| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Bride of Lammermoor by Walter Scott: youthful lovers escaped the observation of the sublte lawyer,
accustomed, by habit and profession, to trace human nature
through all her windings. But it was not his present policy to
take any notice of what he observed. He desired to hold the
Master of Ravenswood bound, but wished that he himself should
remain free; and it did not occur to him that his plan might be
defeated by Lucy's returning the passion which he hoped she might
inspire. If she should adopt some romantic feelings towards
Ravenswood, in which circumstances, or the positive and absolute
opposition of Lady Ashton, might render it unadvisable to indulge
her, the Lord Keeper conceived they might be easily superseded
The Bride of Lammermoor |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from A Distinguished Provincial at Paris by Honore de Balzac: Old Father Sechard will not give his son a farthing. David went
over to see if he could borrow a little for you, for we were in
despair over your letter. 'I know Lucien,' David said; 'he will
lose his head and do something rash.'--I gave him a good scolding.
'My brother disappoint us in any way!' I told him, 'Lucien knows
that I should die of sorrow.'--Mother and I have pawned a few
things; David does not know about it, mother will redeem them as
soon as she has made a little money. In this way we have managed
to put together a hundred francs, which I am sending you by the
coach. If I did not answer your last letter, do not remember it
against me, dear; we were working all night just then. I have been
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from An Old Maid by Honore de Balzac: to the succor of the old maid all the powers of his clever diplomacy,
whenever he saw the pitiless smile of wiser heads. The old gentleman,
who loved to assist women, turned Mademoiselle Cormon's sayings into
wit by sustaining them paradoxically, and he often covered the retreat
so well that it seemed as if the good woman had said nothing silly.
She asserted very seriously one evening that she did not see any
difference between an ox and a bull. The dear chevalier instantly
arrested the peals of laughter by asserting that there was only the
difference between a sheep and a lamb.
But the Chevalier de Valois served an ungrateful dame, for never did
Mademoiselle Cormon comprehend his chivalrous services. Observing that
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