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首页 » 儿童英文小说 » Five Hundred Dollars or, Jacob Marlowe's Secret » CHAPTER XXVIII. BERT'S FIRST APPEARANCE ON ANY STAGE.
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CHAPTER XXVIII. BERT'S FIRST APPEARANCE ON ANY STAGE.
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 Bert eyed the actor with amazement1, rather disposed to doubt his sanity2.
 
"Do you mean me?" he said.
 
"Certainly."
 
"Has he ever acted?" asked Pearson, the second actor, doubtfully.
 
"No, but he can act. I'll undertake to train him."
 
"There isn't much time. Hazleton can't appear to-night."
 
"Don't worry! I'll see that he is not missed."
 
As Pearson went away, Orville said: "You'll help us out, won't you, my boy?"
 
"What do you want me to do?" asked Bert, his heart beating with excitement.
 
"Take the part of a newsboy. You've seen and heard them in the streets of New York, haven't you?"
 
"Yes; but it seems sudden. I should have to learn the part."
 
"All told there are not more than twenty lines, and you won't come on till the second act. You've spoken pieces, haven't you?"
 
"Yes, and I like it."200
 
"I was sure of it. Then you accept?"
 
"If you think I can do it, and will tell me exactly what to do."
 
"Come round at once to the stage entrance. I will give you your lines and tell you the business. We'll speak about terms later."
 
As Bert followed Orville round to the stage door he asked himself whether he was not acting3 foolishly in accepting, at such short notice, a position to which he was entirely4 unaccustomed. If he had not liked declamation5, and felt moderately self-possessed before an audience, he would have promptly6 refused. As it was, the prospect7, while it somewhat daunted8, also pleased him. Besides, he saw that, though he might not be able to fill the place of Bob Hazleton, it was imperatively9 necessary that the part should be taken by some one, and there was no time to lose in hunting up another boy. If he did poorly, he could limit his engagement to one evening.
 
He was not at home behind the scenes, and at the outset came near tumbling through a trap door. He followed Orville to the general dressing-room, where the manager assisted him to attire10 himself in the costume provided for the newsboy. It is needless to say that it was not of a costly11 description, and would have been dear at a dollar and a half.201
 
"I'll dress you first, and give you the lines afterward12."
 
In five minutes Bert surveyed himself in a cracked mirror, and wondered if he were the same boy. Orville ruffled13 up his hair, taught him the free and easy walk of the typical newsboy, briefly14 instructed him in the "business" of the part, and then gave him his lines to commit.
 
"Read them to me," he said. "I want to see if you've caught the spirit of the part."
 
Of course Bert needed a little coaching, but "caught on," as Orville expressed it, with remarkable15 quickness. After a few minutes' rehearsal16, his teacher said: "You'll do; that is, if you don't get rattled17."
 
"What's that?"
 
"Get an attack of stage fright, and forget your lines."
 
"I won't do that," said Bert confidently.
 
"Then you'll have no trouble. Now, stay here till you get a summons from the call boy. I must make up for my part, though I don't appear, either, till the second act. Remember that we rely upon you."
 
"I'll get through," said Bert confidently.
 
By this time our hero looked forward eagerly to the moment when he would appear on the stage. He felt excited, and yearned18 to202 distinguish himself. He wanted to justify19 the stage manager's hasty, and, it must be confessed, rather imprudent, choice.
 
He waited in the wings till he heard the call boy's summons, and then made his entrance as instructed by Orville. He glanced at the audience, but only got a confused impression of hundreds of faces. He did not allow himself to think of them, but addressed himself to the business of his part. A part of this was to rescue a little girl from the abuse of a tyrannical old woman. He recited his lines with spirit; and so enlisted20 the sympathies of those present by his manly21 bearing that he received a tribute of applause. The scene came just at the close of the second act, and when the curtain fell there was prolonged hand-clapping. Bert did not know what it meant, but Orville came up to him, and said; "Go before the curtain, leading Maud by the hand. Bow to the audience."
 
Bert was a little bewildered, but followed directions. The corner of the curtain was moved aside, and Bert walked across the stage, leading little Maud (who was a daughter of the leading actress) by the hand. Children are always well received, and there was plenty of applause.
 
When Bert reappeared behind the scenes,203 Orville said, "Barton, you did yourself proud! Keep it up when you appear again in the fourth act, and you may consider yourself an actor."
 
In the fourth and last act Bert went on the stage in his street dress. His circumstances and his social position were supposed to have improved.
 
At the close of the performance Orville introduced Bert to the different members of the company.
 
"Do you mean to say you have never acted before?" asked Mr. Pearson.
 
"This is my first appearance on any stage," said Bert with a smile.
 
"Then you have done yourself great credit. I was myself trained at Wallack's Theatre, but had been a year on the boards before I could acquit22 myself as well as you."
 
"Thank you. I have done better than I expected."
 
"You more than filled Hazleton's place."
 
"Has he been long with you?"
 
"A year."
 
Bert felt this was indeed praise, that on his first appearance he should have equaled a boy with a year's experience.
 
"Of course you will play with us the balance of the week?" said Pearson.204
 
"If you wish me to do so."
 
"What salary will you expect?" Bert smiled.
 
"I hardly know what will be a fair price to ask."
 
"We will give you the same salary that Hazleton received, fifteen dollars a week, and you pay your own board. Is that satisfactory?"
 
Bert opened his eyes. Fifteen dollars a week seemed to him a large sum, for evening work. He found afterward that he was expected to appear at rehearsal; but even with this additional duty, the post appeared to him an easy one.
 
"I accept the terms," he said.
 
"All right; where are you boarding?"
 
He gave the address.
 
"Please be at the theatre to-morrow at ten, and Mr. Pearson will hear you rehearse and give you a few points."
 
Unknown to Bert there were two persons present at the theatre that night who recognized him. One of the male boarders, prompted by a rather significant hint from Miss Angelica, had invited that young lady to accompany him to the performance. They sat in the sixth row from the stage, though205 Bert, who attended only to his duties, did not see them.
 
When he first came on as a newsboy, Miss Stubbs said: "How much that newsboy looks like Mr. Barton, ma's new boarder."
 
"He does look some like him."
 
"But of course it isn't he. I wonder if he is here this evening."
 
"I don't see him anywhere," said the escort.
 
When Bert appeared in his own clothes in the fourth act, Angelica exclaimed: "Why, it is Mr. Barton, after all! Is it possible that I know a live actor? Why, I was talking to him at supper, and he was really quite attentive23 to me."
 
"He is put down on the bill as Bob Hazleton," said the young man, consulting the programme.
 
"That must be his stage name. I will get him to tell me all about acting to-morrow. Do you know, Mr. Cutting, I should like to go on the stage myself? I should so like to play Juliet."
 
"If you do, will you let me be Romeo?"
 
"Yes, if you desire it," said Angelica, tapping her escort coquettishly with her fan.
 
It's safe to say that Mr. Cutting, who was barely five feet in height, and Miss Angelica,206 who was tall, thin, and angular, would have made a very remarkable Romeo and Juliet.
 
As Bert left the stage door, a boy touched his arm. Looking round he saw that it was the one who had guided him to the theatre. The boy's face wore a respectful look as he said:
 
"Say, you didn't tell me you was one of de actors."
 
"I didn't know it myself," answered Bert.
 
"It was you that took off de newsboy," continued the boy.
 
"Yes, but I'm not the regular actor. He's sick and I took his place."
 
"It was tiptop. Are you goin' to act to-morrow night?"
 
"I shall act all this week."
 
"I'd like to see de play again. It's a boss play."
 
Bert felt in a liberal mood.
 
"Here is fifteen cents," he said. "Tell your friends to come."
 
"I'll bring 'em. I'll tell 'em I know one of de actors."
 
It may be remarked that Tom Roach, for this was the boy's name, gave such glowing accounts of the play to his intimate friends that no less than ten of them accompanied him to the theatre the next evening, and were especially enthusiastic when Bert was on the stage. Their liberal applause raised Bert in the good opinion of the management, who felt that they had secured a prize in the new actor.

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 amazement 7zlzBK     
n.惊奇,惊讶
参考例句:
  • All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。
  • He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。
2 sanity sCwzH     
n.心智健全,神智正常,判断正确
参考例句:
  • I doubt the sanity of such a plan.我怀疑这个计划是否明智。
  • She managed to keep her sanity throughout the ordeal.在那场磨难中她始终保持神志正常。
3 acting czRzoc     
n.演戏,行为,假装;adj.代理的,临时的,演出用的
参考例句:
  • Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她,她只是假装的。
  • During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代,她的表演生涯黯然失色。
4 entirely entirely     
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地
参考例句:
  • The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
  • His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。
5 declamation xx6xk     
n. 雄辩,高调
参考例句:
  • Declamation is a traditional Chinese teaching method.诵读教学是我国传统的语文教学方法。
  • Were you present at the declamation contest of Freshmen?大一的朗诵比赛你参加了没有?
6 promptly LRMxm     
adv.及时地,敏捷地
参考例句:
  • He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
  • She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。
7 prospect P01zn     
n.前景,前途;景色,视野
参考例句:
  • This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
  • The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。
8 daunted 7ffb5e5ffb0aa17a7b2333d90b452257     
使(某人)气馁,威吓( daunt的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • She was a brave woman but she felt daunted by the task ahead. 她是一个勇敢的女人,但对面前的任务却感到信心不足。
  • He was daunted by the high quality of work they expected. 他被他们对工作的高品质的要求吓倒了。
9 imperatively f73b47412da513abe61301e8da222257     
adv.命令式地
参考例句:
  • Drying wet rice rapidly and soaking or rewetting dry rice kernels imperatively results in severe fissuring. 潮湿米粒快速干燥或干燥籽粒浸水、回潮均会产生严重的裂纹。 来自互联网
  • Drying wet rice kernels rapidly, Soaking or Rewetting dry rice Kernels imperatively results in severe fissuring. 潮湿米粒的快速干燥,干燥籽粒的浸水或回潮均会带来严重的裂纹。 来自互联网
10 attire AN0zA     
v.穿衣,装扮[同]array;n.衣着;盛装
参考例句:
  • He had no intention of changing his mode of attire.他无意改变着装方式。
  • Her attention was attracted by his peculiar attire.他那奇特的服装引起了她的注意。
11 costly 7zXxh     
adj.昂贵的,价值高的,豪华的
参考例句:
  • It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
  • This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用,左不过贵了些。
12 afterward fK6y3     
adv.后来;以后
参考例句:
  • Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏,然后吃饭。
  • Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来,这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。
13 ruffled e4a3deb720feef0786be7d86b0004e86     
adj. 有褶饰边的, 起皱的 动词ruffle的过去式和过去分词
参考例句:
  • She ruffled his hair affectionately. 她情意绵绵地拨弄着他的头发。
  • All this talk of a strike has clearly ruffled the management's feathers. 所有这些关于罢工的闲言碎语显然让管理层很不高兴。
14 briefly 9Styo     
adv.简单地,简短地
参考例句:
  • I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
  • He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。
15 remarkable 8Vbx6     
adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的
参考例句:
  • She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
  • These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。
16 rehearsal AVaxu     
n.排练,排演;练习
参考例句:
  • I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。
  • You can sharpen your skills with rehearsal.排练可以让技巧更加纯熟。
17 rattled b4606e4247aadf3467575ffedf66305b     
慌乱的,恼火的
参考例句:
  • The truck jolted and rattled over the rough ground. 卡车嘎吱嘎吱地在凹凸不平的地面上颠簸而行。
  • Every time a bus went past, the windows rattled. 每逢公共汽车经过这里,窗户都格格作响。
18 yearned df1a28ecd1f3c590db24d0d80c264305     
渴望,切盼,向往( yearn的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The people yearned for peace. 人民渴望和平。
  • She yearned to go back to the south. 她渴望回到南方去。
19 justify j3DxR     
vt.证明…正当(或有理),为…辩护
参考例句:
  • He tried to justify his absence with lame excuses.他想用站不住脚的借口为自己的缺席辩解。
  • Can you justify your rude behavior to me?你能向我证明你的粗野行为是有道理的吗?
20 enlisted 2d04964099d0ec430db1d422c56be9e2     
adj.应募入伍的v.(使)入伍, (使)参军( enlist的过去式和过去分词 );获得(帮助或支持)
参考例句:
  • enlisted men and women 男兵和女兵
  • He enlisted with the air force to fight against the enemy. 他应募加入空军对敌作战。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
21 manly fBexr     
adj.有男子气概的;adv.男子般地,果断地
参考例句:
  • The boy walked with a confident manly stride.这男孩以自信的男人步伐行走。
  • He set himself manly tasks and expected others to follow his example.他给自己定下了男子汉的任务,并希望别人效之。
22 acquit MymzL     
vt.宣判无罪;(oneself)使(自己)表现出
参考例句:
  • That fact decided the judge to acquit him.那个事实使法官判他无罪。
  • They always acquit themselves of their duty very well.他们总是很好地履行自己的职责。
23 attentive pOKyB     
adj.注意的,专心的;关心(别人)的,殷勤的
参考例句:
  • She was very attentive to her guests.她对客人招待得十分周到。
  • The speaker likes to have an attentive audience.演讲者喜欢注意力集中的听众。


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