chapter 12
The next planet was inhabited by a tippler. This was a very short visit,but it plunged the little prince into deep dejection.
"Wha are you doing there?" he said to tippler, whom he found settled down in silence before a collection of empty bottles and also a collection of full bottles.
"I am drinking," replied the tippler,with a lugubrious air.
"Why are you drinking?" demanded the little prince.
"So that I may forget," replied the tippler.
"Forget what?" inquired the little prince,who already was sorry for him.
"Forget that I am ashamed," the tippler confessed,hanging his head.
"Ashamed of what?" insisted the little prince,who wanted to help him.
"Ashamed of drinking!" The tippler brought his speech to an end, and shut himself up in an impregnable silence.
And the little prince went away, puzzled.
"The grown-ups are certainly very,very odd," he said to himself, as he continued on his journey.
十二章
接下来的星球上住着一个酒鬼。这次的拜访很短，却让小王子陷入了深深的忧伤。
“你在那干嘛呢？” 他对酒鬼说。这个酒鬼一声不响地坐在那里，面前有一堆空瓶子和一堆装满酒的瓶子。
“我在喝酒。”酒鬼忧伤地答道。
“你为什么喝酒？”小王子问。
“为了忘却。”酒鬼回答说。
“忘却什么？”小王子问，他已经开始替这个人感到难过了。
“忘却我的羞愧，”酒鬼低着头，坦白道。
“羞愧什么呢？”小王子坚持问着，他想帮帮这个人。
“羞愧我喝酒！”酒鬼说完这句话就闷不吭声了。
小王子走开了，茫然不解。
“大人真是非常非常奇怪啊。”小王子心里想，继续踏上了他的旅程。