| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Catherine de Medici by Honore de Balzac: mother-in-law is always a person whom the daughter-in-law is inclined
not to like; especially when she wears the crown and wishes to retain
it, which Catherine had imprudently made but too well known. Her
former position, when Diane de Poitiers had ruled Henri II., was more
tolerable than this; then at least she received the external honors
that were due to a queen, and the homage of the court. But now the
duke and the cardinal, who had none but their own minions about them,
seemed to take pleasure in abasing her. Catherine, hemmed in on all
sides by their courtiers, received, not only day by day but from hour
to hour, terrible blows to her pride and her self-love; for the Guises
were determined to treat her on the same system of repression which
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Bride of Lammermoor by Walter Scott: the la'. Make a' the confusion ye can; but be sure ye keep out
the strange servant."
With these charges to his ally, Caleb posted up to the hall, but
stopping to reconnoitre through an aperture, which time, for the
convenience of many a domestic in succession, had made in the
door, and perceiving the situation of Miss Ashton, he had
prudence enough to make a pause, both to avoid adding to her
alarm and in order to secure attention to his account of the
disastrous effects of the thunder.
But when he perceived that the lady was recovered, and heard the
conversation turn upon the accommodation and refreshment which
The Bride of Lammermoor |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Arrow of Gold by Joseph Conrad: But chaff or no chaff they would have been surprised to see me
leave them for the burly and sympathetic Mills. I was ready to
drop any easy company of equals to approach that interesting man
with every mental deference. It was not precisely because of that
shipwreck. He attracted and interested me the more because he was
not to be seen. The fear that he might have departed suddenly for
England - (or for Spain) - caused me a sort of ridiculous
depression as though I had missed a unique opportunity. And it was
a joyful reaction which emboldened me to signal to him with a
raised arm across that cafe.
I was abashed immediately afterwards, when I saw him advance
The Arrow of Gold |
