“我将会象是很痛苦的样子……我有点象要死去似的。就是这么回事，你就别来看这些了，没有必要。” “我不离开你。” 可是他担心起来。 “我对你说这些……这也是因为蛇的缘故。别让它咬了你……蛇是很坏的，它随意咬人……” “我不离开你。” 这时，他似乎有点放心了： “对了，它咬第二口的时候就没有毒液了……” 这天夜里，我没有看到他起程。他不声不响地跑了。当我终于赶上他的时候，他坚定地快步走着。他只是对我说道： “啊，你在这儿……” 于是他拉着我的手。但是他仍然很担心： “你不该这样。你会难受的。我会象是死去的样子，但这不会是真的……” 我默默无言。 “你明白，路很远。我不能带着这付身躯走。它太重了。” 我依然沉默不语。 “但是，这就好象剥落的旧树皮一样。旧树皮，并没有什么可悲的。” 我还是沉默不语。 他有些泄气了。但是他又振作起来： “这将是蛮好的，你知道。我也一定会看星星的。所有的星星都将是带有生了锈的辘轳的井。所有的星星都会倒水给我喝……” 我还是沉默不语。 “这将是多么好玩啊！你将有五亿个铃铛，我将有五亿口水井……” 这时，他也沉默了，因为他在哭。 “就是这儿。让我自个儿走一步吧。” 他这时坐下来，因为他害怕了。他却仍然说道： “你知道……我的花……我是要对她负责的！而她又是那么弱小！她又是那么天真。她只有四根微不足道的刺，保护自己，抵抗外敌……” 我也坐了下来，因为我再也站立不住了。他说道： “就是这些……全都说啦……” 他犹豫了一下，然后站起来。他迈出了一步。而我却动弹不得。 在他的脚踝子骨附近，一道黄光闪了一下。刹那间他一动也不动了。他没有叫喊。他轻轻地象一棵树一样倒在地上，大概由于沙地的缘故，连一点响声都没有。 ＇ chapter 26 ＇ … the little prince converses with the snake； the little prince consoles the narrator； the little prince returns to his planet beside the well there was the ruin of an old stone wall。 when i came back from my work； the next evening； i saw from some distance away my little price sitting on top of a wall； with his feet dangling。 and i heard him say： 〃then you dont remember。 this is not the exact spot。〃 another voice must have answered him； for he replied to it： 〃yes； yes！ it is the right day； but this is not the place。〃 i continued my walk toward the wall。 at no time did i see or hear anyone。 the little prince； however； replied once again： 〃……exactly。 you will see where my track begins； in the sand。 you have nothing to do but wait for me there。 i shall be there tonight。〃 i was only twenty metres from the wall； and i still saw nothing。 after a silence the little prince spoke again： 〃you have good poison？ you are sure that it will not make me suffer too long？〃 i stopped in my tracks； my heart torn asunder； but still i did not understand。 〃now go away；〃 said the little prince。 〃i want to get down from the wall。〃 i dropped my eyes； then； to the foot of the wall…… and i leaped into the air。 there before me； facing the little prince； was one of those yellow snakes that take just thirty seconds to bring your life to an end。 even as i was digging into my pocked to get out my revolver i made a running step back。 but； at the noise i made； the snake let himself flow easily across the sand like the dying spray of a fountain； and； in no apparent hurry； disappeared； with a light metallic sound； among the stones。 i reached the wall just in time to catch my little man in my arms； his face was white as snow。 〃what does this mean？〃 i demanded。 〃why are you talking with snakes？〃 i had loosened the golden muffler that he always wore。 i had moistened his temples； and had given him some water to drink。 and now i did not dare ask him any more questions。 he looked at me very gravely； and put his arms around my neck。 i felt his heart beating like the heart of a dying bird； shot with someones rifle。。。 〃i am glad that you have found what was the matter with your engine；〃 he said。 〃now you can go back home……〃 〃how do you know about that？〃 i was just ing to tell him that my work had been successful； beyond anything that i had dared to hope。 he made no answer to my question； but he added： 〃i； too； am going back home today。。。〃 then； sadly…… 〃it is much farther。。。 it is much more difficult。。。〃 i realised clearly that something extraordinary was happening。 i was holding him close in my arms as if he were a little child； and yet it seemed to me that he was rushing headlong toward an abyss from which i could do nothing to restrain him。。。 his look was very serious； like some one lost far away。 〃i have your sheep。 and i have the sheeps box。 and i have the muzzle。。。〃 and he gave me a sad smile。 i waited a long time。 i could see that he was reviving little by little。 〃dear little man；〃 i said to him； 〃you are afraid。。。〃 he was afraid； there was no doubt about that。 but he laughed lightly。 〃i shall be much more afraid this evening。。。〃 once again i felt myself frozen by the sense of something irreparable。 and i knew that i could not bear the thought of never hearing that laughter any more。 for me； it was like a spring of fresh water in the desert。 〃little man；〃 i said； 〃i want to hear you laugh again。〃 but he said to me： 〃tonight； it will be a year。。。 my star； then； can be found right above the place where i came to the earth； a year ago。。。〃 〃little man；〃 i said； 〃tell me that it is only a bad dream…… this affair of the snake； and the meeting…place； and the star。。。〃 but he did not answer my plea。 he said to me； instead： 〃the thing that is important is the thing that is not seen。。。〃 〃yes； i know。。。〃 〃it is just as it is with the flower。 if you love a flower that lives on a star； it is sweet to look at the sky at night。 all the stars are a…bloom with flowers。。。〃 〃yes； i know。。。〃 〃it is just as it is with the water。 because of the pulley； and the rope； what you gave me to drink was like music。 you remember…… how good it was。〃 〃yes； i know。。。〃 〃and at night you will look up at the stars。 where i live everything is so small that i cannot show you where my star is to be found。 it is better； like that。 my star will just be one of the stars； for you。 and so you will love to wat