小王子 第47期:特殊的儀式

The next day the little prince came back.

第二天，小王子又來了。

"It would have been better to come back at the same hour," said the fox.

“最好還是在原來的那個(gè)時(shí)間來。”狐貍說道，

If, for example, you come at four o'clock in the afternoon, then at three o'clock I shall begin to be happy.

比如說，你下午四點(diǎn)鐘來，那么從三點(diǎn)鐘起，我就開始感到幸福。

I shall feel happier and happier as the hour advances.

時(shí)間越臨近，我就越感到幸福。

At four o'clock, I shall already be worrying and jumping about. I shall show you how happy I am!

到了四點(diǎn)鐘的時(shí)候，我就會坐立不安;我就會發(fā)現(xiàn)幸福的代價(jià)。

But if you come at just any time, I shall never know at what hour my heart is to be ready to greet you...One must observe the proper rites...

但是，如果你隨便什么時(shí)候來，我就不知道在什么時(shí)候該準(zhǔn)備好我的心情應(yīng)當(dāng)有一定的儀式。

"What is a rite?" asked the little prince.

“儀式是什么?”小王子問道。

"Those also are actions too often neglected," said the fox.

“這也是一種早已被人忘卻了的事。”狐貍說，

"They are what make one day different from other days, one hour from other hours.

它就是使某一天與其他日子不同，使某一時(shí)刻與其他時(shí)刻不同。

There is a rite, for example, among my hunters. Every Thursday they dance with the village girls.

比如說，我的那些獵人就有一種儀式。他們每星期四都和村子里的姑娘們跳舞。

So Thursday is a wonderful day for me! I can take a walk as far as the vineyards.

于是，星期四就是一個(gè)美好的日子!我可以一直散步到葡萄園去。

But if the hunters danced at just any time, every day would be like every other day, and I should never have any vacation at all.

如果獵人們什么時(shí)候都跳舞，天天又全都一樣，那么我也就沒有假日了。”

So the little prince tamed the fox. And when the hour of his departure drew near:

就這樣，小王子馴服了狐貍。當(dāng)出發(fā)的時(shí)刻就快要來到時(shí)：

"Ah," said the fox, "I shall cry."

“啊!”狐貍說，“我一定會哭的。”

"It is your own fault," said the little prince. "I never wished you any sort of harm; but you wanted me to tame you... "

“這是你的過錯(cuò)，”小王子說，“我本來并不想給你任何痛苦，可你卻要我馴服你…”

"Yes, that is so," said the fox.

“是這樣的。”狐貍說。

"But now you are going to cry!" said the little prince.

“你可就要哭了!”小王子說。

"Yes, that is so," said the fox.

“當(dāng)然羅。”狐貍說。

"Then it has done you no good at all!"

“那么你什么好處也沒得到。”

"It has done me good," said the fox, "because of the color of the wheat fields."

“由于麥子顏色的緣故，我還是得到了好處。”狐貍說。

And then he added: Go and look again at the roses.

然后，他又接著說。再去看看那些玫瑰花吧。

You will understand now that yours is unique in all the world.

你一定會明白，你的那朵是世界上獨(dú)一無二的玫瑰。你回來和我告別時(shí)，我再贈(zèng)送給你一個(gè)秘密。

Then come back to say goodbye to me, and I will make you a present of a secret.

你回來和我告別時(shí)，我再贈(zèng)送給你一個(gè)秘密。

The little prince went away, to look again at the roses.

于是小王子又去看那些玫瑰。