12.The little prince

The next planet the young prince visits is inhabited by an alcoholic. The visit was very short, but it made
The little prince was very sad.
"What are you doing?" The little prince asked the drunkard, who was sitting silently with a pile of wine
bottles, some filled with wine and some empty.
"I'm drinking." He replied in a sombre and melancholy voice.
"Why do you drink?" The young prince asked.
"To forget." The drunkard replied.
The young prince had taken some pity on the drunkard. He asked, "To forget what?"
The drunkard hung his head and confessed, "To forget my shame."
"What are you ashamed of?" The young prince was eager to rescue him.
"I am ashamed that I drink." The drunkard said and then never spoke again.
The little prince left perplexed.
During the journey he said to himself, "These grown-ups do scream strange."
译文：
小王子所访问的下一个星球上住着一个酒鬼。访问时间非常短，可是它却使
小王子非常忧伤。
“你在干什么？”小王子问酒鬼，这个酒鬼默默地坐在那里，面前有一堆酒
瓶子，有的装着酒，有的是空的。
“我喝酒。”他阴沉忧郁地回答道。
“你为什么喝酒？”小王子问道。
“为了忘却。”酒鬼回答。
小王子已经有些可怜酒鬼。他问道：“忘却什么呢？”
酒鬼垂下脑袋坦白道：“为了忘却我的羞愧。”
“你羞愧什么呢？”小王子很想救助他。
“我羞愧我喝酒。”酒鬼说完以后就再也不开口了。
小王子迷惑不解地离开了。
在旅途中，他自言自语地说道：“这些大人确实真叫怪。”