 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
课文22 熟记台词6 M" A; q* n$ l
370. Some plays are so successful that they run for years on end.
/ L- s* S8 h4 S' a! } 有些剧目十分成功,以致连续上演好几年。1 x7 h" G& O/ Q2 O% H8 y9 v c' Y; Y
371. In many ways, this is unfortunate for the poor actors who are required to go on repeating the same lines night after night.8 F! z( [4 k" H$ F: x0 I' 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。
, D! ?3 c* e0 N5 r372. One would expect them to know their parts by heart and never have cause to falter.
5 [: q) j' M# Z H( G0 ^7 o 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,1 H: J7 Y- s2 Q: ?) d+ M
373. Yet this is not always the case.
! R$ }6 W+ D5 y E, L! b7 I 但情况却并不总是这样。5 V1 [0 y+ n8 L8 \4 M
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.7 M8 C( R4 X) b- G1 d9 D+ o f
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。
6 r# f/ I; E0 G/ S# y: |; {375. In the last act, a gaoler would always come on to the stage with a letter which he would hand to the prisoner.' E0 [1 J9 J9 Y$ @& 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。
4 g1 b0 O' z8 g/ b; O! K) S376. Even though the noble was expected to read the letter at each performance,3 v3 T, z6 l' k
尽管那个贵族每场戏都得念一遍那封信。
4 H5 d9 T! u( J; i3 t% r6 K- z# a377. he always insisted that it should be written out in full.- q: [6 P! z8 s% z" o
但他还是坚持要求将信的全文写在信纸上。
, R. G, B& M) r* r4 @378. One night, the gaoler decided to play a joke on his colleague to find out if,
. f5 _$ E: G; f4 f' t 一天晚上,狱卒决定与他的同事开一个玩笑,
5 e% G( O( h* g# _5 [/ F379. after so many performances, he had managed to learn the contents of the letter by heart.8 j5 I8 e1 \" v2 @* j8 _1 ^
看看他反复演出这么多场之后,是否已将信的内容记熟了。: w8 l% Y1 D/ y
380. The curtain went up on the final act of the play and revealed the aristocrat sitting alone behind bars in his dark cell.. O9 F1 n- K/ P5 [8 W+ \/ r
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。
( }/ u5 T# g/ |381. Just then, the gaoler appeared with the precious letter in his bands.
9 n' G# T G k6 g 这时狱卒上场,手里拿着那封珍贵的信。6 I$ X) G) X" _* m9 B# j
382. He entered the cell and presented the letter to the aristocrat." x6 k; h* D+ ]: ~0 v# e
狱卒走进牢房,将信交给贵族。+ Q4 l, A# \* E% d" {
383. But the copy he gave him had not been written out in full as usual. E; {$ V( d1 H/ U
但这回狱卒给贵族的信没有像往常那样把全文写全,0 ?6 m9 W( S8 m4 `6 b. ^+ S6 {3 Y/ i
384. It was simply a blank sheet of paper.
N3 y' g" f( y1 k% g 而是一张白纸。
5 u$ |! D% H+ O" H385. The gaoler looked on eagerly, anxious to see if his fellow actor had at last learnt his lines.; v# Z: P0 C' h. Z/ O
狱卒热切地观察着,急于想了解他的同事是否记熟了台词。
# g2 s! X" Z& }' f. n1 }" a386. The noble stared at the blank sheet of paper for a few seconds.
5 z" \. r+ M% n+ z/ @ 贵族盯着纸看了几秒钟,
$ _8 @) B' {& d/ O4 I9 l6 z7 i4 t387. Then, squinting his eyes, he said: 'The light is dim. Read the letter to me'.
3 P. V5 e9 K: J/ i g 然后,眼珠一转,说道:“光线太暗,请给我读一下这封信。”
. [! T! B( X i1 }388. And he promptly handed the sheet of paper to the gaoler.) m9 R( g7 k+ `0 v
说完,他一下子把信递给狱卒。4 V- V$ ^! Y7 C \, W5 t
389. Finding that he could not remember a word of the letter either,
! ?3 q6 M4 k4 \$ M# R" @" {5 f 狱卒发现自己连一个字也记不住,) v7 @6 O n4 ^0 [; L4 C# {; k# Z* x
390. the gaoler replied: 'The light is indeed dim, sire. I must get my glasses.'6 C/ O' G& ` z+ p( j6 W
于是便说:“陛下,这儿光线的确太暗了,我得去眼镜拿来。”) B. @9 j4 Q# Q& _9 h: k
391. With this, he hurried off the stage.
6 c5 f6 j) ~1 X8 `) f- j 他一边说着,一边匆匆下台。3 C( y+ Y/ p2 w1 {& e
392. Much to the aristocrat's amusement,
1 e5 k7 x$ l: }* W 贵族感到非常好笑的是:
! K* F9 B* s! K4 ]" P393. 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.
: P0 y% R, C# |; M" y( Z 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。 |
|