But certainly, for us who understand life, figures are a matter of indifference. I should have liked to begin this story in the fashion of the fairy-tales. I should have like to say: "Once upon a time there was a little prince who lived on a planet that was scarcely any bigger than himself, and who had need of a sheep..."To those who understand life, that would have given a much greater air of truth to my story.
我有来由信赖小王子地点的阿谁星球是小行星B-612。这颗小行星仅仅在1909年被一个土耳其天文学家用望远镜瞥见过一次。
If I have told you these details about the asteroid, and made a note of its number for you, it is on account of the grown-ups and their ways. When you tell them that you have made a new friend, they never ask you any questions about essential matters.
如果我给你们讲关于小行星B-612的这些细节,并且奉告你们它的编号,这是因为这些大人和他们行动体例的原因。大人们喜好数字。当你对他们说你交了一个新朋友时,他们向来不向你提出本色性的题目。他们向来不讲:“他说话声音像甚么?他最爱好甚么样的游戏?他是否汇集胡蝶标本?”相反,他们会问你:“他多大年纪呀?弟兄几个呀?体重多少磅呀?他父亲挣多少钱呀?”只要从这些数字信息,他们才感觉他们体味了他。如果你对大人们说:“我看到一幢用玫瑰色的砖盖成的标致的屋子,窗台上摆着天竺葵,屋顶上另有鸽子……”他们没法对这个屋子有任何感受。如果你如许对他们说:“我瞥见了一幢代价十万法郎的屋子。”那么他们就惊叫道:“多么标致的屋子啊!”
当然,对我们这些晓得糊口的人来讲,我们才不在乎那些编号呢!我真情愿像讲童话那样来开端这个故事,我真想如许开首:“畴前,有一个小王子,他住在一个和他身材差未几大的星球上,他巴望具有一个朋友……”对晓得糊口的人来讲,如许说便能够显得更加实在。
幸亏,为了小行星B-612的名誉,土耳其的一个统治者,制定法律迫使他的群众都要穿欧式打扮,不然就处以极刑。1920年,这位天文学家穿了一身非常高雅的打扮,又在大会上重新做了一次论证。这一次统统的人都接管他的观点。