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我就这么了解到第二个十分重要的真相，那便是他的那个星球只比一座房子稍微大一点。这并不使我过分吃惊。我知道，地球、木星， 火星、金星都是我们地球人给它们命名的， 除此之外， 还有千万颗别的星球实在太小，用望远镜都很难观测到。一旦天文学家发现了其中的某一颗，就会给它编个号码当做它的名字，比方说，把它称为，“325号小行星”。 我有充分的理由坚信，小王子那颗星球就是“B612 号小行星”，这个星星只在1909年被一位土耳其天文学家从望远镜里观察到一次。于是，他在国际天文学的一次会上，郑重其事地证实了他的这一发现。 然而，因为他穿的土耳其服装与众不同，在场的没有人相信他说的话。成年人总是这副样子。幸亏，土耳其一个独裁者下令臣民改穿欧式服装， 不执行者以死罪论处。这才使得“B612号小行星”闻名遐迩。1920年那一次会上，那位土耳其天文学家， 穿着一身漂亮时髦的西服，再次论证了他的发现。这一回，全体与会者都一致同意他的创见。 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 a serious reason to believe that the planet from which the little prince came is the asteroid known asB-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. |
