| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg by Mark Twain: to him. If I could stay, I would find him myself; but no matter, he
will be found. This is an honest town, an incorruptible town, and I
know I can trust it without fear. This man can be identified by the
remark which he made to me; I feel persuaded that he will remember
it.
"And now my plan is this: If you prefer to conduct the inquiry
privately, do so. Tell the contents of this present writing to any
one who is likely to be the right man. If he shall answer, 'I am
the man; the remark I made was so-and-so,' apply the test--to wit:
open the sack, and in it you will find a sealed envelope containing
that remark. If the remark mentioned by the candidate tallies with
The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Travels with a Donkey in the Cevenne by Robert Louis Stevenson: knee, the eldest daughter let down a hinged table in the chimney-
corner for my convenience. Here I wrote, drank my chocolate, and
finally ate an omelette before I left. The table was thick with
dust; for, as they explained, it was not used except in winter
weather. I had a clear look up the vent, through brown
agglomerations of soot and blue vapour, to the sky; and whenever a
handful of twigs was thrown on to the fire, my legs were scorched
by the blaze.
The husband had begun life as a muleteer, and when I came to charge
Modestine showed himself full of the prudence of his art. 'You
will have to change this package,' said he; 'it ought to be in two
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Koran: That is because thy Lord would never destroy towns unjustly while
their people are careless; but for every one are degrees of what
they have done; and thy Lord is not careless of that which they do.
Thy Lord is rich, merciful; if He pleases He will take you off,
and will cause what He pleases to succeed you; even as He raised you
up from the seed of other people.
Verily, what ye are promised will surely come, nor can ye
frustrate it.
Say, 'O my people! act according to your power, verily, I am
acting too; and soon shall ye know whose is the future of the
abode!' verily, the unjust shall not prosper.
The Koran |
