Virtue

　　Many years after receiving my graduate degree, I returned to the State University of New York at Binghamton as a faculty member. One day in a crowded elevator, someone remarked on its inefficiency. I said the elevators had not changed in the 20 years since I began there as a student.

　　When the door finally opened, I felt a compassionate pat on my back, and turned to see an elderly nun smiling at me. "You'll get that degree, dear," she whispered. "Perseverance is a virtue."

　　美 德

　　獲取研究生學(xué)位多年以后，我回到位于賓翰頓的紐約州立大學(xué)當(dāng)教員。一天，電梯里很擁擠，有人抱怨電梯效率太低。我說自我在那里當(dāng)學(xué)生起，20年來電梯一直沒有換過。

　　最后當(dāng)電梯門打開時，我感到有人在我的背上同情地拍了一下，回過頭來我看到一位年長的修女正在朝我微笑。“你會拿到學(xué)位的，親愛的，”她低聲說道：“堅持不懈是一種美德。”