Under the Lilacs - Chapter 21

A picnic supper on the grass followed the games, and then, as twilight ¹ began to fall, the young people were marshalled to the coach-house, now transformed into a rustic ² theatre. One big door was open, and seats, arranged lengthwise, faced the red table-cloths which formed the curtain. A row of lamps made very good foot-lights, and an invisible band performed a Wagner-like overture ³ on combs, tin trumpets ⁴, drums, and pipes, with an accompaniment of suppressed laughter., ,Many of the children had never seen any thing like it, and sat staring about them in mute admiration ⁵ and expectancy ⁶; but the older ones criticised freely, and indulged in wild speculations ⁷ as to the meaning of various convulsions of nature going on behind the curtain., ,While Teacher was dressing ⁸ the actresses for the tragedy, Miss Celia and Thorny ⁹, who were old hands at this sort of amusement, gave a "Potato" pantomime as a side show., , ,Few of the children had ever seen the immortal ¹² Punch and Judy, so this was a most agreeable novelty, and before they could make out what it meant, a voice began to sing, so distinctly that every word was heard, -, ,"In China there lived a little man,,His name was Chingery Wangery Chan.",Twilight was sweet with the smell of lilac and freshly turned earth.薄暮充满紫丁香和新翻耕的泥土的香味 。,It was nearly seven months of leisurely rustic living before Michael felt real boredom.这种悠闲的乡村生活过了差不多七个月之后,迈克尔开始感到烦闷
。