Chapter 24

           Itwasnowtheeighthdaysincemycrashlandinginthedesert,andI’dlistenedtothestoryaboutthesalesclerkasIwasdrinkingthelastdropofmywatersupply. 

           "Ah,"Isaidtothelittleprince,"yourmemoriesareverypleasant,butIhaven’tyetrepairedmyplane. Ihavenothinglefttodrink,andI,too,wouldbegladtowalkveryslowlytowardawaterfountain!" 

           "Myfriendthefoxtoldme-" 

           "Littlefellow,thishasnothingtodowiththefox!" 

           "Why?" 

           "Becausewe’regoingtodieofthirst." 

           Thelittleprincedidn’tfollowmyreasoning,andansweredme, "It’sgoodtohavehadafriend,evenifyou’regoingtodie. Myself,I’mverygladtohavehadafoxforafriend." 

           "Hedoesn’trealizethedanger,"Isaidtomyself. "He’sneverhungryorthirsty. Alittlesunlightisenoughforhim..." 

           Butthelittleprincelookedatmeandansweredmythought. "I’mthirsty,too...Let’sfindawell..." 

           Imadeanexasperatedgesture. Itisabsurdlookingforawell,atrandom,inthevastnessofthedesert. Butevenso,westartedwalking. 

           Whenwehadwalkedforseveralhoursinsilence,nightfellandstarsbegantoappear. Inoticedthemasinadream,beingsomewhatfeverishonaccountofmythirst. Thelittleprince’swordsdancedinmymemory.