第四章[第1页/共6页]

如果我给你们讲关于小行星B-612的这些细节，并且奉告你们它的编号，这是因为这些大人和他们行动体例的原因。大人们喜好数字。当你对他们说你交了一个新朋友时，他们向来不向你提出本色性的题目。他们向来不讲：“他说话声音像甚么？他最爱好甚么样的游戏？他是否汇集胡蝶标本？”相反，他们会问你：“他多大年纪呀？弟兄几个呀？体重多少磅呀？他父亲挣多少钱呀？”只要从这些数字信息，他们才感觉他们体味了他。如果你对大人们说：“我看到一幢用玫瑰色的砖盖成的标致的屋子，窗台上摆着天竺葵，屋顶上另有鸽子……”他们没法对这个屋子有任何感受。如果你如许对他们说：“我瞥见了一幢代价十万法郎的屋子。”那么他们就惊叫道：“多么标致的屋子啊！”

随后，他在一次国际天文学家代表大会上对他的发明做了首要的论证。但因为他所穿衣服是土耳其的打扮，以是没有人信赖他。那些大人们就是如许。

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.

当然，对我们这些晓得糊口的人来讲，我们才不在乎那些编号呢！我真情愿像讲童话那样来开端这个故事，我真想如许开首：“畴前，有一个小王子，他住在一个和他身材差未几大的星球上，他巴望具有一个朋友……”对晓得糊口的人来讲，如许说便能够显得更加实在。

Grown-ups are like that...

Fortunately, however, for the reputation of Asteroid B-612, 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.

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 fairy-tales. I should have like to say: "Once upon a time there was a little prince who lived on a planet 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.