| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas: that notwithstanding his weakness D'Artagnan should get up and
depart as quickly as possible. D'Artagnan, half stupefied,
without his doublet, and with his head bound up in a linen cloth,
arose then, and urged by the host, began to descend the stairs;
but on arriving at the kitchen, the first thing he saw was his
antagonist talking calmly at the step of a heavy carriage, drawn
by two large Norman horses.
His interlocutor, whose head appeared through the carriage
window, was a woman of from twenty to two-and-twenty years. We
have already observed with what rapidity D'Artagnan seized the
expression of a countenance. He perceived then, at a glance,
The Three Musketeers |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from New Arabian Nights by Robert Louis Stevenson: recall our old lovingkindnesses and the deep honesty and affection
which united us, and my present loss seems but a trifle in
comparison.
We may have thus stood for some seconds - for time passes quickly
with lovers - before we were startled by a peal of laughter close
at hand. It was not natural mirth, but seemed to be affected in
order to conceal an angrier feeling. We both turned, though I
still kept my left arm about Clara's waist; nor did she seek to
withdraw herself; and there, a few paces off upon the beach, stood
Northmour, his head lowered, his hands behind his back, his
nostrils white with passion.
|
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Turn of the Screw by Henry James: "She has told you?" she panted.
"Not a word--that's the horror. She kept it to herself!
The child of eight, THAT child!" Unutterable still,
for me, was the stupefaction of it.
Mrs. Grose, of course, could only gape the wider.
"Then how do you know?"
"I was there--I saw with my eyes: saw that she was perfectly aware."
"Do you mean aware of HIM?"
"No--of HER." I was conscious as I spoke that I looked
prodigious things, for I got the slow reflection of them
in my companion's face. "Another person--this time;
|
