"Don't be natural," he told his company. "The stage isn't the place for that.
The stage is make-believe. But seem natural."
49
He worked his company hard (
; to work hard , ). They rehearsed
every morning ( ) from ten till two (
), when he sent them home ( :
) to learn their parts ( ) and rest before the
evening's performance ( ). He
bullied them ( ; to bully , ,
), he screamed at them ( ), he mocked them (
). He underpaid them ( ). But if they
played a moving scene well ( ) he
cried like a child ( , ), and when they said an amusing line (
: ; amusing ,
; to amuse ) as he wanted it said ( ,
) he bellowed with laughter ( =
; to bellow , , ). He would skip about the stage on
one leg ( ; to skip , ,
) if he was pleased ( ), and if he was
angry ( ) would throw the script down (
: ) and stamp on it ( ; to stamp
, , ) while tears of rage (
) ran down his cheeks (: ).
performance [pq'fO:mqns] bully ['bVlI] laughter ['lQ:ftq]
He worked his company hard. They rehearsed every morning from ten till
two, when he sent them home to learn their parts and rest before the evening's
Performance. He bullied them, he screamed at them, he mocked them. He
Underpaid them. But if they played a moving scene well he cried like a child,
And when they said an amusing line as he wanted it said he bellowed with
Laughter. He would skip about the stage on one leg if he was pleased, and if he
50
Was angry would throw the script down and stamp on it while tears of rage
Ran down his cheeks.
The company laughed at him ( ) and abused him (
= ; to abuse , ,
, ; ) and did everything
they could ( , ) to please him ( :
). He aroused a protective instinct in them (
:
|
|
|
; to arouse , , ), so that one and
all (, ; one and all , ) they
felt ( ) that they couldn't let him down (
; to let down , , ).
Though they said ( , ) he drove them like slaves (
: , ; to drive
, ; , ), and they never
had a moment to themselves (
), flesh and blood couldn't stand it (// //
; to stand , , , ), it
gave them a sort of horrible satisfaction ( :
) to comply with his outrageous demands
(/ ; to comply
with , , ; demand ,
, ). When he wrung an old trooper's hand (
: ; trooper
troop / ./ ), who was getting seven pounds a week
( / / ), and said ( ),
by God (-), laddie (; lad , , ), you're
stupendous ( ), the old trooper felt like Charles Kean (
// ).
51
abuse [q'bju:s] blood [blAd] outrageous [aVt'reIdZqs] trooper ['tru:pq]
stupendous [stju:'pendqs]
