Chapter II

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Snow had fallen through the day, and as night approached all objects were covered with a mantle of white.

anew

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of

From this reading The voices of the men, falling upon the snow-laden air, sounded dull and echo-less as they heralded the approach of a chair to some sharp turn or gateway.

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading Snow had fallen through the day, and as night approached all objects were covered with a mantle of white.

Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading Snow had fallen through the day, and as night approached all objects were covered with a mantle of white.

past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

move towards

From this reading The voices of the men, falling upon the snow-laden air, sounded dull and echo-less as they heralded the approach of a chair to some sharp turn or gateway.

past form of “approach” — move towards

From this reading Snow had fallen through the day, and as night approached all objects were covered with a mantle of white.

(used of persons or the military) characterized by having or bearing arms

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading Snow had fallen through the day, and as night approached all objects were covered with a mantle of white.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT "THE SIGN OF THE LEOPARD."

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading The noises incident to the life of a great city had long since become muffled and indistinct.

inflected form of “befall” — become of; happen to

From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT "THE SIGN OF THE LEOPARD."

shining intensely

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

lacking funds

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

-ing form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

a seat for one person, with a support for the back

From this reading The voices of the men, falling upon the snow-laden air, sounded dull and echo-less as they heralded the approach of a chair to some sharp turn or gateway.

a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts

From this reading The noises incident to the life of a great city had long since become muffled and indistinct.

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

provide with a covering or cause to be covered

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form

From this reading Snow had fallen through the day, and as night approached all objects were covered with a mantle of white.

taking a series of rhythmical steps (and movements) in time to music

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading Snow had fallen through the day, and as night approached all objects were covered with a mantle of white.

the property created by the space between two objects or points

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

lacking in liveliness or animation

From this reading The voices of the men, falling upon the snow-laden air, sounded dull and echo-less as they heralded the approach of a chair to some sharp turn or gateway.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The voices of the men, falling upon the snow-laden air, sounded dull and echo-less as they heralded the approach of a chair to some sharp turn or gateway.

having dropped by the force of gravity

From this reading Snow had fallen through the day, and as night approached all objects were covered with a mantle of white.

decreasing in amount or degree

From this reading The voices of the men, falling upon the snow-laden air, sounded dull and echo-less as they heralded the approach of a chair to some sharp turn or gateway.

informal intensifiers

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

gay or light-hearted recreational activity for diversion or amusement

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

to the greatest degree or extent; completely or entirely; (“full” in this sense is used as a combining form)

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

an entrance that can be closed by a gate

From this reading The voices of the men, falling upon the snow-laden air, sounded dull and echo-less as they heralded the approach of a chair to some sharp turn or gateway.

resembling or characteristic of a phantom

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

large in amount or extent or degree

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading The noises incident to the life of a great city had long since become muffled and indistinct.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Snow had fallen through the day, and as night approached all objects were covered with a mantle of white.

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

publicly announced

From this reading The voices of the men, falling upon the snow-laden air, sounded dull and echo-less as they heralded the approach of a chair to some sharp turn or gateway.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

a single distinct event

From this reading The noises incident to the life of a great city had long since become muffled and indistinct.

not clearly defined or easy to perceive or understand

From this reading The noises incident to the life of a great city had long since become muffled and indistinct.

give free rein to

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

the pelt of a leopard

From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT "THE SIGN OF THE LEOPARD."

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading The noises incident to the life of a great city had long since become muffled and indistinct.

of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading The noises incident to the life of a great city had long since become muffled and indistinct.

for more time

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

possessive form of “lord” — terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

horrible in fierceness or savagery

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

the cloak as a symbol of authority

From this reading Snow had fallen through the day, and as night approached all objects were covered with a mantle of white.

the force of workers available

From this reading The voices of the men, falling upon the snow-laden air, sounded dull and echo-less as they heralded the approach of a chair to some sharp turn or gateway.

being or made softer or less loud or clear

From this reading The noises incident to the life of a great city had long since become muffled and indistinct.

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading Snow had fallen through the day, and as night approached all objects were covered with a mantle of white.

not any; not one

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

plural of “noise” — sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)

From this reading The noises incident to the life of a great city had long since become muffled and indistinct.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

plural of “object” — a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow

From this reading Snow had fallen through the day, and as night approached all objects were covered with a mantle of white.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT "THE SIGN OF THE LEOPARD."

and nothing more

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading The voices of the men, falling upon the snow-laden air, sounded dull and echo-less as they heralded the approach of a chair to some sharp turn or gateway.

an organization to gain political power

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

plural of “saint” — a person who has died and has been declared a saint by canonization

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

(of something seen or heard) clearly defined

From this reading The voices of the men, falling upon the snow-laden air, sounded dull and echo-less as they heralded the approach of a chair to some sharp turn or gateway.

inflected form of “shine” — be bright by reflecting or casting light

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)

From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT "THE SIGN OF THE LEOPARD."

Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

from a time in the past until now

From this reading The noises incident to the life of a great city had long since become muffled and indistinct.

precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals

From this reading Snow had fallen through the day, and as night approached all objects were covered with a mantle of white.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The voices of the men, falling upon the snow-laden air, sounded dull and echo-less as they heralded the approach of a chair to some sharp turn or gateway.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading The voices of the men, falling upon the snow-laden air, sounded dull and echo-less as they heralded the approach of a chair to some sharp turn or gateway.

past form of “sound” — appear in a certain way

From this reading The voices of the men, falling upon the snow-laden air, sounded dull and echo-less as they heralded the approach of a chair to some sharp turn or gateway.

plural of “sound” — the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

plural of “street” — a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT "THE SIGN OF THE LEOPARD."

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading The voices of the men, falling upon the snow-laden air, sounded dull and echo-less as they heralded the approach of a chair to some sharp turn or gateway.

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading Snow had fallen through the day, and as night approached all objects were covered with a mantle of white.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading The noises incident to the life of a great city had long since become muffled and indistinct.

plural of “tomb” — a place for the burial of a corpse (especially beneath the ground and marked by a tombstone)

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

plural of “torch” — a light usually carried in the hand; consists of some flammable substance

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

past form of “traverse” — travel across or pass over

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense

From this reading The voices of the men, falling upon the snow-laden air, sounded dull and echo-less as they heralded the approach of a chair to some sharp turn or gateway.

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

a formal word for “on”

From this reading The voices of the men, falling upon the snow-laden air, sounded dull and echo-less as they heralded the approach of a chair to some sharp turn or gateway.

plural of “voice” — the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Snow had fallen through the day, and as night approached all objects were covered with a mantle of white.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading WHAT BEFELL AT "THE SIGN OF THE LEOPARD."

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

a Caucasian

From this reading Snow had fallen through the day, and as night approached all objects were covered with a mantle of white.

which person or people

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

belonging to which person

From this reading The footfalls of those who traversed the streets could no longer be heard; and the only sounds which now and again broke the silence, were the voices of my lord's link-men, who, in goodly number, fully armed, carrying flaming torches whose lurid dancing light shone through the blinding snow, appeared at a distance to be a party of ancient saints come forth from their tombs to indulge in a ghostly frolic under cover of the night.

in the company of; together with

From this reading Snow had fallen through the day, and as night approached all objects were covered with a mantle of white.