这样的权力使小王子惊叹不已。 Such power was a thing for the little prince to marvel at. 如果掌握了这样的权力，那么，他一天就不只是看到四十三次日落， If he had been master of such complete authority, he would have been able to watch the sunset, not forty-four times in one day, 而可以看到七十二次，甚至一百次，或是二百次日落，也不必要去挪动椅子了！ but seventy-two, or even a hundred, or even two hundred times, with out ever having to move his chair. 由于他想起了他那被遗弃的小星球，心里有点难过， And because he felt a bit sad as he remembered his little planet which he had for saken, 他大胆地向国王提出了一个请求：“我想看日落，请求您…命令太阳落山吧…” he plucked up his courage to ask the king a favor: "I should like to see a sunset... do me that kindness...Order the sun to set..." 如果我命令一个将军象一只蝴蝶那样从这朵花飞到那朵花，或者命令他写作一个悲剧剧本或者变一只海鸟， If I ordered a general to fly from one flower to another like a butterfly, or to write a tragic drama, or to change himself into a sea bird, 而如果这位将军接到命令不执行的话，那么，是他不对还是我不对呢？ and if the general31 did not carry out the order that he had received, which one of us would be in the wrong? 国王问道。“将军，还是自己？” The king demanded. "The general, or myself?" “那当然是您的不对。”小王子肯定地回答。 "You," said the little prince firmly. “一点也不错，”国王接着说，“向每个人提出的要求应该是他们所能做到的。 "Exactly. One much require from each one the duty which each one can perform," the king went on. 权威首先应该建立在理性的基础上。 Accepted authority rests first of all on reason. 如果命令你的老百姓去投海，他们非起来革命不可。 If you ordered your people to go and throw themselves into the sea, they would rise up in revolution. 我的命令是合理的，所以我有权要别人服从。 I have the right to require obedience because my orders are reasonable. “那么我提出的日落呢？”小王子一旦提出一个问题，他是不会忘记这个问题的。 "Then my sunset?" the little prince reminded him: for he never forgot a question once he had asked it. 日落么，你会看到的。 You shall have your sunset. 我一定要太阳落山，不过按照我的统治科学，我得等到条件成熟的时候。 I shall command it. But, according to my science of government, I shall wait until conditions are favorable. 小王子问道：“这要等到什么时候呢？” 国王在回答之前，首先翻阅了一本厚厚的日历，嘴里慢慢说道：“嗯！嗯！” 日落大约…大约…在今晚七时四十分的时候！ 你将看到我的命令一定会被服从的。 小王子又打起哈欠来了。 他遗憾没有看到日落。 他对国王说：“他有点厌烦了，” 我没有必要再呆在这儿了。 我要走了。