Many years after receiving my graduate degree, I returned to the State University of New York at Binghamton as a faculty¹ member. One day in a crowded elevator, someone remarked on its inefficiency². 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 compassionate³ pat on my back, and turned to see an elderly nun⁴ smiling at me. "You'll get that degree, dear," she whispered. "Perseverance⁵ is a virtue⁶."

获取研究生学位多年以后，我回到位于宾翰顿的纽约州立大学当教员。一天，电梯里很拥挤，有人抱怨电梯效率太低。我说自我在那里当学生起，20年来电梯一直没有换过。

最后当电梯门打开时，我感到有人在我的背上同情地拍了一下，回过头来我看到一位年长的修女正在朝我微笑。“你会拿到学位的，亲爱的，”她低声说道：“坚持不懈是一种美德。”