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课文22 熟记台词& o0 ?* b+ \, q* ~2 r+ V; U
370. Some plays are so successful that they run for years on end.8 K3 A# g+ G7 E& l. N p% S
有些剧目十分成功,以致连续上演好几年。
. `# [9 K# o; K' L, T371. In many ways, this is unfortunate for the poor actors who are required to go on repeating the same lines night after night.$ d7 ~% t: z+ b0 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。4 A. r# I, U# W
372. One would expect them to know their parts by heart and never have cause to falter.: t8 r* `7 d/ Q' O0 I! m( @* y2 ^0 P
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,$ \) M/ V# J! q% H. q' B
373. Yet this is not always the case.
! Q' a0 @7 T0 a8 a0 d" f4 J 但情况却并不总是这样。
7 y# x9 ^& H; l' \) x1 d374. 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.
E/ m9 {0 e' b- }( o 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。0 Q+ M G2 u. I
375. In the last act, a gaoler would always come on to the stage with a letter which he would hand to the prisoner.! V5 d: y4 g1 g* [. e d# A3 T
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 W* y0 Z, ~: O7 D+ h! H
376. Even though the noble was expected to read the letter at each performance,
3 u5 u2 o+ u& h9 W 尽管那个贵族每场戏都得念一遍那封信。' ` Y: O) X$ e
377. he always insisted that it should be written out in full." T8 ~7 b. F$ N9 d
但他还是坚持要求将信的全文写在信纸上。5 w3 E. Y1 v. J( ?3 ]
378. One night, the gaoler decided to play a joke on his colleague to find out if,( P' T" s: g2 O7 z2 }4 J, D# S+ ~
一天晚上,狱卒决定与他的同事开一个玩笑,
9 l; W* T, }5 X& _2 i" U379. after so many performances, he had managed to learn the contents of the letter by heart.
4 J! x* o8 `0 L) y/ x( v 看看他反复演出这么多场之后,是否已将信的内容记熟了。
) h: s; F3 R# ?% x380. The curtain went up on the final act of the play and revealed the aristocrat sitting alone behind bars in his dark cell.8 F J, B/ A5 H ?$ 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。. Z3 i0 f" \, w' L7 g
381. Just then, the gaoler appeared with the precious letter in his bands.
7 H* P" z+ P2 h- c9 x 这时狱卒上场,手里拿着那封珍贵的信。4 V3 _' o+ k( ?% u, e6 g& W
382. He entered the cell and presented the letter to the aristocrat.
7 ~" s) |$ w% ^( O& d8 N5 s0 K 狱卒走进牢房,将信交给贵族。0 [, L% r5 w: y# z# F5 U
383. But the copy he gave him had not been written out in full as usual.
( y* ^! t! u: M5 Q- F 但这回狱卒给贵族的信没有像往常那样把全文写全,& N( K5 i" n, o3 ?" _) F
384. It was simply a blank sheet of paper.
; j. P* c% s8 y& d3 X; ? 而是一张白纸。
5 n) E/ l e, N$ M$ T9 F385. The gaoler looked on eagerly, anxious to see if his fellow actor had at last learnt his lines.
+ W. ^- F/ G& j* {4 t- G5 q$ 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。8 }7 W% [+ a: t0 z
386. The noble stared at the blank sheet of paper for a few seconds.
( [0 K3 b# i. E K% t2 p 贵族盯着纸看了几秒钟,
% h: `! U# J$ T$ S' r387. Then, squinting his eyes, he said: 'The light is dim. Read the letter to me'.
8 K* B5 O0 n3 K1 M: M0 i 然后,眼珠一转,说道:“光线太暗,请给我读一下这封信。”
. c7 W8 G! a7 H- }1 Z5 Q$ S388. And he promptly handed the sheet of paper to the gaoler.4 K5 ~2 R+ h: x
说完,他一下子把信递给狱卒。
) H7 {& ?/ x9 b1 M/ X. Y389. Finding that he could not remember a word of the letter either,: ~0 @0 G2 q( F* b5 F n4 s6 i
狱卒发现自己连一个字也记不住,0 A* g& j& Y7 m! G. G" m
390. the gaoler replied: 'The light is indeed dim, sire. I must get my glasses.'
- Z' C8 j2 J6 }( B; d( d 于是便说:“陛下,这儿光线的确太暗了,我得去眼镜拿来。”+ Y# o+ [9 m# D
391. With this, he hurried off the stage., e5 n! }8 T& f2 O
他一边说着,一边匆匆下台。
$ `! u* D" d' J392. Much to the aristocrat's amusement,& ^3 L* W6 k2 h. i6 m! E
贵族感到非常好笑的是:; Z O. y% r- \/ F* q
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./ C7 B4 e* S# s% Z8 p
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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