第12部分(第4/6 頁)

it　had　a　lovely　and　unusual　stitch。

通往廣場的路不止一條（3）

“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　frie