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课文22 熟记台词3 L/ U5 j* q( g2 i) m$ s+ w
370. Some plays are so successful that they run for years on end.3 S4 o4 m; D+ O2 _* B. J# g
有些剧目十分成功,以致连续上演好几年。- P& r. @) I* W
371. In many ways, this is unfortunate for the poor actors who are required to go on repeating the same lines night after night.
# X( U& r* N7 F9 h8 w 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。3 r8 \: [0 x0 `8 J0 Q- Q, T) J
372. One would expect them to know their parts by heart and never have cause to falter.4 _. p; V$ r5 B7 c6 Q
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,* R, F0 M+ ^) Q% `
373. Yet this is not always the case.# o/ N+ D8 `- A8 c; o. ~( S
但情况却并不总是这样。9 ~5 _# S7 H- a' m! 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.0 f3 @. z. R1 P+ C8 C' v
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。
3 y' `8 G# R6 \6 c# d, O( a375. In the last act, a gaoler would always come on to the stage with a letter which he would hand to the prisoner.
7 w3 y* i0 b4 Z1 }+ x# j4 I2 _9 f 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。
# m7 o! o. ~( v5 U; r4 l376. Even though the noble was expected to read the letter at each performance,3 T9 o/ L. K- z% r0 c. K9 W! A9 x
尽管那个贵族每场戏都得念一遍那封信。* g2 c0 w h' {% \2 ?0 Y
377. he always insisted that it should be written out in full.' n" D! h% U9 ]/ r) H$ J+ L8 P
但他还是坚持要求将信的全文写在信纸上。
' I P8 m/ k9 O1 {! I. h; S# v9 s [( D378. One night, the gaoler decided to play a joke on his colleague to find out if," D$ P" z6 G% _+ z/ S
一天晚上,狱卒决定与他的同事开一个玩笑,' m5 p5 u1 K$ u0 z
379. after so many performances, he had managed to learn the contents of the letter by heart.
0 C i4 m0 Q- t5 z4 A7 i. N- \ 看看他反复演出这么多场之后,是否已将信的内容记熟了。
' N5 p$ b* g u4 L2 j( D380. The curtain went up on the final act of the play and revealed the aristocrat sitting alone behind bars in his dark cell.
6 V& t$ h4 b2 Y& ~. P 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。9 \# f! T; _8 J/ K, w7 H
381. Just then, the gaoler appeared with the precious letter in his bands.
6 F \, D0 ^: ^7 V 这时狱卒上场,手里拿着那封珍贵的信。
) O1 x7 f8 X$ j382. He entered the cell and presented the letter to the aristocrat.
/ Q# k2 `. K7 Z# l9 C- E" L! X 狱卒走进牢房,将信交给贵族。+ A9 J! w- b F6 ?
383. But the copy he gave him had not been written out in full as usual.& v" g: v* H# O/ F b L
但这回狱卒给贵族的信没有像往常那样把全文写全,
0 w: I# V& E. ?7 E k+ }5 Y384. It was simply a blank sheet of paper.
0 P2 i. A$ p" \ T$ y 而是一张白纸。 C# I+ z' H; |. d& e
385. The gaoler looked on eagerly, anxious to see if his fellow actor had at last learnt his lines.
* N7 ]2 X' g0 G, o6 ]3 A U7 \ 狱卒热切地观察着,急于想了解他的同事是否记熟了台词。+ o6 P6 ^# L) p
386. The noble stared at the blank sheet of paper for a few seconds.
" u: a, B) H; s# c- h 贵族盯着纸看了几秒钟,5 W+ U) `; v6 t% z! R$ H8 E: S6 Q
387. Then, squinting his eyes, he said: 'The light is dim. Read the letter to me'.; ]: J- |9 H R! g- l [1 q8 E
然后,眼珠一转,说道:“光线太暗,请给我读一下这封信。”% O4 O# T" r) q9 B
388. And he promptly handed the sheet of paper to the gaoler.
; K& p4 \2 P) _3 B4 P. ]$ Z 说完,他一下子把信递给狱卒。) n1 o" S/ X0 C+ H
389. Finding that he could not remember a word of the letter either,5 t$ T* A1 J/ k/ J$ t' h2 I
狱卒发现自己连一个字也记不住,
( ^& q9 C5 x. D! D/ {9 v390. the gaoler replied: 'The light is indeed dim, sire. I must get my glasses.'8 j( `# H* {; \. R/ O @: T
于是便说:“陛下,这儿光线的确太暗了,我得去眼镜拿来。”
; x4 o3 o1 g2 e# U" Y391. With this, he hurried off the stage.
* S( [ z ^1 \; z* s8 g 他一边说着,一边匆匆下台。& Q0 z. W/ n; S3 o6 p5 `( o
392. Much to the aristocrat's amusement,
3 ?% X$ n. H5 }+ I# ?9 o: t8 U2 t 贵族感到非常好笑的是:
7 d- h2 w& S; K7 |1 M393. 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.( U1 {; S# a' G, W* G
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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