To judge from the extraordinary activity in the pantry, the shining cleanliness which imparted such a new and festal guise¹ to certain articles in the salon² and drawing-room which I had long known as anything but resplendent, and the arrival of some musicians whom Prince Ivan would certainly not have sent for nothing, no small amount of company was to be expected that evening.

At the sound of every vehicle which chanced to pass the house I ran to the window, leaned my head upon my arms, and peered with impatient curiosity into the street.

At last a carriage stopped at our door, and, in the full belief that this must be the Iwins, who had promised to come early, I at once ran downstairs to meet them in the hall.

But, instead of the Iwins, I beheld³ from behind the figure of the footman who opened the door two female figures-one tall and wrapped in a blue cloak trimmed with marten, and the other one short and wrapped in a green shawl from beneath which a pair of little feet, stuck into fur boots, peeped forth⁴.

Without paying any attention to my presence in the hall (although I thought it my duty, on the appearance of these persons to salute⁵ them), the shorter one moved towards the taller, and stood silently in front of her. Thereupon the tall lady untied⁶ the shawl which enveloped⁷ the head of the little one, and unbuttoned the cloak which hid her form; until, by the time that the footmen had taken charge of these articles and removed the fur boots, there stood forth from the amorphous⁸ chrysalis a charming girl of twelve, dressed in a short muslin frock, white pantaloons, and smart black satin shoes. Around her, white neck she wore a narrow black velvet⁹ ribbon, while her head was covered with flaxen curls which so

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1 guise
n.外表，伪装的姿态
参考例句：
They got into the school in the guise of inspectors.他们假装成视察员进了学校。 The thief came into the house under the guise of a repairman.那小偷扮成个修理匠进了屋子。

2 salon
n.[法]沙龙；客厅；营业性的高级服务室
参考例句：
Do you go to the hairdresser or beauty salon more than twice a week?你每周去美容院或美容沙龙多过两次吗？ You can hear a lot of dirt at a salon.你在沙龙上会听到很多流言蜚语。

3 beheld
v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟
参考例句：
His eyes had never beheld such opulence. 他从未见过这样的财富。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The soul beheld its features in the mirror of the passing moment. 灵魂在逝去的瞬间的镜子中看到了自己的模样。 来自英汉文学 - 红字

4 forth
adv.向前；向外，往外
参考例句：
The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。 He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

5 salute
vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮
参考例句：
Merchant ships salute each other by dipping the flag.商船互相点旗致敬。 The Japanese women salute the people with formal bows in welcome.这些日本妇女以正式的鞠躬向人们施礼以示欢迎。

6 untied
松开，解开( untie的过去式和过去分词 )； 解除，使自由； 解决
参考例句：
Once untied, we common people are able to conquer nature, too. 只要团结起来，我们老百姓也能移山倒海。 He untied the ropes. 他解开了绳子。

7 enveloped
v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
She was enveloped in a huge white towel. 她裹在一条白色大毛巾里。 Smoke from the burning house enveloped the whole street. 燃烧着的房子冒出的浓烟笼罩了整条街。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 amorphous
adj.无定形的
参考例句：
There was a weakening of the intermolecular bonds,primarily in the amorphous region of the polymer.分子间键合减弱，尤其在聚合物的无定形区内更为明显。 It is an amorphous colorless or white powder.它是一种无定形的无色或白色粉末。

9 velvet
n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的
参考例句：
This material feels like velvet.这料子摸起来像丝绒。 The new settlers wore the finest silk and velvet clothing.新来的移民穿着最华丽的丝绸和天鹅绒衣服。

10 perfectly
adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地
参考例句：
The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。 Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

11 kindly
adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地
参考例句：
Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。 A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

12 embarrassment
n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫
参考例句：
She could have died away with embarrassment.她窘迫得要死。 Coughing at a concert can be a real embarrassment.在音乐会上咳嗽真会使人难堪。

13 shrill
adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫
参考例句：
Whistles began to shrill outside the barn.哨声开始在谷仓外面尖叫。 The shrill ringing of a bell broke up the card game on the cutter.刺耳的铃声打散了小汽艇的牌局。

14 bustled
闹哄哄地忙乱，奔忙( bustle的过去式和过去分词 )； 催促
参考例句：
She bustled around in the kitchen. 她在厨房里忙得团团转。 The hostress bustled about with an assumption of authority. 女主人摆出一副权威的样子忙来忙去。

15 reins
感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带
参考例句：
She pulled gently on the reins. 她轻轻地拉着缰绳。 The government has imposed strict reins on the import of luxury goods. 政府对奢侈品的进口有严格的控制手段。

16 lashed
adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥
参考例句：
The rain lashed at the windows. 雨点猛烈地打在窗户上。 The cleverly designed speech lashed the audience into a frenzy. 这篇精心设计的演说煽动听众使他们发狂。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 shreds
v.撕碎，切碎( shred的第三人称单数 )；用撕毁机撕毁（文件）
参考例句：
Peel the carrots and cut them into shreds. 将胡罗卜削皮，切成丝。 来自《简明英汉词典》 I want to take this diary and rip it into shreds. 我真想一赌气扯了这日记。 来自汉英文学 - 中国现代小说

18 mischief
n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹
参考例句：
Nobody took notice of the mischief of the matter. 没有人注意到这件事情所带来的危害。 He seems to intend mischief.看来他想捣蛋。

19 determined
adj.坚定的；有决心的
参考例句：
I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。 He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

20 sift
v.筛撒，纷落，详察
参考例句：
Sift out the wheat from the chaff.把小麦的壳筛出来。 Sift sugar on top of the cake.在蛋糕上面撒上糖。

21 delicacy
n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴
参考例句：
We admired the delicacy of the craftsmanship.我们佩服工艺师精巧的手艺。 He sensed the delicacy of the situation.他感觉到了形势的微妙。

22 peculiar
adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的
参考例句：
He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。 He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。

23 plural
n.复数；复数形式；adj.复数的
参考例句：
Most plural nouns in English end in's '.英语的复数名词多以s结尾。 Here you should use plural pronoun.这里你应该用复数代词。

24 utterly
adv.完全地，绝对地
参考例句：
Utterly devoted to the people,he gave his life in saving his patients.他忠于人民，把毕生精力用于挽救患者的生命。 I was utterly ravished by the way she smiled.她的微笑使我完全陶醉了。

25 crestfallen
adj. 挫败的，失望的，沮丧的
参考例句：
He gathered himself up and sneaked off,crushed and crestfallen.他爬起来，偷偷地溜了，一副垂头丧气、被斗败的样子。 The youth looked exceedingly crestfallen.那青年看上去垂头丧气极了。

26 graceful
adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的
参考例句：
His movements on the parallel bars were very graceful.他的双杠动作可帅了! The ballet dancer is so graceful.芭蕾舞演员的姿态是如此的优美。

27 utterances
n.发声( utterance的名词复数 )；说话方式；语调；言论
参考例句：
John Maynard Keynes used somewhat gnomic utterances in his General Theory. 约翰·梅纳德·凯恩斯在其《通论》中用了许多精辟言辞。 来自辞典例句 Elsewhere, particularly in his more public utterances, Hawthorne speaks very differently. 在别的地方，特别是在比较公开的谈话里，霍桑讲的话则完全不同。 来自辞典例句