| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Facino Cane by Honore de Balzac: in the Rue de Charenton. It was a large room, lighted by oil lamps
with tin reflectors. A row of wooden benches ran round the walls,
which were black with grime to the height of the tables. Here some
eighty persons, all in their Sunday best, tricked out with ribbons and
bunches of flowers, all of them on pleasure bent, were dancing away
with heated visages as if the world were about to come to an end.
Bride and bridegroom exchanged salutes to the general satisfaction,
amid a chorus of facetious "Oh, ohs!" and "Ah, ahs!" less really
indecent than the furtive glances of young girls that have been well
brought up. There was something indescribably infectious about the
rough, homely enjoyment in all countenances.
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Talisman by Walter Scott: principalities in Syria, far less permit the existence of the
Christian military fraternities, from whom they have experienced
so much mischief."
"Ay, but," said the Templar, "these adventurous Crusaders may
succeed, and again plant the Cross on the bulwarks of Zion."
"And what will that advantage either the Order of the Templars,
or Conrade of Montserrat?" said the Marquis.
"You it may advantage," replied the Grand Master. "Conrade of
Montserrat might become Conrade King of Jerusalem."
"That sounds like something," said the Marquis, "and yet it rings
but hollow. Godfrey of Bouillon might well choose the crown of
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad: when a long time after I heard once more, not his own voice, but the echo
of his magnificent eloquence thrown to me from a soul as translucently
pure as a cliff of crystal.
"No, they did not bury me, though there is a period of time which I
remember mistily, with a shuddering wonder, like a passage through
some inconceivable world that had no hope in it and no desire.
I found myself back in the sepulchral city resenting the sight
of people hurrying through the streets to filch a little money
from each other, to devour their infamous cookery, to gulp their
unwholesome beer, to dream their insignificant and silly dreams.
They trespassed upon my thoughts. They were intruders whose
Heart of Darkness |
