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课文22 熟记台词4 g5 q M: c4 C: R, t0 B
370. Some plays are so successful that they run for years on end.8 \! I9 {4 E' `: o2 S) X! Y
有些剧目十分成功,以致连续上演好几年。5 H, H6 ]$ M3 y: e( Z4 S/ \3 X X
371. In many ways, this is unfortunate for the poor actors who are required to go on repeating the same lines night after night.; o# ?6 N3 v6 ~- X7 p( @
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。
5 U# k& [! z0 F' b7 J372. One would expect them to know their parts by heart and never have cause to falter.
4 }( t3 F: S7 h; U6 e1 | 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 }% d- c- X1 d7 Z' ]' s3 U! v373. Yet this is not always the case.9 d6 `! i r1 B; L5 A f* t7 F
但情况却并不总是这样。
# O% E7 B5 @( [5 B6 O- ~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.
: q; @# m% @9 q6 W2 m6 U; 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。& f/ [+ o& A0 Z! }- h
375. In the last act, a gaoler would always come on to the stage with a letter which he would hand to the prisoner.
7 R# _& o* V8 M, ?4 p/ C 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。" F1 T( E" K3 i4 d: }' `
376. Even though the noble was expected to read the letter at each performance,
( ], i7 r6 b1 m: E2 s; b 尽管那个贵族每场戏都得念一遍那封信。& i& N( r( r, _9 X" ~8 V ~1 [' I
377. he always insisted that it should be written out in full.0 y( ~8 f9 J' B" P9 s
但他还是坚持要求将信的全文写在信纸上。
% ]2 ^' @; j* q, I- J) P378. One night, the gaoler decided to play a joke on his colleague to find out if,) p ^! t6 \# @' x0 T+ x2 u
一天晚上,狱卒决定与他的同事开一个玩笑,9 ?) M- {! Z! f o7 S9 I3 `
379. after so many performances, he had managed to learn the contents of the letter by heart.+ S# a3 d5 X& Y" X% w! ^' ~
看看他反复演出这么多场之后,是否已将信的内容记熟了。
2 t5 u9 N, w5 o- C380. The curtain went up on the final act of the play and revealed the aristocrat sitting alone behind bars in his dark cell.9 y2 @4 H( `7 I" Z
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。- H* q+ C( I/ S$ I
381. Just then, the gaoler appeared with the precious letter in his bands.2 I3 m) B! s( p% m
这时狱卒上场,手里拿着那封珍贵的信。
; H5 c: |# a2 s5 {/ |% C$ S) Y382. He entered the cell and presented the letter to the aristocrat.# L, d) U) v5 h% r
狱卒走进牢房,将信交给贵族。0 `$ m6 K# q5 `, L0 Z( ~
383. But the copy he gave him had not been written out in full as usual.
6 w# U5 q, q$ Y. A 但这回狱卒给贵族的信没有像往常那样把全文写全,. ]+ L6 h5 G. i* q# M! q. \9 w2 W, g
384. It was simply a blank sheet of paper.
+ c9 w# X: u Q0 u3 A% j 而是一张白纸。) g9 c- ~* V* ]. b# k0 ]+ c
385. The gaoler looked on eagerly, anxious to see if his fellow actor had at last learnt his lines.
" g+ _2 o3 l( p) V. 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。
* ]0 a6 n7 w1 I4 A u( g386. The noble stared at the blank sheet of paper for a few seconds.0 H' ^5 W- O: K* w
贵族盯着纸看了几秒钟,, K6 g& z- }, D, h
387. Then, squinting his eyes, he said: 'The light is dim. Read the letter to me'.5 f/ m5 @- b/ v( Q1 D( q6 X3 `
然后,眼珠一转,说道:“光线太暗,请给我读一下这封信。”
c9 |4 u0 |8 z2 R) _; ^388. And he promptly handed the sheet of paper to the gaoler.* Q$ G3 [0 n9 y2 r J1 Q+ z# f
说完,他一下子把信递给狱卒。" a# Q' `) U2 S! m$ B4 K2 K2 E- @
389. Finding that he could not remember a word of the letter either,
( L/ T y- a, N V2 X4 |4 o% j H 狱卒发现自己连一个字也记不住,+ \/ v2 c( h+ G. d9 K( y
390. the gaoler replied: 'The light is indeed dim, sire. I must get my glasses.'
7 M, v# U0 m7 E' a) G* o 于是便说:“陛下,这儿光线的确太暗了,我得去眼镜拿来。”/ W" C; u4 r: Q) v9 n- ?
391. With this, he hurried off the stage.
5 k3 X t6 J9 { M 他一边说着,一边匆匆下台。6 g, j3 H- ]& T# t. D
392. Much to the aristocrat's amusement,
; y: P/ s5 P/ E3 Q 贵族感到非常好笑的是:
* r+ H* ^+ \" J7 D; ~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., q* ?) v( A% x
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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