第四章[第1页/共6页]

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。

But if you said to them: "The planet he came from is Asteroid B-612," then they would be convinced, and leave you in peace from their questions.

这倒并没有使我感到太奇特。我晓得除地球、木星、火星、金星这几个驰称呼的大行星以外，还稀有以百计别的星球，它们有的小得很，就是用望远镜也很丢脸见。当一个天文学者发明了此中一个星球，他不会给它一个名字，而是给它编上一个号码，比方把它称做“325小行星”。

就像如许，如果你对他们说：“小王子存在的证据就是他非常标致，他笑着，想要一只羊。如果有人想要一只绵羊，那就是他存在的证明。”如许奉告他们的成果是甚么呢？他们必然会耸耸肩膀，不觉得然，把你当作小孩子对待。但是，如果你对他们说“小王子来自的星球就是小行星B-612”，那么他们就非常佩服，就不会提出一大堆题目来和你胶葛。

Chapter 4

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 forget him. To forget a friend is sad. Not every one has had a friend. And if I forget him, I may become like the grown-ups who are no longer interested in anything but figures...

If you were to say to the grown-ups: "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.