chapter 2

 Nurse Fedosya, sitting in the kitchen that evening, was telling the silent housemaid Darya and the talkative old cook Agathya about the young lady of the house, and how the child loved to play priatki with her mother—“She hides her little face, and cries ‘tiutiu’!”

 

“And the mistress herself is like a little one,” added Fedosya, smiling.

 

Agathya listened and shook her head ominously¹; while her face became grave and reproachful.

 

“That the mistress does it, well, that’s one thing; but that the young lady does it, that’s bad.”

 

“Why?” asked Fedosya with curiosity.

 

This expression of curiosity gave her face the look of a wooden, roughly-painted doll.

 

“Yes, that’s bad,” repeated Agathya with conviction. “Terribly bad!”

 

“Well?” said Fedosya, the ludicrous expression of curiosity on her face becoming more emphatic².

 

“She’ll hide, and hide, and hide away,” said Agathya, in a mysterious whisper, as she looked cautiously toward the door.

 

“What are you saying?” exclaimed Fedosya, frightened.

 

“It’s the truth I’m saying, remember my words,” Agathya went on with the same assurance and secrecy³. “It’s the surest sign.”

 

The old woman had invented this sign, quite suddenly, herself; and she was evidently very proud of it.

1 ominously   

adv.恶兆地，不吉利地；预示地

参考例句：

• The wheels scooped up stones which hammered ominously under the car. 车轮搅起的石块，在车身下发出不吉祥的锤击声。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Mammy shook her head ominously. 嬷嬷不祥地摇着头。 来自飘（部分）

2 emphatic   

adj.强调的，着重的；无可置疑的，明显的

参考例句：

• Their reply was too emphatic for anyone to doubt them.他们的回答很坚决，不容有任何人怀疑。
• He was emphatic about the importance of being punctual.他强调严守时间的重要性。

3 secrecy   

n.秘密，保密，隐蔽

参考例句：

• All the researchers on the project are sworn to secrecy.该项目的所有研究人员都按要求起誓保守秘密。
• Complete secrecy surrounded the meeting.会议在绝对机密的环境中进行。