| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Spirit of the Border by Zane Grey: companions evinced an envious curiosity. The big fellow would not, however,
allow them to touch it.
"He's a cheerful brute," remarked Joe to Jim.
"Ugh!" grunted the big Indian, jamming Joe with his rifle-stock.
Joe took heed to the warning and spoke no more. He gave all his attention to
the course over which he was being taken. Here was his first opportunity to
learn something of Indians and their woodcraft. It occurred to him that his
captors would not have been so gay and careless had they not believed
themselves safe from pursuit, and he concluded they were leisurely conducting
him to one of the Indian towns. He watched the supple figure before him,
wondering at the quick step, light as the fall of a leaf, and tried to walk as
The Spirit of the Border |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Marie by H. Rider Haggard: "No, baas, it is not safe that you should go alone. Kaffirs or wild
beasts might take you."
"Safe or not, I am going; but if you think it wise, tell two of those
Zulus to come with me."
A few minutes later I was on the road, followed by the two Kaffirs armed
with spears. In my youth I was a good runner, being strong of leg and
light in body, but I do not think that I ever covered seven miles, for
that was about the distance to the camp, in quicker time than I did that
morning. Indeed, I left those active Kaffirs so far behind that when I
approached the trees they were not in sight. Here I dropped to a walk,
as I said to myself--to get my breath. Really it was because I felt so
Marie |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Chouans by Honore de Balzac: These words, said volubly with a mingling of coquetry, despotism, and
passion, showed she had entirely recovered her self-possession. Sleep
had no doubt classified the impressions of the preceding day, and
reflection had determined her on vengeance. If a few reluctant signs
appeared on her face they only proved the ease with which certain
women can bury the better feelings of their souls, and the cruel
dissimulation which enables them to smile sweetly while planning the
destruction of a victim. She sat alone after Corentin had left her,
thinking how she could get the marquis still living into her toils.
For the first time in her life this woman had lived according to her
inmost desires; but of that life nothing remained but one craving,--
The Chouans |
