第3章 To Leon Werth 献给雷昂·维尔特

I ask the indulgence of the children who may read this book for dedicating it to a grown-up. I have a serious reason: he is the best friend I have in the world. I have another reason: this grown-up understands everything, even books about children. I have a third reason: he lives in France where he is hungry and cold. He needs cheering up. If all these reasons are not enough, I will dedicate the book to the child from whom this grown-up grew. All grown-ups were once children-although few of them remember it. And so I correct my dedication:

To Leon Werth when he was a little boy

我请求小读者们原谅我把这本书献给了一个成年人。我有一个正当的理由，该得到大家的谅解，因为这个人是我在世界上最要好的朋友；我还有另一个理由，那就是这个人善解一切，甚至善解专为儿童写的书；我的第三个理由则是，这个人住在法国，过着饥寒交迫的生活，需要得到安慰。如果这几条理由还不充足的话，那我就愿意把这本书献给曾经做过儿童的那个成年人。所有的成年人本来都是儿童，可惜很少有成年人还记得这一点。因此，我不妨把我的题词改为：

献给雷昂·维尔特

当他还是一个小男孩的时候