"But what does" ephemeral "mean? Repeated the little prince, who had never given up a question in his life once he had asked it.

- It means "who is threatened with the near disappearance".

- My flower is threatened with disappearance soon?

- Of course. 

"My flower is ephemeral," thought the little prince, "and she has only four thorns to defend herself against the world! And I left her alone with me! "

This was his first movement of regret. But he resumed his courage:

"What do you advise me to visit?" He asked.

"Planet Earth," replied the geographer. She has a good reputation ... "

And the little prince went away, thinking of his flower.

XVI

The seventh planet was therefore the Earth.

The Earth is not a planet of any kind! There are a hundred and eleven kings (not forgetting, of course, the Negro kings), seven thousand geographers, nine hundred thousand businessmen, seven and a half million drunkards, three hundred and eleven million vain, About two billion large people.