第十章[第3页/共9页]

“陛下……你在统治甚么呢？”

“我号令你坐下。”国王一边答复，一边持重地把他那貂皮长袍挪动了一下。

国王简朴了然地说：“我统治统统。”

"Hum! Hum!" said the king. "I have good reason to believe that somewhere on my planet there is an old rat. I hear him at night. You can judge this old rat. From time to time you will condemn him to death. Thus his life will depend on your justice. But you will pardon him on each occasion; for he must be treated thriftily. He is the only one we have.""I," replied the little prince, "do not like to condemn anyone to death. And now I think I will go on my way.""No," said the king.

“甚么大臣？”

"It is contrary to etiquette to yawn in the presence of a king," the monarch said to him. "I forbid you to do so.""I can't help it. I can't stop myself," replied the little prince, thoroughly embarrassed. "I have come on a long journey, and I have had no sleep...""Ah, then," the king said. "I order you to yawn. It is years since I have seen anyone yawning. Yawns, to me, are objects of curiosity. Come, now! Yawn again! It is an order.""That frightens me... I cannot, any more..." murmured the little prince, now completely abashed.