| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Finished by H. Rider Haggard: in the name of Footsack, a Boer Dutch term which is generally
addressed to troublesome dogs and means "Get out." To tell the
truth, had I been his master he would have got out, as I
suspected him of drinking, and generally did not altogether trust
him. Anscombe, however, was fond of him because he had shown
courage in some hunting adventure in Matabeleland, I think it was
at the shooting of that very dark-coloured lion whose skin had
been the means of making us acquainted nearly two years before.
Indeed he said that on this occasion Footsack had saved his life,
though from all that I could gather I do not think this was quite
the case. Also the man, who had been on many hunting trips with
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Schoolmistress and Other Stories by Anton Chekhov: the lamp smoked.
"Shall I hook it and leave the office?" thought Nevyrazimov.
But such a flight promised nothing worth having. . . . After
coming out of the office and wandering about the town,
Nevyrazimov would have gone home to his lodging, and in his
lodging it was even grayer and more depressing than in the
office. . . .
Even supposing he were to spend that day pleasantly and with
comfort, what had he beyond? Nothing but the same gray walls, the
same stop-gap duty and complimentary letters. . . .
Nevyrazimov stood still in the middle of the office and sank into
The Schoolmistress and Other Stories |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Travels with a Donkey in the Cevenne by Robert Louis Stevenson: Bouchet St. Nicolas, who introduced me to their use! This plain
wand, with an eighth of an inch of pin, was indeed a sceptre when
he put it in my hands. Thenceforward Modestine was my slave. A
prick, and she passed the most inviting stable door. A prick, and
she broke forth into a gallant little trotlet that devoured the
miles. It was not a remarkable speed, when all was said; and we
took four hours to cover ten miles at the best of it. But what a
heavenly change since yesterday! No more wielding of the ugly
cudgel; no more flailing with an aching arm; no more broadsword
exercise, but a discreet and gentlemanly fence. And what although
now and then a drop of blood should appear on Modestine's mouse-
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