张超 供稿

One day Albert Einstein had to be in bed， because he was ill. His father went to town on business. In a shop window， he noticed a small compass. His father thought， “Ah， that might interest Albert， perhaps the little box with the ‘magic’ needle will catch his attention for a while.”

一天，阿尔伯特·爱因斯坦因病卧床。他的父亲进城出差，在一家商店窗口，他注意到一个小小的指南针。父亲心想：“啊，这枚指南针兴许会使阿尔伯特感兴趣的，也许这个装有‘魔力’针的小盒子可以帮他解闷的。”

Einstein’s father bought the simple pocket compass home. “See what I have bought for you， my boy. A mysterious2 box with a magic needle.”

爱因斯坦的父亲把这枚简单的袖珍指南针买回家。“孩子，看看我给你买的什么。这是一个拥有魔力针的神奇盒子。”

Albert took the box and put it in his palm. He turned it one way， then another. Anyway the needle returned gently to point in the same direction.

阿尔伯特接过盒子捧在手里，他朝一个方向转动它，接着又朝向另一个方向转动。但不管他怎样转动，指南针总是轻轻地回到同一个方向。

Albert lay in bed with the compass. Slowly he turned it. He tapped it. No matter what he did， the needle always swung3 around to point north.

阿尔伯特捧着指南针躺在床上。他慢慢地转动，轻轻敲打，但是无论他怎样摆弄，指针却总是会回到原来指北的位置。

For the first time， he sensed that there were things in nature that could not be seen， could not be touched—could hardly be imagined. There had to be something in space to move the little needle！And space was empty！His uncle had said so. But then space could not be empty if it had a force that could pull a compass needle.

他第一次感觉到在自然界中有某种看不到、摸不着、甚至是难以想象的东西存在。太空中肯定存在使小磁针转动的的力量。太空中什么也没有，他的叔叔也曾这样说过。可是如果有什么力量吸引磁针的话，那太空就不可能是空的。

His compass became his dearest and fascinating thing. It was the compass that introduced to him the world of science.

他的指南针成了他最珍爱而又吸引人的东西。是这枚指南针为他打开了科学世界的大门。