如何把握每次時機 0n ti r the triuh f rtne (第1/5頁)
常青藤語言教學中心編譯提示您：看後求收藏（貓撲小說www.mpzw.tw），接着再看更方便。
R奧裏森·馬登
OrisonMarden
Caesarsdelaytoreadamessagecosthimhislifewhenhereachedthesenatehouse。
“Delayshavedangerousends。”ColonelRahl，theHessiancommanderatTrenton，waslayingcardswhenamessengerbroughtaletterstatingthatWashingtonwascrossingtheDelaware。Heuttheletterinhisocketwithoutreadingituntilthegamewasfnished，whenheralliedhismenonlytodiejustbeforehistroosweretakenrisoners。Onlyafewminutesdelay，buthelosthonor，liberty，andlife!
Successisthechildoftwoverylainarents—unctualityandaccuracy。Therearecriticalmomentsineverysuccessfullifewhenifthemindhesitatesoranervefinchesallwillbelost。
Naoleonlaidgreatstressuonthat“surememoment，”that“nickoftime”whichoccursineverybattle，totakeadvantageofwhichmeansvictory，andtoloseinhesitationmeansdisaster。HesaidthathebeattheAustriansbecausetheydidnotknowthevalueoffveminutes；andithasbeensaidthatamongthetriflesthatconsiredtodefeathimatWaterloo，thelossofafewmomentsbyhimselfandGrouchyonthefatalmorningwerethemostsignificant。Blucherwasontime，andGrouchywaslate。ItwasenoughtosendNaoleontoSt。Helena。
Itisawell-knowntruismthathasalmostbeenelevatedtothedignityofamaxim，thatwhatmaybedoneatanytimewillbedoneatnotime。
“Thefactis，”saystheRev。SydneySmith，“that，inordertodoanythinginthisworldworthdoing，wemustnotstandshiveringonthebank，andthinkingofthecoldandthedanger，butjuminandscramblethroughaswellaswecan。Itwillnotdotobeeretuallycalculatingrisksandadjustingnicechances。Itdidallverywellbeforethefood，butatresentamanwaits，anddoubts，andhesitates，andconsultshisbrother，andhisuncle，andhiscousin，andhisarticularfriends，till，onefineday，hefindsthatheissixty-fiveyearsofage，—thathehaslostsomuch。”
Theenergywastedinostoninguntiltomorrowadutyoftoday，wouldoftendothework。Howmuchharderandmoredisagreeable，too，itistodoworkwhichhasbeenutoff。Whatwouldhavebeendoneatthetimewithleasureorevenenthusiasmbecomesdrudgeryafterithasbeendelayedfordaysandweeks。Letterscanneverbeansweredsoeasilyaswhenfrstreceived。Manylargefrmsmakeitarulenevertoallowalettertolieunansweredovernight。Promtnesstakesthedrudgeryoutofanoccuation。
Puttingoffusuallymeansleavingoff，andgoingtodobecomesgoingundone。Doingadeedislikesowingaseed；ifnotdoneatjusttherighttimeitwillbeforeveroutofseason。Thesummerofeternitywillnotbelongenoughtobringtomaturitythefruitofadelayedaction。Ifastarorlanetweredelayedonesecond，itmightthrowthewholeuniverseoutofharmony。
