|
The excerpt represents the core issue or deciding factor on which you must meditate, and is drawn from An Historical Mystery by Honore de Balzac: cause of the general reticence, but the habit of dealing with public
matters had given him a certain tact; he was moreover a clever man; he
saw that his presence was embarrassing to the company and he took
leave. De Marsay, standing with his back to the fire, watched the slow
departure of the old man in a manner which revealed the gravity of his
thoughts.
"I did wrong, madame, not to tell you the name of my negotiator," said
the prime minister, listening for the sound of Malin's wheels as they
rolled away. "But I will redeem my fault and give you the means of
making your peace with the Cinq-Cygnes. It is now thirty years since
the affair I am about to speak of took place; it is as old to the
|
