| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Lily of the Valley by Honore de Balzac: At this moment I desire not to ruffle them; I respect a grief which
misleads you, for it takes even from me the power of judging soberly
the circumstances in which I find myself. The saint who now looks down
upon us will approve the reticence with which I simply ask that you
stand neutral between your present feelings and my wishes. I love you
too well, in spite of the aversion you are showing me, to say one word
to the count of a proposal he would welcome eagerly. Be free. Later,
remember that you know no one in the world as you know me, that no man
will ever have more devoted feelings--"
Up to this moment Madeleine had listened with lowered eyes; now she
stopped me by a gesture.
The Lily of the Valley |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Travels of Sir John Mandeville by Sir John Mandeville: more great than ours here, and they have the head, the neck and the
breast all black.
And many other diverse beasts be in those countries, and elsewhere
there-about, and many diverse birds also, of the which it were too
long for to tell you. And therefore, I pass over at this time.
CHAPTER XXXII
OF THE GOODNESS OF THE FOLK OF THE ISLE OF BRAGMAN. OF KING
ALEXANDER. AND WHEREFORE THE EMPEROR OF IND IS CLEPT PRESTER JOHN
AND beyond that isle is another isle, great and good and plenteous,
where that be good folk and true, and of good living after their
belief and of good faith. And albeit that they be not christened,
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Rivers to the Sea by Sara Teasdale: Sure and elated.
That was the gift you gave me. . . .
The streets grew still more tangled,
And led at last to water black and glossy,
Flecked here and there with lights, faint and far off.
There on a shabby building was a sign
"The India Wharf " . . . and we turned back.
I always felt we could have taken ship
And crossed the bright green seas
To dreaming cities set on sacred streams
And palaces
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