| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from La Grande Breteche by Honore de Balzac: I was near falling asleep in spite of the interest I felt in this
authentic history. The notary's ponderous voice and monotonous accent,
accustomed no doubt to listen to himself and to make himself listened
to by his clients or fellow-townsmen, were too much for my curiosity.
Happily, he soon went away.
" 'Ah, ha, monsieur,' said he on the stairs, 'a good many persons
would be glad to live five-and-forty years longer; but--one moment!'
and he laid the first finger of his right hand to his nostril with a
cunning look, as much as to say, 'Mark my words!--To last as long as
that--as long as that,' said he, 'you must not be past sixty now.'
"I closed my door, having been roused from my apathy by this last
La Grande Breteche |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Othello by William Shakespeare: Chaos is come againe
Iago. My Noble Lord
Oth. What dost thou say, Iago?
Iago. Did Michael Cassio
When he woo'd my Lady, know of your loue?
Oth. He did, from first to last:
Why dost thou aske?
Iago. But for a satisfaction of my Thought,
No further harme
Oth. Why of thy thought, Iago?
Iago. I did not thinke he had bin acquainted with hir
Othello |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Young Forester by Zane Grey: was now something terrible hanging in the balance. I had but to look at
Jim's eyes, narrow slits of blue fire, at the hard jaw and tight lips, to
see a glimpse of the man who thought nothing of life. It turned me sick,
and I was all in a tremor till Dick and Hiram had the men bound fast.
Then Jim dropped the long, blue guns into the holsters on his belt.
"Ken, I shore am glad to see you," said he.
The soft, drawling voice, the sleepy smile, the careless good-will all came
back, utterly transforming the man. This was the Jim Williams I had come to
love. With a wrench I recovered myself.
"Are you all right, Ken?" asked Dick. And old Hiram questioned me with a
worried look. This anxiety marked the difference between these men and
The Young Forester |
