100 words to know before reading She

1. Magnificent or impressive in appearance.
2. Excellent or very good.

whom I was walking, “why, that fellow looks like a statue of Apollo come to life. What a splendid man he is!” “Yes,” he answered, “he is the handsomest man in the University, and one of the

1. Used to emphasize a statement or response.
2. Truly or certainly (often expressing agreement).

and this was the last I saw or heard of “Charon” and “the Greek god” for many a long day. Indeed, I have never seen either of them from that hour to this, and do not think it probable that I

1. A person one knows slightly but not as a close friend.
2. Knowledge or experience of something.

to the lady one was going to marry, since it was exceedingly probable that the acquaintance would end in a transfer of her affections. He was altogether too good-looking, and, what is more,

1. A handwritten or typed document, especially an author's original text before publication.
2. An ancient or historical document written by hand.

to submit it to you lest you should disbelieve my tale. You will see it stated in this manuscript that I, or rather we, had made up our minds not to make this history public during our joint

1. A beetle, especially the sacred scarab of ancient Egypt, symbolizing rebirth.
2. A gem or ornament carved in the shape of a scarab beetle.

with my lawyers, Messrs. Geoffrey and Jordan, to meet it. We entrust the sherd, the scarab, and the parchments to your keeping, till such time as we demand them back again.—L. H. H. This

1. A broken piece of pottery or ceramic, especially one found at an archaeological site.
2. (Rare) A variant spelling of 'shard,' meaning a fragment of a brittle material.

who had been listening to this marvellous composition with his mouth open. Facsimile of the Sherd of Amenartas One ½ Size Greatest length of the original 10½ inches Greatest breadth 7 inches

1. Greatly surprised or amazed.
2. Filled with sudden wonder or disbelief.

the pressure of other work prevented me from doing for a fortnight, I was still more astonished, as I think the reader will be also, and at once made up my mind to press on with the matter. I

1. A friendly association among people with shared interests or goals.
2. A financial grant for advanced study or research.

in persuading them to stretch a point, and, in the event of my having obtained a fellowship, which I was pretty certain I had done, allow me to have the child to live with me. Their

1. Past tense of "fling" – threw or tossed something forcefully.
2. Moved or pushed suddenly and violently.

the second key. Job and Leo bent forward in breathless silence. The key turned, and I flung back the lid, and uttered an exclamation, and no wonder, for inside the ebony case was a

1. A shelf above a fireplace, often decorative.
2. The structure surrounding a fireplace, including the shelf.

to distinguish myself. At last, wearied out, I flung my book down, and, going to the mantelpiece, took down a pipe and filled it. There was a candle burning on the mantelpiece, and a long,

1. A person's face or facial expression.
2. Support or approval of something.

nose, above which flashed out a pair of eyes as keen as a snake’s, while his whole countenance was instinct with a look of wise and sardonic humour impossible to describe on paper. “Art thou

1. Made an emotional or earnest appeal.
2. Entered a formal statement of guilt or innocence in court.

upon her. Then money that was to have come to me went elsewhere, and she discarded me. I pleaded with her as I have never pleaded with any living creature before or since, for I was caught by

1. A distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash, such as barley, corn, rye, or wheat.
2. Typically aged in wooden casks, giving it a distinct flavor and color.

quite purple, and at last he sank into a chair and began to spit up blood. I poured out some whisky into a tumbler, and gave it to him. He drank it, and seemed better; though his better was very

1. Strange or unusual in a way that is surprising or noticeable.
2. Distinctive or unique to a particular person, place, or thing.

“I have jotted down the course I wish followed in the boy’s education. It is a somewhat peculiar one. At any rate, I could not entrust it to a stranger. Once more, will you undertake it?” “I

1. A person who has made a legally valid will before death.
2. Someone who leaves a will specifying how their estate should be distributed.

steps might be taken as seemed desirable to it, either by contesting the capacity of the testator or otherwise, to safeguard the interests of the infant. As it is, knowing that the testator was a

1. Having the qualities or appearance of youth.
2. Fresh, energetic, or lively.

was no doubt about its fitness. Leo at twenty-one might have stood for a statue of the youthful Apollo. I never saw anybody to touch him in looks, or anybody so absolutely unconscious of them.

1. Beat or hit repeatedly and violently.
2. Moved or swung wildly or forcefully.

a great strapping butcher’s man, twice his size, because he sang it out after us, and thrashed him, too—thrashed him fairly. I walked on and pretended not to see, till the combat got too

1. A small box or chest for holding valuables, jewelry, or keepsakes.
2. A coffin, especially an ornate one used for burial.

silver key, and pressed this way and that until at last the lock yielded, and the casket stood before us. It was filled to the brim with some brown shredded material, more like vegetable

1. A style of writing using rounded, uppercase letters, common in early medieval manuscripts.
2. Relating to an inch or an ounce in ancient Roman measurement.

I am not sure, nor can I tell if it was drawn upon the sherd at the same time that the uncial Greek was inscribed, or copied on more recently from the Scarab by some other member of the

1. A broken piece of ceramic material, especially from ancient pottery.
2. An archaeological artifact used to study past cultures.

to view a very large but undoubtedly ancient potsherd of a dirty yellow colour! This potsherd had in my judgment, once been a part of an ordinary amphora of medium size. For the rest, it

1. Words or symbols carved, written, or engraved on a surface.
2. A short dedication or message in a book or on a monument.

For general convenience in reading, I have here accurately transcribed this inscription into the cursive character. Ἀμενάρτας, τοῦ βασικοῦ γένους τοῦ Αἰγυπτίου, ἡ τοῦ Καλλικράτους

1. Written or engraved on a surface.
2. Marked permanently with words or symbols.

Dorothea Vincey who wrote, or rather painted, the doggrel couplet. To the left of this, inscribed in faint blue, were the initials A. V., and after them a date, 1800. Then came what was perhaps

1. A sudden, violent windstorm often accompanied by rain or snow.
2. A loud, harsh cry or noise.

IV The Squall How different is the scene that I have now to tell from that which has just been told! Gone are

1. A piece of fabric attached to a boat to catch wind and propel it forward.
2. To travel on water using sails or a sailing vessel.

sting of water in our faces. Some of the men ran to let go the haulyards and lower the sail, but the parrel jammed and the yard would not come down. I sprang to my feet and hung on to a

1. A traditional sailing vessel with one or more masts, used in the Arabian Peninsula and East Africa.
2. Typically features lateen sails and is used for fishing or trade.

Accordingly we hauled up the boat by the towrope till it was right under the stern of the dhow, and Job bundled into her with all the grace of a falling sack of potatoes. Then we returned and

1. To speak very softly using one's breath without vocal cords.
2. A quiet or secretive conversation.

roared Job into my ear; and such was the fury of the squall that his voice sounded like a whisper. I wrung my hands in agony. Leo was drowned, and I was left alive to mourn him. “Look out,”

1. At or toward the rear of a ship or aircraft.
2. In nautical terms, the rear section of a vessel.

jammed and the yard would not come down. I sprang to my feet and hung on to a rope. The sky aft was dark as pitch, but the moon still shone brightly ahead of us and lit up the blackness.

1. Lacking strength or clarity; barely perceptible.
2. A sudden loss of consciousness.

family. Nor was this all. At the foot of the writing, painted in the same dull red, was the faint outline of a somewhat rude drawing of the head and shoulders of a Sphinx wearing two feathers,

1. A term historically used to refer to a person of Black African descent.
2. Considered outdated and offensive in modern usage, replaced by terms like "Black" or "African American."

there is a headland, at the extremity of which a peak towers up, shaped like the head of a negro, similar to that of which the writing speaks. I landed there, and learnt from a wandering native,

1. The reflexive form of "we," referring to the speaker and others.
2. Used for emphasis to indicate "we" and no one else.

minutes we were through, and drifting—for we were too exhausted to do anything to help ourselves except keep her head straight—with the most startling rapidity round the headland which I have

1. A structure built along the shore for loading and unloading ships.
2. A dock or pier where vessels can moor.

But in reality I was as anxious to proceed as Leo. The colossal negro’s head and the stone wharf had excited my curiosity to an extent of which I was secretly ashamed, and I was prepared to

1. A wetland area with waterlogged ground, often dominated by trees and shrubs.
2. To overwhelm or flood with excessive amounts of something.

of the ruined city or the caves?” “No,” answered Leo. “He says that the country is all swamp behind, and full of snakes, especially pythons, and game, and that no man lives there. But then

1. A large aquatic reptile with a long snout, strong jaws, and thick skin, found in tropical regions.
2. Leather made from the skin of a crocodile, used in fashion.

forward on to the bank, dragging something black with him. “Allah!” shouted Mahomed, “a crocodile has got him by the leg!” and sure enough he had. We could see the long snout with its gleaming

1. Small flying insects that feed on blood and can transmit diseases.
2. Known for their irritating bites and buzzing sound.

Mahomed to keep a look out, we managed to spend the rest of the night as quietly as the mosquitoes would allow.

1. A type of tropical tree found in Southeast Asia.
2. Short for "tanager," a family of colorful American songbirds.

and reach the sea by it, and thus avoid the very dangerous bar that blocks the mouth of the Tana. The canal before us had evidently been dug out by man at some remote period of the world’s

1. Stopped or paused movement or progress.
2. Brought to a standstill.

brushed away the weeds which collected round the cutwater with Mahomed’s sword. At dark we halted for some hours to rest and enjoy the mosquitoes, but about midnight we went on again, taking

1. Lacking in variety; dull or uninteresting.
2. Repetitive and tedious in sound or action.

that struck me about them was that they never seemed to smile. Sometimes they sang the monotonous song of which I have spoken, but when they were not singing they remained almost perfectly

1. Followed a command or instruction.
2. Complied with rules or authority.

“Slay not,” was the reply. “Four suns since was the word brought to me from ‘She-who-must-be-obeyed,’ ‘White men come; if white men come, slay them not.’ Let them be brought to the house of

1. Gloomy or sullen in temperament.
2. Cold or slow in manner.

to a middle-aged individual of an unusually saturnine cast of countenance, even among this saturnine people, who appeared to be deputed to look after us now that the Father of the hamlet had

1. Used as a reflexive pronoun to refer to a group previously mentioned.
2. Used for emphasis to refer to a group previously mentioned.

had been hollowed out of the rocks by men, perhaps the same who built the cities. They themselves had no written laws, only custom, which was, however, quite as binding as law. If any man

1. (archaic) You (singular), used as the object of a verb or preposition.
2. (poetic) A form of 'you' in older or religious texts.

of the great river where the ships come, and I was carried far away on the ships where I gave thee birth, and hither to Athens I came at last after many wanderings. Now I say to thee, my son,

1. Belonging to thee; your (archaic or poetic form of "yours").
2. Used before a vowel or h in place of "thy" (archaic or poetic form of "your").

take thee; ay, she who is fairer than Ustane. Yet didst thou turn and call upon me, and let thine eyes wander in the darkness. But, nevertheless, she prevailed by Beauty, and led thee down

1. A large, elaborate meal, often for a celebration.
2. A religious festival or observance.

VIII The Feast, and After! On the day following this remarkable scene—a scene calculated to make a deep

1. A decorative container, typically made of glass or ceramic, used to hold flowers or as an ornament.
2. An open vessel of various shapes and sizes, often used for displaying or arranging plants.

not unlike that which in the southern part of Africa is known by the name of Kafir corn. The vase which contained this liquor was very curious, and as it more or less resembled many hundreds of

1. A flat, shallow container used for holding or carrying items.
2. A removable storage compartment in electronic devices.

short handles to it, exactly like a butcher’s tray, only not hollowed out. By the side of the tray was a great pair of long-handled iron pincers, and on the other side of the fire was a similar

1. A tool with two hinged arms for gripping or cutting, like pliers or tongs.
2. The claw-like appendages of certain animals, such as crabs or scorpions.

tray, only not hollowed out. By the side of the tray was a great pair of long-handled iron pincers, and on the other side of the fire was a similar pair. Somehow I did not at all like the

1. Gently touching or stroking in a loving or affectionate way.
2. A soft, tender gesture showing care or fondness.

the long pincers, thrust them into the heart of the fire, and the woman who had been caressing Mahomed suddenly produced a fibre noose from under her girdle or moocha, and, slipping it over

1. Violent or lawless individuals, often involved in criminal activities.
2. Tough, aggressive people who cause trouble or disturbances.

As he said the words, before we could stir, or even take the matter in, two great ruffians jumped up, and, seizing the long pincers, thrust them into the heart of the fire, and the woman

1. Injured by a blow causing discoloration without breaking the skin.
2. Emotionally hurt or upset.

certain that they would not be misunderstood, so I repressed my inclinations. Then, bruised and battered, but with a sense of safety in my breast to which I had for some days been a

1. Punishment inflicted in retaliation for harm or wrongdoing.
2. Desire for revenge or retribution.

of which no trace remains, and here, probably with the idea of preserving the idea of vengeance which we find set out in the name of Tisisthenes, they appear to have pretty regularly assumed

1. Nothing; zero (archaic or literary).
2. Worthless or morally bad (archaic).

on wildfowl. When She-who-must-be-obeyed sent orders that ye were to be saved alive she said naught of the black man, therefore, being hyenas, these men lusted after his flesh, and the woman it

1. A large, ground-dwelling monkey with a long snout and a short tail, found in Africa and Arabia.
2. A term used informally to describe a foolish or crude person.

made a friend of me by it, for I love to see a well-fought fray. But tell me, my son, the baboon—and now I think of it thy face, too, is hairy, and altogether like a baboon’s—how was it that

1. Belonging to you (archaic or poetic form of "your").
2. Short for "thyroid" in medical contexts (informal).

of all things, and life and loveliness that does not die. And she cast eyes of love upon thy father, Kallikrates, and would have slain me, and taken him to husband, but he loved me and

1. Gloomy or bad-tempered in a silent, resentful way.
2. Dark or dull in color or tone.

out of my litter and ran forward. About twenty yards ahead was the edge of one of those sullen peaty pools of which I have spoken, the path we were following running along the top of its bank,

1. A bitter compound from cinchona bark used to treat malaria.
2. A key ingredient in tonic water, giving it its distinctive taste.

swamp, and I can only attribute our escape from fever and death to the constant doses of quinine and purgatives which we took, and the unceasing toil which we were forced to undergo. On the

1. Respected due to age, wisdom, or character.
2. Worthy of reverence, especially in religious contexts.

and then an accident happened that nearly lost us the pleasure of the company of our venerable friend Billali, whose litter was leading the cavalcade. We were going through a particularly

1. Not bright or clear; lacking light.
2. Having faint or indistinct vision.

at the tiller, lazily steering by the stars. Three miles or more to our starboard is a low dim line. It is the Eastern shore of Central Africa. We are running to the southward, before the

1. Relating to or produced by a volcano.
2. Resembling a volcano in activity or explosiveness.

or fifteen hundred feet in height. The shape of the mountain, which was undoubtedly of volcanic origin, was round, and of course, as only a segment of its circle was visible, it was difficult

1. A large African antelope with spiral horns.
2. A type of grain, similar to wheat, used in brewing and baking.

all varieties of game, from rhinoceroses down. I saw a rhinoceros, buffalo (a large herd), eland, quagga, and sable antelope, the most beautiful of all the bucks, not to mention many smaller

1. A very steep or overhanging cliff or rock face.
2. A situation of great danger or risk.

number of centuries. But who were the people? At last we reached the face of the precipice itself, and found ourselves looking into the mouth of a dark tunnel that forcibly reminded me of

1. A point of access or entry, such as a door or gate.
2. The act of entering or coming in.

sight of the forms of a crowd of people standing out clear against the skyline beyond the entrance to the cave. Up the cave I went, and after me came the others, and after them thundered the whole

1. A piece of fabric hung to cover a window or divide a room.
2. A barrier or screen used in theaters to conceal the stage.

arched roof above. Minute grew into minute, and still there was no sign of life, nor did the curtain move; but I felt the gaze of the unknown being sinking through and through me, and filling me

1. Fabric panels hung to cover windows for privacy or decoration.
2. Theatrical drapes that open or close a stage.

journeying on at a pace of about four miles an hour. Peeping out through the mist-like curtains of the litter, which were ingeniously fixed to the bearing pole, I perceived to my infinite

1. A savior or liberator of a people, often in a religious context.
2. In Christianity, Jesus Christ regarded as the Messiah.

of gain and faction-torn. I can see their dark faces yet. So they crucified their Messiah? Well can I believe it. That He was a Son of the Living Spirit would be naught to them, if indeed

1. (archaic) Third person singular present of 'have'.
2. (poetic/literary) Used to indicate possession or obligation.

the beginning! Thou art very beautiful. Who hath hair like unto thee, or skin so white? Who hath so strong an arm, who is so much a man? Thine eyes are the sky, and the light in them is the

1. The quality of being beautiful or attractive.
2. A pleasing or delightful charm.

at last entertained by the mighty Queen of a savage people, a white woman of peculiar loveliness, who, under circumstances which I cannot enter into, but which you will one day learn, if you

1. A deliberate deception or trick intended to mislead others.
2. A false claim or story presented as true.

Was I mad, or drunk, or dreaming, or was I merely the victim of a gigantic and most elaborate hoax? How was it possible that I, a rational man, not unacquainted with the leading scientific facts

1. An expression of sorrow, regret, or grief (interjection).
2. Unfortunately or sadly (adverb).

first come to the Caves of Kôr, and what was her real religion? We never ascertained, and now, alas! we never shall, at least not yet. These and many other questions arise in my mind, but what is

1. A raised platform for speakers or honored guests.
2. A low platform in a classroom for a teacher's desk.

to the one on which we had been so furiously attacked, a fact that proved to me that these dais must have been used as altars, probably for the celebration of religious ceremonies, and more

1. People who watch an event, show, or game.
2. Observers at a public gathering or performance.

there was a cry of “Hiya! Hiya!” (“She! She!”), and thereupon the entire crowd of spectators instantly precipitated itself upon the ground, and lay still as though it were individually and

1. People from Egypt, a country in North Africa.
2. Ancient civilization known for pyramids, pharaohs, and hieroglyphs.

embalmed their dead, as did the Egyptians, but their art was greater than the art of the Egyptians, for, whereas the Egyptians disembowelled and drew the brain, the people of Kôr injected fluid

1. A deadly epidemic disease, especially bubonic plague.
2. Something harmful or destructive.

slew and slew, and ceased not by day or by night, and those who escaped from the pestilence were slain of the famine. No longer could the bodies of the children of Kôr be preserved

1. Past tense of slay; killed violently.
2. A large number or quantity.

Black one. But when the Baboon and the Lion saw what they would do, they slew the woman, and slew also their servant to save him from the horror of the pot. Then those evil ones, ay, those

1. No (archaic or formal negative response).
2. A negative vote or voter.

thou mean, Ustane?” asked Leo, who, thanks to years of tuition, spoke Arabic very prettily. “Nay, my chosen,” she answered, with a little forced laugh. “I did but sing unto thee after the

1. To see or observe something, often with awe or wonder.
2. An exclamation used to draw attention to something remarkable.

water it runneth through his fingers, and yet, if his hands be but wet as though with dew, behold a generation of fools call out, ‘See, he is a wise man!’ Is it not so? But how call they thee?

1. To become limp or droop, typically due to lack of water.
2. To lose strength, energy, or vigor.

with a little smile that somehow sent my blood to my heart— “Surely, my stranger son, thou wilt learn soon enough, if it be her pleasure to see thee at all in the flesh.” “In the flesh?” I

1. Preserved human or animal bodies, typically ancient, through natural or artificial processes.
2. Informal term for mother, often used by children.

it was not shrunk or shrivelled, or even black and unsightly, like the flesh of Egyptian mummies, but plump and fair, and, except where it had been slightly burnt, perfect as on the day of

1. A large outdoor fire, often for celebration or burning waste.
2. A controlled fire used for warmth, light, or social gatherings.

dance round the supposed victim, who writhed upon the ground in the red light of the bonfire. Presently, however, this pleasing piece was interrupted. Suddenly there was a slight commotion,

1. A large, carnivorous feline with a yellowish coat and black spots, native to Africa and Asia.
2. A term used to describe a spotted pattern resembling that of a leopard's coat.

of them carried a huge spear. There were also some women among them, who, instead of the leopard-skin, wore a tanned hide of a small red buck, something like that of the oribé, only rather

1. Flowers in full bloom; the state of flowering.
2. A period of growth, flourishing, or thriving.

ran as follows:— Love is like a flower in the desert. It is like the aloe of Arabia that blooms but once and dies; it blooms in the salt emptiness of Life, and the brightness of its beauty is

1. A stand or frame for supporting a coffin or corpse before burial.
2. A movable platform for carrying a coffin to the grave.

and horrifying fact, did not do much to break its force. For there, stretched upon the stone bier before us, robed in white and perfectly preserved, was what appeared to be the body of Leo

1. Relating to sexual or gender identities that are not heterosexual or cisgender.
2. Strange, odd, or unconventional.

on end. Lord, how the old lady would stare if she saw where her Job had got to!” “Yes, it’s a queer country, and a queer people too, Job,” I answered, with a sigh, for, though I am not

1. Vertical structures supporting a building or monument.
2. Essential principles or foundations of a system or belief.

so far as she was aware. There were, however, she informed us, mounds of masonry and many pillars, near the place where She lived, which was called Kôr, and which the wise said had once been

1. A metal container for holding burning coal or charcoal, used for heating or cooking.
2. A worker who makes or repairs brass items.

(for the Amahagger when on a journey nearly always carried with them a little lighted brazier, from which to provide fire). The tinder of this brazier was made of broken fragments of mummy

1. Looked steadily and intently, often with admiration or curiosity.
2. Stared fixedly for a long time, sometimes absentmindedly.

ago, when Amenartas, the Egyptian princess, and the wife of Leo’s remote ancestor Kallikrates, gazed upon its devilish face—and there I have no doubt it will still stand when as many centuries as

1. A piece of fabric worn to cover the face or head.
2. Something that conceals or obscures.

to take the warning. Curses on the fatal curiosity that is ever prompting man to draw the veil from woman, and curses on the natural impulse that begets it! It is the cause of half—ay, and

1. A long, flat piece of timber used in construction or flooring.
2. A fundamental principle or policy of a political party.

XXIV Walking the Plank Next day the mutes woke us before the dawn; and by the time that we had got the sleep out of our

1. Partial or total darkness; dimness.
2. A state of melancholy or depression.

and are lost and melted into the vault of Time, even as the little clouds melt into the gloom of night, or it may be tomorrow, when he, my love, shall be born again, and then, following a law

1. To this place (adverb).
2. Toward the speaker or a specified place (adverb).

there you were born and she died. Then it was that my last illness seized me, and I returned hither to die. But still I hoped against hope, and set myself to work to learn Arabic, with the

1. Relating to Egypt, its people, or culture.
2. A native or inhabitant of Egypt.

on it; and very good Greek of the period it is, considering that it came from the pen of an Egyptian born. Here is an exact transcript of it:—

1. A woman's gown or dress, typically worn in the Middle Ages.
2. A man's tunic or coat, often worn as an outer garment in historical contexts.

from her. It was She herself! She was clothed, as I had seen her when she unveiled, in the kirtle of clinging white, cut low upon her bosom, and bound in at the waist with the barbaric

1. A piece of clothing.
2. An item of apparel worn on the body.

him, in a socket cut in the rock for that purpose. Only one or two wore the yellowish linen garment of which I have spoken, the rest had nothing on except the leopard’s skin about the middle.

1. A tall vertical structure used as a support for a building or monument.
2. A fundamental principle or core part of a system or belief.

pit is, in the mouth of which the old philosopher lay dead, and showed to us the rolling Pillar of Life that dies not, whereof the voice is as the voice of thunder; and she did stand in the

1. Having a pink or reddish color, like a rose.
2. Optimistic or hopeful; bright and positive.

however, as we stood in amaze, gazing at the marvellous sight, and wondering whence the rosy radiance flowed, a dread and beautiful thing happened. Across the far end of the cavern, with a

1. (verb) Made a loud, sharp, piercing cry or sound.
2. (verb) Expressed something in a high-pitched, frantic tone.

down at me through the misty darkness. I struggled up, and in my terror and confusion shrieked, and shrieked again, so that the others sprang up too, reeling, and drunken with sleep and fear.

1. Extremely ugly or unpleasant to look at.
2. Morally offensive or shocking.

that he was fighting with a desperate abandonment and energy that was at once splendid and hideous to behold. He drove his knife through one man—they were so close to and mixed up with him that

1. A feeling of hopelessness or deep sadness.
2. The complete loss or absence of hope.

where Mahomed was struggling. He fought like a fiend, shrieking in the abandonment of his despair, and notwithstanding the noose round him, and the efforts of the men who held his legs, the

1. A large, rounded rock or stone.
2. A city in Colorado, USA, known for its outdoor activities and the University of Colorado.

a glacier stone—perhaps it was one, for all I know to the contrary—and the end of this boulder approached to within twelve feet or so of us. This huge rock was nothing more or less than a

1. A loose outer garment without sleeves, worn over other clothing.
2. Something that hides or covers, like a disguise or concealment.

when she came forth to pass sentence on some offenders, and when seen was muffled up in a big cloak, so that nobody could look upon her face. Those who waited upon her were deaf and dumb, and

1. Wetlands with standing water and dense vegetation.
2. Areas of low-lying land saturated with water.

that far inland are great mountains, shaped like cups, and caves surrounded by measureless swamps. I learnt also that the people there speak a dialect of Arabic, and are ruled over by a beautiful