as always; as ever; though it's always the case
gorgeous; brilliant; dazzling; ornate; gaudy; flowery
to surprise; to frighten; to create a stir
back country; remote countryside
to look after; to take care of; to be put in charge of; to be given responsibility for; to withhold (an announcement); to reserve (judgment)
like this; this sort; this way
magnificent; grand; majestic; splendid
as one would expect; just as you'd expect (from); still; all the same; even ... (e.g. "even a genius")
ability; capability; skill
harvest; crop; ingathering; fruits (of one's labors); gain; result
investigation; inspection; examination; tune; note; melody
unreasonable; irrational; outrageous; absurd
to fill one's own pocket by taking advantage of a position
mouth; lips; shape of the mouth; near an entrance; vicinity of an entrance
to undergo great hardships; to waste away from great effort and worry
opinion; intention; thought
Merrill; Meril; Merill; Merril; Meryl
Your Majesty; His Majesty; Her Majesty
to lean coquettishly against; to snuggle into; to nestle into
to hang; to suspend; to lower; to reduce; to demote; to move back
generally; in the main; (more or less) everything; all parts; ordinary; usual
time (three times, each time, etc.); times
indeed; really; absolutely; truly; actually; very
a short while ago; a moment ago; just now; some time ago
that way; that direction; that (one); that person; there; over there
to not understand; to not (quite) know; to be unsure; to be unable to tell
to attack the enemy in his unguarded moment
to get into a panic; to be flustered; to panic; to get in a flap
knowing; (an) acquaintance
making a person, pet, etc. wait (before being permitted to do something); postponement; putting on hold
to resolve to do; to make up one's mind to do; to set one's heart on; to have one's heart set on
opposite side; other side; over there; that way; the other party; the other person
to be in the news; to be talked about; to become a popular topic of conversation; to become the talk of the town; to become topical
appointing to a responsible post; making much of
forgetting; lapse of memory
administrative official; secretary; commissioner
it cannot be that...; it is highly unlikely that...; it is impossible that...
reeking of blood; stinking of blood; bloody (battle, crime, etc.)