| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Gobseck by Honore de Balzac: money to stay a while to see the scene that I saw. Under the luxurious
hanging draperies, the pillow, crushed into the depths of an eider-
down quilt, its lace border standing out in contrast against the
background of blue silk, bore a vague impress that kindled the
imagination. A pair of satin slippers gleamed from the great bear-skin
rug spread by the carved mahogany lions at the bed-foot, where she had
flung them off in her weariness after the ball. A crumpled gown hung
over a chair, the sleeves touching the floor; stockings which a breath
would have blown away were twisted about the leg of an easy-chair;
while ribbon garters straggled over a settee. A fan of price, half
unfolded, glittered on the chimney-piece. Drawers stood open; flowers,
Gobseck |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Eugenie Grandet by Honore de Balzac: often that I have attained my majority, and I do not forget it. I have
used my money as I chose to use it, and you may be sure that it was
put to a good use--"
"What use?"
"That is an inviolable secret," she answered. "Have you no secrets?"
"I am the head of the family; I have my own affairs."
"And this is mine."
"It must be something bad if you can't tell it to your father,
Mademoiselle Grandet."
"It is good, and I cannot tell it to my father."
"At least you can tell me when you parted with your gold?"
Eugenie Grandet |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Beauty and The Beast by Bayard Taylor: and finding it very palatable, decided that oil and vinegar might
be classed in the catalogue of True Food. Indeed, his long
abstinence from piquant flavors gave him such an appetite for it
that our supply of lettuce was soon exhausted. An embarrassing
accident also favored us with the use of salt. Perkins happening
to move his knee at the moment I was dipping an onion into the
blacking-box lid, our supply was knocked upon the floor. He picked
it up, and we both hoped the accident might pass unnoticed. But
Abel, stretching his long neck across the corner of the table,
caught a glimpse of what was going on.
"`What's that?' he asked.
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