Chapter 23

     
     
     
      - the little prince encounters a merchant
     
      "good morning," said the little prince.
     
      "good morning," said the merchant.
     
      this was a merchant who sold pills that had been invented to quench thirst. you need only swallow one pill a week, and you would feel no need of anything to drink.
     
      "why are you selling those?" asked the little prince.
     
      "because they save a tremendous amount of time," said the merchant. "computations have been made by experts. with these pills, you save fifty-three minutes in every week."
     
      "and what do i do with those fifty-three minutes?"
     
      "anything you like…"
     
      "as for me," said the little prince to himself, "if i had fifty-three minutes to spend as i liked, i should walk at my leisure toward a spring of fresh water."