| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Exiles by Honore de Balzac: him to the platform of his professor's chair, and there gave him his
stool to sit upon. The assembly hailed this mark of deference with a
murmur of approval, recognizing the old man as the orator of a fine
thesis admirably argued not long since at the Sorbonne.
The stranger looked down from his raised position on the crowd below
with that deep glance that held a whole poem of sorrow, and those who
met his eye felt an indescribable thrill. The lad, following the old
man, sat down on one of the steps, leaning against the pulpit in a
graceful and melancholy attitude. The silence was now profound, and
the doorway and even the street were blocked by scholars who had
deserted the other classes.
|
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Maitre Cornelius by Honore de Balzac: his apprentices--"
"Have been hanged," said the young man, laughing.
"Oh, don't go; you will be made the victim of some sorcery."
"I cannot pay too dearly for the joy of serving you," he said, with a
look that made her drop her eyes.
"But my husband?" she said.
"Here is something to put him to sleep," replied her lover, drawing
from his belt a little vial.
"Not for always?" said the countess, trembling.
For all answer the young seigneur made a gesture of horror.
"I would long ago have defied him to mortal combat if he were not so
|
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne: firmly, not to see the darkness.
After a considerable lapse of time our speed redoubled. I could
perceive it by the sharpness of the currents that blew past my face.
The descent became steeper. I believe we were no longer sliding, but
falling down. I had an impression that we were dropping vertically.
My uncle's hand, and the vigorous arm of Hans, held me fast.
Suddenly, after a space of time that I could not measure, I felt a
shock. The raft had not struck against any hard resistance, but had
suddenly been checked in its fall. A waterspout, an immense liquid
column, was beating upon the surface of the waters. I was
suffocating! I was drowning!
Journey to the Center of the Earth |
