a company of evildoers

provide a foil to set off a character in a literary work

be perfectly accurate

repent and make a fresh start

be beside oneself with elation(walk on air)

fond dream

too late to repent

try to draw a tiger and end up with the likeness of a dog―make a poor imitation(attempting more than one has ability for)

just the same(as like as two eggs)

priceless curios

showy(gaudy; garish)

the words mean more than they say(have one's tongue in one's cheek)

The drought demon ran amok.(There was a severe drought.)

let it all hang out

blunder against(be in a rush)

be interdetermined(be both the cause and the effect of the other's being)

god knows how long(at the Greek Calends)

in a kindly manner

arbitrary unreasonable(truculent and unreasonable)

carry rifles loaded with bullets