《小王子》第9章


“别这么磨蹭了。真烦人!你既然决定离开这儿,那么,快走吧!” 
她是怕小王子看见她在哭。她是一朵非常骄傲的花……
' chapter 9 ' … the little prince leaves his planet 
i believe that for his escape he took advantage of the migration of a flock of wild birds。 on the morning of his departure he put his planet in perfect order。 he carefully cleaned out his active volcanoes。 he possessed two active volcanoes; and they were very convenient for heating his breakfast in the morning。 he also had one volcano that was extinct。 but; as he said; 〃one never knows!〃 so he cleaned out the extinct volcano; too。 if they are well cleaned out; volcanoes burn slowly and steadily; without any eruptions。 volcanic eruptions are like fires in a chimney。 
on our earth we are obviously much too small to clean out our volcanoes。 that is why they bring no end of trouble upon us。 
the little prince also pulled up; with a certain sense of dejection; the last little shoots of the baobabs。 he believed that he would never want to return。 but on this last morning all these familiar tasks seemed very precious to him。 and when he watered the flower for the last time; and prepared to place her under the shelter of her glass globe; he realised that he was very close to tears。 
〃goodbye;〃 he said to the flower。 
but she made no answer。 
〃goodbye;〃 he said again。 
the flower coughed。 but it was not because she had a cold。 
〃i have been silly;〃 she said to him; at last。 〃i ask your forgiveness。 try to be happy。。。〃 
he was surprised by this absence of reproaches。 he stood there all bewildered; the glass globe held arrested in mid…air。 he did not understand this quiet sweetness。 
〃of course i love you;〃 the flower said to him。 〃it is my fault that you have not known it all the while。 that is of no importance。 but you…… you have been just as foolish as i。 try to be happy。。。 let the glass globe be。 i dont want it any more。〃 
〃but the wind……〃 
〃my cold is not so bad as all that。。。 the cool night air will do me good。 i am a flower。〃 
〃but the animals……〃 
〃well; i must endure the presence of two or three caterpillars if i wish to bee acquainted with the butterflies。 it seems that they are very beautiful。 and if not the butterflies…… and the caterpillars…… who will call upon me? you will be far away。。。 as for the large animals…… i am not at all afraid of any of them。 i have my claws。〃 
and; naively; she showed her four thorns。 then she added: 
〃dont linger like this。 you have decided to go away。 now go!〃 
for she did not want him to see her crying。 she was such a proud flower。。。 
xs
第十篇
大_

在附近的宇宙中,还有325、326、327、328、329、330等几颗小行星。他就开始访问这几颗星球,想在那里找点事干,并且学习学习。 
第一颗星球上住着一个国王。国王穿着用紫红色和白底黑花的毛皮做成的大礼服,坐在一个很简单却又十分威严的宝座上。
当他看见小王子时,喊了起来: 
“啊,来了一个臣民。” 
小王子思量着:“他从来也没有见过我,怎么会认识我呢?” 
他哪里知道,在那些国王的眼里,世界是非常简单的:所有的人都是臣民。 
国王十分骄傲,因为他终于成了某个人的国王,他对小王子说道:“靠近些,好让我好好看看你。” 
小王子看看四周,想找个地方坐下来,可是整个星球被国王华丽的白底黑花皮袍占满了。他只好站在那里,但是因为疲倦了,他打起哈欠来。 
君王对他说:“在一个国王面前打哈欠是违反礼节的。我禁止你打哈欠。” 
小王子羞愧地说道:“我实在忍不住,我长途跋涉来到这里,还没有睡觉呢。” 
国王说:“那好吧,我命令你打哈欠。好些年来我没有看见过任何人打哈欠。对我来说,打哈欠倒是新奇的事。来吧,再打个哈欠!这是命令。” 
“这倒叫我有点紧张……我打不出哈欠来了……”小王子红着脸说。 
“嗯!嗯!”国王回答道:“那么我……命令你忽而打哈欠,忽而……” 
他嘟嘟囔囔,显出有点恼怒。 
因为国王所要求的主要是保持他的威严受到尊敬。他不能容忍不听他的命令。他是一位绝对的君主。可是,他却很善良,他下的命令都是有理智的。 
他常常说:“如果我叫一位将军变成一只海鸟,而这位将军不服从我的命令,那么这就不是将军的过错,而是我的过错。” 
小王子腼腆地试探道:“我可以坐下吗?” 
“我命令你坐下。”国王一边回答,一边庄重地把他那白底黑花皮袍大襟挪动了一下。 
可是小王子感到很奇怪。这么小的行星,国王他对什么进行统治呢? 
他对国王说:“陛下……请原谅,我想问您……” 
国王急忙抢着说道:“我命令你问我。” 
“陛下……你统治什么呢?” 
国王非常简单明了地说:“我统治一切。” 
“一切?” 
国王轻轻地用手指着他的行星和其他的行星,以及所有的星星。 
小王子说:“统治这一切?” 
“统治这一切。” 
原来他不仅是一个绝对的君主,而且是整个宇宙的君主。 
“那么,星星都服从您吗?” 
“那当然!”国王对他说,“它们立即就得服从。我是不允许无纪律的。” 
这样的权力使小王子惊叹不已。如果掌握了这样的权力,那么,他一天就不只是看到四十三次日落,而可以看到七十二次,甚至一百次,或是二百次日落,也不必要去挪动椅子了!由于他想起了他那被遗弃的小星球,心里有点难过,他大胆地向国王提出了一个请求: 
“我想看日落,请求您……命令太阳落山吧……” 
国王说道:“如果我命令一个将军象一只蝴蝶那样从这朵花飞到那朵花,或者命令他写作一个悲剧剧本或者变一只海鸟,而如果这位将军接到命令不执行的话,那么,是他不对还是我不对呢?” 
“那当然是您的不对。”小王子肯定地回答。 
“一点也不错,”国王接着说,“向每个人提出的要求应该是他们所能做到的。权威首先应该建立在理性的基础上。如果命令你的老百姓去投海,他们非起来革命不可。我的命令是合理的,所以我有权要别人服从。” 
“那么我提出的日落呢?”小王子一旦提出一个问题,他是不会忘记这个问题的。 
“日落么,你会看到的。我一定要太阳落山,不过按照我的统治科学,我得等到条件成熟的时候。” 
小王子问道:“这要等到什么时候呢?” 
国王在回答之前,首先翻阅了一本厚厚的日历,嘴里慢慢说道:“嗯!嗯!日落大约……大约……在今晚七时四十分的时候!你将看到我的命令一定会被服从的。” 
小王子又打起哈欠来了。他遗憾没有看到日落。他有点厌烦了,他对国王说:“我没有必要再呆在这儿了。我要走了。” 
这位因为刚刚有了一个臣民而十分骄傲自得的国王说道: 
“别走,别走。我任命你当大臣。” 
“什么大臣” 
“嗯…………司法大臣!” 
“可是,这儿没有一个要审判的人。” 
“很难说呀,”国王说道。“我很老了,我这地方又小
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