The Little Prince

By Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Chapter 13:
The Businessman
The fourth planet belonged to a businessman.
This man was so much occupied that he did
not even raise his head at the little prince's arrival.
"Good morning," the little prince said to him.
"Your cigarette has gone out."
“
?
?
?
?
3 + 2 = 5
+ 7 = 12
+ 3 = 15
15 + 7 = 22
+ 6 = 28
... 26 + 5 = 31
I haven't time to light it again.
Said the businessman.
“
Phew!
Then that makes five-hundred-and-one-million, six-hundred-twenty-two-thousand, seven-hundred-thirty-one.
“Five hundred million what?” asked the little prince.
“Eh? Are you still there?
Five-hundred-and-one million-- I can't stop...
I have so much to do! I am concerned with matters of consequence.
I don't amuse myself with balderdash.
Two and five make seven...”
“Five-hundred-and-one million what?” repeated the
little prince, who never in his life had let go of a question
once he had asked it.
The businessman suddenly realized
that there was no hope of being
left in peace until he answered this question.
“Millions of those little objects,” he said, “which one sometimes sees in the sky.”
“...Oh, no. Little golden objects that set lazy men to idle dreaming.
As for me, I am concerned with matters of consequence.
There is no time for idle dreaming in my life.”
to be continued...