| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from A Straight Deal by Owen Wister: enough for such people as continue to ask what she did. Nothing would
suffice these persons. During the earlier stages of the War it was
possible that the question could be asked honestly--though never
intelligently--because the facts and figures were not at that time always
accessible. They were still piling up, they were scattered about, mention
of them was incidental and fugitive, they could be missed by anybody who
was not diligently alert to find them. To-day it is quite otherwise. The
facts and figures have been compiled, arranged, published in accessible
and convenient form; therefore to-day, the man or woman who persists in
asking what England did in the war is not honest but dishonest or
mentally spotted, and does not want to be answered. They don't want to
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The American by Henry James: Newman followed the first cross-road to the right--
it was bordered with mouldy cottages--and in a few moments saw
before him the peaked roofs of the towers. Advancing farther,
he found himself before a vast iron gate, rusty and closed;
here he paused a moment, looking through the bars.
The chateau was near the road; this was at once its merit
and its defect; but its aspect was extremely impressive.
Newman learned afterwards, from a guide-book of the province,
that it dated from the time of Henry IV. It presented to the wide,
paved area which preceded it and which was edged with shabby
farm-buildings an immense facade of dark time-stained brick,
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Master of Ballantrae by Robert Louis Stevenson: "With this in my hand I will give him a shog. Watch for us at
dinner."
At dinner accordingly Mr. Henry proposed some very public
appearance for the Master; and my lord, as he had hoped, objected
to the danger of the course.
"Oh!" says Mr. Henry, very easily, "you need no longer keep this up
with me. I am as much in the secret as yourself."
"In the secret?" says my lord. "What do you mean, Henry? I give
you my word, I am in no secret from which you are excluded."
The Master had changed countenance, and I saw he was struck in a
joint of his harness.
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