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课文22 熟记台词; v% Z, O* ~) a3 p' t+ S) ]
370. Some plays are so successful that they run for years on end.
q# N$ ^% l4 N9 ^ 有些剧目十分成功,以致连续上演好几年。
+ p4 Z* @, k( ?% k- j1 @. V371. In many ways, this is unfortunate for the poor actors who are required to go on repeating the same lines night after night.* A! [, F E3 v: B: c, f
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。% N/ v- p. `: K- M& H9 y( Q
372. One would expect them to know their parts by heart and never have cause to falter.
0 H4 f2 m, ~- U: C9 _ 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,) r1 m+ }: Z3 A, \, D
373. Yet this is not always the case.! {4 I/ J% h! X/ K' [
但情况却并不总是这样。. e* U0 q& C8 z( A/ d U) r0 z
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.6 B" E2 @$ T# L3 w2 X" t
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。1 W t' W1 |: d' W1 C
375. In the last act, a gaoler would always come on to the stage with a letter which he would hand to the prisoner.! Q9 @! K/ X) Y, l
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。: @( n; ]8 V$ ~3 P* e+ {9 ~& ^
376. Even though the noble was expected to read the letter at each performance,
7 B# B1 B5 n1 T Z( r! R+ i( i( A 尽管那个贵族每场戏都得念一遍那封信。# M& S9 ?9 d' L, E9 P. O5 p$ b
377. he always insisted that it should be written out in full. _. M, t4 I3 V3 x5 H8 K4 w
但他还是坚持要求将信的全文写在信纸上。9 C X2 \1 q" y7 @ C: z- B
378. One night, the gaoler decided to play a joke on his colleague to find out if,
* [2 P- f" g# N, h% T9 a3 l$ e 一天晚上,狱卒决定与他的同事开一个玩笑,
4 \9 a( [% u- R# P: c6 _4 |379. after so many performances, he had managed to learn the contents of the letter by heart.' |8 k2 |" K. [8 r) q% G9 Z% 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。* O0 l' R, r: 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.
5 T0 A/ \. q' P$ G+ W2 w 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。5 ?1 T# P, U7 ]6 F/ B3 B
381. Just then, the gaoler appeared with the precious letter in his bands.
% a. v8 a4 h R0 [) c9 Q" j 这时狱卒上场,手里拿着那封珍贵的信。 X8 R( o0 R' O u* J5 z
382. He entered the cell and presented the letter to the aristocrat.3 M* Y8 D$ W9 H8 d
狱卒走进牢房,将信交给贵族。
k# ~! q2 j: s! Z4 B+ B9 r3 o383. But the copy he gave him had not been written out in full as usual.* q5 m( ?5 v8 ?2 {+ D; {9 R
但这回狱卒给贵族的信没有像往常那样把全文写全,
: A0 A! D7 \0 N384. It was simply a blank sheet of paper.
* k+ [/ S8 t" v) |7 j1 @* _+ d4 D2 z. e: \ 而是一张白纸。
8 z' s! X' ]2 `& s% E385. The gaoler looked on eagerly, anxious to see if his fellow actor had at last learnt his lines.
; m2 M1 ? p2 { 狱卒热切地观察着,急于想了解他的同事是否记熟了台词。
1 b1 l# H. O# i5 n386. The noble stared at the blank sheet of paper for a few seconds.- A0 y5 p" V- k' K7 A7 w
贵族盯着纸看了几秒钟,. L$ n. x; ]( ^% n$ H' d% W
387. Then, squinting his eyes, he said: 'The light is dim. Read the letter to me'.
; Q/ a6 `. P+ |- N 然后,眼珠一转,说道:“光线太暗,请给我读一下这封信。”
# R0 k$ m7 X/ _388. And he promptly handed the sheet of paper to the gaoler.
. ]- e3 `4 o; P. s4 W/ M 说完,他一下子把信递给狱卒。6 _% z% m7 H; ?! T$ E0 N
389. Finding that he could not remember a word of the letter either,
8 S$ a k8 L `* w' { 狱卒发现自己连一个字也记不住,! ?- Y K4 n; ]3 q& }3 b
390. the gaoler replied: 'The light is indeed dim, sire. I must get my glasses.'
5 g7 Q( h- E. Q- P3 \, t' j& W- W; E: M6 q# N 于是便说:“陛下,这儿光线的确太暗了,我得去眼镜拿来。”3 l! p3 T, m6 K8 e8 u7 `
391. With this, he hurried off the stage.% O! ?: }( q$ a9 w3 ?! ~
他一边说着,一边匆匆下台。
; p, G$ M5 X1 D# u: W, K+ ]392. Much to the aristocrat's amusement,
, Z4 y' f2 x+ j# }3 X 贵族感到非常好笑的是:
7 h9 O% t1 t! D, U& C- R393. 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.0 R, P, f3 q# g! \, h K+ |
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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