Notre-Dame de Paris — Page 14

English → Chinese Full Text Level 8/10

It had been arranged for the purpose, early in the morning; its rich slabs of marble, all scratched by the heels of law clerks, supported a cage of carpenter's work of considerable height, the upper surface of which, within view of the whole hall, was to serve as the theatre, and whose interior, masked by tapestries, was to take the place of dressing-rooms for the personages of the piece.

这张桌子一大早就为此目的布置好了；它那华丽的大理石板，被法庭书记们的鞋跟划得满是划痕，支撑着一个相当高的木工搭建的框架，其上表面在整个大厅都能看到，将用作舞台，而其内部则以挂毯遮掩，用来充当剧中人物的更衣室。

A ladder, naively placed on the outside, was to serve as means of communication between the dressing-room and the stage, and lend its rude rungs to entrances as well as to exits.

一架梯子，朴素地架在外侧，用来作为更衣室与舞台之间的通道，以其粗陋的横档供演员上场与下场之用。

There was no personage, however unexpected, no sudden change, no theatrical effect, which was not obliged to mount that ladder.

无论多么出人意料的人物、突如其来的变化，还是戏剧效果，无不须借助那架梯子。

Innocent and venerable infancy of art and contrivances!

艺术与机巧那纯真而令人敬畏的童年时代！

Four of the bailiff of the palace's sergeants, perfunctory guardians of all the pleasures of the people, on days of festival as well as on days of execution, stood at the four corners of the marble table.

宫廷法警的四名侍从，无论是节日还是行刑之日，都敷衍塞责地守护着百姓的一切娱乐，此刻分别站在大理石桌的四个角落。

The piece was only to begin with the twelfth stroke of the great palace clock sounding midday.

演出要等到宫廷大钟敲响正午第十二下时才会开始。

It was very late, no doubt, for a theatrical representation, but they had been obliged to fix the hour to suit the convenience of the ambassadors.

对于一场演出来说，这无疑已经很晚了，但他们不得不将时间定在这一刻，以迁就各位大使的方便。

Now, this whole multitude had been waiting since morning.

而此刻，这整整一大群人已经从早晨等到了现在。

Vocabulary

这: zhè — This; used to indicate something nearby.
张: zhāng — Measure word for flat objects like tables.
桌子: zhuōzi — A table or desk used for various purposes.
一: yī — One; the number one.
大早: dàzǎo — Early in the morning; very early.
就: jiù — Already; then; as early as.
为: wèi — For; for the sake of; in order to.
此: cǐ — This; referring to something just mentioned.
目的: mùdì — Purpose; goal; objective of an action.
布置: bùzhì — To arrange or set up a space or event.
好了: hǎo le — Done; finished; ready; all set.
它: tā — It; third-person pronoun for objects or animals.
那: nà — That; used to indicate something farther away.
华丽: huálì — Magnificent; splendid; ornate and showy.
的: de — Structural particle indicating possession or modification.
大理石: dàlǐshí — Marble; a hard decorative stone material.
板: bǎn — Board; slab; flat piece of material.
被: bèi — Passive marker; used before the agent of action.
法庭: fǎtíng — Courtroom; a place where legal proceedings occur.
书记: shūji — Clerk or secretary, especially in official settings.
们: men — Plural suffix for pronouns and people.
划: huá — To scratch; to mark a surface by scraping.
得: de — Complement particle indicating degree or result.
满是: mǎn shì — Covered with; full of; completely filled with.
支撑: zhīchēng — To support; to prop up; to hold in place.
着: zhe — Aspect particle indicating ongoing state or action.
个: gè — Common measure word for people and general objects.
相当: xiāngdāng — Quite; considerably; fairly; rather significant.
高: gāo — High; tall; elevated in height.
木工: mùgōng — Carpentry; a carpenter or woodworking craft.
搭建: dājiàn — To build; to construct; to set up a structure.
框架: kuàngjià — Frame; framework; structural skeleton of something.
其: qí — Its; their; a formal pronoun for possession.
在: zài — At; in; on; indicating location or time.
整个: zhěnggè — Entire; whole; the complete extent of something.
大厅: dàtīng — Main hall; large room or lobby.
都: dōu — All; both; entirely; without exception.
能: néng — Can; to be able to; having the ability.
看到: kàndào — To see; to catch sight of something.
将: jiāng — Will; about to; indicates future action formally.
用作: yòngzuò — To be used as; to serve the function of.
舞台: wǔtái — Stage; platform for theatrical performances.
而: ér — And; yet; while; connecting contrasting clauses.
内部: nèibù — Interior; inside; the inner part of something.
则: zé — Then; while; a conjunction marking contrast.
以: yǐ — With; by means of; using something as a tool.
遮掩: zhēyǎn — To conceal; to cover up; to hide from view.
用来: yònglái — Used to; used for the purpose of doing something.
充当: chōngdāng — To serve as; to act as; to function as.
人物: rénwù — Character; figure; person in a story or play.
更衣室: gēngyīshì — Dressing room; changing room for performers or athletes.
架: jià — Measure word for ladders and framed structures.
梯子: tīzi — Ladder; a device used for climbing up or down.
朴素: pǔsù — Simple; plain; unadorned in style or appearance.
地: de — Adverbial particle linking adverb to verb.
外侧: wàicè — Outer side; the exterior part of something.
作为: zuòwéi — As; in the role of; serving as something.
与: yǔ — And; with; between (formal conjunction).
之间: zhījiān — Between; among; in the space separating things.
通道: tōngdào — Passageway; corridor; a route for passing through.
供: gōng — To provide for; to supply; for the use of.
演员: yǎnyuán — Actor; performer in a play or production.
上场: shàngchǎng — To enter the stage; to make one's appearance.
下场: xiàchǎng — To exit the stage; to leave a performance area.
无论: wúlùn — No matter; regardless of; whether or not.
多么: duōme — How; however; to whatever degree or extent.
出人意料: chū rén yì liào — Unexpected; beyond what people anticipated or expected.
突如其来: tū rú qí lái — Sudden; happening abruptly without prior warning.
变化: biànhuà — Change; transformation; shift in state or condition.
还是: háishi — Or; still; whether; used in comparisons or questions.
戏剧: xìjù — Drama; theater; theatrical performance or play.
效果: xiàoguǒ — Effect; result; the impact or outcome achieved.
无不: wúbù — Without exception; all; every one without fail.
须: xū — Must; need to; it is necessary to do.
借助: jièzhù — With the help of; by means of; relying on.
艺术: yìshù — Art; artistic skill or creative expression.
纯真: chúnzhēn — Pure; innocent; genuine and unspoiled in nature.
令人敬畏: lìng rén jìngwèi — Awe-inspiring; causing feelings of deep reverence.
童年: tóngnián — Childhood; the early years of a person's life.
时代: shídài — Era; age; a particular period in history.
宫廷: gōngtíng — Royal court; the palace and its official environment.
四名: sì míng — Four people; a group of four individuals.
是: shì — To be; is; am; are; linking subject and predicate.
节日: jiérì — Holiday; festival; a day of celebration or observance.
守护: shǒuhù — To guard; to protect; to watch over carefully.
百姓: bǎixìng — Common people; ordinary citizens; the general public.
一切: yīqiè — Everything; all; every single thing without exception.
娱乐: yúlè — Entertainment; amusement; recreational activities for enjoyment.
此刻: cǐkè — At this moment; right now; at the present time.
分别: fēnbié — Separately; respectively; each in a different place.
站: zhàn — To stand; to be positioned upright in a place.
桌: zhuō — Table; short form of 桌子 referring to a table.
四个: sì gè — Four; a quantity of four of something.
角落: jiǎoluò — Corner; a secluded or peripheral spot in a space.
演出: yǎnchū — Performance; show; a staged theatrical production.
要: yào — To want; must; will; indicating necessity or desire.
等到: děngdào — To wait until; to hold off until a moment.
敲响: qiāo xiǎng — To ring; to strike and produce a sound.
正午: zhèngwǔ — Noon; exactly midday; twelve o'clock in the day.
第十二: dì shí èr — The twelfth; ordinal number indicating twelfth position.
下: xià — Down; below; the next; to strike downward.
时: shí — Time; hour; when; at the time of.
才会: cái huì — Only then will; not until a condition is met.
开始: kāishǐ — To begin; to start; the commencement of something.
对于: duìyú — Regarding; with respect to; in relation to something.
一场: yī chǎng — One performance; a single show or event.
来说: lái shuō — Speaking of; as far as something is concerned.
无疑: wúyí — Undoubtedly; without doubt; certainly true.
已经: yǐjīng — Already; by now; indicating something has occurred.
很晚: hěn wǎn — Very late; quite late in time or schedule.
了: le — Particle indicating completed action or change of state.
但: dàn — But; however; a conjunction showing contrast.
他们: tāmen — They; them; third-person plural pronoun.
不得不: bù dé bù — Have no choice but to; cannot avoid doing.
时间: shíjiān — Time; a period or point in time.
定: dìng — To set; to fix; to determine; to decide.
这一刻: zhè yī kè — This very moment; this particular instant in time.
迁就: qiānjiù — To accommodate; to yield to; to make concessions for.
各位: gèwèi — Everyone; ladies and gentlemen; each and every person.
大使: dàshǐ — Ambassador; a diplomat representing a country abroad.
方便: fāngbiàn — Convenient; easy; suitable for one's needs.
整整: zhěngzhěng — Fully; a whole; an entire uninterrupted amount.
一大群: yī dà qún — A large crowd; a big group of people or things.
人: rén — Person; people; human being.
从: cóng — From; since; starting from a point in time or place.
早晨: zǎochen — Morning; the early part of the day.
现在: xiànzài — Now; at present; the current moment in time.

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