| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Gobseck by Honore de Balzac: "One morning, a few days after the scene which initiated me into the
terrible depths beneath the surface of the life of a woman of fashion,
the Count came into my private office.
" 'I have come to consult you on a matter of grave moment,' he said,
'and I begin by telling you that I have perfect confidence in you, as
I hope to prove to you. Your behavior to Mme. de Grandlieu is above
all praise,' the Count went on. (You see, madame, that you have paid
me a thousand times over for a very simple matter.)
"I bowed respectfully, and replied that I had done nothing but the
duty of an honest man.
" 'Well,' the Count went on, 'I have made a great many inquiries about
Gobseck |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Hiero by Xenophon: self-restraint be found far more than now, in close attendance on
industrious habits.[20] Nay further, crimes and villainies take root
and spring less freely among busy workers.
[19] Al. "and what will be the most repaying . . . being a department
of things least wont," etc.
[20] Or, "soundness of soul much more be found allied with
occupation."
Once more, if commerce[21] is of any value to the state, then let the
merchant who devotes himself to commerce on the grandest scale receive
some high distinction, and his honours will draw on other traders in
his wake.
|
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Buttered Side Down by Edna Ferber: "Yes, thank you," answered Mary Louise, and turned to enter
her own little apartment. Then, hesitatingly, she came back to
Charlie's window.
"There--there was a man up there--a very tall, very thin, very
rude, very--that is, rather nice youngish oldish man, in slippers,
and no collar. I wonder----"
"Oh, him!" snorted Charlie. "He don't show himself onct in a
blue moon. None of the other tenants knows he's up there. Has the
whole top floor to himself, and shuts himself up there for weeks at
a time, writin' books, or some such truck. That guy, he owns the
building."
Buttered Side Down |
