The Golden Goblet: Chapters 5–6

by Eloise Jarvis McGraw
An orphan living in ancient Egypt, twelve-year-old Ranofer dreams of becoming a master goldsmith — but instead he must work at menial jobs for his cruel half-brother. When Ranofer discovers a stolen goblet in his brother's possession, he believes he may have a chance at a new life.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapters 3–4, Chapters 5–6, Chapters 7–9, Chapters 10–13, Chapters 14–16
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. jovial
    full of or showing high-spirited merriment
    Gebu’s joviality lasted for several days, and as was usual during these periods, Ranofer fared better as to food.
  2. ostensibly
    from appearances alone
    At last, on the fourth morning, close to midday, he noticed Heqet standing close beside Rekh’s worktable, ostensibly watching the goldsmith raise a bowl, but actually whispering to him under cover of the hammer taps.
  3. pretext
    a fictitious reason that conceals the real reason
    He watched his chance and stooped close beside Heqet on the pretext of helping him stoke an oven.
  4. stoke
    (of a fire) stir up or tend
    He watched his chance and stooped close beside Heqet on the pretext of helping him stoke an oven.
  5. destitute
    poor enough to need help from others
    Because of these wicked ones and their thievery, the ba of some long-dead pharaoh was now starving and destitute in the Land of the West, stripped of the magical protection of his jeweled amulets, robbed of the food and gold and furniture and weapons placed in his tomb to sustain him in luxury for his Three Thousand Years of paradise.
  6. complacently
    in a self-satisfied manner
    He whirled the rings on his finger tip, then tucked them away, patting his sash complacently.
  7. plod
    walk heavily and firmly, as when weary, or through mud
    Cackling cheerfully, he turned off down the crooked lane, the old donkey plodding behind him.
  8. obsequious
    attentive in an ingratiating or servile manner
    He scrambled to his feet and darted over to Ranofer with his most obsequious smile and the hateful hand-rubbing.
  9. grope
    feel about uncertainly or blindly
    Groping along the shelf he found half a bread loaf and several onions.
  10. careen
    move sideways or in an unsteady way
    He gave the Babylonian a push that sent him careening out the gate into the arms of Wenamon, who was just coming in.
  11. paltry
    contemptibly small in amount or size
    “Him and his paltry wineskins. There are far bigger birds in the air than Rekh the goldsmith. Eh, my friend?”
  12. lattice
    framework consisting of an ornamental wood or metal design
    He stopped because Gebu was laughing, at first softly in little bursts, then louder, then in great gales, first doubling over and then leaning far back with his chin tipped to the sky, until the courtyard rang with it and the neighbor across the wall flung back his lattice and began to curse at the noise.
  13. wharf
    a platform from the shore that provides access to ships
    Numbly he walked down familiar streets, past the papyrus marsh, past the beginning of the wharves.
  14. sarcophagus
    a stone coffin, usually bearing sculpture or inscriptions
    Here in the shop only great sarcophagi were built, and blocks of stone roughhewn to size, ready for the sculptors.
  15. alabaster
    a fine-textured white gypsum used for carving
    No lotus or twining marsh flower traced itself slowly upon an alabaster vase.
  16. haunch
    the upper thigh and back of the hip in human beings
    Near where he stood an old man squatted on his haunches beside a great slab of alabaster, examining and blowing at a small hollow in one corner of it.
  17. trifle
    something of small importance
    “Ah, the foreman. That would be Pai, young one. The skinny little man yonder—don’t say I called him that!—in the far corner, beside the finishers. What do you want of him? I warn you, do not bother him with trifles, his temper is as short as my thumb.”
  18. awry
    turned or twisted to one side
    “And here”—he tucked the handle of the drill under his arm and held up the other hand—“the chisel went awry one time; and here a hammer crushed my finger tip instead of the sandstone. They are stonecutter’s hands. Not pretty, nay, not pretty at all, but still fairly useful, praise be to the gods. What do you want of Pai, young one?”
  19. akimbo
    bent outward with the joint away from the body
    A man stood surveying these works, his thin arms akimbo and his fists, one of which grasped an authoritative-looking stick, propped on his skinny hips.
  20. disdain
    lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike
    He was looking with disdain at Ranofer’s thin shoulders and arms.
  21. gait
    a person's manner of walking
    He spun around and was off down the room with his jerky gait before Ranofer could do more than nod.
  22. disconsolate
    sad beyond comforting; incapable of being soothed
    Zahotep set the drill twirling again, to the gritty, grating rasp of sand against stone, while Ranofer stood well aside, his teeth on edge, and looked disconsolately at the great inert slab which could cost a man his thumb, his skill or his eyesight as the price of his labor on it.
  23. inert
    unable to move or resist motion
    Zahotep set the drill twirling again, to the gritty, grating rasp of sand against stone, while Ranofer stood well aside, his teeth on edge, and looked disconsolately at the great inert slab which could cost a man his thumb, his skill or his eyesight as the price of his labor on it.
  24. gilded
    made from or covered with gold
    I understand His High Lordship has ordered two inner coffins, also. One of acacia wood, finely joined, all painted and gilded, and the other, the innermost, of cedar wood, with his portrait in solid gold set into the lid.
  25. interminable
    tiresomely long; seemingly without end
    He spent what seemed an interminable time watching the hollows slowly form in the four corners of the coffin lid, his eyes glazed from staring at the whirling drill, his ears bombarded with the harsh noises of the shop.
  26. stolid
    having or revealing little emotion or sensibility
    He was a year or two older than Ranofer, and a full head taller, with a stolid, sullen face.
  27. tedious
    so lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness
    The longer he knelt there, scrubbing away tediously with his glum companion, the more he desired to raise his chunk of sandstone and bring it down with a crack on Nebre’s head.
  28. gouge
    an impression in a surface, as made by a blow
    He learned through fear to keep his mind every instant upon his work, not only because of Pai’s wrath, but because of the painful scrapes and gouges inflicted on his hands by the slightest inattention.
  29. respite
    a pause for relaxation
    During this respite some of the men ate food they had brought from their homes.
  30. confer
    have a meeting in order to talk something over
    He merely sat exhausted on a block of stone and watched dully while Gebu conferred with Pai or strode about examining the progress of the work.
  31. molt
    cast off hair, skin, horn, or feathers
    When this happened Ranofer turned away and made himself as inconspicuous as possible, feeling the usual chill run up his spine at sight of the lank, stoop-shouldered figure, muffled from head to foot in a cloak that made him look like a molting vulture—Wenamon with his silent cat’s feet and queerly bright eyes.
  32. cuff
    hit with the hand
    The rest of the time, aside from a few furious cuffings to vent an ill humor, or mocking taunts to enhance a good one, he ignored Ranofer completely.
  33. fitful
    intermittently stopping and starting
    His muscles were slow to harden to the rough demands of this sort of labor, and as long as they were taxed beyond their strength each day, their soreness and throbbing disturbed his rest each night, and filled his sleep with fitful dreams.
  34. furtive
    marked by quiet and caution and secrecy
    There had even been a furtive sound about the way the hinge squeaked, as if he were cautiously easing it shut, as if he did not want even Ranofer to know he had been gone.
  35. incredulous
    not disposed or willing to believe; unbelieving
    Incredulous, he let out his long-held breath.
Created on Tue Oct 09 14:24:38 EDT 2018 (updated Wed Oct 10 08:47:22 EDT 2018)

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