The fourth planet belonged to a businessman. This man was so much occupied that
he did not even raise his head at the little prince's arrival.
"Good morning," the little prince said to him. "Your cigarette has gone out."
"Three and two make five. Five and seven make twelve. Twelve and three make fifteen.
Good morning. Fifteen and seven make twenty-two. Twenty-two and six make twenty-eight.
I haven't time to light it again. Twenty-six and five make thirty-one. Phew!
Then that makes five-hundred-and-one-million, six-hundred-twenty-two-thousand,
seven-hundred-thirty-one."
"Five hundred million what?" asked the little prince.
"Eh? Are you still there? Five-hundred-and-one million-- I can't stop...
I have so much to do! I am concerned with matters of consequence. I don't amuse myself
with balderdash. Two and five make seven..."
"Five-hundred-and-one million what?" repeated the little prince, who never
in his life had let go of a question once he had asked it.
The businessman raised his head.
"During the fifty-four years that I have inhabited this planet, I have been disturbed
only three times. The first time was twenty-two years ago, when some giddy goose fell
from goodness knows where. He made the most frightful noise that resounded
all over the place, and I made four mistakes in my addition. The second time,
eleven years ago, I was disturbed by an attack of rheumatism. I don't get enough exercise.
I have no time for loafing. The third time-- well, this is it! I was saying, then,
five -hundred-and-one millions--"
"Millions of what?"
The businessman suddenly realized that there was no hope of being left in peace until
he answered this question.
"Millions of those little objects," he said, "which one sometimes sees in the sky."
"Flies?"
"Oh, no. Little glittering objects."
"Bees?"
"Oh, no. Little golden objects that set lazy men to idle dreaming. As for me,
I am concerned with matters of consequence. There is no time for idle dreaming in my life."