| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from A Drama on the Seashore by Honore de Balzac: of everything. During one of his father's fishing-trips Jacques
carried off all she had, furniture, pots and pans, sheets, linen,
everything; he sold it to go to Nantes and carry on his capers there.
The poor mother wept day and night. This time it couldn't be hidden
from the father, and she feared him--not for herself, you may be sure
of that. When Pierre Cambremer came back and saw furniture in his
house which the neighbors had lent to his wife, he said,--
"'What is all this?'
"The poor woman, more dead than alive, replied:
"'We have been robbed.'
"'Where is Jacques?'
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Silas Marner by George Eliot: in large variegated waistcoats, and ruddy sons, for the most part
shy and sheepish, in short nether garments and very long coat-tails.
Already Mr. Macey and a few other privileged villagers, who were
allowed to be spectators on these great occasions, were seated on
benches placed for them near the door; and great was the admiration
and satisfaction in that quarter when the couples had formed
themselves for the dance, and the Squire led off with
Mrs. Crackenthorp, joining hands with the rector and Mrs. Osgood.
That was as it should be--that was what everybody had been used to--
and the charter of Raveloe seemed to be renewed by the ceremony.
It was not thought of as an unbecoming levity for the old and
 Silas Marner |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Ten Years Later by Alexandre Dumas: with men of straw? Corne de boeuf! stand on one side, and
you shall see how this is to be done."
"Peste!" said D'Artagnan, "will he pretend to raise that
rock? that would be a sight worth looking at."
The workmen, as commanded by the engineer, drew back with
their ears down, and shaking their heads, with the exception
of the one who held the plank, who prepared to perform the
office. The man with the feathers went up to the stone,
stooped, slipped his hands under the face lying upon the
ground, stiffened his Herculean muscles, and without a
strain, with a slow motion, like that of a machine, he
 Ten Years Later |