《小王子》第19章

“实质性的东西，用眼睛是看不见的。”小王子重复着这句话，以便能把它记在心间。　
“正因为你为你的玫瑰花费了时间，这才使你的玫瑰变得如此重要。”　
“正因为你为你的玫瑰花费了时间……”小王子又重复着，要使自己记住这些。　
“人们已经忘记了这个道理，”狐狸说，“可是，你不应该忘记它。你现在要对你驯服过的一切负责到底。你要对你的玫瑰负责……”　
“我要对我的玫瑰负责……”小王子又重复着……
＇　chapter　21　＇　…　the　little　prince　befriends　the　fox　
it　was　then　that　the　fox　appeared。　
〃good　morning；〃　said　the　fox。　
〃good　morning；〃　the　little　prince　responded　politely；　although　when　he　turned　around　he　saw　nothing。　
〃i　am　right　here；〃　the　voice　said；　〃under　the　apple　tree。〃　
〃who　are　you？〃　asked　the　little　prince；　and　added；　〃you　are　very　pretty　to　look　at。〃　
〃i　am　a　fox；〃　said　the　fox。　
〃e　and　play　with　me；〃　proposed　the　little　prince。　〃i　am　so　unhappy。〃　
〃i　cannot　play　with　you；〃　the　foaid。　〃i　am　not　tamed。〃　
〃ah！　please　excuse　me；〃　said　the　little　prince。　
but；　after　some　thought；　he　added：　
〃what　does　that　mean……　tame？〃　
〃you　do　not　live　here；〃　said　the　fox。　〃what　is　it　that　you　are　looking　for？〃　
〃i　am　looking　for　men；〃　said　the　little　prince。　〃what　does　that　mean……　tame？〃　
〃men；〃　said　the　fox。　〃they　have　guns；　and　they　hunt。　it　is　very　disturbing。　they　also　raise　chickens。　these　are　their　only　interests。　are　you　looking　for　chickens？〃　
〃no；〃　said　the　little　prince。　〃i　am　looking　for　friends。　what　does　that　mean……　tame？〃　
〃it　is　an　act　too　often　neglected；〃　said　the　fox。　it　means　to　establish　ties。〃　
〃to　establish　ties？〃　
〃just　that；〃　said　the　fox。　〃to　me；　you　are　still　nothing　more　than　a　little　boy　who　is　just　like　a　hundred　thousand　other　little　boys。　and　i　have　no　need　of　you。　and　you；　on　your　part；　have　no　need　of　me。　to　you；　i　am　nothing　more　than　a　fox　like　a　hundred　thousand　other　foxes。　but　if　you　tame　me；　then　we　shall　need　each　other。　to　me；　you　will　be　unique　in　all　the　world。　to　you；　i　shall　be　unique　in　all　the　world。。。〃　
〃i　am　beginning　to　understand；〃　said　the　little　prince。　〃there　is　a　flower。。。　i　think　that　she　has　tamed　me。。。〃　
〃it　is　possible；〃　said　the　fox。　〃on　the　earth　one　sees　all　sorts　of　things。〃　
〃oh；　but　this　is　not　on　the　earth！〃　said　the　little　prince。　
the　foeemed　perplexed；　and　very　curious。　
〃on　another　planet？〃　
〃yes。〃　
〃are　there　hunters　on　this　planet？〃　
〃no。〃　
〃ah；　that　is　interesting！　are　there　chickens？〃　
〃no。〃　
〃nothing　is　perfect；〃　sighed　the　fox。　
but　he　came　back　to　his　idea。　
〃my　life　is　very　monotonous；〃　the　foaid。　〃i　hunt　chickens；　men　hunt　me。　all　the　chickens　are　just　alike；　and　all　the　men　are　just　alike。　and；　in　consequence；　i　am　a　little　bored。　but　if　you　tame　me；　it　will　be　as　if　the　sun　came　to　shine　on　my　life　。　i　shall　know　the　sound　of　a　step　that　will　be　different　from　all　the　others。　other　steps　send　me　hurrying　back　underneath　the　ground。　yours　will　call　me；　like　music；　out　of　my　burrow。　and　then　look：　you　see　the　grain…fields　down　yonder？　i　do　not　ea　t　bread。　wheat　is　of　no　use　to　me。　the　wheat　fields　have　nothing　to　say　to　me。　and　that　is　sad。　but　you　have　hair　that　is　the　colour　of　gold。　think　how　wonderful　that　will　be　when　you　have　tamed　me！　the　grain；　which　is　also　golden；　will　bring　me　bac　k　the　thought　of　you。　and　i　shall　love　to　listen　to　the　wind　in　the　wheat。。。〃　
the　fox　gazed　at　the　little　prince；　for　a　long　time。　
〃please……　tame　me！〃　he　said。　
〃i　want　to；　very　much；〃　the　little　prince　replied。　〃but　i　have　not　much　time。　i　have　friends　to　discover；　and　a　great　many　things　to　understand。〃　
〃one　only　understands　the　things　that　one　tames；〃　said　the　fox。　〃men　have　no　more　time　to　understand　anything。　they　buy　things　all　ready　made　at　the　shops。　but　there　is　no　shop　anywhere　where　one　can　buy　friendship；　and　so　men　have　no　friends　any　more。　if　you　want　a　friend；　tame　me。。。〃　
〃what　must　i　do；　to　tame　you？〃　asked　the　little　prince。　
〃you　must　be　very　patient；〃　replied　the　fox。　〃first　you　will　sit　down　at　a　little　distance　from　me……　like　that……　in　the　grass。　i　shall　look　at　you　out　of　the　corner　of　my　eye；　and　you　will　say　nothing。　words　are　the　source　of　misunderstandings。　but　yo　u　will　sit　a　little　closer　to　me；　every　day。。。〃　
the　next　day　the　little　prince　came　back。　
〃it　would　have　been　better　to　e　back　at　the　same　hour；〃　said　the　fox。　〃if；　for　example；　you　e　at　four　oclock　in　the　afternoon；　then　at　three　oclock　i　shall　begin　to　be　happy。　i　shall　feel　happier　and　happier　as　the　hour　advances。　at　four　oclock；　i　shall　already　be　worrying　and　jumping　about。　i　shall　show　you　how　happy　i　am！　but　if　you　e　at　just　any　time；　i　shall　never　know　at　what　hour　my　heart　is　to　be　ready　to　greet　you。。。　one　must　observe　the　proper　rites。。。〃　
〃what　is　a　rite？〃　asked　the　little　prince。　
〃those　also　are　actions　too　often　neglected；〃　said　the　fox。　〃they　are　what　make　one　day　different　from　other　days；　one　hour　from　other　hours。　there　is　a　rite；　for　example；　among　my　hunters。　every　thursday　they　dance　with　the　village　girls。　so　thursday　is　a　wonderful　day　for　me！　i　can　take　a　walk　as　far　as　the　vineyards。　but　if　the　hunters　danced　at　just　any　time；　every　day　would　be　like　every　other　day；　and　i　should　never　have　any　vacation　at　all。〃　
so　the　little　prince　tamed　the　fox。　and　when　the　hour　of　his　departure　drew　near……　
〃ah；〃　said　the　fox；　〃i　shall　cry。〃　
〃it　is　your　own　fault；〃　said　the　little　prince。　〃i　never　wished　you　any　sort　of　harm；　but　you　wanted　me　to　tame　you。。。〃　
〃yes；　that　is　so；〃　said　the　fox。　
〃but　now　you　are　going　to　cry！〃　said　the　little　prince。　
〃yes；　that　is　so；〃　said　the　fox。　
〃then　it　has　done　you　no　good　at　all！〃　
〃it　has　done　me　good；〃　said　the　fox；　〃because　of　the　color　of　the　wheat　fields。〃　and　then　he　added：　
〃go　and　look　again　at　the　roses。　you　will　understand　now　that　yours　is　unique　in　all　the　world。　then　e　back　to　say　goodbye　to　me；　and　i　will　make　you　a　present　of　a　secret。〃　
the　little　prince　went　away；　to　look　again　at　the　roses。　
〃you　are　not　at　all　like　my　rose；〃　he　said。　〃as　yet　you　are　nothing。　no　one　has　tamed　you；　and　you　have　tamed　no　one。　you　are　like　my　fox　when　i　first