| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Tales of Unrest by Joseph Conrad: straight before him. Left whom? Who called? We did not know. We could
not understand. I said at all hazards--
"Be firm."
The sound of my voice seemed to steady him into a sudden rigidity, but
otherwise he took no notice. He seemed to listen, to expect something
for a moment, then went on--
"He cannot come here--therefore I sought you. You men with white faces
who despise the invisible voices. He cannot abide your unbelief and
your strength."
He was silent for a while, then exclaimed softly--
"Oh! the strength of unbelievers!"
Tales of Unrest |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Gobseck by Honore de Balzac: avenger, the apparition of Remorse. So much for hypotheses. I reached
the house.
" ' "Madame la Comtesse is asleep," says the maid.
" ' "When can I see her?"
" ' "At twelve o'clock."
" ' "Is Madame la Comtesse ill?"
" ' "No, sir, but she only came home at three o'clock this morning
from a ball."
" ' "My name is Gobseck, tell her that I shall call again at twelve
o'clock," and I went out, leaving traces of my muddy boots on the
carpet which covered the paved staircase. I like to leave mud on a
Gobseck |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Cruise of the Jasper B. by Don Marquis: not aware that he had given a start and frowned.
"Mercy!" exclaimed Lady Agatha, "how the dear man glares! What
should I call it? Scow?"
"Scow?" said Cleggett. He had scarcely recovered from the word
"barge"; it is not to be denied that "scow" jarred upon him even
more than "barge" had done.
"I beg your pardon," said Lady Agatha, "but what IS the Jasper
B., Mr. Cleggett?"
"The Jasper B. is a schooner," said Cleggett. He tried to say it
casually, but he was conscious as he spoke that there was a trace
of hurt surprise in his voice. The most generous and chivalrous
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