| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Reef by Edith Wharton: it was only the type of deed investigated that was
different. Mr. Leath collected his social instances with
the same seriousness and patience as his snuff-boxes. He
exacted a rigid conformity to his rules of non-conformity
and his scepticism had the absolute accent of a dogma. He
even cherished certain exceptions to his rules as the book-
collector prizes a "defective" first edition. The
Protestant church-going of Anna's parents had provoked his
gentle sarcasm; but he prided himself on his mother's
devoutness, because Madame de Chantelle, in embracing her
second husband's creed, had become part of a society which
|
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Albert Savarus by Honore de Balzac: she was talking to Miss Lovelace in Italian.
It was now eleven o'clock at night. The stillness was so perfect on
the lake and around the dwelling, that the two women must have thought
themselves safe; in all Gersau there could be no eyes open but theirs.
Rodolphe supposed that the girl's dumbness must be a necessary
deception. From the way in which they both spoke Italian, Rodolphe
suspected that it was the mother tongue of both girls, and concluded
that the name of English also hid some disguise.
"They are Italian refugees," said he to himself, "outlaws in fear of
the Austrian or Sardinian police. The young lady waits till it is dark
to walk and talk in security."
Albert Savarus |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Pool in the Desert by Sara Jeanette Duncan: to get rid of them.
Brookes was up betimes, however, and sent off the letter. It went
duly, by Surnoo, to Mrs. Innes at 'Two Gables'. Madeline woke at
seven with a start, and asked if it had gone, then slept again
contentedly. So far as she was concerned the thing was finished.
The breakfast gong had sounded, and the English mail had arrived
before she opened her eyes again upon the day's issues; she gave it
her somewhat desultory attention while Brookes did her hair. There
was only one scrap of news. Adele mentioned in a postscript that
poor Mr. Prendergast's money was likely to go to a distant relative,
it having transpired that he died without leaving a will.
|
