國王翻閱了一本厚厚的日曆，一邊漸漸說道：“嗯！嗯！日落約莫……約莫……在今晚七時四非常的時候！你會看到我的號令被很好地獲得從命的。”

他對國王說：“陛下……請諒解，我想問您一個題目……”

小王子看看四周，想找個處所坐下來，但是全部星球被國王富麗的貂皮長袍占滿了。小王子隻好持續站在那邊，但是他太累了，他打起哈欠來。

他對國王說：“我在這兒已經冇有甚麼事情可做了，我應當持續趕路了。”

國王說：“假定我號令一個將軍像胡蝶那樣在花叢中飛來飛去，或者號令他寫作一部悲劇，或者變成一隻海鳥，而這位將軍接到號令不履行的話，那麼，是誰的弊端呢？”

他不曉得，對於一個國王來講，天下非常簡樸。統統的人都是他的子民。

小王子內疚地摸索道：“我能夠坐下嗎？”

“你會看到日落的。我會號令太陽落山的，不過遵循科學統治體例，我得比及前提成熟的時候。”

“統治這統統。”

"Hum! Hum!" replied the king. "Then I― I order you sometimes to yawn and sometimes to―"He sputtered a little, and seemed vexed.

“甚麼大臣？”

“很難說呀，”國王說，“我還冇有完整地巡查過我的王國。我很老了，我這處所又小，冇有放馬車的處所，彆的，走起路來我就累。”

小王子又打起哈欠來了。他遺憾冇有看到日落，並且他開端感到有些無聊了。

“那當然！”國王對他說，“它們當即就得從命規律。我不答應抵擋。”

For what the king fundamentally insisted upon was that his authority should be respected. He tolerated no disobedience. He was an absolute monarch. But, because he was a very good man, he made his orders reasonable.

But the little prince was wondering... The planet was tiny. Over what could this king really rule "Sire," he said to him, "I beg that you will excuse my asking you a question―""I order you to ask me a question," the king hastened to assure him.