| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf: her husband look at it; for the sight gave her such keen pleasure. But
she stopped herself. He never looked at things. If he did, all he
would say would be, Poor little world, with one of his sighs.
At that moment, he said, "Very fine," to please her, and pretended to
admire the flowers. But she knew quite well that he did not admire
them, or even realise that they were there. It was only to please
her... Ah, but was that not Lily Briscoe strolling along with William
Bankes? She focussed her short-sighted eyes upon the backs of a
retreating couple. Yes, indeed it was. Did that not mean that they
would marry? Yes, it must! What an admirable idea! They must marry!
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 To the Lighthouse |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas: He therefore went down the Rue des Petits Augustins, and came up
to the quay, in order to take the New Bridge. He had at first an
idea of crossing by the ferry; but on gaining the riverside, he
had mechanically put his hand into his pocket, and perceived that
he had not wherewithal to pay his passage.
As he gained the top of the Rue Guenegaud, he saw two persons
coming out of the Rue Dauphine whose appearance very much struck
him. Of the two persons who composed this group, one was a man
and the other a woman. The woman had the outline of Mme.
Bonacieux; the man resembled Aramis so much as to be mistaken for
him.
 The Three Musketeers |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from A Pair of Blue Eyes by Thomas Hardy: sufficiently secure. The abandoned sheets of paper lying as they
did open upon the table, made it possible, as he sat, to read the
few words written on each. One ran thus:
'SIR,--As a woman who was once blest with a dear son of her own, I
implore you to accept a warning----'
Another:
'SIR,--If you will deign to receive warning from a stranger before
it is too late to alter your course, listen to----'
The third:
'SIR,--With this letter I enclose to you another which, unaided by
any explanation from me, tells a startling tale. I wish, however,
 A Pair of Blue Eyes |