第8部分

請關閉瀏覽器的閱讀/暢讀/小說模式並且關閉廣告遮蔽過濾功能，避免出現內容無法顯示或者段落錯亂。

〃You　are　a　very　irritating　person；〃　said　the　Rocket；　〃and　very　ill…　bred。

I　hate　people　who　talk　about　themselves；　as　you　do；　when　one　wants　to

talk　about　oneself；　as　I　do。　It　is　what　I　call　selfishness；　and　selfishness　is

a　most　detestable　thing；　especially　to　any　one　of　my　temperament；　for　I　am

well　known　for　my　sympathetic　nature。　In　fact；　you　should　take　example

by　me；　you　could　not　possibly　have　a　better　model。　Now　that　you　have

the　chance　you　had　better　avail　yourself　of　it；　for　I　am　going　back　to　Court

almost　immediately。　I　am　a　great　favourite　at　Court；　in　fact；　the　Prince

and　Princess　were　married　yesterday　in　my　honour。　Of　course　you　know

nothing　of　these　matters；　for　you　are　a　provincial。〃

〃There　is　no　good　talking　to　him；〃　said　a　Dragon…fly；　who　was　sitting

on　the　top　of　a　large　brown　bulrush；　〃no　good　at　all；　for　he　has　gone

away。〃

〃Well；　that　is　his　loss；　not　mine；〃　answered　the　Rocket。　〃I　am　not

44

The　Happy　Prince　and　Other　Tales

going　to　stop　talking　to　him　merely　because　he　pays　no　attention。　I　like

hearing　myself　talk。　It　is　one　of　my　greatest　pleasures。　I　often　have

long　conversations　all　by　myself；　and　I　am　so　clever　that　sometimes　I　don't

understand　a　single　word　of　what　I　am　saying。〃

〃Then　you　should　certainly　lecture　on　Philosophy；〃　said　the　Dragon…

fly；　and　he　spread　a　pair　of　lovely　gauze　wings　and　soared　away　into　the

sky。

〃How　very　silly　of　him　not　to　stay　here！〃　said　the　Rocket。　〃I　am　sure

that　he　has　not　often　got　such　a　chance　of　improving　his　mind。　However；　I

don't　care　a　bit。　Genius　like　mine　is　sure　to　be　appreciated　some　day〃；

and　he　sank　down　a　littl