| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from A Passion in the Desert by Honore de Balzac: One day, in a bright midday sun, an enormous bird coursed through the
air. The man left his panther to look at his new guest; but after
waiting a moment the deserted sultana growled deeply.
"My goodness! I do believe she's jealous," he cried, seeing her eyes
become hard again; "the soul of Virginie has passed into her body;
that's certain."
The eagle disappeared into the air, while the soldier admired the
curved contour of the panther.
But there was such youth and grace in her form! she was beautiful as a
woman! the blond fur of her robe mingled well with the delicate tints
of faint white which marked her flanks.
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Twenty Years After by Alexandre Dumas: three devoted men. It is enough. Let your majesty mount on
horseback and place yourself in the midst of us; we will
cross the Tyne, reach Scotland, and you will be saved."
"Is this your counsel also, Winter?" inquired the king.
"Yes, sire."
"And yours, Monsieur d'Herblay?"
"Yes, sire."
"As you wish, then. Winter, give the necessary orders."
Winter then left the tent; in the meantime the king finished
his toilet. The first rays of daybreak penetrated the
aperture of the tent as Winter re-entered it.
Twenty Years After |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Memoir of Fleeming Jenkin by Robert Louis Stevenson: half tipsy clutch at the rigging, the captain swears, the women
scream and sob, the crowd cheer and laugh, while one or two pretty
little girls stand still and cry outright, regardless of all eyes.
'These two days of comparative peace have quite set me on my legs
again. I was getting worn and weary with anxiety and work. As
usual I have been delighted with my shipwrights. I gave them some
beer on Saturday, making a short oration. To-day when they went
ashore and I came on board, they gave three cheers, whether for me
or the ship I hardly know, but I had just bid them good-bye, and
the ship was out of hail; but I was startled and hardly liked to
claim the compliment by acknowledging it.
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