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课文22 熟记台词 K3 O& K: C. {/ F
370. Some plays are so successful that they run for years on end." W+ R& i* E# n2 Y. f7 v
有些剧目十分成功,以致连续上演好几年。
, ?; ~, |) [' u {3 j4 Q371. In many ways, this is unfortunate for the poor actors who are required to go on repeating the same lines night after night.( r6 E, f4 `5 Y( H: _' 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。+ T' j# i1 C: l9 r
372. One would expect them to know their parts by heart and never have cause to falter.
5 H/ d( _# y) |4 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,. J# D7 s" x+ N$ J$ ~- L' n0 F# @
373. Yet this is not always the case.
. z" n' B* R8 ]- }# G+ q' d# }) r 但情况却并不总是这样。' g1 j+ `" j' \0 M4 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.& M5 O$ r4 v9 O+ r4 u8 g$ I- Z( \
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。
8 G1 I8 @) T2 R375. In the last act, a gaoler would always come on to the stage with a letter which he would hand to the prisoner.. @, _- v7 J' U( c7 P! [
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。' r- ?3 f6 V$ i0 Q0 R# a9 U3 ^
376. Even though the noble was expected to read the letter at each performance,' o* F* l; d* B5 J; t
尽管那个贵族每场戏都得念一遍那封信。
7 y# A6 F' `, n$ _2 `9 S% k377. he always insisted that it should be written out in full.
% J# h0 ~1 S4 m9 R' N9 t+ q; I 但他还是坚持要求将信的全文写在信纸上。: j5 N4 o$ e$ e' b3 l+ v" X" k
378. One night, the gaoler decided to play a joke on his colleague to find out if,% X/ h. |' e) e' t+ A7 C, k$ M/ \! U
一天晚上,狱卒决定与他的同事开一个玩笑,# v8 F# x( [" S) K: G
379. after so many performances, he had managed to learn the contents of the letter by heart./ K: T1 F3 P& y: S( P0 E
看看他反复演出这么多场之后,是否已将信的内容记熟了。3 _+ D' o7 @4 { I
380. The curtain went up on the final act of the play and revealed the aristocrat sitting alone behind bars in his dark cell.
Z! u2 N$ c- f' y" m; M7 G& T 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。
! G: ^5 Q- [5 K5 {2 b1 \7 Z381. Just then, the gaoler appeared with the precious letter in his bands.3 g+ @1 h! }$ k) _6 b
这时狱卒上场,手里拿着那封珍贵的信。
" Y l% J" S& q$ ]) c! U8 Z382. He entered the cell and presented the letter to the aristocrat.
n! F2 S' J* O0 J5 k- I1 G7 Y 狱卒走进牢房,将信交给贵族。# }* m$ H; X) y* k& b- `+ ~! Y
383. But the copy he gave him had not been written out in full as usual.
( W: ~! d/ I9 u3 d% a* X- I' i. ]+ c 但这回狱卒给贵族的信没有像往常那样把全文写全,
, }! M t4 |6 V! N2 H384. It was simply a blank sheet of paper.
. K- K) ^0 @8 {1 o3 G! g- ~ 而是一张白纸。8 q% M) r! m ]* q& I- [
385. The gaoler looked on eagerly, anxious to see if his fellow actor had at last learnt his lines.3 k! W+ q, i, N0 {$ q
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 }+ A, f( C8 V# g( M7 Y- m) O
386. The noble stared at the blank sheet of paper for a few seconds.
/ u, E+ m$ N8 p0 e" R* O I: d 贵族盯着纸看了几秒钟, ?. k2 _: C6 Q+ R5 {/ ^. U4 x5 o% w
387. Then, squinting his eyes, he said: 'The light is dim. Read the letter to me'.
1 D5 ~* q1 C& L, Z. c) G. l 然后,眼珠一转,说道:“光线太暗,请给我读一下这封信。”; Z% S! ?0 S# E/ s' n3 X, L7 y
388. And he promptly handed the sheet of paper to the gaoler. a& V: u% O. i
说完,他一下子把信递给狱卒。/ ]/ c: X: A9 b. m) e
389. Finding that he could not remember a word of the letter either,7 n) [+ J8 D1 E& o. b3 u8 R
狱卒发现自己连一个字也记不住,
( w. w9 t1 |7 u" k! \4 A, j7 ~& i- t390. the gaoler replied: 'The light is indeed dim, sire. I must get my glasses.'5 I5 b7 _, J7 [4 Q3 S1 F
于是便说:“陛下,这儿光线的确太暗了,我得去眼镜拿来。”! a, R* W; M9 a8 N
391. With this, he hurried off the stage.
6 I2 O: I; [8 Z3 a& y 他一边说着,一边匆匆下台。+ k! E2 y; S6 {) [ ^# z, c
392. Much to the aristocrat's amusement,
; j8 h/ \3 b6 g. n 贵族感到非常好笑的是:6 v0 k; q% r" d7 z
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.
! Z& T9 J0 n! w4 a0 W: @, G% 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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