| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Professor by Charlotte Bronte: thing, and, what was more, I did not care. Frances knew it also,
and, I fear, by an appearance of agitation and trembling, that
she cared much. I drew from my pocket the rolled-up devoir.
"This it, yours, I suppose?" said I, addressing her in English,
for I now felt sure she could speak English.
"Yes," she answered distinctly; and as I unrolled it and laid it
out flat on the desk before her with my hand upon it, and a
pencil in that hand, I saw her moved, and, as it were, kindled;
her depression beamed as a cloud might behind which the sun is
burning.
"This devoir has numerous faults," said I. "It will take you
The Professor |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Odyssey by Homer: far that I had given up all hope, but I can find no landing
place, for the coast is rocky and surf-beaten, the rocks are
smooth and rise sheer from the sea, with deep water close under
them so that I cannot climb out for want of foot hold. I am
afraid some great wave will lift me off my legs and dash me
against the rocks as I leave the water--which would give me a
sorry landing. If, on the other hand, I swim further in search
of some shelving beach or harbour, a hurricane may carry me out
to sea again sorely against my will, or heaven may send some
great monster of the deep to attack me; for Amphitrite breeds
many such, and I know that Neptune is very angry with me."
The Odyssey |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Research Magnificent by H. G. Wells: of games and--Mrs. Skelmersdale and all that had clustered thickly
round him in London had been hiding from him. Those men below there
had not been trusted to choose their work; they had been given it.
And he had been trusted. . . .
And now to grapple with it! Now to get it clear! What work was he
going to do? That settled, he would deal with his distractions
readily enough. Until that was settled he was lax and exposed to
every passing breeze of invitation.
"What work am I going to do? What work am I going to do?" He
repeated it.
It is the only question for the aristocrat. What amusement? That
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