| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Firm of Nucingen by Honore de Balzac: last Revolution; a Bixiou with a kick for every one, like Pierrot at
the Funambules. Bixiou had the whole history of his own times at his
finger-ends, more particularly its scandalous chronicle, embellished
by added waggeries of his own. He sprang like a clown upon everybody's
back, only to do his utmost to leave the executioner's brand upon
every pair of shoulders.
The first cravings of gluttony satisfied, our neighbors reached the
stage at which we also had arrived, to wit, the dessert; and, as we
made no sign, they believed that they were alone. Thanks to the
champagne, the talk grew confidential as they dallied with the dessert
amid the cigar smoke. Yet through it all you felt the influence of the
|
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Foolish Virgin by Thomas Dixon: rule the shed-rooms of these rude mountain cabins were
covered with split boards lightly nailed to narrow
strips eighteen inches apart. If there were no
ceiling, or if the ceiling were not nailed down and she
should move carefully, she might break through near the
eaves and drop to the ground. The cabin was not more
than nine feet in height.
She raised herself on the footrail of the bed and
felt the ceiling. There could be no mistake. It was
there. She pressed gently at first and then with all
her might against each board. They were nailed hard
|
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Wrong Box by Stevenson & Osbourne: incongruous. Then, with the garments in his hand, he scrutinized
the artist closely.
'I don't like that clerical collar,' he remarked. 'Have you
nothing else?'
The professor of drawing pondered for a moment, and then
brightened; 'I have a pair of low-necked shirts,' he said, 'that
I used to wear in Paris as a student. They are rather loud.'
'The very thing!' ejaculated Michael. 'You'll look perfectly
beastly. Here are spats, too,' he continued, drawing forth a pair
of those offensive little gaiters. 'Must have spats! And now you
jump into these, and whistle a tune at the window for (say)
|
