Vocabulary

impertinent; saucy; cheeky; impudent; audacious; cocky

(having) life-and-death power (over)

quick lime

(good quality) meat; processed meat; small goods

contractor

old-fashioned; old-style

to condemn; to blame; to criticize; to criticise; to reproach; to accuse

pointed knife

to change (to); to switch (to); to be replaced (by)

in the snow

unclear speech; garbled speech; poor enunciation

clicking one's tongue; tut-tut

great variety of flowering plants

arbitrariness; despotism; high-handedness; tyranny

shudder; shiver; trembling with fear

shallow; superficial

green tea; green leaf tea; non-powdered tea (as opposed to matcha)

foothills; first range of mountains

morning session; morning trading

ibid.; the above-mentioned publication

total destruction by fire; being burned down

performance tour

to write in

particle; postpositional word in Japanese grammar that functions as an auxiliary to a main word

prostitute (esp. Edo period)

the beginning (as in "this is only the beginning")

to eat; to drink

summons; subpoena; citation

merchant; trader; shrewd businessman

I; me; my humble self

lowercase letter

quotation; abstract; selection; summary

marsh; swamp; bog

to vanish gradually (e.g. of a voice); to trail off; to die away; to dwindle

to board (a train, plane, etc.); to get into (a car); to get on (a bus); to go on board; to get aboard

one's regular taxi

to arrive (by car, bike, etc.); to drive up to; to draw up at

to plant; to grow; to raise

gourmandism

latter half of one's life