; shape-shifting; kaleidoscopic; capable of ever-changing appearance
moderate; reserved; conservative; humble; mild-mannered; self-effacing
taking no notice (of); thinking nothing of; disregarding; not aware of; completely ignoring; being out of consideration
(not) in any way; in no way
Now let's return to the main subject; To return from the digression,.. (in a conversation, speech, or story-telling)
unheard-of; unprecedented; unparalleled in history (unparallelled); record-breaking
my; one's own; I ...; one ...
activity (esp. energetic); great efforts; conspicuous service; to flourish; to participate actively; to play an active role
odd; strange; queer; peculiar
needle; pin; hook; stinger; thorn; hand (e.g. clock, etc.); pointer
at the same time; concurrently; simultaneously; coinciding (with)
Hoffmann; Hoffman; Hofman; Hofmann
romantic story; colorful story; colourful story; highly embellished story
essence and fringe; beginning and ending; root and branch; means and end
a minute; moment; an instant; stubborn; hot-headed
thousand years; many years
not necessarily; not entirely; not altogether
careful; thorough; meticulous; scrupulous
expatiation; enlargement (e.g. on a point); elaboration; clear explanation; paraphrasing
armband; arm band; brassard
three; three years of age
from ... to; between ... and; or
century; era; of the century (e.g. fight of the century)
beginning; start; first (in line, etc.); origin; such as ...; not to mention ...
thief; robber; burglar; bandit
promotion; advancement; rising in rank
modus operandi; criminal technique; trick