One fine afternoon I was walking along Fifth Avenue，when I remembered that it was necessary to buy a pair of socks. I turned into the first sock shop that caught my eye，and a boy clerk who could not have been more than seventeen years old came forward. “What can I do for you，sir?”“I wish to buy a pair of socks.” His eyes glowed. There was a note of passion in his voice. “Did you know that you had come into the finest place in the world to buy socks.”I had not been aware of that，as my Entrance examination had been accidental. “Come with me，” said the boy，ecstatically. I followed him to the rear of the shop，and he began to haul down from the shelves box after box，displaying their contents for my delectation.

“Hold on，lad，I am going to buy only one pair!”“I know that，”said he，“but I want you to see how marvelously beautiful these are. Aren’t they wonderful?” There was on his face an expression of solemn and holy rapture， as if he were revealing to me the mysteries of his religion. I became far more interested in him than in the socks. I looked at him in amazement. “My friend，”said I，“if you can keep this up，if this is not merely the enthusiasm that comes from novelty，from having a new job，if you can keep up this zeal and excitement day after day， in ten years you will own every sock in the United States.”

一天下午，我走在第五大街，忽然想起要买一双袜子。第一家袜店吸引了我然后我走进去，一名可能未超过17岁的男店员朝我走来， “我能为你做什么，先生?”“我想买一双袜子。”他的眼睛闪闪发光，声音里充满了热情。 “你知道吗，你来到了世界上最好的买袜子的地方。”我没有意识到这点，就像高考意外的到来一样。 “跟我来，”男孩欣喜若狂地说，我跟他来到店后面，他从架子上降下箱子，他开始后箱从货架中降下，愉快得向我展示着里面的东西。

“等等，小伙子，我只买一双!”“我知道，”他说，“但我想让你看到它们是多么美丽奇妙，难道它们棒吗?“他脸上满是庄严而虔诚的表情，好像在向我透露他宗教的奥秘，我对他感兴趣远远超过了袜子。我吃惊地看着他。 “我的朋友，”我说，“如果你能这样保持下去，如果这不仅仅是对于新奇事物的热情，从事一份新的工作，如果你能日复一日保持这种热情和激情，十年内美国的每一个袜子都是你的。“