The distinguished female author and I were now unabashedly getting drunk. As we ate, I told her the story of my visit to the masturbatorium, and I had her cracking up; we were laughing loudly enough to draw some stares from other tables.

to bespeak a calm hearing;  I bespeak your patience in advance.

“Selenators”, her faithful followers, cannot wait to see what she does next.

Then wheeling his black steed suddenly, he raced away before the dazed soldiers could get their wits together to send a shower of arrows after him.