| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from A Start in Life by Honore de Balzac: not used by physicians, but known to the common people. I spoke of
your feelings before the boy, who was in his bed and, as I supposed,
asleep (it seems he must have been awake and listening to us), with
the utmost affection and respect. Alas! fate wills that indiscretions
be punished like crimes. But while accepting the results of your just
anger, I wish you to know what actually took place. It was, indeed,
from heart to heart that I spoke of you to Madame Clapart. As for my
wife, I have never said one word of these things--"
"Enough," said the count, whose conviction was now complete; "we are
not children. All is now irrevocable. Put your affairs and mine in
order. You can stay in the pavilion until October. Monsieur and Madame
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas: publicly assassinated everybody whom they suspected of
Bonapartism. You have doubtless heard of these massacres,
your excellency?"
"Vaguely; I was far from France at that period. Go on."
"As I entered Nimes, I literally waded in blood; at every
step you encountered dead bodies and bands of murderers, who
killed, plundered, and burned. At the sight of this
slaughter and devastation I became terrified, not for myself
-- for I, a simple Corsican fisherman, had nothing to fear;
on the contrary, that time was most favorable for us
smugglers -- but for my brother, a soldier of the empire,
The Count of Monte Cristo |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Mistress Wilding by Rafael Sabatini: explanation to offer us of his failure."
His failure! They took too much for granted. Stitched in the lining
of his boot was the letter from the Secretary of State. To have
achieved that was surely to have achieved something.
"I thank you, sir, for supposing it," answered Wilding, his voice hard
with self-restraint; "I have indeed an explanation."
"We will hear it," said Monmouth condescendingly, and Grey sneered,
thrusting out his bloated lips.
"I have to offer the explanation that Your Majesty is served in London
by cowards; self-sufficient and self-important cowards who have hindered
me in my task instead of helping me. I refer particularly to Colonel
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