The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Gods of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs: interrupted his greeting, "that you are back is sufficient,
and let Hor Vastus' sword have the high honour of
being first at thy feet." With these words the noble
fellow unbuckled his scabbard and flung his sword upon
the ground before me.
Could you know the customs and the character of red
Martians you would appreciate the depth of meaning that
that simple act conveyed to me and to all about us who
witnessed it. The thing was equivalent to saying, "My
sword, my body, my life, my soul are yours to do with as
you wish. Until death and after death I look to you alone
 The Gods of Mars |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Large Catechism by Dr. Martin Luther: laws], and will not see that the neighbor is thereby placed at a
disadvantage, and must sacrifice what he cannot spare without injury.
Yet there is no one who wishes this to be done to him; from which we
can easily perceive that such devices and pretexts are false.
Thus it was done formerly also with respect to wives: they knew such
devices that if one were pleased with another woman, he personally or
through others (as there were many ways and means to be invented)
caused her husband to conceive a displeasure toward her, or had her
resist him and so conduct herself that he was obliged to dismiss her
and leave her to the other. That sort of thing undoubtedly prevailed
much under the Law, as also we read in the (Gospel of King Herod that
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Black Tulip by Alexandre Dumas: (brave homme), or a brave one (homme brave)?"
"Ah, Monseigneur must excuse me; I would not presume to draw
such a fine distinction in the case of a man whom, I assure
your Highness once more, I know only by sight."
"If this Bowelt is an honest man," his Highness continued,
"he will give to the demand of these furibund petitioners a
very queer reception."
The nervous quiver of his hand, which moved on the shoulder
of his companion as the fingers of a player on the keys of a
harpsichord, betrayed his burning impatience, so ill
concealed at certain times, and particularly at that moment,
 The Black Tulip |