| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Lily of the Valley by Honore de Balzac: all went to the Cassine and the Rhetoriere, to decide upon the
buildings. The count walked alone in front, the children went next,
and we ourselves followed slowly, for she was speaking in a low,
gentle tone, which made her words like the murmur of the sea as it
ripples on a smooth beach.
She was, she said, certain of success. A new line of communication
between Tours and Chinon was to be opened by an active man, a carrier,
a cousin of Manette's, who wanted a large farm on the route. His
family was numerous; the eldest son would drive the carts, the second
could attend to the business, the father living half-way along the
road, at Rabelaye, one of the farms then to let, would look after the
 The Lily of the Valley |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Tom Sawyer, Detective by Mark Twain: Tom he looked considerable hurt, and says, very dignified:
"It is a pity if Huck is to be talked to that way,
just for making a little bit of a mistake that anybody
could make."
"What mistake has he made?"
"Why, only the mistake of saying blackberries when
of course he meant strawberries."
"Tom Sawyer, I lay if you aggravate me a little more, I'll--"
"Aunt Sally, without knowing it--and of course without
intending it--you are in the wrong. If you'd 'a' studied
natural history the way you ought, you would know that
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Underground City by Jules Verne: of space. His chosen refuge was far--very far from you.
But he could not bear to feel that you were there. If I asked any
questions about the people up above us, his face grew dark, he gave
no answer, and continued quite silent for a long time afterwards.
But when he perceived that, not content with the old domain,
you seemed to think of encroaching upon his, then indeed
his anger burst forth. He swore that, were you to succeed
in reaching the new mine, you should assuredly perish.
Notwithstanding his great age, his strength is astonishing,
and his threats used to make me tremble."
"Go on, Nell, my child," said Simon to the girl, who paused as though
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