Chapter 17-双语名著无障碍阅读丛书——《小王子The Little Prince》

17 When one wishes to play the wit, he sometimes wanders{①} a little from the truth. I have not been altogether honest in what I have told you about the lamplighters. And I realize that I run the risk of② giving a false idea of our planet to those who do not know it. Men occupy a very small place upon the Earth. If the two billion inhabitants who people③ its surface were all to stand upright^④} and somewhat crowded} together, as they do for some big public assembly, they could easily be put into one public square twenty miles long and twenty miles wide. All humanity} could be piled up^{③} on a small Pacific^{} islet. The grown-ups, to be sure, will not believe you when you tell them that. They imagine that they fill a great deal of space. They fancy themselves as important as the baobabs. You should advise them, then. to make their own calculations. They adore figures, and that will please them. But do not waste your time on this extra{ task. It is unnecessary. You have, I know, confidence in me When the little prince arrived on the Earth, he was very much surprised not to see any people. He was beginning to be afraid he had come to the wrong planet, when a coil{} of gold, thecolor of the 104; 17 倘若一个人想卖弄一下幽默的话,有时就会有 ①wander /wpnda/ v. 漫步. 徘徊:迷失方向:离题 点脱离事实。我告诉你有关灯夫的事情,并不全然 是真实情况。而且我意识到对于那些不甚了解地球 ②run the risk of 冒.....的危 险 的人而言,我的叙述可能会给他们一个错误的概 ③ people /pi:pl/ v. 居住于 念。在地球上,人所占的空间非常小。假使将地球 ④upright/Ap.rait/a 垂直的. 上的二十亿人全部聚集在一起,就好像举行一个天 竖式的,正直的 型集会一样,在一个二十英里见方的公共广场上就 crowd /kraod/ v. 群集,拥 能容纳所有的人。一座太平洋上的小岛,就能将全 挤,挤满 assembly /5'semblt/ n. 集 人类都聚集在一起。 合,装配,集会 不过,大人们不会相信你所说的话。他们总以 humanity /hjo(t)'maenit n.人性,人类,博爱,仁慈 为自己拥有很大的空间,并认为自已和猴面包树一 ③pile up堆积,积累 样重要。或许你应该劝他们自已衡量一番。他们原 o Pacifie /pa'sifik/a. 太平洋 的 本就喜欢数字,这正合他们的心意。但是你可别把 extra/ekstra/ a. 额外的. 时间耗在这件无关紧要的事情上。那是不必要的。 多余的 我知道你相信我的话 当小王子抵达地球的时候,他感到非常诧异 因为这里竟然看不见半个人影。他刚刚开始担心自 coil/kotl/n. -盘,-圈 己走错行星,就看到一条像月光那样金黄色的蛇在 ·105· The fittfe Prince moonlight, flashed across the sand. "Good evening," said the little prince courteously①}. "Good evening," said the snake. “What planet is this on which I have come down?" asked the little prince. "This is the Earth: this is Africa,"the snake answered. “Ah! Then there are no people on the Earth?" “This is the desert. There are no people in the desert. The Earth is large,"said the snake. The little prince sat down on a stone, and raised his eyes toward the sky. "I wonder," he said, "whether the stars are set alight{②} in heaven so that one day each one of us may find his own again... Look at my planet. It is right} there above us. But how far away it is!" "It is beautiful,"the snake said. "What has brought you here?" "I have been having some trouble with a flower," said the little prince. "Ah!" said the snake. And they were, both silent. “Where are the men?" the little prince at last took up )④the conversation again. "It is a litte lonely in the desert.." "It is also lonely among men," the snake said The little prince gazed at{}him for a long time. “You are a funny animal," he said at last. "You are no thicker than a finger...” "But I am more powerful^{②} than the finger of a king," said the snake. 。 106. 小王子1 沙漠里爬行。 ① courteously /ka:tiaslr/ ad. “晚安。”小王子谦虚地问候。 有礼貌地,亲切地 “晚安。”蛇说。 “我来到的是哪一颗行星呀?”小王子问 “地球啊!这里是非洲。”蛇回答。 “啊!那地球上没有人吗?” “这里是沙漠,沙漠里不会有人。地球大着呢。” 蛇说。 小王子找了一块石头坐下来,抬眼仰望天空 “我在想,”他说,“让天上的每一颗星星都发 光,是不是为了有一天让我们每个人都能够找到属 于自已的那颗星星......你看我的那颗行星。它就在 ②set alight使着火,使燃烧, 使发光 我们正上方。可它是多么遥不可及啊!” “它是很漂亮,”蛇说,“可是,你为什么会来这 ③ right /rart/ ad. 不偏不倚. 正好 里呢?” “因为我正在和一朵花赌气。”小王子说。 “哦!”蛇说。 他们都缄默不语了。 “人都到哪里去了呢?”小王子打破沉默又挑起 ④takeup拿起,开始从事, 了话头。“沙漠里有点寂寞.....” 继续 “在人群中也是会寂寞的。”蛇说。 小王子瞅了他许久。 gaze at 盯住 “你真是有趣的动物,”最后他说,“还比不上一 thick/ik/a. 淳的,粗的 根手指头粗......” “可是,我比一个国王的手指的威力大多了。” powerful/paoofol a. 强大 蛇说。 的,有力的 小王子尔一笑。 ·107· The fittfe Prince The little prince smiled "You are not very powerful. You haven't even any feet. You cannot even travel..” "I can carry you farther than any ship could take you," said the snake. He twined{ himself around the little prince's ankle, like a golden bracelet{②. “Whomever③ I touch, I send back to the earth from whence he came, "the snake spoke again."But you are innocent and true, and you come from a star.." The little prince made no reply. "You move me to pity-you are so weak on this Earth made of granite④," the snake said. "I can help you, some day, if you grow too homesickfor your own planet. I can-" “Oh! I understand you very well," said the litle prince. “But why do you always speak in riddles^{}?" "I solve them all,"said the snake. And they were both silent. 108. 小王子1 “你不可能很有威力的,你甚至没有脚,不能到 远方旅行.....” “我比任何一艘船都有能力,可以送你到更遥远 的地方。”蛇说。 他用身体缠绕在小王子的脚踝上,就像一只黄 金手钩。 ① twine /twain/v 搓,织. “无论谁被我缠到,我会把他们送回他们原来的 (使)缠绕 ② bracelet /breislt/ n. 手键 地方--尘土。”蛇又说,“可是你很纯真,而且又 ③whomever /hu:m'eval pron. 是来自一颗星星.....” whoever 的宾格 小王子并没有答腔。 “你触动了我的同情心一一在这个由花岗石架构 的地球上,你显得太娇弱了。”蛇说,“倘若有一 天你非常想念你的行星,我会帮助你。我会-” ③ granite /qraent/ n. 花岗岩 5 homesick /haom.sik/ a. 想 “嗯!我很了解你的意思,”小王子说,“可是, 家的,思乡病的 你说话为什么总是像在打哑迷一样?” 6 riddle /rid/ni. ,迷语 “我会为你解答迷底的。”蛇说。 他们又沉默不语了。 ·109·