to close (e.g. book, eyes, meeting, etc.); to shut
old tale; folk tale; legend; reminiscence
I thought so; I suspected as much; just as I thought; now you're talking; that's the spirit
late at night; at a late hour
to steal; to rob; to take away
to tag along; to follow; to tail; to shadow
jaw; chin; barb (of a fishhook)
to break (into pieces); to be broken; to collapse; to crumble; to become less formal; to throw off reserve
many times over; often; repeatedly; time after time
to corner; to drive to the wall; to run down; to track down; to chase after
special; particular; peculiar; unique
surplus; margin; leeway; composure; placidity; complacency
cannot (due to external circumstances); cannot afford to; must not; impossible to; no way one can (do)
acquaintance; friend; familiar face
answer; reply; response; answer; solution; result
that much; as much; to that extent; only that; that alone; no more than that
as many as one likes; as much as one likes; great many; plenty; almost (none); (not) much
gem; jewel; precious stone
property; fortune; assets
small; little; slight; below average (in degree, amount, etc.); low (e.g. sound); soft (e.g. voice)
before long; soon; almost; nearly; finally; in the end
good person; virtuous person; good-natured person; gullible person
to assume an air of ...; to act ...; to affect ...; to put on airs; to be self-important
true character; real nature
floor; stage (for the narrator and the shamisen player); dining platform built across a river
to lay (something) face down; to place upside down; to point downwards (one's eyes, head, etc.); to cast down (one's eyes); to lay (oneself) face down; to lie face down; to conceal
two people alike; two of a kind; kissing cousins; two people cut from the same cloth
aloneness; loneliness; solitude
to wager; to bet; to risk; to stake; to gamble