附录三：《小王子》英文版 (第2/2页)

“Itistrue,isn‘tit,thatsheepeatlittlebushes?
　　
　　“
　　
　　“Yes,thatistrue.
　　
　　“
　　
　　“Ah！Iamglad！
　　
　　“Ididnotunderstandwhyitwassoimportantthatsheepshouldeatlittlebushes.Butthelittleprinceadded：“Thenitfollowsthattheyalsoeatbaobabs?
　　
　　“Ipointedouttothelittleprincethatbaobabswerenotlittlebushes,but,onthecontrary,treesasbigascastles；andthatevenifhetookawholeherdofelephantsawaywithhim,theherdwouldnoteatuponesinglebaobab.Theideaoftheherdofelephant*adethelittleprincelaugh.
　　
　　“Wewouldhavetoputthemoneontopoftheother，
　　
　　“hesaid.Buthemadeawisecomment：“Beforetheygrowsobig,thebaobabsstartoutbybeinglittle.
　　
　　“
　　
　　“Thatisstrictlycorrect，
　　
　　“Isaid.
　　
　　“Butwhydoyouwantthesheeptoeatthelittlebaobabs?
　　
　　“Heansweredmeatonce，
　　
　　“Oh,come,come！
　　
　　“，asifhewerespeakingofsomethingthatwasself-evident.AndIwasobligedtomakeagreatmentalefforttosolvethisproblem,withoutanyassistance.Indeed,asIlearned,therewereontheplanetwherethelittleprincelived—asonallplanets—goodplantsandbadplants.Inconsequence,thereweregoodseedsfromgoodplants,andbadseedsfrombadplants.Butseedsareinvisible.Theysleepdeepintheheartoftheearth'sdarkness,untilsomeoneamongthemisseizedwiththedesiretoawaken.Thenthislittleseedwillstretchitselfandbegin—timidlyatfrst—topushacharminglittlespriginoffensivelyupwardtowardthesun.Ifitisonlyasproutofradishorthesprigofarose-bush,onewouldletitgrowwhereveritmightwish.Butwhenitisabadplant,onemustdestroyitassoonaspossible,theveryfrstinstantthatonerecognizesit.Nowthereweresometerribleseedsontheplanetthatwasthehomeofthelittleprince；andtheseweretheseedsofthebaobab.Thesoilofthatplanetwasinfestedwiththem.Abaobabissomethingyouwillnever,neverbeabletogetridofifyouattendtoittoolate.Itspreadsovertheentireplanet.Itboresclearthroughitwithitsroots.Andiftheplanetistoo*all,andthebaobabsaretoomany,theysplititinpieces……
　　
　　“Itisaquestionofdiscipline，
　　
　　“thelittleprincesaidtomelateron.
　　
　　“Whenyou‘vefnishedyourowntoiletinthemorning,thenitistimetoattendtothetoiletofyourplanet,justso,withthegreatestcare.Youmustseetoitthatyoupullupregularlyallthebaobabs,attheveryfrstmomentwhentheycanbedistinguishedfromtherosebusheswhichtheyresemblesocloselyintheirearliestyouth.Itisverytediouswork，
　　
　　“thelittleprinceadded，
　　
　　“butveryeasy.
　　
　　“Andonedayhesaidtome：“Yououghttomakeabeautifuldrawing,sothatthechildrenwhereyoulivecanseeexactlyhowallthisis.Thatwouldbeveryusefultothemiftheyweretotravelsomeday.Sometimes，
　　
　　“headded，
　　
　　“thereisnoharminputtingoffapieceofworkuntilanotherday.Butwhenitisamatterofbaobabs,thatalway*eansacatastrophe.Iknewaplanetthatwasinhabitedbyalazyman.Heneglectedthreelittlebushes……
　　
　　“So,asthelittleprincedescribedittome,Ihavemadeadrawingofthatplanet.Idonotmuchliketotakethetoneofamoralist.Butthedangerofthebaobabsissolittleunderstood,andsuchconsiderableriskswouldberunbyanyonewhomightgetlostonanasteroid,thatforonceIambreakingthroughmyreserve.
　　
　　“Children，
　　
　　“Isayplainly，
　　
　　“watchoutforthebaobabs！
　　
　　“Myfriends,likemyself,havebeenskirtingthisdangerforalongtime,withouteverknowingit；andsoitisforthemthatIhaveworkedsohardoverthisdrawing.ThelessonwhichIpassonbythi*eansisworthallthetroubleithascostme.Perhapsyouwillaskme，
　　
　　“Whyaretherenootherdrawinginthisbooka*agnifcentandimpressiveasthisdrawingofthebaobabs?
　　
　　“Thereplyissimple.Ihavetried.ButwiththeothersIhavenotbeensuccessful.WhenImadethedrawingofthebaobabsIwascarriedbeyondmyselfbytheinspiringforceofurgentnecessity.ChapterVIOh,littleprince！BitbybitIcametounderstandthesecretsofyoursadlittlelife……Foralongtimeyouhadfoundyouronlyentertainmentinthequietpleasureoflookingatthesunset.Ilearnedthatnewdetailonthemorningofthefourthday,whenyousaidtome：“Iamveryfondofsunsets*e,letusgolookatasunsetnow.
　　
　　“
　　
　　“Butwemustwait，
　　
　　“Isaid.
　　
　　“Wait?Forwhat?
　　
　　“
　　
　　“Forthesunset.Wemustwaituntilitistime.
　　
　　“Atfrstyouseemedtobeverymuchsurprised.Andthenyoulaughedtoyourself.Yousaidtome：“IamalwaysthinkingthatIamathome！
　　
　　“Justso.EverybodyknowsthatwhenitisnoonintheUnitedStatesthesunissettingoverFrance.IfyoucouldflytoFranceinoneminute,youcouldgostraightintothesunset,rightfromnoon.Unfortunately,Franceistoofarawayforthat.Butonyourtinyplanet,mylittleprince,allyouneeddoi*oveyourchairafewsteps.Youcanseethedayendandthetwilightfallingwheneveryoulike……
　　
　　“Oneday，
　　
　　“yousaidtome，
　　
　　“Isawthesunsetforty-fourtimes！
　　
　　“Andalittlelateryouadded：“Youknow—onelovesthesunset,whenoneissosad……
　　
　　“
　　
　　“Wereyousosad,then?
　　
　　“Iasked，
　　
　　“onthedayoftheforty-foursunsets?
　　
　　“Butthelittleprincemadenoreply.ChapterVIIOntheffthday—again,asalways,itwasthankstothesheep—thesecretofthelittleprince‘slifewasrevealedtome.Abruptly,withoutanythingtoleaduptoit,andasifthequestionhadbeenbornoflongandsilentmeditationonhisproblem,hedemanded：“Asheep—ifiteatslittlebushes,doesiteatfowers,too?
　　
　　“
　　
　　“Asheep，
　　
　　“Ianswered，
　　
　　“eatsanythingitfndsinitsreach.
　　
　　“
　　
　　“Evenfowersthathavethorns?
　　
　　“
　　
　　“Yes,evenfowersthathavethorns.
　　
　　“
　　
　　“Thenthethorns—whatusearethey?
　　
　　“Ididnotknow.AtthatmomentIwasverybusytryingtounscrewaboltthathadgotstuckinmyengine.Iwasverymuchworried,foritwasbecomingcleartomethatthebreakdownofmyplanewa*tremelyserious.AndIhadsolittledrinking-waterleftthatIhadtofearfortheworst.
　　
　　“Thethorns—whatusearethey?
　　
　　“Thelittleprinceneverletgoofaquestion,oncehehadaskedit.Asforme,Iwasupsetoverthatbolt.AndIansweredwiththefrstthingthatcameintomyhead：“Thethornsareofnouseatall.Flowershavethornsjustforspite！
　　
　　“
　　
　　“Oh！
　　
　　“Therewasamomentofcompletesilence.Thenthelittleprincefashedbackatme,withakindofresentfulness：“Idon'tbelieveyou！Flowersareweakcreatures.Theyarenaive.Theyreassurethemselvesasbesttheycan.Theybelievethattheirthornsareterribleweapons……
　　
　　“Ididnotanswer.AtthatinstantIwassayingtomyself：“Ifthisboltstillwon‘tturn,Iamgoingtoknockitoutwiththehammer.
　　
　　“Againthelittleprincedisturbedmythoughts.
　　
　　“Andyouactuallybelievethatthefowers—
　　
　　“
　　
　　“Oh,no！
　　
　　“Icried.
　　
　　“No,nono！Idon‘tbelieveanything.Iansweredyouwiththefrstthingthatcameintomyhead.Don‘tyousee—Iamverybusywithmattersofconsequence！
　　
　　“Hestaredatme,thunderstruck.
　　
　　“Mattersofconsequence！
　　
　　“Helookedatmethere,withmyhammerinmyhand,myfngersblackwithengine-grease,bendingdownoveranobjectwhichseemedtohimextremelyugly……
　　
　　“Youtalkjustlikethegrown-ups！
　　
　　“Thatmademealittleashamed.Buthewenton,relentlessly：“Youmixeverythinguptogether……Youconfuseeverything……
　　
　　“Hewasreallyveryangry.Hetossedhisgoldencurlsinthebreeze.
　　
　　“Iknowaplanetwherethereisacertainred-facedgentleman.Hehasnever*elledaflower.Hehasneverlookedatastar.Hehasneverlovedanyone.Hehasneverdoneanythinginhislifebutaddupfgures.Andalldayhesaysoverandover,justlikeyou：‘Iambusywithmattersofconsequence！'Andthatmakeshimswellupwithpride.Butheisnotaman—heisamushroom！
　　
　　“
　　
　　“Awhat?
　　
　　“
　　
　　“Amushroom！
　　
　　“Thelittleprincewasnowwhitewithrage.
　　
　　“Thefowershavebeengrowingthornsformillionsofyears.Formillionsofyearsthesheephavebeeneatingthemjustthesame.Andisitnotamatterofconsequencetotrytounderstandwhythefowersgotosomuchtroubletogrowthornswhichareneverofanyusetothem?Isthewarfarebetweenthesheepandthefowersnotimportant?Isthisnotofmoreconsequencethanafatred-facedgentleman‘ssums?AndifIknow—I,myself—onefowerwhichisuniqueintheworld,whichgrowsnowherebutonmyplanet,butwhichonelittlesheepcandestroyinasinglebitesomemorning,withoutevennoticingwhatheisdoing—Oh！Youthinkthatisnotimportant！
　　
　　“Hisfaceturnedfromwhitetoredashecontinued：“Ifsomeonelovesafower,ofwhichjustonesingleblossomgrowsinallthemillionsandmillionsofstars,itisenoughtomakehimhappyjusttolookatthestars.Hecansaytohimself，‘Somewhere,myfoweristhere……'Butifthesheepeatsthefower,inonemomentallhisstarswillbedarkened……Andyouthinkthatisnotimportant！
　　
　　“Hecouldnotsayanythingmore.Hiswordswerechokedbysobbing.Thenighthadfallen.Ihadletmytoolsdropfrommyhands.Ofwhatmomentnowwa*yhammer,mybolt,orthirst,ordeath?Ononestar,oneplanet,myplanet,theEarth,therewasalittleprincetobecomforted.Itookhiminmyarms,androckedhim.Isaidtohim：“Thefowerthatyouloveisnotindanger.Iwilldrawyouamuzzleforyoursheep.Iwilldrawyouarailingtoputaroundyourfower.Iwill—
　　
　　“Ididnotknowwhattosaytohim.Ifeltawkwardandblundering.IdidnotknowhowIcouldreachhim,whereIcouldovertakehimandgoonhandinhandwithhimoncemore.Itissuchasecretplace,thelandoftears.ChapterVIIIIsoonlearnedtoknowthisfowerbetter.Onthelittleprince‘splanetthefowershadalwaysbeenverysimple.Theyhadonlyoneringofpetals；theytookupnoroomatall；theywereatroubletonobody.Onemorningtheywouldappearinthegrass,andbynighttheywouldhavefadedpeacefullyaway.Butoneday,fromaseedblownfromnooneknewwhere,anewfowerhadcomeup；andthelittleprincehadwatchedverycloselyoverthis*allsproutwhichwasnotlikeanyother*allsproutsonhisplanet.Itmight,yousee,havebeenanewkindofbaobab.Theshrubsoonstoppedgrowing,andbegantogetr