| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Secrets of the Princesse de Cadignan by Honore de Balzac: which I have no longer teeth. Yes, I found myself disenchanted with
the world at the very moment when I was forced to leave it.
Providential, was it not? like all those strange insensibilities which
prepare us for death" (she made a gesture full of pious unction). "All
things served me then," she continued; "the disasters of the monarchy
and its ruin helped me to bury myself. My son consoles me for much.
Maternal love takes the place of all frustrated feelings. The world is
surprised at my retirement, but to me it has brought peace. Ah! if you
knew how happy the poor creature before you is in this little place.
In sacrificing all to my son I forget to think of joys of which I am
and ever must be ignorant. Yes, hope has flown, I now fear everything;
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Domestic Peace by Honore de Balzac: Besides, Martial, she expressly told me that she did not intend to
dance."
"Colonel, I will bet a hundred napoleons to your gray horse that she
will dance with me this evening."
"Done!" said the Colonel, putting his hand in the coxcomb's.
"Meanwhile I am going to look for Soulanges; he perhaps knows the
lady, as she seems interested in him."
"You have lost, my good fellow," cried Martial, laughing. "My eyes
have met hers, and I know what they mean. My dear friend, you owe me
no grudge for dancing with her after she has refused you?"
"No, no. Those who laugh last, laugh longest. But I am an honest
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Domestic Peace by Honore de Balzac: dupe of this old woman, so cunning and so practised in intrigue.
"That perfidious Duchess," said she to herself, "has perhaps been
amusing herself by preaching morality to me while playing me some
spiteful trick of her own."
At this thought Madame de Vaudremont's pride was perhaps more roused
than her curiosity to disentangle the thread of this intrigue. In the
absorption of mind to which she was a prey she was no longer mistress
of herself. The Colonel, interpreting to his own advantage the
embarrassment evident in the Countess' manner and speech, became more
ardent and pressing. The old blase diplomates, amusing themselves by
watching the play of faces, had never found so many intrigues at once
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