按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
“可是，这儿没有一个要审判的人。”
“很难说呀，”国王说道。“我很老了，我这地方又小，没有放銮驾的地方，另外，一走路我就累。因此我还没有巡视过我的王国呢！”
“噢！可是我已经看过了。”小王子说道，并探身朝星球的那一侧看了看。那边也没有一个人……
“那么你就审判你自己呀！”国王回答他说。“这可是最难的了。审判自己比审判别人要难得多啊！你要是能审判好自己，你就是一个真正有才智的人。”
“我吗，随便在什么地方我都可以审度自己。我没有必要留在这里。”
国王又说：“嗯……嗯……我想，在我的星球上有一只老耗子。夜里，我听见它的声音。你可以审判它，不时地判处它死刑。因此它的生命取决于你的判决。可是，你要有节制地使用这只耗子，每次判刑后都要赦免它，因为只有这一只耗子。”
“可是我不愿判死刑，我想我还是应该走。”小王子回答道。
“不行。”国王说。
但是小王子，准备完毕之后，不想使老君主难过，说道：
“如果国王陛下想要不折不扣地得到服从，你可以给我下一个合理的命令。比如说，你可以命令我，一分钟之内必须离开。我认为这个条件是成熟的……”
国王什么也没有回答。起初，小王子有些犹疑不决，随后叹了口气，就离开了……
“我派你当我的大使。”国王匆忙地喊道。
国王显出非常有权威的样子。
小王子在旅途中自言自语地说：“这些大人真奇怪。”
＇ chapter 10 ＇ … the little prince visits the king
he found himself in the neighborhood of the asteroids 325； 326； 327； 328； 329； and 330。 he began； therefore； by visiting them； in order to add to his knowledge。
the first of them was inhabited by a king。 clad in royal purple and ermine； he was seated upon a throne which was at the same time both simple and majestic。
〃ah！ here is a subject；〃 exclaimed the king； when he saw the little prince ing。
and the little prince asked himself：
〃how could he recognize me when he had never seen me before？〃
he did not know how the world is simplified for kings。 to them； all men are subjects。
〃approach； so that i may see you better；〃 said the king； who felt consumingly proud of being at last a king over somebody。
the little prince looked everywhere to find a place to sit down； but the entire planet was crammed and obstructed by the kings magnificent ermine robe。 so he remained standing upright； and； since he was tired； he yawned。
〃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 cant help it。 i cant stop myself；〃 replied the little prince； thoroughly embarrassed。 〃i have e 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。 e； now！ yawn again！ it is an order。〃
〃that frightens me。。。 i cannot； any more。。。〃 murmured the little prince； now pletely abashed。
〃hum！ hum！〃 replied the king。 〃then i…… i order you sometimes to yawn and sometimes to……〃
he sputtered a little； and seemed vexed。
for what the king fundamentally insisted upon was that his authority should be respected。 he tolerated no disobedience。 he was an absolute monarch。 but； because he was a very good man； he made his orders reasonable。
〃if i ordered a general；〃 he would say； by way of example； 〃if i ordered a general to change himself into a sea bird； and if the general did not obey me； that would not be the fault of the general。 it would be my fault。〃
〃may i sit down？〃 came now a timid inquiry from the little prince。
〃i order you to do so；〃 the king answered him； and majestically gathered in a fold of his ermine mantle。
but the little prince was wondering。。。 the planet was tiny。 over what could this king really rule？
〃sire；〃 he said to him； 〃i beg that you will excuse my asking you a question……〃
〃i order you to ask me a question；〃 the king hastened to assure him。
〃sire…… over what do you rule？〃
〃over everything；〃 said the king； with magnificent simplicity。
〃over everything？〃
the king made a gesture； which took in his planet； the other planets； and all the stars。
〃over all that？〃 asked the little prince。
〃over all that；〃 the king answered。
for his rule was not only absolute： it was also universal。
〃and the stars obey you？〃
〃certainly they do；〃 the king said。 〃they obey instantly。 i do not permit insubordination。〃
such power was a thing for the little prince to marvel at。 if he had been master of such plete authority； he would have been able to watch the sunset； not forty…four times in one day； but seventy…two； or even a hundred； or even two hundred times； with out ever having to move his chair。 and because he felt a bit sad as he remembered his little planet which he had forsaken； 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。。。〃
〃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； and if the general did not carry out the order that he had received； which one of us would be in the wrong？〃 the king demanded。 〃the general； or myself？〃
〃you；〃 said the little prince firmly。
〃exactly。 one much require from each one the duty which each one can perform；〃 the king went on。 〃accepted authority rests first of all on reason。 if you ordered your people to go and throw themselves into the sea； they would rise up in revolution。 i have the right to require obedience because my orders are reasonable。〃
〃then my sunset？〃 the little prince reminded him： for he never forgot a question once he had asked it。
〃you shall have your sunset。 i shall mand it。 but； according to my science of government； i shall wait until conditions are favorable。〃
〃when will that be？〃 inquired the little prince。
〃hum！ hum！〃 replied the king； and before saying anything else he consulted a bulky almanac。 〃hum！ hum！ that will be about…… about…… that will be this evening about twenty minutes to eight。 and you will see how well i am obeyed。〃
the little prince yawned。 he was regretting his lost sunset。 and then； too； he was already beginning to be a little bored。
〃i have nothing more to do here；〃 he said to the king。 〃so i shall set out on my way again。〃
〃do not