I had come to Paris， the center of the world of fashion， with my sketches. But none of the famous fashion designers seemed interested in buying them. Then one day I met a friend who was wearing a very beautiful sweater. It was plain in color， but it had a lovely and unusual stitch.
“Did you knit that sweater？”I asked her.
“No.”she answered.“It was done by a woman here in Paris.” “What an interesting stitch！”I continued.
My friend had an explanation.“The woman her name is Mrs. Vidian- told me she learned the stitch in Armenia， her native country.”
Suddenly I pictured a daring design knitted into such a sweater. Then an even more daring idea came to me. Why not open my own house of fashion？ Why not design， make and sell clothes from the house of Schiaparelli！ I would do it， and I would begin with a sweater.
I drew a bold black and white butterfly pattern and took it to Mrs.
Vidian. She knitted it into a sweater. The result， I thought， was wonderful. Then came the test. I wore the sweater to a luncheon which people in the fashion business would attend. To my great pleasure， the sweater was noticed. In fact， the representative of a large New York store wanted 40 sweaters to be ready in two weeks. I accepted the order and walked out on a cloud of happiness.
My cloud disappeared suddenly， however， when I stood in front of Mrs. Vidian.“But it took me almost a week to knit that one sweater.”she said，“Forty sweaters in two weeks？ It is not possible！”
I was crushed to be so close to success and then to be blocked！ Sadly I walked away. All at once I stopped short. There must be another way. This stitch did take special skill. But surely there must be other Armenian women in Paris who knew how to do it.
I went back to Mrs. Vidian and explained my plan. She really didn’t think it would work， but she agreed to help.
We were like detectives， Mrs. Vidian and I. We put ourselves on the trail of any Armenians who lived in Paris. One friend led us to another. At last we tracked down women， each of whom could knit the special stitch. Two weeks later the sweaters were finished. And the first shipment from the new house of Schiaparelli was on its way to the United States！
From that day， a steady stream of clothes and perfumes flowed from the house of Schiaparelli. I found the world of fashion gay and exciting， full of challenge and adventure. I shall never forget one showing which was really a challenge. Once again father‘s advice helped me. I was busy getting ready to show my winter fashions. Then just 13 days before the presentation， the sewing girls were called out on strike. I found myself left with one tailor and woman who was in charge of the sewing room！ I was as gloomy as my models and salesgirls.“We’ll never make it.”One ofthem cried.
Here， I thought， is the test of all tests for father‘s advice. Where is the way out this time？ I wondered and worried. I was certain we would have to call off the presentation or else show the clothes unfinished. Then it dawned on me. Why not show the clothes unfinished？
We worked hurriedly. And， exactly 13 days later， right on time， the Schiaparelli showing took place.
What a showing it was！ Some coats had no sleeves； others had only one. Many of our clothes were still in an early stage. They were only patterns made of heavy cotton cloth. But on these we pinned sketches and pieces of material. In this way we were able to show that what colors and textures the clothes would have when they were finished.
All in all， the showing was different. It was so different that it was a great success. Our unusual showing caught the attention of the public， and orders for the clothes poured in.
Father’s wise words had guided me once again. There is more than one way to the square always.
通往广场的路不止一条。就像生命，如果你从一条路无法达到所期望的地方，就换一条试试。
（参考翻译）佚名
我们站在教堂的塔顶上。我的爸爸带我来到这座意大利小城，这儿离我们罗马的家不远。我奇怪为什么带我来这里呢。
“看下面，艾尔莎。”爸爸说。我鼓起自己所有的勇气向下望去，只见村庄中央的广场有各种交错、扭曲、弯转的道路通向它。
“看，亲爱的孩子，”爸爸温和地说，“通往广场的路不止一条。就像生命，如果你从一条路无法达到所期望的地方，就换一条试试。”
此时我明白了我为什么在那里。那天的早些时候，我曾请求妈妈为我们学校提供的可怕午餐提些建议，可她拒绝了，因为她不相信学校的午餐真像我描述的那么糟糕。
当我转向爸爸去寻求帮助时，他却并不打算涉入这件事，而是带我来到了这座塔上，给我上了一堂课。当我回到家时，心中有了办法。
第二天上学，我悄悄地把自己午餐的汤倒入一个瓶子带回家。
然后，我与家里的厨师说好将汤在晚餐时给妈妈喝。这个计划进行得很完美。她渴了一勺汤就吐了出来，抗议道：“这厨子肯定是疯了！”我马上将事情的原委讲给她听，然后妈妈就坚决地表明第二天一定会将学校午餐的事反映上去！
在这之后的几年里，我经常想起爸爸教我的这一课。我知道自己的人生想要走向哪里。我想成为一位时装设计师。在我获得第一个小成就的路途中，我发现这条路上的困难，我该怎么办呢？接受这个困难的现实而认输吗？还是用想象力和智慧寻找另一条通往目标的道路？
我来到了巴黎，世界的潮流中心，带上了我的设计草图。但是没有一位著名的时装设计师有兴趣购买它们。后来有一天，我遇到一位穿着一件漂亮外衣的朋友。那件衣服是静面素色的，但是有着非常精美而特别的针织法。
“你织了这件毛衣吗？”“不，是巴黎的一位女士织的。”她回答说。“多么有意思的针织啊！”我继续赞叹道。我的朋友向我解释，那位名叫韦迪恩太太的女士，她是在亚美尼亚--她的祖国学的针织。顿时我脑中浮现出一个大胆的设计织造这样一种毛衣。我还有了一个更大胆的想法：为什么不自己开创一个时装屋呢？为什么不自己设计、制作和销售斯基亚帕雷利时装屋的服装呢？我会这样做的，从一件针织毛线衫开始。
我画出一个宽边的黑白相间的蝴蝶图案，将它带给了韦迪恩太太。她按照它织成了一件毛线衫。那件成品对我来说很棒。而此时，检验来了。我亲自穿着那件上衣出席了一个时装行业人士的午餐会。令我非常高兴的是，这件衣服引起了大家的注意。事实上，一家纽约商铺的代表需要在两周内有40件针织衫。我接下了这笔单子，仿佛踏着喜悦的云彩离去了。
但是那种云雾中的美妙感觉很快消失了。当我站在韦迪恩太太面前时她说：“那件针织衫花了我将近一个礼拜的时间，两周内做40件衣服，是不可能的！”
我感到自己差一点儿就触碰到成功，却被挡住了！我带着悲伤的心情离开，却突然停了下来。一定有另一条道路！这种针织法虽然很特别，但也一定有在巴黎的其他的亚美尼亚妇女知道怎样做。
于是我回到韦迪恩太太那里，向她说明了我的计划。她不相信那样可行，但同意帮助我。
我和韦迪恩太太两人，就像侦探一样，到处搜寻亚美尼亚人在巴黎的踪迹。经不同的朋友介绍，我们终于找到了一些会这种针织法的妇人。两周后，那些衣服做好了！第一批属于新开的斯基亚帕雷利时装屋的品牌服装运往美国了！
从那天起，来自斯基亚帕雷利时装屋的服装与香水开始占据市场。我发现时装世界美丽而刺激，充满了挑战和风险。我永远不会忘记一次非常艰难的展出挑战。父亲的建议又一次帮助了我。那次我忙于准备冬日时装展览，离开展仅13天时，缝纫女孩们罢工了。顿时我发现身边只剩一个裁缝和一个管理女工了。我、我的模特和销售员们情绪都很低落。“我们再也赶不上了！”他们中有人叫道。
我想这就是检测父亲忠告的时候了。这次的道路又在哪儿呢？我怀疑着，担心着。甚至确定了必须取消这次展览了，或者准备展示未完成的服装。然后，我的思绪开始明朗了。为什么不呢？为什么不展览未完成的作品？
我们飞速工作。正好13天以后，展览如期开始。多么有意思的展览啊！有些外衣没有袖子，有的只有单袖。很多衣裳都只停留在初期阶段，只有厚棉布做的图纹。但是在它们上面，别着我们的衣服款式图和布料，这样我们就将完成后的衣服的颜色、质地都展示出来了。
总之，这场展出太与众不同了。实在是一个大成功。我们的特别展出吸引了公众的目光，订单蜂拥而来。
父亲的教诲又一次给我指明了方向，要记住：通往广场的路不止一条。
Raindrops and Rubber Boots 戏水男孩
Anonymous
It‘s often the simple things in life that make the most significant impact on us. Simple things that change our view of life and also change the way we make decisions， leave lasting memories in our minds.
It was late one afternoon in mid-September. My three-month- old son was napping in his crib and I was spending the afternoon getting settled into our new home in Wisconsin. It was a rainy day. Not cold， but a steady drizzle had been falling all morning and into the afternoon.
