stronghold; inner citadel; base; headquarters
to declare; to assert; to say bluntly; to say straight out
to faint; to be exhausted
wrong impression; subjective impression; assumption; prejudice
real image; real form; real-life image; true picture
to hit a nerve; to go for the throat; to touch a sore spot
to miss each other; to cross (in the post); to go astray; to go wrong
hard-line policy; tough measure
hideout; secret base of operations; safe house
it's best to; it's safest to; there's nothing better than
to show up; to appear; to turn up
hiding; concealing; being hidden; pocket
another meeting; meeting again; reunion
impossible to do (although wants to)
feeling uneasy; very worried; very anxious; on tenterhooks; on pins and needles
slowly; inefficiently; tardily; dawdling
street corner; road turn; bend in the road; turning point; watershed
using every trick (in the book)
sick person; patient; invalid
stout-hearted; firm; courageous; brave; tough
to lend someone one's shoulder; to support with one's shoulder; to lend a hand; to come to someone's aid
to take advantage of; to follow blindly; to multiply
stifled laugh; chuckling; snickering
presence (impressive quality)
to meet (by chance); to come across; to run across; to encounter; to happen upon
antics; buffoonery; clowning; clown; jester
hospitality; reception; treatment; (light) refreshment; entertaining with food and drink; treat
under one's eyes; below one's eyes
to mix with; to be mixed; to be mingled
to gain time; to play for time; to buy time
to lend an ear to; to listen to
to suppress one's emotions
unexpectedly; surprisingly; unexpected; unanticipated; unforeseen
being empty-handed; being penniless; having no capital (for starting a business)
to live up to expectations; to meet expectations
scattered; disperse; loose; disconnected; in pieces; in drops
before one knows; before one becomes aware of; unnoticed; unawares