| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Pocket Diary Found in the Snow by Grace Isabel Colbron and Augusta Groner: what he had discovered. The commissioner thought it little enough,
and shrugged his shoulders impatiently when the other had finished.
Muller noticed his chief's dissatisfaction and smiled at it. He
himself was quite content with what he bad found.
"Is that all?" murmured the commissioner, as if disappointed.
"That is all," repeated the detective calmly, and added, "That is
a good deal. We have here a closely written notebook, the contents
of which, judging by your excitement, are evidently important. We
have also a handkerchief with an unusual perfume on it. I repeat
that this is quite considerable. Besides this, we have the seals,
and we know several other things. I believe that we can save this
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Amy Foster by Joseph Conrad: at the end of those short arms, at those slow, prom-
inent brown eyes, to know the inertness of her mind
--an inertness that one would think made it ever-
lastingly safe from all the surprises of imagina-
tion. And yet which of us is safe? At any rate,
such as you see her, she had enough imagination
to fall in love. She's the daughter of one Isaac
Foster, who from a small farmer has sunk into a
shepherd; the beginning of his misfortunes dating
from his runaway marriage with the cook of his
widowed father--a well-to-do, apoplectic grazier,
Amy Foster |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death by Patrick Henry: strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, sir,
we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late
to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery!
Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston!
The war is inevitable--and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come.
It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace--
but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps
from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms!
Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle?
What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear,
or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery?
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