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课文22 熟记台词, G$ m2 S& i$ i; ~- @, }( [! s
370. Some plays are so successful that they run for years on end.' W# y0 @; t5 k. }+ }8 ]9 k
有些剧目十分成功,以致连续上演好几年。
5 s% h- k3 a9 Q& X& l. G: @371. In many ways, this is unfortunate for the poor actors who are required to go on repeating the same lines night after night.% e* a m* y4 _% r" f- t
这样一来,可怜的演员们可倒霉了。因为他们需要一夜连着一夜地重复同样的台词。
; I9 h) a1 }9 y M372. One would expect them to know their parts by heart and never have cause to falter.! V0 h. Q' G: d' c9 T- O; m3 A
人们以为,这些演员一定会把台词背得烂熟,绝不会临场结巴的,
6 b% ~5 v" Y9 Y+ m5 b373. Yet this is not always the case.. c' Y+ j" l6 J j$ S( ~3 Q
但情况却并不总是这样。# y: j* z9 U# O9 K `- `$ I+ X. R3 K; K
374. A famous actor in a highly successful play was once cast in the role of an aristocrat who had been imprisoned in the Bastille for twenty years. i) T [* t- o {( Y
有一位名演员曾在一出极为成功的剧目中扮演一个贵族角色,这个贵族已在巴士底狱被关押了20年。
& v6 N; [4 T$ x0 a. z: X375. In the last act, a gaoler would always come on to the stage with a letter which he would hand to the prisoner.1 Q* S5 ]3 U) b7 H
在最后一幕中,狱卒手持一封信上场,然后将信交给狱中那位贵族。
' D) _+ K! d+ U. |& A- o376. Even though the noble was expected to read the letter at each performance,6 u/ o n/ q0 x& n- t L
尽管那个贵族每场戏都得念一遍那封信。* I; o1 x- Y ]- q, J, l
377. he always insisted that it should be written out in full./ c1 C8 n. w$ I5 p+ Y1 f
但他还是坚持要求将信的全文写在信纸上。( C+ M/ [" y, q: @; z
378. One night, the gaoler decided to play a joke on his colleague to find out if,
) f8 Z6 f; T) L) L 一天晚上,狱卒决定与他的同事开一个玩笑,5 J& n/ N; X$ C. O3 x
379. after so many performances, he had managed to learn the contents of the letter by heart.- n$ }+ A4 z$ ?9 m6 y* p. U \
看看他反复演出这么多场之后,是否已将信的内容记熟了。) T( M6 h' m' U5 V1 F
380. The curtain went up on the final act of the play and revealed the aristocrat sitting alone behind bars in his dark cell.4 p9 Q" z6 p0 h% O i2 b
大幕拉开,最后一幕戏开演,贵族独自一人坐在铁窗后阴暗的牢房里。8 J/ U7 h0 r& G- N( u
381. Just then, the gaoler appeared with the precious letter in his bands.8 d7 w! Y1 V) n$ `$ c2 s
这时狱卒上场,手里拿着那封珍贵的信。
( o5 Y1 S: L' l) q" L382. He entered the cell and presented the letter to the aristocrat.- w5 Q1 ]. C1 R2 M$ n9 P% Q( _( K
狱卒走进牢房,将信交给贵族。
5 I3 K4 Y H# C+ M383. But the copy he gave him had not been written out in full as usual.
@. H5 f; \, v* X x o1 N 但这回狱卒给贵族的信没有像往常那样把全文写全,
1 S0 @% U! n, o. a384. It was simply a blank sheet of paper.
1 R/ u% j ~5 S V) e; u 而是一张白纸。/ z# F( f8 y) v3 n; A% e
385. The gaoler looked on eagerly, anxious to see if his fellow actor had at last learnt his lines.
& n5 i. Y4 x* ~( E' U 狱卒热切地观察着,急于想了解他的同事是否记熟了台词。! c ^$ Y( W7 ^
386. The noble stared at the blank sheet of paper for a few seconds.
& S6 j- Z8 q2 L/ K6 o 贵族盯着纸看了几秒钟,. I8 q- i3 [. i6 i @% a
387. Then, squinting his eyes, he said: 'The light is dim. Read the letter to me'./ S4 g, ^; @& a9 m5 w
然后,眼珠一转,说道:“光线太暗,请给我读一下这封信。”
9 W5 S6 L5 Q8 v+ j388. And he promptly handed the sheet of paper to the gaoler.1 j& R. z# x/ Q
说完,他一下子把信递给狱卒。- n& y( o& u4 b7 Z' ?$ {* @
389. Finding that he could not remember a word of the letter either,
# ]% e6 {+ N/ I* ~ 狱卒发现自己连一个字也记不住,. f$ X5 O# O5 Y) A/ T
390. the gaoler replied: 'The light is indeed dim, sire. I must get my glasses.'. @5 x2 a. o0 [3 c! j! u
于是便说:“陛下,这儿光线的确太暗了,我得去眼镜拿来。”
# Z8 ~5 Z3 a# w5 X* f391. With this, he hurried off the stage.0 T9 U0 U# D" d2 R6 f; z, J1 }$ Y! r
他一边说着,一边匆匆下台。' p N i3 B" t s m, N
392. Much to the aristocrat's amusement,) C" k7 U9 [1 o+ r6 A
贵族感到非常好笑的是:, A- M, A" V k0 A
393. the gaoler returned a few moments later with a pair of glasses and the usual copy of the letter which he proceeded to read to the prisoner.3 Y0 n1 s' ]5 p
一会儿工夫,狱卒重新登台,拿来一副眼镜以及平时使用的那封信,然后为那囚犯念了起来。 |
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