| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Ruling Passion by Henry van Dyke: impossible to persuade the public to admire a picture unless you can
tell them precisely the points on which they must fix their
admiration. And that is why, although the painting is a good one, I
should be willing to sell it at a low price."
He named a sum of money in three figures, so small that Pierrepont,
who often buys pictures by proxy, could not conceal his surprise.
"Certainly I should consider that a good bargain, simply for
investment," said he. "Falconer's name alone ought to be worth more
than that, ten years from now. He is a rising man."
"No, Mr. Pierrepont," replied the dealer, "the picture is worth what
I ask for it, for I would not commit the impertinence of offering a
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Albert Savarus by Honore de Balzac: Gina, the so-called mute. At eleven o'clock no one was astir in the
village, there was no fear of listeners; Rodolphe took Gina into a
corner, and asked her in a low voice and bad Italian, "Who are your
master and mistress, child? Tell me, I will give you this fine new
gold piece."
"Monsieur," said the girl, taking the coin, "my master is the famous
bookseller Lamparini of Milan, one of the leaders of the revolution,
and the conspirator of all others whom Austria would most like to have
in the Spielberg."
"A bookseller's wife! Ah, so much the better," thought he; "we are on
an equal footing.--And what is her family?" he added, "for she looks
Albert Savarus |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Within the Tides by Joseph Conrad: "I engaged an assistant only to stop your preaching about the evils
of solitude," said Renouard hastily; and the pressman laughed at
the half-resentful tone. His laugh was not very loud, but his
plump person shook all over. He was aware that his younger
friend's deference to his advice was based only on an imperfect
belief in his wisdom - or his sagacity. But it was he who had
first helped Renouard in his plans of exploration: the five-years'
programme of scientific adventure, of work, of danger and
endurance, carried out with such distinction and rewarded modestly
with the lease of Malata island by the frugal colonial government.
And this reward, too, had been due to the journalist's advocacy
Within the Tides |
