小王子 第37期:你是探察家

He asks them questions, and he notes down what they recall of their travels.

他詢問探察家，把他們的回憶記錄下來。

And if the recollections of any one among them seem interesting to him,

如果他認(rèn)為其中有個探察家的回憶是有意思的，

the geographer orders an inquiry into that explorer's moral character.

那么地理學(xué)家就對這個探察家的品德做一番調(diào)查。”

Why is that?

這是為什么呢?

Because an explorer who told lies would bring disaster on the books of the geographer.

因為一個說假話的探察家會給地理書帶來災(zāi)難性的后果。

So would an explorer who drank too much.

同樣，一個太愛喝酒的探察家也是如此。

"Why is that?" asked the little prince.

“這又是為什么?”小王子說。

Because intoxicated men see double.

因為喝醉了酒的人把一個看成兩個，

Then the geographer would note down two mountains in a place where there was only one.

那么，地理學(xué)家就會把只有一座山的地方寫成兩座山。

"I know some one," said the little prince, "who would make a bad explorer."

“我認(rèn)識一個人，他要是搞探察的話，就很可能是個不好的探察員。”小王子說。

That is possible. Then, when the moral character of the explorer is shown to be good,an inquiry is ordered into his discovery.

這是可能的。因此，如果探察家的品德不錯，就對他的發(fā)現(xiàn)進行調(diào)查。

One goes to see it?

去看一看嗎?

No. That would be too complicated. But one requires the explorer to furnish proofs.

不。那太復(fù)雜了。但是要求探察家提出證據(jù)來。

For example, if the discovery in question is that of a large mountain,

例如，假使他發(fā)現(xiàn)了一座大山，

one requires that large stones be brought back from it.

就要求他帶來一些大石頭。

The geographer was suddenly stirred to excitement.

地理學(xué)家忽然忙亂起來。

But you， you come from far away! You are an explorer! You shall describe your planet to me!

正好，你是從老遠(yuǎn)來的么!你是個探察家!你來給我介紹一下你的星球吧!

And, having opened his big register, the geographer sharpened his pencil.

于是，已經(jīng)打開登記簿的地理學(xué)家，削起他的鉛筆來。

The recitals of explorers are put down first in pencil.

他首先是用鉛筆記下探察家的敘述，

One waits until the explorer has furnished proofs, before putting them down in ink.

等到探察家提出了證據(jù)以后再用墨水筆記下來。

"Well?" said the geographer expectantly.

“怎么樣?”地理學(xué)家詢問道。

"Oh, where I live," said the little prince, "it is not very interesting.It is all so small.

“啊!我那里，”小王子說道，沒有多大意思，那兒很小。