| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Chouans by Honore de Balzac: will!"
"It seems to me, citizen-diplomat," said Hulot to Corentin, after the
two had taken leave and were at some distance from the house, "that
you allow that girl to send you to the right-about when she pleases."
"It is quite natural for you, commandant," replied Corentin, with a
thoughtful air, "to see nothing but fighting in what she said to us.
You soldiers never seem to know there are various ways of making war.
To use the passions of men and women like wires to be pulled for the
benefit of the State; to keep the running-gear of the great machine we
call government in good order, and fasten to it the desires of human
nature, like baited traps which it is fun to watch,--I call /that/
The Chouans |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Chouans by Honore de Balzac: "Inasmuch as you are Monsieur d'Orgemont, of Fougeres," said Marche-a-
Terre, with an air of ironical respect, "we shall let you go in peace.
Only, as you are neither a good Chouan nor a true Blue (thought it was
you who bought the property of the Abbey de Juvigny), you will pay us
three hundred crowns of six francs each for your ransom. Neutrality is
worth that, at least."
"Three hundred crowns of six francs each!" chorussed the luckless
banker, Pille-Miche, and Coupiau, in three different tones.
"Alas, my good friend," continued d'Orgemont, "I'm a ruined man. The
last forced loan of that devilish Republic for a hundred millions
sucked me dry, taxed as I was already."
The Chouans |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain: competing lordling again, and asked: "What was the
rank and condition of the great-grandmother who con-
ferred British nobility upon your great house?"
"She was a king's leman and did climb to that
splendid eminence by her own unholpen merit from
the sewer where she was born."
"Ah, this, indeed, is true nobility, this is the right
and perfect intermixture. The lieutenancy is yours,
fair lord. Hold it not in contempt; it is the humble
step which will lead to grandeurs more worthy of the
splendor of an origin like to thine."
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court |
