当一个人想说点什么哗众取宠时,他往往就多多少少有点夸大其词。我在上面向你们讲点灯人的时候,我讲得并不那么老老实实。我几乎使那些不了解我的地球的人,得出一个错误的观念,以为人类在地球上只占有很小的空间。因为居住在这个星球上的几十亿人,假若互相紧挨着站在一起,像在一个群众集会上那样,他们满可以舒舒服服集中在一块只有二十英里长、二十英里宽的公共场所里,甚至满可以聚居在太平洋上任何一个最小的岛屿上。 当然了,那些成年人是不会相信你们的。他们以为可占有广大的地盘,他们自认为像猴面包树一样举足轻重。最好是建议他们去好好算一笔账。他们崇拜数目字,一跟数目字打交道,他们就乐不可支。不过,在这件叫人厌烦的事情上,你可不要浪费时间。算来算去,到头来毫无用处。你们尽管相信我好啦。 When one wishes to play the wit, he sometimes wanders a little from the truth. I have not been altogether honest in what I have told you about the lamplighters. And I realize that I run the risk of giving a false idea of our planet to those who do not know it. Men occupy a very small place upon the Earth. If the two billion inhabitants who people its surface were all to stand upright and somewhat crowded together, as they do for some big public assembly, they could easily be put into one public square twenty miles long and twenty miles wide. All humanity could be piled up on a small Pacific islet. The grown-ups, to be sure, will not believe you when you tell them that. They imagine that they fill a great deal of space. They fancy themselves as important as the baobabs. You should advise them, then, to make their own calculations. They adore figures, and that will please them. But do not waste your time on this extra task. It is unnecessary. You have, I know, confidence in me. |