| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from A Pair of Blue Eyes by Thomas Hardy: stood in the midst, beginning to feel somewhat depressed by the
society of Luxellian shades of cadaverous complexion fixed by
Holbein, Kneller, and Lely, and seeming to gaze at and through her
in a moralizing mood. The silence, which cast almost a spell upon
them, was broken by the sudden opening of a door at the far end.
Out bounded a pair of little girls, lightly yet warmly dressed.
Their eyes were sparkling; their hair swinging about and around;
their red mouths laughing with unalloyed gladness.
'Ah, Miss Swancourt: dearest Elfie! we heard you. Are you going
to stay here? You are our little mamma, are you not--our big mamma
is gone to London,' said one.
 A Pair of Blue Eyes |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from In a German Pension by Katherine Mansfield: their hooks along the walls before Herr Lehmann appeared at seven-thirty
and opened business.
As a rule his wife served in the shop leading into the cafe, but she had
chosen the quiet season to have a baby, and, a big woman at the best of
times, she had grown so enormous in the process that her husband told her
she looked unappetising, and had better remain upstairs and sew.
Sabina took on the extra work without any thought of extra pay. She loved
to stand behind the counter, cutting up slices of Anna's marvellous
chocolate-spotted confections, or doing up packets of sugar almonds in pink
and blue striped bags.
"You'll get varicose veins, like me," said Anna. "That's what the Frau's
|
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Circular Staircase by Mary Roberts Rinehart: did not trust me. There was nothing friendly in the glance he
turned on me.
"Yes, yes. You will be protected. But, first of all, did you
bring what you promised?"
Riggs produced a roll of papers from under his coat, and handed
them over. Mr. Jamieson examined them with lively satisfaction,
and passed them to me. "The blue-prints of Sunnyside," he said.
"What did I tell you? Now, Riggs, we are ready."
"I'd never have come to you, Mr. Jamieson," he began, "if it
hadn't been for Miss Armstrong. When Mr. Innes was spirited
away, like, and Miss Louise got sick because of it, I
 The Circular Staircase |