小王子 第47期:特殊的仪式

 The next day the little prince came back.

第二天，小王子又来了。

"It would have been better to come back at the same hour," said the fox.

“最好还是在原来的那个时间来。”狐狸说道，

If, for example, you come at four o'clock in the afternoon, then at three o'clock I shall begin to be happy.

比如说，你下午四点钟来，那么从三点钟起，我就开始感到幸福。

I shall feel happier and happier as the hour advances.

时间越临近，我就越感到幸福。

At four o'clock, I shall already be worrying and jumping about. I shall show you how happy I am!

到了四点钟的时候，我就会坐立不安；我就会发现幸福的代价。

But if you come at just any time, I shall never know at what hour my heart is to be ready to greet you...One must observe the proper rites²...

但是，如果你随便什么时候来，我就不知道在什么时候该准备好我的心情应当有一定的仪式。

"What is a rite¹?" asked the little prince.

“仪式是什么？”小王子问道。

"Those also are actions too often neglected," said the fox.

“这也是一种早已被人忘却了的事。”狐狸说，

"They are what make one day different from other days, one hour from other hours.

它就是使某一天与其他日子不同，使某一时刻与其他时刻不同。

There is a rite, for example, among my hunters. Every Thursday they dance with the village girls.

比如说，我的那些猎人就有一种仪式。他们每星期四都和村子里的姑娘们跳舞。

So Thursday is a wonderful day for me! I can take a walk as far as the vineyards.

于是，星期四就是一个美好的日子！我可以一直散步到葡萄园去。

But if the hunters danced at just any time, every day would be like every other day, and I should never have any vacation at all.

如果猎人们什么时候都跳舞，天天又全都一样，那么我也就没有假日了。”

So the little prince tamed the fox. And when the hour of his departure drew near:

就这样，小王子驯服了狐狸。当出发的时刻就快要来到时：

"Ah," said the fox, "I shall cry."

“啊！”狐狸说，“我一定会哭的。”

"It is your own fault," said the little prince. "I never wished you any sort of harm; but you wanted me to tame you... "

“这是你的过错，”小王子说，“我本来并不想给你任何痛苦，可你却要我驯服你…”

"Yes, that is so," said the fox.

“是这样的。”狐狸说。

"But now you are going to cry!" said the little prince.

“你可就要哭了！”小王子说。

"Yes, that is so," said the fox.

“当然罗。”狐狸说。

"Then it has done you no good at all!"

“那么你什么好处也没得到。”

"It has done me good," said the fox, "because of the color of the wheat fields."

“由于麦子颜色的缘故，我还是得到了好处。”狐狸说。

And then he added: Go and look again at the roses.

然后，他又接着说。再去看看那些玫瑰花吧。

You will understand now that yours is unique in all the world.

你一定会明白，你的那朵是世界上独一无二的玫瑰。你回来和我告别时，我再赠送给你一个秘密。

Then come back to say goodbye to me, and I will make you a present of a secret.

你回来和我告别时，我再赠送给你一个秘密。

The little prince went away, to look again at the roses.

于是小王子又去看那些玫瑰。

1 rite   

n.典礼，惯例，习俗

参考例句：

• This festival descends from a religious rite.这个节日起源于宗教仪式。
• Most traditional societies have transition rites at puberty.大多数传统社会都为青春期的孩子举行成人礼。

2 rites   

仪式，典礼( rite的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• to administer the last rites to sb 给某人举行临终圣事
• He is interested in mystic rites and ceremonies. 他对神秘的仪式感兴趣。