第二十三篇

     
     
     
     “你好。”小王子说。
     
     “你好。”商人说道。
     
     这是一位贩卖能够止渴的精制药丸的商人。每周吞服一丸就不会感觉口渴。
     
     “你为什么卖这玩艺儿？”小王子说。
     
     “这就大大地节约了时间。”商人说，“专家们计算过，这样，每周可以节约五十三分钟。”
     
     “那么，用这五十三分钟做什么用？”
     
     “随便怎么用都行。”
     
     小王子自言自语地说：“我如果有五十三分钟可支配，我就悠哉游哉地向水泉走去……”
     
     [ 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."