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课文22 熟记台词
( Q# S" f" q' G0 j370. Some plays are so successful that they run for years on end.8 i! G; P3 A0 x
有些剧目十分成功,以致连续上演好几年。
' I! l s6 P- u* U371. In many ways, this is unfortunate for the poor actors who are required to go on repeating the same lines night after night.% Z# Z% R9 Q5 E- o4 O; O, [
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。
1 j2 @; Y9 s# [3 J372. One would expect them to know their parts by heart and never have cause to falter.
5 [; X( d( r9 O2 d 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,8 C- @$ H* c1 R8 L
373. Yet this is not always the case.$ j4 t4 _6 M( s
但情况却并不总是这样。
" j- g0 C/ R' l# t374. 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.% Z- x( f* f1 H
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。9 b! o7 L) B x; Y3 ]4 e( j. u3 H6 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.5 U+ `6 \: a8 v' X: u# 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。
1 _5 S( i, e: r6 i$ w; K/ f/ h: w376. Even though the noble was expected to read the letter at each performance," P+ f: E: { d( C0 f% a2 v" T8 ? e
尽管那个贵族每场戏都得念一遍那封信。
9 l3 m' Z$ ]. ^: S: j' E" T. m4 U377. he always insisted that it should be written out in full.$ I/ o: a* u# s* v
但他还是坚持要求将信的全文写在信纸上。
2 l+ c0 m, {( f1 c, v" l4 V" h: u5 @3 E378. One night, the gaoler decided to play a joke on his colleague to find out if,) a) d+ `5 ]; D; b! d9 D5 K
一天晚上,狱卒决定与他的同事开一个玩笑,
9 E2 ^7 d+ z8 Z% J( u379. after so many performances, he had managed to learn the contents of the letter by heart.4 E4 `' A) ]7 |3 A) Q/ [
看看他反复演出这么多场之后,是否已将信的内容记熟了。
. y- q" R4 h: q( g, m J" w; y380. The curtain went up on the final act of the play and revealed the aristocrat sitting alone behind bars in his dark cell.
* W1 u$ c' F1 V 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。
3 z) l$ L; c% `# u381. Just then, the gaoler appeared with the precious letter in his bands." T. y% n: \# n
这时狱卒上场,手里拿着那封珍贵的信。
# h }" j K! m2 Q: V382. He entered the cell and presented the letter to the aristocrat.
: `) K6 T# a T7 c 狱卒走进牢房,将信交给贵族。3 Y- P) w& |* q; K; z" @' x
383. But the copy he gave him had not been written out in full as usual.
" ?9 V, N/ n3 M* L/ ?- ~ 但这回狱卒给贵族的信没有像往常那样把全文写全,0 _5 N1 ~1 }9 v) e l+ J2 D8 d
384. It was simply a blank sheet of paper.! u, o$ N1 R: o1 c& {( D
而是一张白纸。
- e5 h) O6 S$ ~5 g5 p. q385. The gaoler looked on eagerly, anxious to see if his fellow actor had at last learnt his lines.
6 a: e; b5 m/ f2 F9 M 狱卒热切地观察着,急于想了解他的同事是否记熟了台词。7 R2 m9 j: o: e I1 a0 u
386. The noble stared at the blank sheet of paper for a few seconds.
) x9 Z( T, I* e# x 贵族盯着纸看了几秒钟,: H6 j; r% x/ k# L# }" ^ e
387. Then, squinting his eyes, he said: 'The light is dim. Read the letter to me'. x$ {0 A9 m( n2 n3 e; p) `! l
然后,眼珠一转,说道:“光线太暗,请给我读一下这封信。”: K) G( C8 g0 V2 A& ^
388. And he promptly handed the sheet of paper to the gaoler.. n- l( |- ?- ^* L' Y' u# `
说完,他一下子把信递给狱卒。
8 a; g# z' z$ a389. Finding that he could not remember a word of the letter either,+ j- l5 }& L2 R6 p0 F7 `
狱卒发现自己连一个字也记不住,
; r& m0 `0 q6 L! p390. the gaoler replied: 'The light is indeed dim, sire. I must get my glasses.'' C% W* l: R( I a Z( V7 p: ~0 Y
于是便说:“陛下,这儿光线的确太暗了,我得去眼镜拿来。”' L9 a# p( F4 H
391. With this, he hurried off the stage.# y$ v0 g# h' s) |8 e
他一边说着,一边匆匆下台。( e& U! E) }. y- S
392. Much to the aristocrat's amusement,+ S& K2 K$ L- f8 e/ @* B
贵族感到非常好笑的是:4 f% S. g, T/ r$ N! m
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. @( |1 K# F9 `+ F
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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