at this juncture; after all this time; at this stage; now
account of a dream; fantastic story; wild tale; empty dream
to meet; to face someone; to co-star; to appear together; to be matched; to face against
closeted maiden; carefully-raised girl from a well-to-do family
bringing up (one's daughter) like a princess
strangely; oddly; miraculously; mysteriously
to try all possible means
favourable terms; favorable terms; favourable conditions; favorable conditions; place in the sun
to take something into ...; to bring in; to lodge (a complaint); to file (a plan); to bring to (a state: tied game, vote, trial, etc.)
foil; (gold, etc.) leaf; prestige
social standing of a family; lineage; parentage; good family
property; fortune; means; assets
strength; power; proficiency; ability
meagre; meager; scarce; limited; destitute; hard up
selection; choice; picking out
one cause; one reason; one factor
decorations; offerings; mere window dressing
generation; lifetime; age
prosperity; glory; splendour; splendor; majesty; luxury
foundation; basis; bedrock; substrate (circuit board)
making; forming; cultivating; form; appearance
shades of night; night scene
to resign; to abandon; to step aside; to back out of; to retire; to get away
valuation; appraisal; evaluation; appreciation; recognition; acknowledgement
cool-headed; level-headed; hard-headed
to manage something successfully; to be successful
to turn completely into; to become completely
failure; collapse; breakdown; break-up; bankruptcy
discrepancy; discord; disagreement; mismatch; dissonance
difference in temperature; difference in degrees of enthusiasm, interest, commitment, etc.
slowly (but steadily); gradually; bit-by-bit; slowly soaking in; slowly permeating; oozing out
wedded life; married life
to exchange glances; to correspond; to counterbalance
to be lifted; to be raised; to happen suddenly; to occur; to be homeroom teacher for the same class multiple years in a row; to move up with one's class
disturbance; obstruction; hindrance; jamming; interference
talk about divorce or separation
big quarrel; huge fight; big row
while looking on in blank amazement; before one's very eyes; before one knew what was happening
bog; marsh; swamp; quandary; dire situation from which one cannot extricate oneself; imbroglio
to hold (in one's hand); to take (into one's hand); to own; to obtain