The Little Prince (51)

The Little Prince (51)

  　XⅢ

　　THE FOURTH PLANET belonged to a businessman.
    This man  was so much occupied that he did not even raise his head at the little prince's arraival.

  " Good morning, " the little prince said to him.
  " Your cigarette has gone out. "

  " Three and two make five. Five and seven make twelve. Twelve and three make fifteen. Good morning. Fifteen and seven make twenty-two.  Twenty-two and six make twenty-eight. I haven't time to light it again. Twenty-six and five make thirty-one. Phew !  Then that makes five-hundred-and -one million, six-hundred-twenty-two thousand, seven-hundred-thirty-one. "

  " Five hundred million what ? " asked the little prince.

  " Eh ? Are you still there ? Five-hundred-and one million ー I can't
stop. . . I have so much to do ! I am concerned with matters of consequence. I don't amuse myself with balderdash. Two and five makes seven. . . "

  " Five-hundred-and-onemillion what ? " repeated the little prince, who never in his life had let go of a question once he had asked it.

(51)