| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Cousin Betty by Honore de Balzac: a year--that is, seventy-five thousand francs.--You will say, 'But you
may die' "--the banker signified his assent--"Here, then, is a policy
of insurance for a hundred and fifty thousand francs, which I will
deposit with you till you have drawn up the eighty thousand francs,"
said Hulot, producing the document form his pocket.
"But if you should lose your place?" said the millionaire Baron,
laughing.
The other Baron--not a millionaire--looked grave.
"Be quite easy; I only raised the question to show you that I was not
devoid of merit in handing you the sum. Are you so short of cash? for
the Bank will take your signature."
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Howard Pyle's Book of Pirates by Howard Pyle: about him, Mainwaring could hardly believe the evidence of his
senses at the transformation that he beheld. Upon the main deck
were eight twelve- pound carronade neatly covered with tarpaulin;
in the bow a Long Tom, also snugly stowed away and covered,
directed a veiled and muzzled snout out over the bowsprit.
It was entirely impossible for Mainwaring to conceal his
astonishment at so unexpected a sight, and whether or not his own
thoughts lent color to his imagination, it seemed to him that
Eleazer Cooper concealed under the immobility of his countenance
no small degree of confusion.
After Captain Cooper had led the way into the cabin and he and
 Howard Pyle's Book of Pirates |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Malbone: An Oldport Romance by Thomas Wentworth Higginson: again in her impulsive way.
"Depend upon it," she said, "there is very little direct
retribution in this world."
Phil looked up, quite pleased at her indorsing one of his
favorite views. She looked, as she always did, indignant at
having said anything to please him.
"Yes," said she, "it is the indirect retribution that crushes.
I've seen enough of that, God knows. Kate, give me my
thimble."
Malbone had that smooth elasticity of surface which made even
Aunt Jane's strong fingers slip from him as they might from a
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