| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Voice of the City by O. Henry: you were bridal-touring?
"Got back yesterday. I'm a solid citizen now.
Think I'll take an interest in municipal doings. How
would it suit you to get into Denver Dick's place to-
night, Cap?
"Past performances," said the captain, twisting his
moustache. "Denver was closed up two months ago."
"Correct," said the Kid. "Rafferty chased him
out of the Forty-third. He's running in your pre-
cinct now, and his game's bigger than ever. I'm
down on this gambling business. I can put you
The Voice of the City |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Lesser Bourgeoisie by Honore de Balzac: dine with him. The notary estimated the fortunes which would
eventually fall to Celeste at seven hundred thousand francs. Vinet
junior appeared charmed to obtain the right to visit the Thuilliers on
Sundays. Great dowries make men commit great and unbecoming follies
without reserve or decency in these days.
Ten minutes later another young man, who had been talking with
Thuillier before the arrival of Olivier Vinet, raised his voice
eagerly, in a political discussion, and forced the young magistrate to
follow his example in the vivacious argument which now ensued. The
matter related to the vote by which the Chamber of Deputies had just
overthrown the ministry of the 12th of May, refusing the allowance
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte: completely; and there was no prevailing on him to take a step in
the way of moving upward, when he found he must, necessarily, sink
beneath his former level. Then personal appearance sympathised
with mental deterioration: he acquired a slouching gait and
ignoble look; his naturally reserved disposition was exaggerated
into an almost idiotic excess of unsociable moroseness; and he took
a grim pleasure, apparently, in exciting the aversion rather than
the esteem of his few acquaintance.
Catherine and he were constant companions still at his seasons of
respite from labour; but he had ceased to express his fondness for
her in words, and recoiled with angry suspicion from her girlish
Wuthering Heights |
