| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Lady Susan by Jane Austen: alone with Mr. Johnson. Do not accuse me; indeed, it was impossible to
prevent it. Mr. Johnson has for some time suspected De Courcy of intending
to marry you, and would speak with him alone as soon as he knew him to be
in the house. That detestable Mrs. Mainwaring, who, for your comfort, has
fretted herself thinner and uglier than ever, is still here, and they have
been all closeted together. What can be done? At any rate, I hope he will
plague his wife more than ever. With anxious wishes,
Yours faithfully,
ALICIA.
XXXIII
LADY SUSAN TO MRS. JOHNSON
Lady Susan |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Jerusalem Delivered by Torquato Tasso: And in his bosom unperceived ran;
It filled his heart with malice, strife and hate,
It made him rage, blaspheme, swear, curse and ban,
Invisible it still attends him near,
And thus each minute whispereth in his ear.
XIX
What, shall Rinaldo match thee? dares he tell
Those idle names of his vain pedigree?
Then let him say, if thee he would excel,
What lands, what realms his tributaries be:
If his forefathers in the graves that dwell,
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Village Rector by Honore de Balzac: indulgent to me; yet I hear within myself an imperious voice which
will not let me rest. Ah! the hand of God, less tender than yours,
strikes me from day to day, as if to warn me that all is not expiated.
My sins cannot be redeemed except by a public confession. He is happy!
criminal, he gave his life with ignominy in face of earth and heaven;
and I, I cheat the world as I cheated human justice. The homage I
receive humiliates me; praise sears my heart. Do you not see, in the
very coming of the /procureur-general/, a command from heaven echoing
the voice in my own soul which cries to me: Confess!"
The two priests, the prince of the Church as well as the humble
rector, these two great lights, each in his own way, stood with their
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