“钦佩是什么意思?”
“钦佩么,就是承认我是星球上最美的人,服饰最好的人,最富有的人,最聪明的人。”
“可您是您的星球上唯一的人呀!”
“让我高兴吧,请你还是来钦佩我吧!”
小王子轻轻地耸了耸肩膀,说道:“我钦佩你,可是,这有什么能使你这样感兴趣的?”
于是小王子就走开了。
小王子在路上自言自语地说了一句:“这些大人,肯定是十分古怪。”
' chapter 11 ' … the little prince visits the conceited man
the second planet was inhabited by a conceited man。
〃ah! ah! i am about to receive a visit from an admirer!〃 he exclaimed from afar; when he first saw the little prince ing。
for; to conceited men; all other men are admirers。
〃good morning;〃 said the little prince。 〃that is a queer hat you are wearing。〃
〃it is a hat for salutes;〃 the conceited man replied。 〃it is to raise in salute when people acclaim me。 unfortunately; nobody at all ever passes this way。〃
〃yes?〃 said the little prince; who did not understand what the conceited man was talking about。
〃clap your hands; one against the other;〃 the conceited man now directed him。
the little prince clapped his hands。 the conceited man raised his hat in a modest salute。
〃this is more entertaining than the visit to the king;〃 the little prince said to himself。 and he began again to clap his hands; one against the other。 the conceited man against raised his hat in salute。
after five minutes of this exercise the little prince grew tired of the games monotony。
〃and what should one do to make the hat e down?〃 he asked。
but the conceited man did not hear him。 conceited people never hear anything but praise。
〃do you really admire me very much?〃 he demanded of the little prince。
〃what does that mean…… admire?〃
〃to admire mean that you regard me as the handsomest; the best…dressed; the richest; and the most intelligent man on this planet。〃
〃but you are the only man on your planet!〃
〃do me this kindness。 admire me just the same。〃
〃i admire you;〃 said the little prince; shrugging his shoulders slightly; 〃but what is there in that to interest you so much?〃
and the little prince went away。
〃the grown…ups are certainly very odd;〃 he said to himself; as he continued on his journey。
。。
第十二篇
Ⅻ
小王子所访问的下一个星球上住着一个酒鬼。访问时间非常短,可是它却使小王子非常忧伤。
“你在干什么?”小王子问酒鬼,这个酒鬼默默地坐在那里,面前有一堆酒瓶子,有的装着酒,有的是空的。
“我喝酒。”他阴沉忧郁地回答道。
“你为什么喝酒?”小王子问道。
“为了忘却。”酒鬼回答。
小王子已经有些可怜酒鬼。他问道:“忘却什么呢?”
酒鬼垂下脑袋坦白道:“为了忘却我的羞愧。”
“你羞愧什么呢?”小王子很想救助他。
“我羞愧我喝酒。”酒鬼说完以后就再也不开口了。
小王子迷惑不解地离开了。
在旅途中,他自言自语地说道:“这些大人确实真叫怪。”
' chapter 12 ' … the little prince visits the tippler
the next planet was inhabited by a tippler。 this was a very short visit; but it plunged the little prince into deep dejection。
〃what are you doing there?〃 he said to the tippler; whom he found settled down in silence before a collection of empty bottles and also a collection of full bottles。
〃i am drinking;〃 replied the tippler; with a lugubrious air。
〃why are you drinking?〃 demanded the little prince。
〃so that i may forget;〃 replied the tippler。
〃forget what?〃 inquired the little prince; who already was sorry for him。
〃forget that i am ashamed;〃 the tippler confessed; hanging his head。
〃ashamed of what?〃 insisted the little prince; who wanted to help him。
〃ashamed of drinking!〃 the tippler brought his speech to an end; and shut himself up in an impregnable silence。
and the little prince went away; puzzled。
〃the grown…ups are certainly very; very odd;〃 he said to himself; as he continued on his journey。
。。
第十三篇
小说
xiii
第四个行星是一个实业家的星球。这个人忙得不可开交,小王子到来的时候,他甚至连头都没有抬一下。
小王子对他说:“您好。您的烟卷灭了。”
“三加二等于五。五加七等于十二。十二加三等于十五。你好。十五加七,二十二。二十二加六,二十八。没有时间去再点着它。二十六加五,三十一。哎哟!一共是五亿一百六十二万二千七百三十一。”
“五亿什么呀?”
“嗯?你还待在这儿那?五亿一百万……我也不知道是什么了。我的工作很多……我是很严肃的,我可是从来也没有功夫去闲聊!二加五得七……”
“五亿一百万什么呀?”小王子重复问道。一旦他提出了一个问题,是从来也不会放弃的。
这位实业家抬起头,说:
“我住在这个星球上五十四年以来,只被打搅过三次。第一次是二十二年前,不知从哪里跑来了一只金龟子来打搅我。它发出一种可怕的噪音,使我在一笔帐目中出了四个差错。第二次,在十一年前,是风湿病发作,因为我缺乏锻炼所致。我没有功夫闲逛。我可是个严肃的人。现在……这是第三次!我计算的结果是五亿一百万……”
“几百万什么?”
这位实业家知道要想安宁是无望的了,就说道:
“几百万个小东西,这些小东西有时出现在天空中。”
“苍蝇吗?”
“不是,是些闪闪发亮的小东西。”
“是蜜蜂吗?”
“不是,是金黄色的小东西,这些小东西叫那些懒汉们胡思乱想。我是个严肃的人。我没有时间胡思乱想。”
“啊,是星星吗?”
“对了,就是星星。”
“你要拿这五亿星星做什么?”
“五亿一百六十二万七百三十一颗星星。我是严肃的人,我是非常精确的。”
“你拿这些星星做什么?”
“我要它做什么?”
“是呀。”
“什么也不做。它们都是属于我的。”
“星星是属于你的?”
“是的。”
“可是我已经见到过一个国王,他……”
“国王并不占有,他们只是进行‘统治’。这不是一码事。”
“你拥有这许多星星有什么用?”
“富了就可以去买别的星星,如果有人发现了别的星星的话。”
小王子自言自语地说:“这个人想问题有点象那个酒鬼一样。”
可是他又提了一些问题:
“你怎么能占有星星呢?”
“那么你说星星是谁的呀?”实业家不高兴地顶了小王子一句。
“我不知道,不属于任何人。”
“那么,它们就是我的,因为是我第一个想到了这件事情的。”
“这就行了吗?”
“那当然。如果你发现了一颗没有主人的钻石,那么这颗钻石就是属于你的。当你发现一个岛是没有主的,那么这个岛就是你的。当你首先想出了一个办法,你就去领一个专利证,这个办法就是属于你的。既然在我之前不曾有任何人想到要占有这些星星,那我就占有这些星星。”
“这倒也是。可是你用它们来干什么?”小王子说。
“我经营管理这些星星。我一遍又一遍地计算它们的数目。这是一件困难的事。但我是一个严肃认真的人!”
小王子仍然还不满足,他说:
“对我来说,如果我有一条围巾,我可以用它来围着我的脖子,并且能带走它。我有一朵花的话,我就可以摘下我的花,并且把它带走。可你却不能摘下这些星星呀!”
“我不能摘,但我可以把它们存在银行里。”
“这是什么意思呢?”
“这就是说,我把星星的数目写在一片小纸头上,然后把这片纸头锁在一个抽屉里。”
“这就算完事了吗?”
“这样就行了。”
小王子想道:“真好玩。这倒蛮有诗意,可是,并不算是了不起的正经事。”
关于什么是正经事,小王子的看法与大人们的看法非常不同。他接着又说:
“我有一朵花,我每天都给她浇水。我还有三座火山,我每星期把它们全都打扫一遍。连死火山也打扫。谁知道它会不会再复活。我拥有火山和花,这对我的火山有益处,对我的花也有益处。但是你对星星并没有用处……”
实业家张口结舌无言以对。于是小王子就走了。
在旅途中,小王子只是自言自语地说了一句:“这些大人们真是奇怪极了。”
' chapter 13 ' … the little prince visits the businessman
the fourth planet belonged to a businessman。 this man was so much occupied that he did not even raise his head at the little princes arrival。
〃good morning;〃 the little prince said to him。 〃your cigarette has gone out。〃
〃three and two make five。 five and seven make twelve。 twelve and three make fifteen。 good morning。 fifteen and seven make twenty…two。 twenty…two and six make twenty…eight。 i havent time to light it again。 twenty…six and five make thirty…one。 phew! then that makes five…hundred…and…one…million; six…hundred…twenty…two…thousand; seven…hundred…thirty…one。〃
〃five hundred million what?〃 asked the little prince。
〃eh? are you still there? five…hundred…and…one million…… i cant stop。。。 i have so much to do! i am concerned with matters of consequence。 i dont amuse myself with balderdash。 two and five make seven。。。〃
〃five…hundred…and…one million what?〃 repeated the little prince; who never in his life had let go of a question once he had asked it。
the businessman raised his head。
〃during the fifty…four years that i have inhabited this planet; i have been disturbed only three times。 the first time was twenty…two years ago; when some giddy goose fell from goodness knows where。 he made the most frightful noise that resounded all over the place; and i made four mistakes in my addition。 the second time; eleven years ago; i was disturbed by an attack of rheumatism。 i dont get enough exercise。 i have no time for loafing。 the third time…… well; this is it! i was saying; then; five …hundred…and…one millions……〃
〃millions of what?〃
the businessman suddenly realized that there was no hope of being left in peace until he answered this question。
〃millions of those little objects;〃 he said; 〃which one sometimes sees in the sky。〃
〃flies?〃
〃oh; no。 little glittering objects。〃
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