Monsieur Debienne and Monsieur Poligny, the managers of the Paris Opera House, were hosting a gala performance to celebrate their retirement.
monsieur
先生，阁下(对男性尊称的法语)
Monsieur Debienne and Monsieur Poligny, the managers of the Paris Opera House, were hosting a gala performance to celebrate their retirement.
host
1. 举办，主办(活动，会议等)，(2. (招待客人的)主人，3. 主持者)
Monsieur Debienne and Monsieur Poligny, the managers of the Paris Opera House, were hosting a gala performance to celebrate their retirement.
gala
庆祝活动
Monsieur Debienne and Monsieur Poligny, the managers of the Paris Opera House, were hosting a gala performance to celebrate their retirement.
performance
1. 演出，演奏，表演，(2. 成绩，成果)
Monsieur Debienne and Monsieur Poligny, the managers of the Paris Opera House, were hosting a gala performance to celebrate their retirement.
retirement
退休，退役
Monsieur Debienne and Monsieur Poligny, the managers of the Paris Opera House, were hosting a gala performance to celebrate their retirement.
mademoiselle
1. 小姐(未婚女子，相当于Miss, (2.法国女家庭教师)
Mademoiselle Sorelli, one of the ballerinas, was in her dressing room, rehearsing her speech in their honor.
rehearse
(音乐、戏剧等)排练，排演
Mademoiselle Sorelli, one of the ballerinas, was in her dressing room, rehearsing her speech in their honor.
shriek
1. (尖声)说话，尖叫，(2. 尖叫声)
Suddenly four young dancers rushed in, shrieking.
interruption
妨碍，中断
Sorelli asked, annoyed at the interruption.
aboveground
地面上的
The opera house was a vast building with 17 floors aboveground and 5 floors of cellars below.
cellar
地下室，地窖
The opera house was a vast building with 17 floors aboveground and 5 floors of cellars below.
stalk
1. (生气似的，有自信的)大踏步地走，(2. (植物的)茎，秆)
For months everyone had been discussing the figure who stalked the building from top to bottom like a shadow.
undertaker
殡仪业者
People said the ghost dressed in evening clothes, comparing him to a man of fashion or an undertaker.
vanish
(突然)消失不见
He appears out of nowhere and then vanishes without saying a word.
strain
1. 用力拉，使劲扯，(2. 紧张感，负担感)
Everyone strained their ears, but there were no footsteps in the passage.
illuminate
照亮，照射
She threw open the door and looked up and down the empty passage, which was illuminated by only one gaslight.
gaslight
1. 煤气灯，(2. 煤气灯光)
She threw open the door and looked up and down the empty passage, which was illuminated by only one gaslight.
prowl
(尤指边寻找着什么)转来转去，徘徊于
He must be prowling around somewhere.
chief
1. 等级最高的，(2. (种族的)酋长，3. 组织中的首领)
Buquet, the chief stagehand, had been the first to encounter the ghost.
stagehand
(管理道具、灯光等的)舞台负责人
Buquet, the chief stagehand, had been the first to encounter the ghost.
skull
头盖骨，骷髅
He described the phantom's head as skull -like with black holes for the eyes and nose and a pale complexion.
complexion
面色，气色
He described the phantom's head as skull-like with black holes for the eyes and nose and a pale complexion.
assistant
1. 助手，助理， (2. 辅助的)
Some people thought Buquet's assistants were playing a trick on him.
sober
1. 认真的，冷静的，(2. 没喝醉的，清醒的)
But Buquet was a serious, sober man, so not everyone dismissed his horrifying description.
dismiss
1. 断然拒绝，不理睬，(2. 让(人)解散，离开)
But Buquet was a serious, sober man, so not everyone dismissed his horrifying description.
horrifying
可怕的，毛骨悚然的
But Buquet was a serious, sober man, so not everyone dismissed his horrifying description.
description
1. (用语言)描述，说明，(2. (犯人等的)容貌)
But Buquet was a serious, sober man, so not everyone dismissed his horrifying description.
benefit
1. 利益，好处，(2. 对……有益，有益于)
People also gave him the benefit of the doubt because he was a popular fellow backstage.
backstage
(在)后台，(向)后台
People also gave him the benefit of the doubt because he was a popular fellow backstage.
usher
1. 引座员，(2. 指路，引领)
Her mother worked as an usher at the opera house.
grand
1. 不错的，优秀的，(2. 雄伟的，堂堂正正的)
My mother is in charge of box five on the grand tier, and no one has used it for over a month except the ghost.
tier
(剧场等观众席的)层，排，片区
My mother is in charge of box five on the grand tier, and no one has used it for over a month except the ghost.
box office
售票处
The box office has orders that the seats in box five must never be sold to the public.
concern
1. 涉及，关系到...，(2. 挂虑，担心(动)，3. 担心，忧虑(名))
I shouldn't have said anything, even though I'm right, and Joseph Buquet shouldn't talk about things that don't concern him.
plump
1. 丰满的，圆胖的 ，(2. 扑通倒下(或坠下))
Sorelli opened the door, and a plump woman in a faded black dress and shawl entered the room, her eyes searching frantically for Meg.
frantically
非常兴奋地，像疯了一样地
Sorelli opened the door, and a plump woman in a faded black dress and shawl entered the room, her eyes searching frantically for Meg.
bob
(头，身体等)上下反复地动
The black feathers on Madame Giry's bonnet bobbed as she shook her head.
comfort
1. 安慰，慰问(动)，(2. 安慰，慰问(名))
Meg hurried to comfort her mother, who sank into a chair, breathing heavily.
scenery
1. (舞台的)布景，舞台装置，(2. 风景，景色)
He was found dead in the third cellar underneath the stage, where the scenery is stored.
correct
1. 改正，纠正，(2. 正确的，对的)
Meg said, and then immediately corrected herself.
inspect
检查，检阅
And last week a fireman was inspecting the cellars when he went a little farther than usual and saw a flaming head!
flaming
燃烧的，灼热的
And last week a fireman was inspecting the cellars when he went a little farther than usual and saw a flaming head!
emerge
(从水中或黑暗等之中)浮现，出现
The fireman emerged onto the stage so frightened that he practically passed out in Buquet's arms.
practically
1. 几乎地，差不多地，(2. 实际地，事实上地)
The fireman emerged onto the stage so frightened that he practically passed out in Buquet's arms.
pass out
1. 昏倒，失去知觉，(2. 分发(东西))
The fireman emerged onto the stage so frightened that he practically passed out in Buquet's arms.
shepherdess
女牧羊人
The ballet girls surrounded Sorelli like sheep around their shepherdess.
foyer
大厅，休息室
Hurry up, ladies, it's time to meet your admirers in the ballet foyer.
trot
小跑着前进，快步
As she led them to the ballet foyer, they trotted along the dim passages and staircases as fast as their little pink legs could carry them, while Madame Giry struggled to keep up.