Chapter 13

           Thefourthplanetbelongedtoabusinessman. Thispersonwassobusythathedidn’tevenraisehisheadwhenthelittleprincearrived. 

           "Hello,"saidthelittleprince. "Yourcigarette’sgoneout." 

           "Threeandtwomakefive. Fiveandseven,twelve. Twelveandthree,fifteen. Hello.Fifteenandseven,twenty-two. Twenty-twoandsix,twenty-eight.Notimetolightitagain. Twenty-sixandfive,thirty-one. Whew!Thatamountstofive-hundred-and-onemillion,sixhundred-twenty-twothousand,sevenhundredthirty-one." 

           "Five-hundredmillionwhat?" 

           "Hmm?You’restillthere?Five-hundred-and-onemillion... Idon’tremember...Ihavesomuchworktodo! I’maseriousman.Ican’tbebotheredwithtrifles! Twoandfive,seven..." 

           "Five-hundred-and-onemillionwhat?" repeatedthelittleprince,whohadneverinhislifeletgoofaquestiononcehehadaskedit. 

           Thebusinessmanraisedhishead. 

           "Forthefifty-fouryearsI’veinhabitedthisplanet,I’vebeeninterruptedonlythreetimes. Thefirsttimewastwenty-twoyearsago,whenIwasinterruptedbyabeetlethathadfallenontomydeskfromgodknowswhere. Itmadeaterriblenoise,andImadefourmistakesinmycalculations. Thesecondtimewaselevenyearsago,whenIwasinterruptedbyafitofrheumatism. Idon’tgetenoughexercise.Ihaven’ttimetotakestrolls.I’maseriousperson. Thethirdtime...isrightnow!WherewasI?Fivehundred-and-onemillion..." 

           "Millionwhat?"