小王子-the little prince (英文版)- 第2部分

　
　

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　a　great　mental　effort　to　solve　this　problem；　without　any　assistance。　

Indeed；　as　I　learned；　there　were　on　the　pla　where　the　little　prince　lived　as　on　all　plas　good　plants　and　bad　plants。　In　consequence；　there　were　good　seeds　from　good　plants；　and　bad　seeds　from　bad　plants。　But　seeds　are　invisible。　They　sleep　deep　in　the　heart　of　the　earth‘s　darkness；　until　some　one　among　them　is　seized　with　the　desire　to　awaken。　Then　this　little　seed　will　stretch　itself　and　begin　timidly　at　first　to　push　a　charming　little　sprig　inoffensively　upward　toward　the　sun。　If　it　is　only　a　sprout　of　radish　or　the　sprig　of　a　rosebush；　one　would　let　it　grow　wherever　it　might　wish。　But　when　it　is　a　bad　plant；　one　must　destroy　it　as　soon　as　possible；　the　very　first　instant　that　one　recognizes　it。　

Now　there　were　some　terrible　seeds　on　the　pla　that　was　the　home　of　the　little　prince；　and　these　were　the　seeds　of　the　baobab。　The　soil　of　that　pla　was　infested　with　them。　A　baobab　is　something　you　will　never；　never　be　able　to　get　rid　of　if　you　attend　to　it　too　late。　It　spreads　over　the　entire　pla。　It　bores　clear　through　it　with　its　roots。　And　if　the　pla　is　too　small；　and　the　baobabs　are　too　many；　they　split　it　in　pieces。。。　
　
　

〃It　is　a　question　of　discipline；〃　the　little　prince　said　to　me　later　on。　〃When　you‘ve　finished　your　own　toilet　in　the　morning；　then　it　is　time　to　attend　to　the　toilet　of　your　pla；　just　so；　with　the　greatest　care。　You　must　see　to　it　that　you　pull　up　regularly　all　the　baobabs；　at　the　very　first　moment　when　they　can　be　distinguished　from　the　rosebushes　which　they　resemble　so　closely　in　their　earliest　youth。　It　is　very　tedious　work；〃　the　little　prince　added；　〃but　very　easy。〃
And　one　day　he　said　to　me：　〃You　ought　to　make　a　beautiful　drawing；　so　that　the　children　where　you　live　can　see　exactly　how　all　this　is。　That　would　be　very　useful　to　them　if　they　were　to　travel　some　day。　Sometimes；〃　he　added；　〃there　is　no　harm　in　putting　off　a　piece　of　work　until　another　day。　But　when　it　is　a　matter　of　baobabs；　that　always　means　a　catastrophe。　I　knew　a　pla　that　was　inhabited　by　a　lazy　man。　He　neglected　three　little　bushes。。。〃
　
　

So；　as　the　little　prince　described　it　to　me；　I　have　made　a　drawing　of　that　pla。　I　do　not　much　like　to　take　the　tone　of　a　moralist。　But　the　danger　of　the　baobabs　is　so　little　understood；　and　such　considerable　risks　would　be　run　by　anyone　who　might　get　lost　on　an　asteroid；　that　for　once　I　am　breaking　through　my　reserve。　〃Children；〃　I　say　plainly；　〃watch　out　for　the　baobabs！〃
My　friends；　like　myself；　have　been　skirting　this　danger　for　a　long　time；　without　ever　knowing　it；　and　so　it　is　for　them　that　I　have　worked　so　hard　over　this　drawing。　The　lesson　which　I　pass　on　by　this　means　is　worth　all　the　trouble　it　has　cost　me。　
Perhaps　you　will　ask　me；　〃Why　are　there　no　other　drawing　in　this　book　as　magnificent　and　impressive　as　this　drawing　of　the　baobabs？〃　
The　reply　is　simple。　I　have　tried。　But　with　the　others　I　have　not　been　successful。　When　I　made　the　drawing　of　the　baobabs　I　was　carried　beyond　myself　by　the　inspiring　force　of　urgent　necessity。

　
　
＇　Chapter　6　＇

　　the　little　prince　and　the　narrator　talk　about　sunsets


Oh；　little　prince！　Bit　by　bit　I　came　to　understand　the　secrets　of　your　sad　little　life。。。　For　a　long　time　you　had　found　your　only　entertainment　in　the　quiet　pleasure　of　looking　at　the　sunset。　I　learned　that　new　detail　on　the　morning　of　the　fourth　day；　when　you　said　to　me：　〃I　am　very　fond　of　sunsets。　e；　let　us　go　look　at　a　sunset　now。〃　
〃But　we　must　wait；〃　I　said。　
〃Wait？　For　what？〃　
〃For　the　sunset。　We　must　wait　until　it　is　time。〃　
At　first　you　seemed　to　be　very　much　surprised。　And　then　you　laughed　to　yourself。　You　said　to　me：　
〃I　am　always　thinking　that　I　am　at　home！〃
Just　so。　Everybody　knows　that　when　it　is　noon　in　the　United　States　the　sun　is　setting　over　France。　

　
　

If　you　could　fly　to　France　in　one　minute；　you　could　go　straight　into　the　sunset；　right　from　noon。　Unfortunately；　France　is　too　far　away　for　that。　But　on　your　tiny　pla；　my　little　prince；　all　you　need　do　is　move　your　chair　a　f