五二中文网

手机浏览器扫描二维码访问

第二十六章（第5页）

Chapter26

Besidethewelltherewastheruinofanoldstonewall.WhenIcamebackfrommywork，thenextevening，Isawfromsomedistanceawaymylittlepricesittingontopofawall，withhisfeetdangling.AndIheardhimsay:"

Thenyoudon’tremember.Thisisnottheexactspot."

Anothervoicemusthaveansweredhim，forherepliedtoit:"

Yes，yes!Itistherightday，butthisisnottheplace."

Icontinuedmywalktowardthewall.AtnotimedidIseeorhearanyone.Thelittleprince，however，repliedonceagain:"

—Exactly.Youwillseewheremytrackbegins，inthesand.Youhavenothingtodobutwaitformethere.Ishallbetheretonight."

Iwasonlytwentymetresfromthewall，andIstillsawnothing.

Afterasilencethelittleprincespokeagain:"

YouhavegoodpoisonYouaresurethatitwillnotmakemesuffertoolong"

Istoppedinmytracks，myhearttornasunder;butstillIdidnotunderstand.

"

Nowgoaway，"

saidthelittleprince."

Iwanttogetdownfromthewall."

Idroppedmyeyes，then，tothefootofthewall—andIleapedintotheair.Therebeforeme，facingthelittleprince，wasoneofthoseyellowsnakesthattakejustthirtysecondstobringyourlifetoanend.EvenasIwasdiggingintomypockedtogetoutmyrevolverImadearunningstepback.But，atthenoiseImade，thesnakelethimselffloweasilyacrossthesandlikethedyingsprayofafountain，and，innoapparenthurry，disappeared，withalightmetallicsound，amongthestones.

Ireachedthewalljustintimetocatchmylittlemaninmyarms;hisfacewaswhiteassnow.

"

Whatdoesthismean"

Idemanded."

Whyareyoutalkingwithsnakes"

Ihadloosenedthegoldenmufflerthathealwayswore.Ihadmoistenedhistemples，andhadgivenhimsomewatertodrink.AndnowIdidnotdareaskhimanymorequestions.Helookedatmeverygravely，andputhisarmsaroundmyneck.Ifelthisheartbeatingliketheheartofadyingbird，shotwithsomeone’srifle...

"

Iamgladthatyouhavefoundwhatwasthematterwithyourengine，"

hesaid."

Nowyoucangobackhome—"

"

Howdoyouknowaboutthat"

Iwasjustcomingtotellhimthatmyworkhadbeensuccessful，beyondanythingthatIhaddaredtohope.Hemadenoanswertomyquestion，butheadded:"

I，too，amgoingbackhometoday..."

Then，sadly—

"

Itismuchfarther...itismuchmoredifficult..."

Irealisedclearlythatsomethingextraordinarywashappening.Iwasholdinghimcloseinmyarmsasifhewerealittlechild;andyetitseemedtomethathewasrushingheadlongtowardanabyssfromwhichIcoulddonothingtorestrainhim...

Hislookwasveryserious，likesomeonelostfaraway.

"