XXIII

“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."