小王子(名著双语读物·中文导读英文原版)书籍（一起读名著THELITTLEPRINCE小王子26）

小王子(名著双语读物·中文导读英文原版)书籍（一起读名著THELITTLEPRINCE小王子26）'Now go away ' said the little prince. 'I want to get off the wall.' I stopped in my tracks my heart beating fast; but I didn't quite understand. Someone must have answered him for he said 'It is! It is the right day but the wrong place.' I continued moving towards the wall.I could not see or hear anyone. But the little prince replied once again '… Exactly. You

THE LITTLE PRINCE

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

CHAPTER 26

Alongside the well stood a dilapidated old stone wall. The next night when I returned I saw from a distance that my little prince was sitting on top of the wall with his feet dangling. And I heard him say 'You don't remember.This is not the exact spot.'

Someone must have answered him for he said 'It is! It is the right day but the wrong place.'

I continued moving towards the wall.I could not see or hear anyone. But the little prince replied once again '… Exactly. You will see my footprints in the sand.You only have to wait.I will be there tonight.'

I was only twenty metres from the wall and I still saw nothing.After some time the little prince spoke again 'Is your venom powerful?You are sure I'll not suffer too long?'

I stopped in my tracks my heart beating fast; but I didn't quite understand.

'Now go away ' said the little prince. 'I want to get off the wall.'

I looked to the foot of the wall and flinched. There before me facing the little prince was one of those yellow snakes that could kill in less than thirty seconds. I moved forward even as I was digging in my pocket to get my revolver out. But at the sounds I made the snake slipped away quickly and disappeared between the rocks like a stream fading into the sand. I reached the wall just in time to catch my prince; his face was so very pale.

　　在井旁边有一堵残缺的石墙。第二天晚上我工作回来的时候，我远远地看见了小王子耷拉着双腿坐在墙上。我听见他在说话：“你怎么不记得了呢？”他说，“绝不是在这儿。”
　　大概还有另一个声音在回答他，因为他答着腔说道：“没错，没错，日子是对的；但地点不是这里……”
　　我继续朝墙走去。我还是看不到，也听不见任何别人。可是小王子又回答道：“……那当然。你会在沙上看到我的脚印是从什么地方开始的。你在那里等着我就行了。今天夜里我去那里。”
　　我离墙约有二十米远，可我依然什么也没有看见。
　　小王子沉默了一会又说：“你的毒液管用吗？你保证不会使我长时间地痛苦吗？”
　　我焦虑地赶上前去，但我仍然不明白是怎么回事。
　　“现在你去吧，我要下来了！……”小王子说。
　　于是，我也朝墙脚下看去，我吓了一跳。就在那里，一条黄蛇直起身子冲着小王子。这种黄蛇半分钟就能结果你的性命。我一面赶紧掏口袋，拔出手枪，一面跑过去。可是一听到我的脚步声，蛇却象一股干涸了的水柱一样，慢慢钻进沙里去。它不慌不忙地在石头的缝隙中钻动着，发出轻轻的金属般的响声。
　　我到达墙边的时候，正好把我的这位小王子接在我的怀抱中。他的脸色雪一样惨白。

'What is going on?' I demanded. 'You've started talking to snakes?'

I loosened the golden muffler that he always had on. I rubbed his temples and gave him some water to drink. And I held back from asking him any more questions. He looked at me gravely and wrapped his arms around my neck. I felt his heart quivering like that of a dying bird.

'I am glad that you have figured out what was wrong with your engine 'he said.

'Now you can go home …''But how did you know?'

That is what I was coming to tell him that I had been successful in repairing the engine.

He gave me no answer but said 'I am going back home too … today.'Then he added rather sadly 'It is much farther … much more difficult.'

I could sense that something incredible was about to happen. I held him like a child; and yet it seemed that he was falling fast into an abyss andthere was no way to stop him.

He looked very serious and had a faraway gaze.

'I have your sheep. I've got the sheep's box. And I have the muzzle.'

He gave me a sad smile.

I waited a long time. It seemed he was slowly recovering.

'My little man ' I said to him 'you were afraid.'

There was no doubt that he was. But he let out a gentle laugh.

'I will be much more afraid tonight.'

　　“这是搞的什么名堂！你怎么竟然和蛇也谈起心来了！”我解开了他一直带着的金黄色的围脖。我用水渍湿了他的太阳穴，让他喝了点水。这时，我什么也不敢再问他。他严肃地看着我，用双臂搂着我的脖子。我感到他的心就象一只被枪弹击中而濒于死亡的鸟的心脏一样在跳动着。他对我说：“我很高兴，你找到了你的机器所缺少的东西。你不久就可以回家去了……”
　　“你怎么知道的？”
　　我正是来告诉他，在没有任何希望的情况下，我成功地完成了修理工作。
　　他不回答我的问题，却接着说道：“我也一样，今天，要回家去了……”
　　然后，他忧伤地说：“我回家要远得多……要难得多……”
　　我清楚地感到发生了某种不寻常的事。我把他当作小孩一样紧紧抱在怀里，可是我感觉到他径直地向着一个无底深渊沉陷下去，我想法拉住他，却怎么也办不到……
　　他的眼神很严肃，望着遥远的地方。
　　“我有你画的羊，羊的箱子和羊的嘴套子……”
　　他带着忧伤的神情微笑了。
　　我等了很长时间，才觉得他身子渐渐暖和起来。
　　“小家伙，你受惊了……”
　　他害怕了，这是无疑的！他却温柔地笑着说：“今天晚上，我会怕得更厉害……”

Once again I felt myself gripped by a foreboding. I knew that I could not bear the thought of never hearing his laughter again. It was like a spring of fresh water.

'Little man ' I said 'I want to hear your laugh again.'

But he said to me 'Tonight it will be a year … my star will be exactly over the place where I landed last year.'

'Little man ' I said 'tell me this is all a bad dream the snake and the star.'

But he gave me no reply. 'The things that matter ' he repeated 'are invisible.'

'Yes I know …''Like it is with the flower. If you love a flower that lives on a star it is wonderful to look up at the night sky. There is a flower on every star.'

'Yes that's true …'

'It is like with the water. The drink of water you gave me was like music because of the pulley the rope … you remember … how good it was.'

'Yes I remember.'

'At night you will look at the stars. It is difficult to tell you which one my planet is … it is too small. It is a good thing really. My star will be one among many. You will love watching them all … they will all be your friends. And besides I am going to give you a present.'

He laughed again.

　　我再度意识到要发生一件不可弥补的事。我觉得我的心一下子就凉了。这时我才明白：一想到再也不能听到这笑声，我就不能忍受。这笑声对我来说，就好象是沙漠中的甘泉一样。
　　“小家伙，我还想听你笑……”
　　但他对我说：“到今天夜里，正好是一年了。我的星球将正好处于我去年降落的那个地方的上空……”
　　“小家伙，这蛇的事，约会的事，还有星星，这全是一场噩梦吧？”
　　但他并不回答我的问题。他对我说：“重要的事，是看不见的……”
　　“当然……”
　　“这就象花一样。如果你爱上了一朵生长在一颗星星上的花，那么夜间，你看着天空就感到甜蜜愉快。所有的星星上都好象开着花。”
　　“当然……”
　　“这也就象水一样，由于那辘轳和绳子的缘故，你给我喝的井水好象音乐一样……你记得吗？……这水非常好喝……”
　　“当然……”
　　“夜晚，你抬头望着星星，我的那颗太小了，我无法给你指出我的那颗星星是在哪里。这样倒更好。你可以认为我的那颗星星就在这些星星之中。那么，所有的星星，你都会喜欢看的……这些星星都将成为你的朋友。而且，我还要给你一件礼物……”
　　他又笑了。

'Ah my little prince! How I love to hear your laugh!'

'That there is my present … just that … it will be like when we drank the water …''What are you saying?'

'People have their stars ' he answered 'but they are not all the same. For travellers the stars are guides. For others they are simply little lights in the sky. For scientists they are trouble. For my businessman they were wealth.But the stars are silent. You … you alone … will have special stars.'

'What do you mean?'

'When you look at the starry sky and as I will live on one of those stars and I'll be laughing on one of those stars it will seem to you that all the stars are laughing. You will have stars that can laugh!'

Saying this he laughed again.'And when you start to feel better you will be happy that you knew me.

You will always be a friend to me. You will want to laugh with me. And sometimes you will open your window and laugh. And your friends surprised to see you laughing at the sky will think you are mad! You will say to them "Yes the stars always make me laugh!" What a mischievoustrick I would've played on you.'

And he laughed again.

'It will be as if I've given you little laughing bells instead of stars.'

He laughed once more. Then he quickly became serious 'Tonight … you know ... you shouldn't come.'

'I'm not leaving you ' I said.

'I will look distressed like I was dying. That is how it will be. Do not come to see that. It is not worth the trouble.'

'I shall not abandon you.' But he was worried.

'I'm also trying to say … it's because of the snake.It must not bite you.Snakes can be malicious creatures. Sometimes they bite just for fun.'

'I will not leave you.'

But a thought reassured him: 'They do not have enough venom to bite a second time.'

　　“那么，在你得到了安慰之后（人们总是会自我安慰的）你就会因为认识了我而感到高兴。你将永远是我的朋友。你就会想要同我一起笑。有时，你会为了快乐而不知不觉地打开窗户。你的朋友们会奇怪地看着你笑着仰望天空。那时，你就可以对他们说：‘是的，星星总是引我欢笑！’他们会以为你发疯了。我的恶作剧将使你难堪……”
　　这时，他又笑了。
　　“这就好象我并没有给你星星，而是给你一大堆会笑出声来的小铃铛……”
　　他仍然笑着。随后他变得严肃起来：
　　“今天夜里……你知道……不要来了。”
　　“我不离开你。”
　　“我将会象是很痛苦的样子……我有点象要死去似的。就是这么回事，你就别来看这些了，没有必要。”
　　“我不离开你。”
　　可是他担心起来。
　　“我对你说这些……这也是因为蛇的缘故。别让它咬了你……蛇是很坏的，它随意咬人……”
　　“我不离开你。”
　　这时，他似乎有点放心了：“对了，它咬第二口的时候就没有毒液了……”

That night I did not hear or see him leave. When I caught up with him he was walking with determination his steps quick and firm. 'Oh you are here!' he said when he saw me.

And he took my hand. But he was still worried. 'Why did you come? You will suffer. I will look as if I was dead but I won't be.'

I said nothing.

'You must understand … it is too far. I cannot carry this heavy body with me.'

I said nothing.

'It will be like an old abandoned skin. Old skins are not sad.'

I said nothing.

He was a little demoralized. But he tried one more time:

'You know it will be very nice. I will look at the stars too. All the stars will be like wells with a rusty pulley. All the stars will pour fresh water forme to drink.'

I said nothing.

'It will really be delightful! You will have five hundred million little bells and I will have five hundred million wells.'

Then he fell silent because he had started to weep.

　　这天夜里，我没有看到他起程。他不声不响地跑了。当我终于赶上他的时候，他坚定地快步走着。他只是对我说道：“啊，你在这儿……”
　　于是他拉着我的手。但是他仍然很担心：“你不该这样。你会难受的。我会象是死去的样子，但这不会是真的……”
　　我默默无言。
　　“你明白，路很远。我不能带着这付身躯走。它太重了。”
　　我依然沉默不语。
　　“但是，这就好象剥落的旧树皮一样。旧树皮，并没有什么可悲的。”
　　我还是沉默不语。
　　他有些泄气了。但是他又振作起来：“这将是蛮好的，你知道。我也一定会看星星的。所有的星星都将是带有生了锈的辘轳的井。所有的星星都会倒水给我喝……”
　　我还是沉默不语。
　　“这将是多么好玩啊！你将有五亿个铃铛，我将有五亿口水井……”
　　这时，他也沉默了，因为他在哭。

*

'Here we are. Let me now go on by myself.'

And he sat down because he was afraid. Then he said 'You know … my flower … she is my responsibility! And she is so delicate! She only has four thorns to keep herself safe.'

I sat down too because I couldn't stand any longer.

'There … that is all …'

He hesitated a little and then he got up. He took one step. I stayed frozen to the spot.

I saw a flash of yellow near his ankle. He remained unmoving for an second.

He didn't make any sound. He dropped gently like a tree. There was not even a thud as he fell on the sand.

　　“就是这儿。让我自个儿走一步吧。”
　　他这时坐下来，因为他害怕了。他却仍然说道：“你知道……我的花……我是要对她负责的！而她又是那么弱小！她又是那么天真。她只有四根微不足道的刺，保护自己，抵抗外敌……”
　　我也坐了下来，因为我再也站立不住了。他说道：“就是这些……全都说啦……”
　　他犹豫了一下，然后站起来。他迈出了一步。而我却动弹不得。
　　在他的脚踝子骨附近，一道黄光闪了一下。刹那间他一动也不动了。他没有叫喊。他轻轻地象一棵树一样倒在地上，大概由于沙地的缘故，连一点响声都没有。