| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Paz by Honore de Balzac: myself; and yet Paz keeps the house with such method and economy that
he has even repaired some of my foolish losses at play,--the
thoughtless folly of a young man. My dear, Thaddeus is as shrewd as
two Genoese, as eager for gain as a Polish Jew, and provident as a
good housekeeper. I never could force him to live as I did when I was
a bachelor. Sometimes I had to use a sort of friendly coercion to make
him go to the theatre with me when I was alone, or to the jovial
little dinners I used to give at a tavern. He doesn't like social
life."
"What does he like, then?" asked Clementine.
"Poland; he loves Poland and pines for it. His only spendings are sums
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Father Sergius by Leo Tolstoy: you.'
Nightingales trilled near by and the fresh leafage rustled, moved
by a passing breeze.
He took her hand and kissed it, and tears came into his eyes.
She understood that he was thanking her for having said she loved
him. He silently took a few steps up and down, and then
approached her again and sat down.
'You know . . . I have to tell you . . . I was not disinterested
when I began to make love to you. I wanted to get into society;
but later . . . how unimportant that became in comparison with
you--when I got to know you. You are not angry with me for that?'
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Eugenie Grandet by Honore de Balzac: New Year beside the fire in the hall."
"Ta, ta, ta, ta, what a tongue! a pretty way to begin the new year,
Madame Grandet! You never talked so much before; but you haven't been
sopping your bread in wine, I know that."
There was a moment's silence.
"Well," resumed the goodman, who no doubt had some reason of his own
for agreeing to his wife's request, "I'll do what you ask, Madame
Grandet. You are a good woman, and I don't want any harm to happen to
you at your time of life,--though as a general thing the Bertellieres
are as sound as a roach. Hein! isn't that so?" he added after a pause.
"Well, I forgive them; we got their property in the end." And he
Eugenie Grandet |
