Цитаты из книги «The Little Prince»

“Everyone would laugh at this man”, the Little Prince thought when he continued his journey. “The king, the vain man, the drunkard and the businessman would laugh at him. However, he is the only one among them who doesn’t seem ludicrous. It is possibly because he thinks about something else except himself.”

“It won’t help me greatly”, the lamplighter said. “I like sleeping.” “Then you are not lucky”, the Little Prince said. “I am not lucky”, the lamplighter said. “Good morning.” And he switched the lamp off.

“I want to rest all the time”, the lamplighter said. A person can be responsible and lazy at the same time.

And he switched the lamp on again. Whilst the Little Prince was watching him, he felt sympathy for this lamplighter who performed his duties so scrupulously. He remembered the sunsets he used to watch only by moving his chair, so he decided to help his friend.

“Now the planet makes a complete turn in a minute, and I don’t have time to rest. I need to switch the lamp on and switch it off every minute!”

“The procedure didn’t change”, the lamplighter told. “That’s the tragedy! The planet turns around faster and faster every year, but the procedure does not change!”

“I don’t understand”, the Little Prince said. “There is nothing to understand”, the lamplighter. “A procedure is a procedure. Good morning.”

“It is entirely possible that this person is absurd, too. But not to such extent as the king, the vain man, the drunkard or the businessman. At least his job is reasonable. When he switches the lamp on it’s as if he brings to life another star or flower. When he switches the lamp off he sends the flower or the star to sleep. It’s beautiful work. As long as it’s beautiful it will be useful.”

The businessman was just going to open his mouth but he had nothing to reply to it. And the Little Prince left.

My volcanos as well as my flower benefit from being possessed by me. But it makes no difference to the stars whether you possess them or not…”