English
thelittleprinceconverseswiththesnake;thelittleprinceconsolesthenarrator;thelittleprincereturnstohisplanet
Besidethewelltherewastheruinofanoldstonewall.WhenIcamebackfrommywork,thenextevening,Isawfromsomedistanceawaymylittlepricesittingontopofawall,withhisfeetdangling.AndIheardhimsay:
"Thenyoudon'tremember.Thisisnottheexactspot."
Anothervoicemusthaveansweredhim,forherepliedtoit:
"Yes,yes!Itistherightday,butthisisnottheplace."
Icontinuedmywalktowardthewall.AtnotimedidIseeorhearanyone.Thelittleprince,however,repliedonceagain:
"--Exactly.Youwillseewheremytrackbegins,inthesand.Youhavenothingtodobutwaitformethere.Ishallbetheretonight."
Iwasonlytwentymetresfromthewall,andIstillsawnothing.
Afterasilencethelittleprincespokeagain:
"Youhavegoodpoison?Youaresurethatitwillnotmakemesuffertoolong?"
Istoppedinmytracks,myhearttornasunder;butstillIdidnotunderstand.
"Nowgoaway,"saidthelittleprince."Iwanttogetdownfromthewall."
Idroppedmyeyes,then,tothefootofthewall--andIleapedintotheair.Therebeforeme,facingthelittleprince,wasoneofthoseyellowsnakesthattakejustthirtysecondstobringyourlifetoanend.EvenasIwasdiggingintomypockedtogetoutmyrevolverImadearunningstepback.But,atthenoiseImade,thesnakelethimselffloweasilyacrossthesandlikethedyingsprayofafountain,and,innoapparenthurry,disappeared,withalightmetallicsound,amongthestones.
Ireachedthewalljustintimetocatchmylittlemaninmyarms;hisfacewaswhiteassnow.
"Whatdoesthismean?"Idemanded."Whyareyoutalkingwithsnakes?"
Ihadloosenedthegoldenmufflerthathealwayswore.Ihadmoistenedhistemples,andhadgivenhimsomewatertodrink.AndnowIdidnotdareaskhimanymorequestions.Helookedatmeverygravely,andputhisarmsaroundmyneck.Ifelthisheartbeatingliketheheartofadyingbird,shotwithsomeone'srifle...
"Iamgladthatyouhavefoundwhatwasthematterwithyourengine,"hesaid."Nowyoucangobackhome--"
"Howdoyouknowaboutthat?"
Iwasjustcomingtotellhimthatmyworkhadbeensuccessful,beyondanythingthatIhaddaredtohope.
Hemadenoanswertomyquestion,butheadded:
"I,too,amgoingbackhometoday..."
Then,sadly--
"Itismuchfarther...itismuchmoredifficult..."
Irealisedclearlythatsomethingextraordinarywashappening.Iwasholdinghimcloseinmyarmsasifhewerealittlechild;andyetitseemedtomethathewasrushingheadlongtowardanabyssfromwhichIcoulddonothingtorestrainhim...
Hislookwasveryserious,likesomeonelostfaraway.
"Ihaveyoursheep.AndIhavethesheep'sbox.AndIhavethemuzzle..."
Andhegavemeasadsmile.
Iwaitedalongtime.Icouldseethathewasrevivinglittlebylittle.
"Dearlittleman,"Isaidtohim,"youareafraid..."
Hewasafraid,therewasnodoubtaboutthat.Buthelaughedlightly.
"Ishallbemuchmoreafraidthisevening..."
OnceagainIfeltmyselffrozenbythesenseofsomethingirreparable.AndIknewthatIcouldnotbearthethoughtofneverhearingthatlaughteranymore.Forme,itwaslikeaspringoffreshwaterinthedesert.
"Littleman,"Isaid,"Iwanttohearyoulaughagain."
Buthesaidtome:
"Tonight,itwillbeayear...mystar,then,canbefoundrightabovetheplacewhereIcametotheEarth,ayearago..."
"Littleman,"Isaid,"tellmethatitisonlyabaddream--thisaffairofthesnake,andthemeeting-place,andthestar..."
Buthedidnotanswermyplea.Hesaidtome,instead:"Thethingthatisimportantisthethingthatisnotseen..."
"Yes,Iknow..."
"Itisjustasitiswiththeflower.Ifyouloveaflowerthatlivesonastar,itissweettolookattheskyatnight.Allthestarsarea-bloomwithflowers..."
"Yes,Iknow..."
"Itisjustasitiswiththewater.Becauseofthepulley,andtherope,whatyougavemetodrinkwaslikemusic.Youremember--howgooditwas."
"Yes,Iknow..."
"Andatnightyouwilllookupatthestars.WhereIliveeverythingissosmallthatIcannotshowyouwheremystaristobefound.Itisbetter,likethat.Mystarwilljustbeoneofthestars,foryou.Andsoyouwilllovetowatchallthestarsintheheavens...theywillallbeyourfriends.And,besides,Iamgoingtomakeyouapresent..."
Helaughedagain.
"Ah,littleprince,dearlittleprince!Ilovetohearthatlaughter!"
"Thatismypresent.Justthat.Itwillbeasitwaswhenwedrankthewater..."
"Whatareyoutryingtosay?"
"Allmenhavethestars,"heanswered,"buttheyarenotthesamethingsfordifferentpeople.Forsome,whoaretravelers,thestarsareguides.Forotherstheyarenomorethanlittlelightsinthesky.Forothers,whoarescholars,theyareproblems.Formybusinessmantheywerewealth.Butallthesestarsaresilent.You--youalone--willhavethestarsasnooneelsehasthem--"
"Whatareyoutryingtosay?"
"InoneofthestarsIshallbeliving.InoneofthemIshallbelaughing.Andsoitwillbeasifallthestarswerelaughing,whenyoulookattheskyatnight...you--onlyyou--willhavestarsthatcanlaugh!"
Andhelaughedagain.
"Andwhenyoursorrowiscomforted(timesoothesallsorrows)youwillbecontentthatyouhaveknownme.Youwillalwaysbemyfriend.Youwillwanttolaughwithme.Andyouwillsometimesopenyourwindow,so,forthatpleasure...andyourfriendswillbeproperlyastonishedtoseeyoulaughingasyoulookupatthesky!Thenyouwillsaytothem,'Yes,thestarsalwaysmakemelaugh!'Andtheywillthinkyouarecrazy.ItwillbeaveryshabbytrickthatIshallhaveplayedonyou..."
Andhelaughedagain.
"Itwillbeasif,inplaceofthestars,Ihadgivenyouagreatnumberoflittlebellsthatknewhowtolaugh..."
Andhelaughedagain.Thenhequicklybecameserious:
"Tonight--youknow...donotcome,"saidthelittleprince.
"Ishallnotleaveyou,"Isaid.
"IshalllookasifIweresuffering.IshalllookalittleasifIweredying.Itislikethat.Donotcometoseethat.Itisnotworththetrouble..."
"Ishallnotleaveyou."
Buthewasworried.
"Itellyou--itisalsobecauseofthesnake.Hemustnotbiteyou.Snakes--theyaremaliciouscreatures.Thisonemightbiteyoujustforfun..."
"Ishallnotleaveyou."
Butathoughtcametoreassurehim:
"Itistruethattheyhavenomorepoisonforasecondbite."
ThatnightIdidnotseehimsetoutonhisway.Hegotawayfrommewithoutmakingasound.WhenIsucceededincatchingupwithhimhewaswalkingalongwithaquickandresolutestep.Hesaidtomemerely:
"Ah!Youarethere..."
Andhetookmebythehand.Buthewasstillworrying.
"Itwaswrongofyoutocome.Youwillsuffer.IshalllookasifIweredead;andthatwillnotbetrue..."
Isaidnothing.
"Youunderstand...itistoofar.Icannotcarrythisbodywithme.Itistooheavy."
Isaidnothing.
"Butitwillbelikeanoldabandonedshell.Thereisnothingsadaboutoldshells..."
Isaidnothing.
Hewasalittlediscouraged.Buthemadeonemoreeffort:
"Youknow,itwillbeverynice.I,too,shalllookatthestars.Allthestarswillbewellswitharustypulley.Allthestarswillpouroutfreshwaterformetodrink..."
Isaidnothing.
"Thatwillbesoamusing!Youwillhavefivehundredmillionlittlebells,andIshallhavefivehundredmillionspringsoffreshwater..."
Andhetoosaidnothingmore,becuasehewascrying...
"Hereitis.Letmegoonbymyself."
Andhesatdown,becausehewasafraid.Thenhesaid,again:
"Youknow--myflower...Iamresponsibleforher.Andsheissoweak!Sheissonaive!Shehasfourthorns,ofnouseatall,toprotectherselfagainstalltheworld..."
Itoosatdown,becauseIwasnotabletostandupanylonger.
"Therenow--thatisall..."
Hestillhesitatedalittle;thenhegotup.Hetookonestep.Icouldnotmove.
Therewasnothingbutaflashofyellowclosetohisankle.Heremainedmotionlessforaninstant.Hedidnotcryout.Hefellasgentlyasatreefalls.Therewasnotevenanysound,becauseofthesand.
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