按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃That is not an object。 It flies。 It is an airplane。 It is my airplane。〃 And I was proud to have him learn that I could fly。
He cried out； then： 〃What！ You dropped down from the sky？〃
〃Yes；〃 I answered； modestly。
〃Oh！ That is funny！〃
And the little prince broke into a lovely peal of laughter； which irritated me very much。 I like my misfortunes to be taken seriously。
Then he added： 〃So you； too； e from the sky！ Which is your pla？〃
At that moment I caught a gleam of light in the imperable mystery of his presence； and I demanded； abruptly： 〃Do you e from another pla？〃
But he did not reply。 He tossed his head gently； without taking his eyes from my plane： 〃It is true that on that you can‘t have e from very far away。。。〃
And he sank into a reverie； which lasted a long time。 Then； taking my sheep out of his pocket； he buried himself in the contemplation of his treasure。
You can imagine how my curiosity was aroused by this halfconfidence about the 〃other plas。〃 I made a great effort； therefore； to find out more on this subject。
〃My little man； where do you e from？ What is this ‘where I live；‘ of which you speak？ Where do you want to take your sheep？〃
After a reflective silence he answered： 〃The thing that is so good about the box you have given me is that at night he can use it as his house。〃
〃That is so。 And if you are good I will give you a string； too； so that you can tie him during the day； and a post to tie him to。〃
But the little prince seemed shocked by this offer： 〃Tie him！ What a queer idea！〃
〃But if you don‘t tie him；〃 I said； 〃he will wander off somewhere； and get lost。〃
My friend broke into another peal of laughter： 〃But where do you think he would go？〃
〃Anywhere。 Straight ahead of him。〃
Then the little prince said； earnestly： 〃That doesn‘t matter。 Where I live； everything is so small！〃
And； with perhaps a hint of sadness； he added： 〃Straight ahead of him； nobody can go very far。。。〃
＇ Chapter 4 ＇
the narrator speculates as to which asteroid from which the little prince came
I had thus learned a second fact of great importance： this was that the pla the little prince came from was scarcely any larger than a house！
But that did not really surprise me much。 I knew very well that in addition to the great plas such as the Earth； Jupiter； Mars； Venus to which we have given names； there are also hundreds of others； some of which are so small that one has a hard time seeing them through the telescope。 When an astronomer discovers one of these he does not give it a name； but only a number。 He might call it； for example； 〃Asteroid 325。〃
I have serious reason to believe that the pla from which the little prince came is the asteroid known as B612。 This asteroid has only once been seen through the telescope。 That was by a Turkish astronomer； in 1909。
On making his discovery； the astronomer had presented it to the International Astronomical Congress； in a great demonstration。 But he was in Turkish costume； and so nobody would believe what he said。
Grownups are like that。。。
Fortunately； however； for the reputation of Asteroid B612； a Turkish dictator made a law that his subjects； under pain of death； should change to European costume。 So in 1920 the astronomer gave his demonstration all over again； dressed with impressive style and elegance。 And this time everybody accepted his report。
If I have told you these details about the asteroid； and made a note of its number for you； it is on account of the grownups and their ways。 When you tell them that you have made a new friend； they never ask you any questions about essential matters。 They never say to you； 〃What does his voice sound like？ What games does he love best？ Does he collect butterflies？〃 Instead； they demand： 〃How old is he？ How many brothers has he？ How much does he weigh？ How much money does his father make？〃 Only from these figures do they think they have learned anything about him。
If you were to say to the grownups： 〃I saw a beautiful house made of rosy brick； with geraniums in the windows and doves on the roof；〃 they would not be able to get any idea of that house at all。 You would have to say to them： 〃I saw a house that cost 20；000。〃 Then they would exclaim： 〃Oh； what a pretty house that is！〃
Just so； you might say to them： 〃The proof that the little prince existed is that he was charming； that he laughed； and that he was looking for a sheep。 If anybody wants a sheep； that is a proof that he exists。〃 And what good would it do to tell them that？ They would shrug their shoulders； and treat you like a child。 But if you said to them： 〃The pla he came from is Asteroid B612；〃 then they would be convinced； and leave you in peace from their questions。
They are like that。 One must not hold it against them。 Children should always show great forbearance toward grownup people。
But certainly； for us who understand life； figures are a matter of indifference。 I should have liked to begin this story in the fashion of the fairytales。 I should have like to say： 〃Once upon a time there was a little prince who lived on a pla that was scarcely any bigger than himself； and who had need of a sheep。。。〃
To those who understand life； that would have given a much greater air of truth to my story。
For I do not want any one to read my book carelessly。 I have suffered too much grief in setting down these memories。 Six years have already passed since my friend went away from me； with his sheep。 If I try to describe him here； it is to make sure that I shall not fet him。 To fet a friend is sad。 Not every one has had a friend。 And if I fet him； I may bee like the grownups who are no longer interested in anything but figures。。。
It is for that purpose； again； that I have bought a box of paints and some pencils。 It is hard to take up drawing again at my age； when I have never made any pictures except those of the boa constrictor from the outside and the boa constrictor from the inside； since I was six。 I shall certainly try to make my portraits as true to life as possible。 But I am not at all sure of success。 One drawing goes along all right； and another has no resemblance to its subject。 I make some errors； too； in the littl e prince‘s height： in one place he is too tall and in another too short。 And I feel some doubts about the color of his costume。 So I fumble along as best I can； now good； now bad； and I hope generally fairtomiddling。
In certain more important details I shall make mistakes； also。 But that is something that will not be my fault。 My friend never explained anything to me。 He thought； perhaps； that I was like himself。 But I； alas； do not know how to see sheep through t he walls of boxes。 Perhaps I am a little like the grownups。 I have had to grow old。
＇ Chapter 5 ＇
we are warned as to the dangers of the baobabs
As each day passed I would learn； in our talk； something about the little prince‘s pla； his departure from it； his journey。 The information would e very slowly； as it might chance to fall from his thoughts。 It was in this way that I heard； on the third day； about the catastrophe of the baobabs。
This time； once more； I had the sheep to thank for it。 For the little prince asked me abruptly as if seized by a grave doubt 〃It is true； isn‘t it； that sheep eat little bushes？〃
〃Yes； that is true。〃
〃Ah！ I am glad！〃
I did not understand why it was so important that sheep should eat little bushes。 But the little prince added：
〃Then it follows that they also eat baobabs？〃
I pointed out to the little prince that baobabs were not little bushes； but； on the contrary； trees as big as castles； and that even if he took a whole herd of elephants away with him； the herd would not eat up one single baobab。
The idea of the herd of elephants made the little prince laugh。
〃We would have to put them one on top of the other；〃 he said。
But he made a wise ment：
〃Before they grow so big； the baobabs start out by being little。〃
〃That is strictly correct；〃 I said。 〃But why do you want the sheep to eat the little baobabs？〃
He answered me at once； 〃Oh； e； e！〃； as if he were speaking of something that was selfevident。 And I was obliged to make