ĐĐœĐłĐ»ŃĐčŃĐșĐ°-ŃŃĐ°ĐœŃŃĐ·ŃĐșĐ°Ń ĐșĐœŃга-бŃĐ»ŃĐœĐłĐČĐ°
âThen they belong to me, because I was the first person to think of it.â
â Alors elles sont Ă moi, car jây ai pensĂ© le premier.
âIs that all that is necessary?â
â Ăa suffit?
âCertainly. 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 else, you take out a patent on it: it is yours. So with me: I own the stars, because nobody else before me ever thought of owning them.â
â Bien sĂ»r. Quand tu trouves un diamant qui nâest Ă personne, il est Ă toi. Quand tu trouves une Ăźle qui nâest Ă personne, elle est Ă toi. Quand tu as une idĂ©e le premier, tu la fais breveter: elle est Ă toi. Et moi je possĂšde les Ă©toiles, puisque jamais personne avant moi nâa songĂ© Ă les possĂ©der.
âYes, that is true,â said the little prince. âAnd what do you do with them?â
â Ăa câest vrai, dit le petit prince. Et quâen fais-tu?
âI administer them,â replied the businessman. âI count them and recount them. It is difficult. But I am a man who is naturally interested in matters of consequence.â
â Je les gĂšre. Je les compte et je les recompte, dit le businessman. Câest difficile. Mais je suis un homme sĂ©rieux!
The little prince was still not satisfied.
Le petit prince nâĂ©tait pas satisfait encore.
âIf I owned a silk scarf,â he said, âI 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 from heavenâŠâ
â Moi, si je possĂšde un foulard, je puis le mettre autour de mon cou et lâemporter. Moi, si je possĂšde une fleur, je puis cueillir ma fleur et lâemporter. Mais tu ne peux pas cueillir les Ă©toiles!
âNo. But I can put them in the bank.â
â Non, mais je puis les placer en banque.
âWhatever does that mean?â
â Quâest-ce que ça veut dire?
âThat 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.â
â Ăa veut dire que jâĂ©cris sur un petit papier le nombre de mes Ă©toiles. Et puis jâenferme Ă clef ce papier-lĂ dans un tiroir.
âAnd that is all?â
â Et câest tout?
âThat is enough,â said the businessman.
â Ăa suffit!
âIt is entertaining,â thought the little prince. âIt is rather poetic. But it is of no great consequence.â
Câest amusant, pensa le petit prince. Câest assez poĂ©tique. Mais ce nâest pas trĂšs sĂ©rieux.
On matters of consequence, the little prince had ideas which were very different from those of the grown-ups.
Le petit prince avait sur les choses sérieuses des idées trÚs différentes des idées des grandes personnes.
âI myself own a flower,â he continued his conversation with the businessman, âwhich I water every day. I own three volcanoes, which I clean out 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 I own them. But you are of no use to the starsâŠâ
â Moi, dit-il encore, je possĂšde une fleur que jâarrose tous les jours. Je possĂšde trois volcans que je ramone toutes les semaines. Car je ramone aussi celui qui est Ă©teint. On ne sait jamais. Câest utile Ă mes volcans, et câest utile Ă ma fleur, que je les possĂšde. Mais tu nâes pas utile aux Ă©toilesâŠ
The businessman opened his mouth, but he found nothing to say in answer. And the little prince went away.
Le businessman ouvrit la bouche mais ne trouva rien Ă rĂ©pondre, et le petit prince sâen fut.
âThe grown-ups are certainly altogether extraordinary,â he said simply, talking to himself as he continued on his journey.
Les grandes personnes sont dĂ©cidĂ©ment tout Ă fait extraordinaires, se disait-il simplement en lui-mĂȘme durant le voyage.
XIV
CHAPITRE XIV
The fifth planet was very strange. It was the smallest of all. There was just enough room on it for a street lamp and a lamplighter.
La cinquiĂšme planĂšte Ă©tait trĂšs curieuse. CâĂ©tait la plus petite de toutes. Il y avait lĂ juste assez de place pour loger un rĂ©verbĂšre et un allumeur de rĂ©verbĂšres.
The little prince was not able to reach any explanation of the use of a street lamp and a lamplighter, somewhere in the heavens, on a planet which had no people, and not one house. But he said to himself, nevertheless:
Le petit prince ne parvenait pas Ă sâexpliquer Ă quoi pouvaient servir, quelque part dans le ciel, sur une planĂšte sans maison, ni population, un rĂ©verbĂšre et un allumeur de rĂ©verbĂšres. Cependant il se dit en lui-mĂȘme:
âIt may well be that this man is absurd. But he is not so absurd as the king, the conceited man, the businessman, and the tippler. For at least his work has some meaning. When he lights his street lamp, it is as if he brought one more star to life, or one flower. When he puts out his lamp, he sends the flower, or the star, to sleep. That is a beautiful occupation. And since it is beautiful, it is truly useful.â
â Peut-ĂȘtre bien que cet homme est absurde. Cependant il est moins absurde que le roi, que le vaniteux, que le businessman et que le buveur. Au moins son travail a-t-il un sens. Quand il allume son rĂ©verbĂšre, câest comme sâil faisait naĂźtre une Ă©toile de plus, ou une fleur. Quand il Ă©teint son rĂ©verbĂšre ça endort la fleur ou lâĂ©toile. Câest une occupation trĂšs jolie. Câest vĂ©ritablement utile puisque câest joli.
When he arrived on the planet he respectfully saluted the lamplighter.
Lorsquâil aborda la planĂšte il salua respectueusement lâallumeur:
âGood morning. Why have you just put out your lamp?â
â Bonjour. Pourquoi viens-tu dâĂ©teindre ton rĂ©verbĂšre?
âThose are the orders,â replied the lamplighter. âGood morning.â
â Câest la consigne, rĂ©pondit lâallumeur. Bonjour.
âWhat are the orders?â
â Quâest-ce que la consigne?
âThe orders are that I put out my lamp. Good evening.â
â Câest dâĂ©teindre mon rĂ©verbĂšre. Bonsoir.
And he lighted his lamp again.
Et il le ralluma.
âBut why have you just lighted it again?â
â Mais pourquoi viens-tu de le rallumer?
âThose are the orders,â replied the lamplighter.
â Câest la consigne, rĂ©pondit lâallumeur.
âI do not understand,â said the little prince.
â Je ne comprends pas, dit le petit prince.
âThere is nothing to understand,â said the lamplighter. âOrders are orders. Good morning.â
â Il nây a rien Ă comprendre, dit lâallumeur. La consigne câest la consigne. Bonjour.
And he put out his lamp.
Et il éteignit son réverbÚre.
Then he mopped his forehead with a handkerchief decorated with red squares.
Puis il sâĂ©pongea le front avec un mouchoir Ă carreaux rouges.
âI follow a terrible profession. In the old days it was reasonable. I put the lamp out in the morning, and in the evening I lighted it again. I had the rest of the day for relaxation and the rest of the night for sleep.â
â Je fais lĂ un mĂ©tier terrible. CâĂ©tait raisonnable autrefois. JâĂ©teignais le matin et jâallumais le soir. Jâavais le reste du jour pour me reposer, et le reste de la nuit pour dormirâŠ
âAnd the orders have been changed since that time?â
â Et, depuis cette Ă©poque, la consigne a changĂ©?
âThe orders have not been changed,â said the lamplighter. âThat is the tragedy! From year to year the planet has turned more rapidly and the orders have not been changed!â
â La consigne nâa pas changĂ©, dit lâallumeur. Câest bien lĂ le drame! La planĂšte dâannĂ©e en annĂ©e a tournĂ© de plus en plus vite, et la consigne nâa pas changĂ©!
âThen what?â asked the little prince.
â Alors? dit le petit prince.
âThen â the planet now makes a complete turn every minute, and I no longer have a single second for repose. Once every minute I have to light my lamp and put it out!â
â Alors maintenant quâelle fait un tour par minute, je nâai plus une seconde de repos. Jâallume et jâĂ©teins une fois par minute!
âThat is very funny! A day lasts only one minute, here where you live!â
â Ăa câest drĂŽle! Les jours chez toi durent une minute!
âIt is not funny at all!â said the lamplighter. âWhile we have been talking together a month has gone by.â
â Ce nâest pas drĂŽle du tout, dit lâallumeur. Ăa fait dĂ©jĂ un mois que nous parlons ensemble.
âA month?â
â Un mois?
âYes, a month. Thirty minutes. Thirty days. Good evening.â
â Oui. Trente minutes. Trente jours! Bonsoir.
And he lighted his lamp again.
Et il ralluma son réverbÚre.
As the little prince watched him, he felt that he loved this lamplighter who was so faithful to his orders.
Le petit prince le regarda et il aima cet allumeur qui Ă©tait tellement fidĂšle Ă la consigne.
He remembered the sunsets which he himself had gone to seek, in other days, merely by pulling up his chair; and he wanted to help his friend.
Il se souvint des couchers de soleil que lui-mĂȘme allait autrefois chercher, en tirant sa chaise. Il voulut aider son ami:
âYou know,â he said, âI can tell you a way you can rest whenever you want toâŠâ
â Tu sais⊠je connais un moyen de te reposer quand tu voudrasâŠ
âI always want to rest,â said the lamplighter.
â Je veux toujours, dit lâallumeur.
For it is possible for a man to be faithful and lazy at the same time. The little prince went on with his explanation:
Car on peut ĂȘtre, Ă la fois, fidĂšle et paresseux.
The little prince went on with his explanation:
âYour planet is so small that three strides will take you all the way around it. To be always in the sunshine, you need only walk along rather slowly. When you want to rest, you will walk â and the day will last as long as you like.â
Le petit prince poursuivit:
â Ta planĂšte est tellement petite que tu en fais le tour en trois enjambĂ©es. Tu nâas quâĂ marcher assez lentement pour rester toujours au soleil. Quand tu voudras te reposer tu marcheras⊠et le jour durera aussi longtemps que tu voudras.
âThat doesnât do me much good,â said the lamplighter. âThe one thing I love in life is to sleep.â
â Ăa ne mâavance pas Ă grandâchose, dit lâallumeur. Ce que jâaime dans la vie, câest dormir.
âThen youâre unlucky,â said the little prince.
â Ce nâest pas de chance, dit le petit prince.
âI am unlucky,â said the lamplighter. âGood morning.â
â Ce nâest pas de chance, dit lâallumeur. Bonjour.
And he put out his lamp.
Et il éteignit son réverbÚre.
âThat man,â said the little prince to himself, as he continued farther on his journey, âthat man would be scorned by all the others: by the king, by the conceited man, by the tippler, by the businessman. Nevertheless he is the only one of them all who does not seem to me ridiculous. Perhaps that is because he is thinking of something else besides himself.â
«Celui-lĂ , se dit le petit prince, tandis quâil poursuivait plus loin son voyage, celui-lĂ serait mĂ©prisĂ© par tous les autres, par le roi, par le vaniteux, par le buveur, par le businessman. Cependant câest le seul qui ne me paraisse pas ridicule. Câest peut-ĂȘtre parce quâil sâoccupe dâautre chose que de soi-mĂȘme.»
He breathed a sigh of regret, and said to himself, again:
Il eut un soupir de regret et se dit encore:
âThat man is the only one of them all whom I could have made my friend. But his planet is indeed too small. There is no room on it for two peopleâŠâ
«Celui-lĂ est le seul dont jâeusse pu faire mon ami. Mais sa planĂšte est vraiment trop petite. Il nây a pas de place pour deuxâŠÂ»
What the little prince did not dare confess was that he was sorry most of all to leave this planet, because it was blest every day with 1440 sunsets!
Ce que le petit prince nâosait pas sâavouer, câest quâil regrettait cette planĂšte bĂ©nie Ă cause, surtout, des mille quatre cent quarante couchers de soleil par vingt-quatre heures!
XV
CHAPITRE XV
The sixth planet was ten times larger than the last one. It was inhabited by an old gentleman who wrote voluminous books.
La sixiĂšme planĂšte Ă©tait une planĂšte dix fois plus vaste. Elle Ă©tait habitĂ©e par un vieux Monsieur qui Ă©crivait dâĂ©normes livres.
âOh, look! Here is an explorer!â he exclaimed to himself when he saw the little prince coming.
â Tiens! voilĂ un explorateur! sâĂ©cria-t-il, quand il aperçut le petit prince.
The little prince sat down on the table and panted a little. He had already traveled so much and so far!
Le petit prince sâassit sur la table et souffla un peu. Il avait dĂ©jĂ tant voyagĂ©!
âWhere do you come from?â the old gentleman said to him.
â DâoĂč viens-tu? lui dit le vieux Monsieur.
âWhat is that big book?â said the little prince. âWhat are you doing?â
â Quel est ce gros livre? dit le petit prince. Que faites-vous ici?
âI am a geographer,â said the old gentleman.
â Je suis gĂ©ographe, dit le vieux Monsieur.
âWhat is a geographer?â asked the little prince.
â Quâest-ce quâun gĂ©ographe?
âA geographer is a scholar who knows the location of all the seas, rivers, towns, mountains, and deserts.â
â Câest un savant qui connaĂźt oĂč se trouvent les mers, les fleuves, les villes, les montagnes et les dĂ©serts.
âThat is very interesting,â said the little prince. âHere at last is a man who has a real profession!â
â Ăa câest bien intĂ©ressant, dit le petit prince. Ăa câest enfin un vĂ©ritable mĂ©tier!
And he cast a look around him at the planet of the geographer. It was the most magnificent and stately planet that he had ever seen.
Et il jeta un coup dâĆil autour de lui sur la planĂšte du gĂ©ographe. Il nâavait jamais vu encore une planĂšte aussi majestueuse.
âYour planet is very beautiful,â he said. âHas it any oceans?â
â Elle est bien belle, votre planĂšte. Est-ce quâil y a des ocĂ©ans?
âI couldnât tell you,â said the geographer.
â Je ne puis pas le savoir, dit le gĂ©ographe.
âAh!â The little prince was disappointed. âHas it any mountains?â
â Ah! (Le petit prince Ă©tait déçu.) Et des montagnes?
âI couldnât tell you,â said the geographer.
â Je ne puis pas le savoir, dit le gĂ©ographe.
âAnd towns, and rivers, and deserts?â
â Et des villes et des fleuves et des dĂ©serts?
âI couldnât tell you that, either.â
â Je ne puis pas le savoir non plus, dit le gĂ©ographe.
âBut you are a geographer!â
â Mais vous ĂȘtes gĂ©ographe!
âExactly,â the geographer said. âBut I am not an explorer. I havenât a single explorer on my planet. It is not the geographer who goes out to count the towns, the rivers, the mountains, the seas, the oceans, and the deserts.
â Câest exact, dit le gĂ©ographe, mais je ne suis pas explorateur. Je manque absolument dâexplorateurs. Ce nâest pas le gĂ©ographe qui va faire le compte des villes, des fleuves, des montagnes, des mers, des ocĂ©ans et des dĂ©serts.
The geographer is much too important to go loafing about. He does not leave his desk. But he receives the explorers in his study. He asks them questions, and he notes down what they recall of their travels. And if the recollections of any one among them seem interesting to him, the geographer orders an inquiry into that explorerâs moral character.â
Le gĂ©ographe est trop important pour flĂąner. Il ne quitte pas son bureau. Mais il y reçoit les explorateurs. Il les interroge, et il prend en note leurs souvenirs. Et si les souvenirs de lâun dâentre eux lui paraissent intĂ©ressants, le gĂ©ographe fait faire une enquĂȘte sur la moralitĂ© de lâexplorateur.
âWhy is that?â
â Pourquoi ça?
âBecause an explorer who told lies would bring disaster on the books of the geographer. So would an explorer who drank too much.â
â Parce quâun explorateur qui mentirait entraĂźnerait des catastrophes dans les livres de gĂ©ographie. Et aussi un explorateur qui boirait trop.
âWhy is that?â asked the little prince.
â Pourquoi ça? fit le petit prince.
âBecause intoxicated men see double. Then the geographer would note down two mountains in a place where there was only one.â
â Parce que les ivrognes voient double. Alors le gĂ©ographe noterait deux montagnes, lĂ oĂč il nây en a quâune seule.
âI know some one,â said the little prince, âwho would make a bad explorer.â
â Je connais quelquâun, dit le petit prince, qui serait mauvais explorateur.
âThat is possible. Then, when the moral character of the explorer is shown to be good, an inquiry is ordered into his discovery.â
â Câest possible. Donc, quand la moralitĂ© de lâexplorateur paraĂźt bonne, on fait une enquĂȘte sur sa dĂ©couverte.
âOne goes to see it?â
â On va voir?
âNo. That would be too complicated. But one requires the explorer to furnish proofs. For example, if the discovery in question is that of a large mountain, one requires that large stones be brought back from it.â
â Non. Câest trop compliquĂ©. Mais on exige de lâexplorateur quâil fournisse des preuves. Sâil sâagit par exemple de la dĂ©couverte dâune grosse montagne, on exige quâil en rapporte de grosses pierres.
The geographer was suddenly stirred to excitement.
Le gĂ©ographe soudain sâĂ©mut.
âBut you â you come from far away! You are an explorer! You shall describe your planet to me!â
â Mais toi, tu viens de loin! Tu es explorateur! Tu vas me dĂ©crire ta planĂšte!
And, having opened his big register, the geographer sharpened his pencil. The recitals of explorers are put down first in pencil. One waits until the explorer has furnished proofs, before putting them down in ink.
Et le gĂ©ographe, ayant ouvert son registre, tailla son crayon. On note dâabord au crayon les rĂ©cits des explorateurs. On attend, pour noter Ă lâencre, que lâexplorateur ait fourni des preuves.
âWell?â said the geographer expectantly.
â Alors? interrogea le gĂ©ographe.
âOh, where I live,â said the little prince, âit is not very interesting. It is all so small. I have three volcanoes. Two volcanoes are active and the other is extinct. But one never knows.â
â Oh! chez moi, dit le petit prince, ce nâest pas trĂšs intĂ©ressant, câest tout petit. Jâai trois volcans. Deux volcans en activitĂ©, et un volcan Ă©teint. Mais on ne sait jamais.
âOne never knows,â said the geographer.
â On ne sait jamais, dit le gĂ©ographe.
âI have also a flower.â
â Jâai aussi une fleur.
âWe do not record flowers,â said the geographer.
â Nous ne notons pas les fleurs, dit le gĂ©ographe.
âWhy is that? The flower is the most beautiful thing on my planet!â
â Pourquoi ça! câest le plus joli!
âWe do not record them,â said the geographer, âbecause they are ephemeral.â
â Parce que les fleurs sont Ă©phĂ©mĂšres.
âWhat does that mean â âephemeralâ?â
â Quâest ce que signifie: «éphĂ©mĂšre»?
âGeographies,â said the geographer, âare the books which, of all books, are most concerned with matters of consequence. They never become old-fashioned. It is very rarely that a mountain changes its position. It is very rarely that an ocean empties itself of its waters. We write of eternal things.â
â Les gĂ©ographies, dit le gĂ©ographe, sont les livres les plus prĂ©cieux de tous les livres. Elles ne se dĂ©modent jamais. Il est trĂšs rare quâune montagne change de place. Il est trĂšs rare quâun ocĂ©an se vide de son eau. Nous Ă©crivons des choses Ă©ternelles.
âBut extinct volcanoes may come to life again,â the little prince interrupted. âWhat does that mean â âephemeralâ?â
â Mais les volcans Ă©teints peuvent se rĂ©veiller, interrompit le petit prince. Quâest-ce que signifie «éphĂ©mĂšre»?
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