英文小说连载《小王子》No.13实业家
The fourth planet belonged to a businessman. This man was so much occupied that he did not even rai his head at the little prince's arrival.
Good morning， the little prince said to him. Your cigarette has gone out.
Three and two make five. Five and ven make twelve. Twelve and three make fifteen. Good morning. Fifteen and ven make twenty-two. Twenty-two and six make twenty-eight. I haven't time to light it again. Twenty-six and five make thirty-one. Phew！ Then that makes five-hundred-and-one-million， six-hundred-twenty-two-thousand， ven-hundred-thirty-one.
Five hundred million what？ asked the little prince.
Eh？ Are you still there？ Five-hundred-and-one million-- I can' I have so much to do！ I am concerned with matters of conquence. I don't amu mylf with balderdash. Two and five
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 raid his head.
During the fifty-four years that I have inhabited this planet， I have been disturbed only three times. The first time was twenty-two years ago， when some giddy goo fell from goodness knows where. He made the most frightful noi that resounded all over the place， and I made four mistakes in my addition. The cond time， eleven years ago， I was disturbed by an attack of rheumatism. I don't get enough exerci. I have no time for loafing. The third time-- well， this is it！ I was saying， then， five -hundred-and-one millions--
Millions of what？
The businessman suddenly realized that there was no hope of being left in peace until he answered this question.
Millions of tho little objects， he said， which one sometimes es in the sky.
Flies？
Oh， no. Little glittering objects.
Bees？
Oh， no. Little golden objects that t lazy men to idle dreaming. As for me， I am concerned with matters of conquence. There is no time for idle dreaming in my life.
Ah！ You mean the stars？
Yes， that's it. The stars.
And what do you do with five-hundred millions of stars？
Five-hundred-and-one million， six-hundred-twenty-two thousand， ven-hundred-thirty-one. I am concerned with matters of conquence： I am accurate.
And what do you do with the stars？
What do I do with them？
Yes.
Nothing. I own them.
You own the stars？
Yes.
But I have already en a king who--
Kings do not own， they reign over. It is a very different matter.
And what good does it do you to own the stars？
It does me the good of making me rich.
And what good does it do you to be rich？
It makes it possible for me to buy more stars， if any are ever discovered.
This man， the little prince said to himlf， reasons a little like my
Nevertheless， he still had some more questions.
How is it possible for one to own the stars？
To whom do they belong？ the businessman retorted， peevishly.
I don't know. To nobody.
Then they belong to me， becau I was the first person to think of it.
Is that all that is necessary？
Certainly. When you find a diamond that belongs to nobody， it is yours. When you discover an island that belongs to nobody， it is yours. When you get an idea before any one el， you take out a patent on it： it is yours. So with me： I own the stars， becau nobody el before me ever thought of owning them.
Yes， that is true， said the little prince. And what do you do with them？
I administer them， replied the businessman. I count them and recount them. It is difficult. But I am a man who is naturally interested in matters of conquence.
The little prince was still not satisfied.
If I owned a silk scarf， he said， I could put it around my neck and take it away with me. If I owned a flower， I could pluck that flower and take it away with me. But you cannot pluck the stars
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 is rather poetic. But it is of no great conquence.
On matters of conquence， the little prince had ideas which were very different from tho of the grown-ups.
