| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Art of War by Sun Tzu: his movements and deceived both friend and foe."]
19. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when
using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we
must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we
must make him believe we are near.
20. Hold out baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder,
and crush him.
[All commentators, except Chang Yu, say, "When he is in
disorder, crush him." It is more natural to suppose that Sun Tzu
is still illustrating the uses of deception in war.]
21. If he is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If
The Art of War |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Black Arrow by Robert Louis Stevenson: his brown face, in the clearness and shrewdness of his eyes, that
moved Dick to obey him; and from first to last the lad told him the
story of his two days' adventures.
"Well," said Ellis, when he had done, "see what the kind saints
have done for you, Dick Shelton, not alone to save your body in so
numerous and deadly perils, but to bring you into my hands that
have no dearer wish than to assist your father's son. Be but true
to me - and I see y' are true - and betwixt you and me, we shall
bring that false-heart traitor to the death."
"Will ye assault the house?" asked Dick.
"I were mad, indeed, to think of it," returned Ellis. "He hath too
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Tarzan the Untamed by Edgar Rice Burroughs: we should plan only upon continuing to live. Because we
remain here and rest is no indication that we shall die here.
I cannot carry you both to the country of the Wamabos, which
is the nearest spot at which we may expect to find game and
water, but we shall not give up on that account. So far we
have found a way. Let us take things as they come. Let us
rest now because you and Lieutenant Smith-Oldwick need the
rest, and when you are stronger we will go on again."
"But the Xujans --?" she asked, "may they not follow us
here?"
"Yes," he said, "they probably will. But we need not be
Tarzan the Untamed |
