小王子 第25期:日落

Such power was a thing for the little prince to marvel at.

這樣的權(quán)力使小王子驚嘆不已。

If he had been master of such complete authority, he would have been able to watch the sunset, not forty-four times in one day,

如果掌握了這樣的權(quán)力，那么，他一天就不只是看到四十三次日落，

but seventy-two, or even a hundred, or even two hundred times, with out ever having to move his chair.

而可以看到七十二次，甚至一百次，或是二百次日落，也不必要去挪動椅子了!

And because he felt a bit sad as he remembered his little planet which he had for saken,

由于他想起了他那被遺棄的小星球，心里有點(diǎn)難過，

he plucked up his courage to ask the king a favor: "I should like to see a sunset... do me that kindness...Order the sun to set..."

他大膽地向國王提出了一個請求：“我想看日落，請求您…命令太陽落山吧…”

If I ordered a general to fly from one flower to another like a butterfly, or to write a tragic drama, or to change himself into a sea bird,

如果我命令一個將軍象一只蝴蝶那樣從這朵花飛到那朵花，或者命令他寫作一個悲劇劇本或者變一只海鳥，

and if the general31 did not carry out the order that he had received, which one of us would be in the wrong?

而如果這位將軍接到命令不執(zhí)行的話，那么，是他不對還是我不對呢?

The king demanded. "The general, or myself?"

國王問道。“將軍，還是自己?”

"You," said the little prince firmly.

“那當(dāng)然是您的不對。”小王子肯定地回答。

"Exactly. One much require from each one the duty which each one can perform," the king went on.

“一點(diǎn)也不錯，”國王接著說，“向每個人提出的要求應(yīng)該是他們所能做到的。

Accepted authority rests first of all on reason.

權(quán)威首先應(yīng)該建立在理性的基礎(chǔ)上。

If you ordered your people to go and throw themselves into the sea, they would rise up in revolution.

如果命令你的老百姓去投海，他們非起來革命不可。

I have the right to require obedience because my orders are reasonable.

我的命令是合理的，所以我有權(quán)要別人服從。

"Then my sunset?" the little prince reminded him: for he never forgot a question once he had asked it.

“那么我提出的日落呢?”小王子一旦提出一個問題，他是不會忘記這個問題的。

You shall have your sunset.

日落么，你會看到的。

I shall command it. But, according to my science of government, I shall wait until conditions are favorable.

我一定要太陽落山，不過按照我的統(tǒng)治科學(xué)，我得等到條件成熟的時候。

"When will that be?" inquired the little prince.

小王子問道：“這要等到什么時候呢?”

"Hum! Hum!" replied the king; and before saying anything else he consulted a bulky almanac.

國王在回答之前，首先翻閱了一本厚厚的日歷，嘴里慢慢說道：“嗯!嗯!”

"Hum! Hum! That will be about–about–that will be this evening about twenty minutes to eight.

日落大約…大約…在今晚七時四十分的時候!

And you will see how well I am obeyed.

你將看到我的命令一定會被服從的。

The little prince yawned.

小王子又打起哈欠來了。

He was regretting his lost sunset.

他遺憾沒有看到日落。

And then, too, he was already beginning to be a little bored.

他對國王說：“他有點(diǎn)厭煩了，”

I have nothing more to do here, he said to the king.

我沒有必要再呆在這兒了。

So I shall set out on my way again.

我要走了。