| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Recruit by Honore de Balzac: imprudence, she closed her doors to her usual evening visitors. Madame
de Dey inspired so genuine and deep an interest, that the persons who
called upon her that evening expressed extreme anxiety on being told
that she was unable to receive them. Then, with that frank curiosity
which appears in provincial manners, they inquired what misfortune,
grief, or illness afflicted her. In reply to these questions, an old
housekeeper named Brigitte informed them that her mistress had shut
herself up in her room and would see no one, not even the servants of
the house. The semi-cloistral existence of the inhabitants of a little
town creates so invincible a habit of analyzing and explaining the
actions of their neighbors, that after compassionating Madame de Dey
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas: "Here it is," said Aramis, taking a small key from his
breast and opening a little ebony box inlaid with mother of
pearl, "here it is. Look."
"That is right," replied the mendicant; "dismiss your lackey."
In fact, Bazin, curious to know what the mendicant could
want with his master, kept pace with him as well as he
could, and arrived almost at the same time he did; but his
quickness was not of much use to him. At the hint from the
mendicant his master made him a sign to retire, and he was
obliged to obey.
Bazin gone, the mendicant cast a rapid glance around him in
The Three Musketeers |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Chouans by Honore de Balzac: himself up deliberately to imprudence and credulity. He loved; and the
lovers had no desire now to quarrel with each other.
"Say but one word and I will believe you," he said, in a supplicating
voice.
"One word?" she answered, closing her lips tightly, "not a single
word; not even a gesture."
"At least, be angry with me," he entreated, trying to take the hand
she withheld from him,--"that is, if you dare to be angry with the
leader of the rebels, who is now as sad and distrustful as he was
lately happy and confiding."
Marie gave him a look that was far from angry, and he added: "You have
The Chouans |
