| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Camille by Alexandre Dumas: asked the porter if Mlle. Gautier was at home. He replied that
she never came in before eleven or a quarter past eleven. I
looked at my watch. I intended to come quite slowly, and I had
come in five minutes from the Rue de Provence to the Rue d'Antin.
I walked to and fro in the street; there are no shops, and at
that hour it is quite deserted. In half an hour's time
Marguerite arrived. She looked around her as she got down from
her coupe', as if she were looking for some one. The carriage
drove off; the stables were not at the house. Just as Marguerite
was going to ring, I went up to her and said, "Good-evening."
"Ah, it is you," she said, in a tone that by no means reassured
Camille |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Black Tulip by Alexandre Dumas: "Certainly I do."
The magistrate turned round and took a rapid survey of the
whole cabinet.
"Where is the apartment you call your dry-room?" he asked.
"The very same where you now are, Master van Spennen."
The magistrate cast a glance at a small note at the top of
his papers.
"All right," he said, like a man who is sure of his ground.
Then, turning round towards Cornelius, he continued, "Will
you give up those papers to me?"
"But I cannot, Master van Spennen; those papers do not
The Black Tulip |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Unconscious Comedians by Honore de Balzac: "Don't laugh, Gazonal," said Leon as they reached the foot of the
staircase, whence his eye could take in the whole of the Place de la
Bourse. "I see over there one of our great men, and you shall compare
his language with that of the barber, and tell me which of the two you
think the most original."
"Don't laugh, Gazonal," said Bixiou, mimicking Leon's intonation.
"What do you suppose is Marius's business?"
"Hair-dressing."
"He has obtained a monopoly of the sale of hair in bulk, as a certain
dealer in comestibles who is going to sell us a pate for three francs
has acquired a monopoly of the sale of truffles; he discounts the
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