Chapter IV

I had thus learned a second fact of great importance: this was that the planet the little prince came from was scarcely any larger than a house!

But that did not really surprise me much. I knew very well that in addition to the great planets-- such as the Earth, Jupiter, Mars, Venus-- to which we have given names, there are also hundreds of others, some of which are so small that one has a hard time seeing them through the telescope. When an astronomer discovers one of these he does not give it a name, but only a number. He might call it, for example, "Asteroid 325."

I have serious reason to believe that the planet from which the little prince came is the asteroid known as B-612.

This asteroid has only once been seen through the telescope. That was by a Turkish astronomer, in 1909.

On making his discovery, the astronomer had presented it to the International Astronomical Congress, in a great demonstration. But he was in Turkish costume, and so nobody would believe what he said.

Grown-ups are like that...

Fortunately, however, for the reputation of Asteroid B-612, a Turkish dictator made a law that his subjects, under pain of death, should change to European costume. So in 1920 the astronomer gave his demonstration all over again, dressed with impressive style and elegance. And this time everybody accepted his report.

If I have told you these details about the asteroid, and made a note of its number for you, it is on account of the grown-ups and their ways. When you tell them that you have made a new friend, they never ask you any questions about essential matters. They never say to you, "What does his voice sound like? What games does he love best? Does he collect butterflies?" Instead, they demand: "How old is he? How many brothers has he? How much does he weigh? How much money does his father make?" Only from these figures do they think they have learned anything about him.

If you were to say to the grown-ups: "I saw a beautiful house made of rosy brick, with geraniums in the windows and doves on the roof," they would not be able to get any idea of that house at all. You would have to say to them: "I saw a house that cost $20,000." Then they would exclaim: "Oh, what a pretty house that is!"

Just so, you might say to them: "The proof that the little prince existed is that he was charming, that he laughed, and that he was looking for a sheep. If anybody wants a sheep, that is a proof that he exists." And what good would it do to tell them that? They would shrug their shoulders, and treat you like a child. But if you said to them: "The planet he came from is Asteroid B-612," then they would be convinced, and leave you in peace from their questions.

They are like that. One must not hold it against them. Children should always show great forbearance toward grown-up people.

But certainly, for us who understand life, figures are a matter of indifference. I should have liked to begin this story in the fashion of the fairy-tales. I should have like to say: "Once upon a time there was a little prince who lived on a planet that was scarcely any bigger than himself, and who had need of a sheep..."

To those who understand life, that would have given a much greater air of truth to my story.

For I do not want any one to read my book carelessly. I have suffered too much grief in setting down these memories. Six years have already passed since my friend went away from me, with his sheep. If I try to describe him here, it is to make sure that I shall not forget him. To forget a friend is sad. Not every one has had a friend. And if I forget him, I may become like the grown-ups who are no longer interested in anything but figures...

It is for that purpose, again, that I have bought a box of paints and some pencils. It is hard to take up drawing again at my age, when I have never made any pictures except those of the boa constrictor from the outside and the boa constrictor from the inside, since I was six. I shall certainly try to make my portraits as true to life as possible. But I am not at all sure of success. One drawing goes along all right, and another has no resemblance to its subject. I make some errors, too, in the little prince's height: in one place he is too tall and in another too short. And I feel some doubts about the colours of his costume. So I fumble along as best I can, now good, now bad, and I hope generally fair-to-middling.

In certain more important details I shall make mistakes, also. But that is something that will not be my fault. My friend never explained anything to me. He thought, perhaps, that I was like himself. But I, alas, do not know how to see sheep through the walls of boxes. Perhaps I am a little like the grown-ups. I have had to grow old.

• scarcely 刚刚；才；勉强 | 几乎不；简直不

..this was that the planet the little prince came from was scarcely any larger than a house!

• telescope 望远镜

..some of which are so small that one has a hard time seeing them through the telescope.

• astronomer 天文学家
• asteroid 小行星

When an astronomer discovers one of these he does not give it a name, but only a number. He might call it, for example, "Asteroid 325."

• International Astronomical Congress 国际天文学大会
• demonstration 示范；演示

..the astronomer had presented it to the International Astronomical Congress, in a great demonstration.

• costume 服装；装束

But he was in Turkish costume, and so nobody would believe what he said.

• reputation 名誉；名望
• dictator 独裁者；专政者
• subject (通常指君主制国家的)国民，臣民
• under pain of 违者则受(某种)处罚；如果违反则(以某种罪名)论处

..for the reputation of Asteroid B-612, a Turkish dictator made a law that his subjects, under pain of death, should change to European costume.

• impressive 给人深刻印象的；不俗的；了不起的
• elegance （人或物）典雅，雅致，优美

So in 1920 the astronomer gave his demonstration all over again, dressed with impressive style and elegance.

• on account of 因为

If I have told you these details about the asteroid, and made a note of its number for you, it is on account of the grown-ups and their ways.

• essential 基本的；本质的；根本的

..they never ask you any questions about essential matters.
又出现了小王子的主题之一，essential matters.

• figure 数字

Only from these figures do they think they have learned anything about him.
在今天这个数字化管理，绩效满天飞的世界，你是不是也有他一样的吐嘈呢？

• rosy brick 粉红色的砖
• geranium 天竺葵
• dove 鸽子

"I saw a beautiful house made of rosy brick, with geraniums in the windows and doves on the roof,"

• exclaim （由于激动、震惊、愤怒等）突然呼喊，惊叫，大声喊

Then they would exclaim: "Oh, what a pretty house that is!"

• shrug 耸肩(表示不感兴趣、不知道或不在乎)

They would shrug their shoulders, and treat you like a child.

• convinced 确信的；深信的；坚信的

But if you said to them: "The planet he came from is Asteroid B-612," then they would be convinced,..

• forbearance 忍耐；克制

Children should always show great forbearance toward grown-up people.

• grief 悲伤；悲痛
• settle down (历经磨难或变化后)安静下来，平静下来

I have suffered too much grief in setting down these memories.
这句不那么好翻译哦

• resemblance 相似之处；类似之处

One drawing goes along all right, and another has no resemblance to its subject.
这里的subject就不是上文的“臣民”之义了哦。

• fumble 乱摸；摸索；笨拙地处理
• fair-to-middling 不好不好 = not very good but not bad

So I fumble along as best I can, now good, now bad, and I hope generally fair-to-middling.

• certain 某个；特定的

In certain more important details I shall make mistakes, also.
所以不是in certain，而是in ... details，certain是修饰details的。