第12部分(第3/6 頁)

why。

“Look　down；　Elsa。”　Father　said。　I　gathered　all　my　courage　and　looked　down。　I　saw　the　square　in　the　center　of　the　village。　And　I　saw　the　crisscross　of　twisting；　turning　streets　leading　to　the　square。

“See；　my　dear；”　Father　said　gently。　“There　is　more　than　one　way　to　the　square。　Life　is　like　that。　If　you　can’t　get　to　the　place　where　you　want　to　go　by　one　road；　try　another。”

Now　I　understood　why　I　was　there。　Earlier　that　day　I　had　begged　my　mother　to　do　something　about　the　awful　lunches　that　were　served　at　school。　But　she　refused　because　she　could　not　believe　the　lunches　were　as　bad　as　I　said。

When　I　turned　to　Father　for　help；　he　would　not　interfere。　Instead；　he　brought　me　to　this　high　tower　to　give　me　a　lesson—the　value　of　an　open；　searching　mind。　By　the　time　we　reached　home；　I　had　a　plan。

At　school　the　next　day；　I　secretly　poured　my　luncheon　soup　into　a　bottle　and　brought　it　home。　Then　I　talked　the　cook　into　serving　it　to　Mother　at　dinner。　The　plan　worked　perfectly。　She　swallowed　one　spoonful　and　sputtered。　“The　cook　must　have　gone　mad！”　Quickly　I　told　what　I　had　done；　and　Mother　stated　firmly　that　she　would　take　up　the　matter　of　lunches　at　school　the　next　day！

In　the　years　that　followed　I　often　remembered　the　lesson　Father　taught　me。　I　knew　where　I　wanted　to　go　in　life。　I　wanted　to　be　a　fashion　designer。　And　on　the　way　to　my　first　small　success　I　found　the　road　blocked。　What　could　I　do？　Accept　the　roadblock　and　fail。　Or　use　imagination　and　wits　to　find　another　road　to　my　goal。

I　had　e　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