“Hello,” said the little prince. 🔊✎
“Hello,” said the switchman. 🔊✎
“What do you do here?” asked the little prince. 🔊✎
“I sort out travellers in packages of a thousand each,” said the switchman. 🔊✎ “I send off the trains that are carrying them, sometimes to the left, sometimes to the right.” 🔊✎ And an express, all lit up and roaring like thunder, made the switchman’s cabin shake as it went by. 🔊✎
“They’re in a hurry,” said the little prince. “What are they looking for?” 🔊✎
“Not even the engine-driver knows,” said the switchman. 🔊✎
Another express thundered by in the opposite direction. 🔊✎
“Are they back already?” asked the little prince. 🔊✎
“That’s not the same train,” said the switchman. “It’s the exchange.” 🔊✎
“Didn’t they like it where they were?” 🔊✎
“No one likes it where they are,” said the switchman. 🔊✎
A third express thundered by. 🔊✎
“They’re chasing the first one?” asked the little prince. 🔊✎
“They’re not chasing anything,” said the switchman. “They’re asleep in there, or at least they’re yawning. 🔊✎ It’s just the children who are pressing their noses against the windows.” 🔊✎
“Only children know what they’re looking for,” said the little prince. 🔊✎ “They waste their time playing with a rag doll until they care about it so much that they cry if you take it away from them…” 🔊✎