国王说：“假定我号令一个将军像胡蝶那样在花丛中飞来飞去，或者号令他写作一部悲剧，或者变成一只海鸟，而这位将军接到号令不履行的话，那么，是谁的弊端呢？”
“不可。”国王说。
国王最在乎的是要保持他的权威遭到尊敬。他不能容忍别人违方号令。他是一名绝对的君主。但是，他却很仁慈，他下的号令都是合情公道的。
"Then you shall judge yourself," the king answered. "that is the most difficult thing of all. It is much more difficult to judge oneself than to judge others. If you succeed in judging yourself rightly, then you are indeed a man of true wisdom.""Yes," said the little prince, "but I can judge myself anywhere. I do not need to live on this planet.
"I have nothing more to do here," he said to the king. "So I shall set out on my way again.""Do not go," said the king, who was very proud of having a subject. "Do not go. I will make you a Minister!""Minister of what"
“一点也不错，”国王接着说，“向每小我提出的要求应当是他们所能做到的。权威起首应当建立在理性的根本上。如果号令你的百姓去跳海，他们就会建议反动。我有官僚求别人从命，是因为我的号令是公道的。”
看来他不但是一个绝对的君主，并且是全部宇宙之王。
“陛下……你在统治甚么呢？”
他不晓得，对于一个国王来讲，天下非常简朴。统统的人都是他的子民。
“但是我不肯判任何人极刑，我想我还是应当走。”小王子答复道。
"You shall have your sunset. I shall command it. But, according to my science of government, I shall wait until conditions are favorable.""When will that be" inquired the little prince.