18Chapter8-p1

I soon learned to know this flower better.

很快我就进一步了解了这朵花儿。

On the little prince's planet the flowers had always been very simple.

在小王子的星球上，过去一直都生长着一些只有一层花瓣的很简单的花。

They had only one ring of petals; they took up no room at all; they were a trouble to nobody.

这些花非常小，一点也不占地方，从来也不会去打搅任何人。

One morning they would appear in the grass, and by night they would have faded peacefully away.

她们早晨在草丛中开放，晚上就凋谢了。

But one day, from a seed blown from no one knew where, a new flower had come up;

有一天，不知从哪里来了一颗种子，忽然一天这种子发了芽。

and the little prince had watched very closely over this small sprout which was not like any other small sprouts on his planet.

小王子特别仔细地监视着这棵与众不同的小苗：

It might, you see, have been a new kind of baobab.

这玩艺说不定是一种新的猴面包树。

The shrub soon stopped growing, and began to get ready to produce a flower.

但是，这小苗不久就不再长了，而且开始孕育着一个花朵。

The little prince, who was present at the first appearance of a huge bud, felt at once that some sort of miraculous apparition must emerge from it.

看到在这棵苗上长出了一个很大很大的花蕾，小王子感觉到从这个花苞中一定会出现一个奇迹。

But the flower was not satisfied to complete the preparations for her beauty in the shelter of her green chamber.

然而这朵花藏在它那绿茵茵的房间中用了很长的时间来打扮自己。

She chose her colours with the greatest care. she drest her slowly.

她精心选择着她将来的颜色，慢慢腾腾地妆饰着，

She adjusted her petals one by one.

一片片地搭配着她的花瓣，

She did not wish to go out into the world all rumpled, like the field poppies.

她不愿象虞美人那样一出世就满脸皱纹。

It was only in the full radiance of her beauty that she wished to appear.

她要让自己带着光艳夺目的丽姿来到世间。

Oh, yes! She was a coquettish creature!

是的，她是非常爱俏的。

And her mysterious adornment lasted for days and days.

她用好些好些日子天仙般地梳妆打扮。