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thenarratorandthelittleprince,thirsty,huntforawellinthedesert
ItwasnowtheeighthdaysinceIhadhadmyaccidentinthedesert,andIhadlistenedtothestoryofthemerchantasIwasdrinkingthelastdropofmywatersupply.
"Ah,"Isaidtothelittleprince,"thesememoriesofyoursareverycharming;butIhavenotyetsucceededinrepairingmyplane;Ihavenothingmoretodrink;andI,too,shouldbeveryhappyifIcouldwalkatmyleisuretowardaspringoffreshwater!"
"Myfriendthefox--"thelittleprincesaidtome.
"Mydearlittleman,thisisnolongeramatterthathasanythingtodowiththefox!"
"Whynot?"
"BecauseIamabouttodieofthirst..."
Hedidnotfollowmyreasoning,andheansweredme:
"Itisagoodthingtohavehadafriend,evenifoneisabouttodie.I,forinstance,amverygladtohavehadafoxasafriend..."
"Hehasnowayofguessingthedanger,"Isaidtomyself."Hehasneverbeeneitherhungryorthirsty.Alittlesunshineisallheneeds..."
Buthelookedatmesteadily,andrepliedtomythought:
"Iamthirsty,too.Letuslookforawell..."
Imadeagestureofweariness.Itisabsurdtolookforawell,atrandom,intheimmensityofthedesert.Butneverthelesswestartedwalking.
Whenwehadtrudgedalongforseveralhours,insilence,thedarknessfell,andthestarsbegantocomeout.Thirsthadmademealittlefeverish,andIlookedatthemasifIwereinadream.Thelittleprince'slastwordscamereelingbackintomymemory:
"Thenyouarethirsty,too?"Idemanded.
Buthedidnotreplytomyquestion.Hemerelysaidtome:
"Watermayalsobegoodfortheheart..."
Ididnotunderstandthisanswer,butIsaidnothing.Iknewverywellthatitwasimpossibletocross-examinehim.
Hewastired.Hesatdown.Isatdownbesidehim.And,afteralittlesilence,hespokeagain:
"Thestarsarebeautiful,becauseofaflowerthatcannotbeseen."
Ireplied,"Yes,thatisso."And,withoutsayinganythingmore,Ilookedacrosstheridgesofsandthatwerestretchedoutbeforeusinthemoonlight.
"Thedesertisbeautiful,"thelittleprinceadded.
Andthatwastrue.Ihavealwayslovedthedesert.Onesitsdownonadesertsanddune,seesnothing,hearsnothing.Yetthroughthesilencesomethingthrobs,andgleams...
"Whatmakesthedesertbeautiful,"saidthelittleprince,"isthatsomewhereithidesawell..."
Iwasastonishedbyasuddenunderstandingofthatmysteriousradiationofthesands.WhenIwasalittleboyIlivedinanoldhouse,andlegendtoldusthatatreasurewasburiedthere.Tobesure,noonehadeverknownhowtofindit;perhapsnoonehadeverevenlookedforit.Butitcastanenchantmentoverthathouse.Myhomewashidingasecretinthedepthsofitsheart...
"Yes,"Isaidtothelittleprince."Thehouse,thestars,thedesert--whatgivesthemtheirbeautyissomethingthatisinvisible!"
"Iamglad,"hesaid,"thatyouagreewithmyfox."
Asthelittleprincedroppedofftosleep,Itookhiminmyarmsandsetoutwalkingoncemore.Ifeltdeeplymoved,andstirred.ItseemedtomethatIwascarryingaveryfragiletreasure.Itseemedtome,even,thattherewasnothingmorefragileonallEarth.InthemoonlightIlookedathispaleforehead,hisclosedeyes,hislocksofhairthattrembledinthewind,andIsaidtomyself:"WhatIseehereisnothingbutashell.Whatismostimportantisinvisible..."
Ashislipsopenedslightlywiththesuspiciousofahalf-smile,Isaidtomyself,again:"Whatmovesmesodeeply,aboutthislittleprincewhoissleepinghere,ishisloyaltytoaflower--theimageofarosethatshinesthroughhiswholebeingliketheflameofalamp,evenwhenheisasleep..."AndIfelthimtobemorefragilestill.Ifelttheneedofprotectinghim,asifhehimselfwereaflamethatmightbeextinguishedbyalittlepuffofwind...
And,asIwalkedonso,Ifoundthewell,atdaybreak.
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