| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Father Goriot by Honore de Balzac: to----"
"Well, then, my husband knows everything," said the Countess.
"Just imagine it; do you remember, father, that bill of Maxime's
some time ago? Well, that was not the first. I had paid ever so
many before that. About the beginning of January M. de Trailles
seemed very much troubled. He said nothing to me; but it is so
easy to read the hearts of those you love, a mere trifle is
enough; and then you feel things instinctively. Indeed, he was
more tender and affectionate than ever, and I was happier than I
had ever been before. Poor Maxime! in himself he was really
saying good-bye to me, so he has told me since; he meant to blow
 Father Goriot |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy: Alexey Alexandrovitch never passed over anything in the world of
art, but made it his duty to read everything. She knew that in
politics, in philosophy, in theology, Alexey Alexandrovitch often
had doubts, and made investigations; but on questions of art and
poetry, and, above all, of music, of which he was totally devoid
of understanding, he had the most distinct and decided opinions.
He was fond of talking about Shakespeare, Raphael, Beethoven, of
the significance of new schools of poetry and music, all of which
were classified by him with very conspicuous consistency.
"Well, God be with you," she said at the door of the study, where
a shaded candle and a decanter of water were already put by his
 Anna Karenina |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Middlemarch by George Eliot: But this agreeable holiday freedom with which Lydgate hovered
about the flower of Middlemarch, could not continue indefinitely.
It was not more possible to find social isolation in that town
than elsewhere, and two people persistently flirting could
by no means escape from "the various entanglements, weights,
blows, clashings, motions, by which things severally go on."
Whatever Miss Vincy did must be remarked, and she was perhaps the more
conspicuous to admirers and critics because just now Mrs. Vincy,
after some struggle, had gone with Fred to stay a little while at
Stone Court, there being no other way of at once gratifying old
Featherstone and keeping watch against Mary Garth, who appeared a less
 Middlemarch |