英中英23_TheLittlePrince小王子_林_乐明无念

[ Chapter 13 ] - thelittle prince visits the businessman  小王子拜访商人The fourth planet belonged to a businessman. This man was so much occupiedthat he did not even raise his head at the little prince's arrival."Good morning," the little prince said to him. "Your cigarettehas gone out.""Three and two make five. Five and seven make twelve. Twelve andthree make fifteen. Good morning. Fifteen and seven make twenty-two. Twenty-twoand six make twenty-eight. I haven't time to light it again. Twenty-six andfive make thirty-one. Phew! Then that makes five-hundred-and-one-million,six-hundred-twenty-two-thousand, seven-hundred-thirty-one.""Five hundred million what?" asked the little prince."Eh? Are you still there? Five-hundred-and-one million-- I can'tstop... I have so much to do! I am concerned with matters of consequence. Idon't amuse myself with balderdash. Two and five make seven...""Five-hundred-and-one million what?" repeated the little prince,who never in his life had let go of a question once he had asked it.The businessman raised his head."During the fifty-four years that I have inhabited this planet, Ihave been disturbed only three times. The first time was twenty-two years ago,when some giddy goose fell from goodness knows where. He made the mostfrightful noise that resounded all over the place, and I made four mistakes inmy addition. The second time, eleven years ago, I was disturbed by an attack ofrheumatism. I don't get enough exercise. I have no time for loafing. The thirdtime-- well, this is it! I was saying, then, five -hundred-and-onemillions--""Millions of what?"The businessman suddenly realized that there was no hope of being left inpeace until he answered this question."Millions of those little objects," he said, "which onesometimes sees in the sky.""Flies?""Oh, no. Little glittering objects.""Bees?""Oh, no. Little golden objects that set lazy men to idle dreaming. Asfor me, I am concerned with matters of consequence. There is no time for idledreaming in my life.""Ah! You mean the stars?""Yes,that's it. The stars."