| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Little Rivers by Henry van Dyke: depart, and tapping his forefinger solemnly upon my shoulder,
delivered himself as follows:--
"You can say a proud thing when you go home, M'sieu'--that you have
beaten the old Castonnier. There are not many fishermen who can
say that. "But," he added, with confidential emphasis, "c'etait
votre sacre p'tit poisson qui a fait cela."
That was a touch of human nature, my rusty old guardian, more
welcome to me than all the morning's catch. Is there not always a
"confounded little minnow" responsible for our failures? Did you
ever see a school-boy tumble on the ice without stooping
immediately to re-buckle the strap of his skates? And would not
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Early Short Fiction of Edith Wharton by Edith Wharton: accompanied by unmistakable signs of apprehension.
"Poor girl!" he thought, "she is in a worse case than I imagined,
and whatever happens I must keep her secret."
He turned to the Senator with a deep bow. "I am not," said he,
"in the habit of showing my private correspondence to strangers."
The Count interpreted these words, and Donna Polixena's father,
dashing his hand on his hilt, broke into furious invective, while
the Marquess continued to nurse his outraged feelings aloof.
The Count shook his head funereally. "Alas, sir, it is as I
feared. This is not the first time that youth and propinquity
have led to fatal imprudence. But I need hardly, I suppose,
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Richard III by William Shakespeare: On me, that halts and am misshapen thus?
My dukedom to a beggarly denier,
I do mistake my person all this while.
Upon my life, she finds, although I cannot,
Myself to be a marv'llous proper man.
I'll be at charges for a looking-glass,
And entertain a score or two of tailors
To study fashions to adorn my body.
Since I am crept in favour with myself,
I will maintain it with some little cost.
But first I'll turn yon fellow in his grave,
Richard III |
