Crispin: The Cross of Lead: Chapters 21–40

by Avi
After being accused of theft, orphan Crispin is on the run in medieval England. As he crosses the country and evades his enemies, he discovers a startling secret about his true identity.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–20, Chapters 21–40, Chapters 41–58

Here is a link to our lists for Nothing But the Truth by Avi.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. acolyte
    a devoted follower or assistant
    Willy-nilly, I was enrolled in the Benedictine abbey to be a monk. Twelve years of age—younger than you—and already in robes. An acolyte.
  2. beguile
    attract; cause to be enamored
    Their music, tricks, and most of all, their laughter beguiled me.
  3. bravado
    a swaggering show of courage
    I must have surprised him with my words, for he grew silent. And when he spoke again it was with less bravado.
  4. abate
    become less in amount or intensity
    My resolve to flee abated—somewhat.
  5. lapse
    pass into a specified state or condition
    When he lapsed into silence I thought of what Bear said about Lord Furnival.
  6. livery
    a uniform, especially worn by servants and chauffeurs
    Like all men with a skill, I wear the livery of my trade. For me, the two-part hat informs the world that there’s more than a simple nature residing in my soul.
  7. heretic
    a person whose religious beliefs conflict with church dogma
    You’d be burned alive. So don’t repeat them. And if you said I spoke them, I’d denounce you for a liar and a heretic.
  8. grisly
    shockingly repellent; inspiring horror
    Refusing, he railed at the top of his voice, threatening to inflict upon me every kind of grisly torture if I didn’t try.
  9. bluster
    vain and empty boasting
    At first his shouted warnings terrified me. But as the day wore on, I realized he was mostly bluster.
  10. lope
    run easily
    Straight away he loped off the road, and I followed.
  11. monotony
    constancy of tone, pitch, or inflection
    The dismal drizzle caused the overhanging leaves to drip with irritating monotony.
  12. mollify
    cause to be more favorably inclined
    “It’s a private matter.” Then he added as if to mollify me, “I’ve promised to be there, and so I must.”
  13. wry
    humorously sarcastic or mocking
    He offered up a wry smile. “Crispin, if we wish to survive, it’s time for us to go to work.”
  14. penance
    voluntary self-punishment in order to atone for something
    My son and I have made our way from the City of York, going toward Canterbury to perform sacred penance.
  15. gambol
    light-hearted recreational activity for amusement
    Though others roared at Bear’s antics, this young man took offense at Bear’s gambols and, with growing anger, made three attempts to snatch his mazer back.
  16. pelt
    attack and bombard with or as if with missiles
    When Bear was finally done and stood all in a sweat, people gathered around him, even as children surrounded me and pelted me with questions.
  17. malevolence
    the quality of threatening evil
    He gazed at Bear with such malevolence I thought he might offer harm.
  18. luster
    a quality that outshines the usual
    Then, when I reminded myself that I was still a wolf’s head and pursued, the luster of the moment dimmed.
  19. customary
    commonly used or practiced
    Though Bear tried to wear his customary cheerful face, I sensed that there was unease on his part, too.
  20. disquiet
    a feeling of mild anxiety about possible developments
    To see so many added to my disquiet. Bear, who had come to know my humors well, worked hard to calm me.
  21. irate
    feeling or showing extreme anger
    One man, astride a great horse was, he said, a tax collector. He was closely guarded by armed men. Just to see him made Bear irate.
  22. timorous
    shy and fearful by nature
    As we slowly made our way forward, I could feel myself becoming increasingly timorous.
  23. palpable
    capable of being perceived
    “Well done,” said Bear with a palpable sigh of relief as we entered Great Wexly itself.
  24. din
    a loud, harsh, or strident noise
    Just the din that burst upon my ears was beyond belief. People were shouting, calling, arguing, laughing, selling their wares to any and all from where they stood.
  25. portentous
    of momentous or ominous significance
    There, strangers were as rare as shooting stars, and just as portentous.
  26. stench
    a distinctive odor that is offensively unpleasant
    Still, what assaulted my senses more than anything—aside from the sheer numbers of people of all ages and the ensuing cacophony—was the stench that filled the air: rotting goods, food, dung, manure, human slop, and swill, mixed together into such a ghastly brew as to make me want to swoon.
  27. escapade
    a wild and exciting undertaking
    “And what escapades have befallen you since you were here last?” she asked, laughing with such delight I could not keep from grinning too.
  28. banter
    light teasing repartee
    But, Crispin, pay no heed to my bantering. Bear’s friends are mine.
  29. whet
    make keen or more acute
    Besides, my glimpses of the town had only whetted my curiosity.
  30. disconcerted
    having self-possession upset; thrown into confusion
    Though baffled, I was not a bit disconcerted.
  31. scarcity
    a small and inadequate amount
    With so much to see, I was content to ramble on, pausing to look at whatever took my interest, of which there was no scarcity.
  32. sumptuous
    rich and superior in quality
    Though not so sumptuously dressed as she, they were splendid enough to look upon in their blue-and-gold livery.
  33. reverence
    a feeling of profound respect for someone or something
    As she passed, people on the streets hastily made way for her, some doffing their hats, or inclining their heads in reverence.
  34. embellishment
    a superfluous ornament
    These towers, joined together by what looked like floating arches, were emblazoned with countless embellishments and statues that seemed as real as life.
  35. apprehensive
    in fear or dread of possible evil or harm
    Feeling somewhat less apprehensive now that I had a plan, I immediately set off.
  36. blunder
    make one's way clumsily or blindly
    Though I hurried, I remained alert lest I blunder into another attack.
  37. resumption
    beginning again
    The long summer twilight had begun to ebb. With it came a resumption of a chilly rain.
  38. entourage
    the group following and attending to some important person
    It was the same livery as Lady Furnival’s entourage wore.
  39. scoundrel
    someone who does evil deliberately
    Only when the voice called out again, even angrier, “Crispin, you stunted son of a scoundrel!” did I realize it was Bear.
  40. fervor
    feelings of great warmth and intensity
    Heart exploding with relief, I ran toward him and flung myself at his knees, embracing him with fervor.
Created on Wed Jan 20 19:48:05 EST 2016 (updated Thu Sep 20 12:05:30 EDT 2018)

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