小王子-the little prince (英文版)- 第8部分

　
　
　
　
　
＇　Chapter　22　＇

　　the　little　prince　encounters　a　railway　switchman


〃Good　morning；〃　said　the　little　prince。　
〃Good　morning；〃　said　the　railway　switchman。　
〃What　do　you　do　here？〃　the　little　prince　asked。　
〃I　sort　out　travelers；　in　bundles　of　a　thousand；〃　said　the　switchman。　〃I　send　off　the　trains　that　carry　them；　now　to　the　right；　now　to　the　left。〃　
And　a　brilliantly　lighted　express　train　shook　the　switchman‘s　cabin　as　it　rushed　by　with　a　roar　like　thunder。　
〃They　are　in　a　great　hurry；〃　said　the　little　prince。　〃What　are　they　looking　for？〃　
〃Not　even　the　lootive　engineer　knows　that；〃　said　the　switchman。　
And　a　second　brilliantly　lighted　express　thundered　by；　in　the　opposite　direction。　
〃Are　they　ing　back　already？〃　demanded　the　little　prince。　
〃These　are　not　the　same　ones；〃　said　the　switchman。　〃It　is　an　exchange。〃　
〃Were　they　not　satisfied　where　they　were？〃　asked　the　little　prince。　
〃No　one　is　ever　satisfied　where　he　is；〃　said　the　switchman。
And　they　heard　the　roaring　thunder　of　a　third　brilliantly　lighted　express。
〃Are　they　pursuing　the　first　travelers？〃　demanded　the　little　prince。　
〃They　are　pursuing　nothing　at　all；〃　said　the　switchman。　〃They　are　asleep　in　there；　or　if　they　are　not　asleep　they　are　yawning。　Only　the　children　are　flattening　their　noses　against　the　windowpanes。〃　
〃Only　the　children　know　what　they　are　looking　for；〃　said　the　little　prince。　〃They　waste　their　time　over　a　rag　doll　and　it　bees　very　important　to　them；　and　if　anybody　takes　it　away　from　them；　they　cry。。。〃　
〃They　are　lucky；〃　the　switchman　said。
　
　
　
　
　
＇　Chapter　23　＇

　　the　little　prince　encounters　a　merchant


〃Good　morning；〃　said　the　little　prince。　
〃Good　morning；〃　said　the　merchant。　

This　was　a　merchant　who　sold　pills　that　had　been　invented　to　quench　thirst。　You　need　only　swallow　one　pill　a　week；　and　you　would　feel　no　need　of　anything　to　drink。　
〃Why　are　you　selling　those？〃　asked　the　little　prince。　
〃Because　they　save　a　tremendous　amount　of　time；〃　said　the　merchant。　〃putations　have　been　made　by　experts。　With　these　pills；　you　save　fiftythree　minutes　in　every　week。〃
〃And　what　do　I　do　with　those　fiftythree　minutes？〃　
〃Anything　you　like。。。〃　
〃As　for　me；〃　said　the　little　prince　to　himself；　〃if　I　had　fiftythree　minutes　to　spend　as　I　liked；　I　should　walk　at　my　leisure　toward　a　spring　of　fresh　water。〃　

　
　
　
　
　

　
＇　Chapter　24　＇

　　the　narrator　and　the　little　prince；　thirsty；　hunt　for　a　well　in　the　desert


It　was　now　the　eighth　day　since　I　had　had　my　accident　in　the　desert；　and　I　had　listened　to　the　story　of　the　merchant　as　I　was　drinking　the　last　drop　of　my　water　supply。　

〃Ah；〃　I　said　to　the　little　prince；　〃these　memories　of　yours　are　very　charming；　but　I　have　not　yet　succeeded　in　repairing　my　plane；　I　have　nothing　more　to　drink；　and　I；　too；　should　be　very　happy　if　I　could　walk　at　my　leisure　toward　a　spring　of　fresh　water！〃　
〃My　friend　the　fox〃　the　little　prince　said　to　me。　
〃My　dear　little　man；　this　is　no　longer　a　matter　that　has　anything　to　do　with　the　fox！〃　
〃Why　not？〃　
〃Because　I　am　about　to　die　of　thirst。。。〃　

He　did　not　follow　my　reasoning；　and　he　answered　me：　
〃It　is　a　good　thing　to　have　had　a　friend；　even　if　one　is　about　to　die。　I；　for　instance；　am　very　glad　to　have　had　a　fox　as　a　friend。。。〃　
〃He　has　no　way　of　guessing　the　danger；〃　I　said　to　myself。　〃He　has　never　been　either　hungry　or　thirsty。　A　little　sunshine　is　all　he　needs。。。〃　

But　he　looked　at　me　steadily；　and　replied　to　my　thought：　
〃I　am　thirsty；　too。　Let　us　look　for　a　well。。。〃　

I　made　a　gesture　of　weariness。　It　is　absurd　to　look　for　a　well；　at　random；　in　the　immensity　of　the　desert。　But　nevertheless　we　started　walking。　

When　we　had　trudged　along　for　several　hours；　in　silence；　the　darkness　fell；　and　the　stars　began　to　e　out。　Thirst　had　made　me　a　little　feverish；　and　I　looked　at　them　as　if　I　were　in　a　dream。　The　little　prince‘s　last　words　came　reeling　back　into　my　memory：　
〃Then　you　are　thirsty；　too？〃　I　demanded。　

But　he　did　not　reply　to　my　question。　He　merely　said　to　me：
〃Water　may　also　be　good　for　the　heart。。。〃　

I　did　not　understand　this　answer；　but　I　said　nothing。　I　knew　very　well　that　it　was　impossible　to　crossexamine　him。　

He　was　tired。　He　sat　down。　I　sat　down　beside　him。　And；　after　a　little　silence；　he　spoke　again：
〃The　stars　are　beautiful；　because　of　a　flower　that　cannot　be　seen。〃　

I　replied；　〃Yes；　that　is　so。〃　And；　without　saying　anything　more；　I　looked　across　the　ridges　of　sand　that　were　stretched　out　before　us　in　the　moonlight。　

〃The　desert　is　beautiful；〃　the　little　prince　added。　

And　that　was　true。　I　have　always　loved　the　desert。　One　sits　down　on　a　desert　sand　dune；　sees　nothing；　hears　nothing。　Yet　through　the　silence　something　throbs；　and　gleams。。。　
〃What　makes　the　desert　beautiful；〃　said　the　little　prince；　〃is　that　somewhere　it　hides　a　well。。。〃　

I　was　astonished　by　a　sudden　understanding　of　that　mysterious　radiation　of　the　sands。　When　I　was　a　little　boy　I　lived　in　an　old　house；　and　legend　told　us　that　a　treasure　was　buried　there。　To　be　sure；　no　one　had　ever　known　how　to　find　it；　perhaps　no　one　had　ever　even　looked　for　it。　But　it　cast　an　enchantment　over　that　house。　My　home　was　hiding　a　secret　in　the　depths　of　its　heart。。。
〃Yes；〃　I　said　to　the　little　prince。　〃The　house；　the　stars；　the　desert　what　gives　them　their　beauty　is　something　that　is　invisible！〃　
〃I　am　glad；〃　he　said；　〃that　you　agree　with　my　fox。〃　

As　the　little　prince　dropped　off　to　sleep；　I　took　him　in　my　arms　and　set　out　walking　once　more。　I　felt　deeply　moved；　and　stirred。　It　seemed　to　me　that　I　was　carrying　a　very　fragile　treasure。　It　seemed　to　me；　even；　that　there　was　nothing　more　fragile　on　all　Earth。　In　the　moonlight　I　looked　at　his　pale　forehead；　his　closed　eyes；　his　locks　of　hair　that　trembled　in　the　wind；　and　I　said　to　myself：　〃What　I　see　here　is　nothing　but　a　shell。　What　is　most　important　is　invisible。。。〃　

As　his　lips　opened　slightly　with　the　suspicious　of　a　halfsmile；　I　said　to　myself；　again：　〃What　moves　me　so　deeply；　about　this　little　prince　who　is　sleeping　here；　is　his　loyalty　to　a　flower　the　image　of　a　rose　that　shines　through　his　whole　being　like　the　flame　of　a　lamp；　even　when　he　is　asleep。。。〃　And　I　felt　him　to　be　more　fragile　still。　I　felt　the　need　of　protecting　him；　as　if　he　himself　were　a　flame　that　might　be　extinguished　by　a　little　puff　of　wind。。。　
And；　as　I　walked　on　so；　I　found　the　well；　at　daybreak。
　
　
　
　
　
＇　Chapter　25　＇

　　finding　a　well；　the　narrator　and　the　little　prince　discuss　his　return　to　his　pla


〃Men；〃　said　the　little　prince；　〃set　out　on　their　way　in　express　trains；　but　they　do　not　know　what　they　are　looking　for。　Then　they　rush　about；　and　get　excited；　and　turn　round　and　round。。。〃　
And　he　added：　
〃It　is　not　worth　the　trouble。。。〃　

The　well　that　we　had　e　to　was　not　like　the　wells　of　the　Sahara。　The　wells　of　the　Sahara　are　mere　holes　dug　in　the　sand。　This　one　was　like　a　well　in　a　village。　But　there　was　no　village　here；　and　I　thought　I　must　be　dreaming。。。　
〃It　is　strange；〃　I　said　to　the　little　prince。　〃Everything　is　ready　for　use：　the　pulley；　the　bucket；　the　rope。。。〃　

　
He　laughed；　touched　the　rope；　and　set　the　pulley　to　working。　And　the　pulley　moaned；　like　an　old　weathervane　which　the　wind　has　long　since　fotten。　
〃Do　you　hear？〃　said　the　little　prince。　〃We　have　wakened　the　well；　and　it　is　singing。。。〃　
I　did　not　want　him　to　tire　himself　with　the　rope。　
〃Leave　it　to　me；〃　I　said。　〃It　is　too　heavy　for　you。〃　

I　hoisted　the　bucket　slowly　to　the　edge　of　the　well　and　set　it　there　happy；　tired　as　I　was；　over　my　achievement。　The　song　of　the　pulley　was　still　in　my　ears；　and　I　could　see　the　sunlight　shimmer　in　the　still　trembling　water。　
〃I　am　thirsty　for　this　water；〃　said　the　little　prince。　〃Give　me　some　of　it　to　drink。。。〃　
And　I　understood　what　he　had　been　looking　for。　

I　raised　the　bucket　to　his　lips。　He　drank；　his　eyes　closed。　It　was　as　sweet　as　some　special　festival　treat。　This　water　was　indeed　a　different　thing　from　ordinary　nourishment。　Its　sweetness　was　born　of　the　walk　under　the　stars；　the　song　of　the　pulley；　the　effort　of　my　arms。　It　was　good　for　the　heart；　like　a　present。　When　I　was　a　little　boy；　the　lights　of　the　Christmas　tree；　the　music　of　the　Midnight　Mass；　the　tenderness　of　smiling　faces；　used　to　make　up；　so；　the　radiance　of　the　gifts　I　received。　
〃The　men　where　you　live；〃　said　the　little　prince；　〃raise　five　thousand　roses　in　the　same　garden　and　they　do　not　find　in　it　what　they　are　looking　for。〃　
〃They　do　not　find　it；〃　I　replied。　
〃And　yet　what　they　are　looking　for　could　be　found　in　one　single　rose；　or　in　a　little　water。〃　
〃Yes；　that　is　true；〃　I　said。　

And　the　little　prince　added：　
〃But　the　eyes　are　blind。　One　must　look　with　the　heart。。。〃　

I　had　drunk　the　water。　I　breathed　easily。　At　sunrise　the　sand　is　the　color　of　honey。　And　that　honey　color　was　making　me　happy；　too。　What　brought　me；　then；　this　sense　of　grief？　
〃You　must　keep　your　promise；〃　said　the　little　prince；　softly；　as　he　sat　down　beside　me　once　more。　
〃What　promise？〃　
〃You　know　a　muzzle　for　my　sheep。。。　I　am　responsible　for　this　flower。。。〃　
I　took　my　rough　drafts　of　drawings　out　of　my　pocket。　The　little　prince　looked　them　over；　and　laughed　as　he　said：　
〃Your　baobabs　they　look　a　little　like　cabbages。〃　
〃Oh！〃　
I　had　been　so　proud　of　my　baobabs！　
〃Your　fox　his　ears　look　a　little　like　horns；　and　they　are　too　long。〃　
And　he　laughed　again。　
〃You　are　not　fair；　little　prince；〃　I　said。　〃I　don‘t　know　how　to　draw　anything　except　boa　constrictors　from　the　outside　and　boa　constrictors　from　the　inside。〃　
〃Oh；　that　will　be　all　right；〃　he　said；　〃children　understand。〃　
So　then　I　made　a　pencil　sketch　of　a　muzzle。　And　as　I　gave　it　to　him　my　heart　was　torn。　
〃You　have　plans　that　I　do　not　know　about；〃　I　said。　
But　he　did　not　answer　me。　He　said　to　me；　instead：　
〃You　know　my　descent　to　the　earth。。。　Tomorrow　will　be　its　anniversary。〃　
Then；　after　a　silence；　he　went　on：　
〃I　came　down　very　near　here。〃　
And　he　flushed。　
And　once　again；　without　understanding　why；　I　had　a　queer　sense　of　sorrow。　One　question；　however；　occurred　to　me：　
〃Then　it　was　not　by　chance　that　on　the　morning　when　I　first　met　you　a　week　ago　you　were　strolling　along　like　that；　all　alone；　a　thousand　miles　from　any　inhab