英中英25_But you are of no use to the stars_林_乐明无念

"Yes, that is true," said the little prince. "And what doyou do with them?""I administer them," replied the businessman. "I count themand recount them. It is difficult. But I am a man who is naturally interestedin matters of consequence."The little prince was still not satisfied."If I owned a silk scarf," he said, "I could put it around myneck and take it away with me. If I owned a flower, I could pluck that flowerand take it away with me. But you cannot pluck the stars from heaven...""No. But I can put them in the bank.""Whatever does that mean?""That means that I write the number of my stars on a little paper.And then I put this paper in a drawer and lock it with a key.""And that is all?""That is enough," said the businessman."It is entertaining," thought the little prince. "It israther poetic. But it is of no great consequence."On matters of consequence, the little prince had ideas which were verydifferent from those of the grown-ups."I myself own a flower," he continued his conversation with thebusinessman, "which I water every day. I own three volcanoes, which I cleanout every week (for I also clean out the one that is extinct; one never knows).It is of some use to my volcanoes, and it is of some use to my flower, that Iown them. But you are of no use to the stars..."The businessman opened his mouth, but he found nothing to say in answer.And the little prince went away."Thegrown-ups are certainly altogether extraordinary," he said simply, talkingto himself as he continued on his journey.