| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Return of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs: "Francois telephoned me to come at once; that you were
in trouble and wanted me."
"Francois? Who in the world is Francois?"
"He said that he was in your service. He spoke as though
I should recall the fact."
"There is no one by that name in my employ. Some one
has played a joke upon you, Jean," and Olga laughed.
"I fear that it may be a most sinister `joke,' Olga," he replied.
"There is more back of it than humor."
"What do you mean? You do not think that--"
"Where is the count?" he interrupted.
The Return of Tarzan |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from On Revenues by Xenophon: exchequer by the sojourners' tax.[3] Nor, under the term careful
handling, do I demand more than the removal of obligations which,
whilst they confer no benefit on the state, have an air of inflicting
various disabilities on the resident aliens.[4] And I would further
relieve them from the obligation of serving as hoplites side by side
with the citizen proper; since, beside the personal risk, which is
great, the trouble of quitting trades and homesteads is no trifle.[5]
Incidentally the state itself would benefit by this exemption, if the
citizens were more in the habit of campaigning with one another,
rather than[6] shoulder to shoulder with Lydians, Phrygians, Syrians,
and barbarians from all quarters of the world, who form the staple of
|
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas: did I tell you?"
"Now," continued he, addressing Planchet, "you have eight
days to get an interview with Lord de Winter; you have eight
days to return--in all sixteen days. If, on the sixteenth
day after your departure, at eight o'clock in the evening
you are not here, no money--even if it be but five minutes
past eight."
"Then, monsieur," said Planchet, "you must buy me a watch."
"Take this," said Athos, with his usual careless generosity,
giving him his own, "and be a good lad. Remember, if you
talk, if you babble, if you get drunk, you risk your
The Three Musketeers |
