Chapter XI

The second planet was inhabited by a conceited man:

"Ah! Ah! Here is the visit of an admirer! Exclaimed the vanity from a distance as soon as he saw the little prince.

For, for the conceited, other men are admirers.

"Good morning," said the little prince. You have a funny hat.

"It is to salute," replied the conceited. It is to greet when I am acclaimed. Unfortunately it never passes anybody here.

- Ah yes ? Said the little prince, who did not understand.

"Strike your hands one against the other," advised the conceited man.

The little prince struck his hands against each other. The conceited man modestly saluted his hat.

"This is more amusing than the visit to the king," said the little prince to himself. And he began again to strike his hands one against the other. The conceited man began to salute, raising his hat.

After five minutes of exercise the little prince got tired of the monotony of the game:

"And so that the hat falls," he asked, "what is to be done? "

But the vain did not hear it. Vainites never hear anything but praise.

"Do you really admire me a lot? He asked the little prince.

- What does it mean to admire?

- To admire means to recognize that I am the most beautiful, the best dressed, the richest and the most intelligent man on the planet.

- But you're alone on your planet!

- Make me this pleasure. Admire me anyway!

"I admire you," said the little prince, shrugging his shoulders a little, "but how can that interest you?"

And the little prince departed.

"The grown-ups are decidedly bizarre," he told himself simply during his journey.