| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte: 'I still think it is, Tom; and perhaps your papa and mamma would
think so too, if they thought much about it. However,' I
internally added, 'they may say what they please, but I am
determined you shall do nothing of the kind, as long as I have
power to prevent it.'
He next took me across the lawn to see his mole-traps, and then
into the stack-yard to see his weasel-traps: one of which, to his
great joy, contained a dead weasel; and then into the stable to
see, not the fine carriage-horses, but a little rough colt, which
he informed me had been bred on purpose for him, and he was to ride
it as soon as it was properly trained. I tried to amuse the little
Agnes Grey |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Finished by H. Rider Haggard: Messengers were sent back to the camp for more ammunition, but
none arrived, Heaven knows why. My own belief is that the
reserve cartridges were packed away in boxes and could not be got
at. At last our supply began to run short, so there was nothing
to be done except retreat upon the camp which was perhaps half a
mile behind us.
Taking advantage of a pause in the Zulu advance which had lain
down while waiting for reserves, Colonel Durnford ordered a
retirement that was carried out very well. Up to that time we
had lost only quite a few men, for the Zulu fire was wild and
high and they had not been able to get at us with the assegai.
|
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Lily of the Valley by Honore de Balzac: is killing me. Indeed, all our feelings affect the gastric centre."
"Then do you mean," I said, smiling, "that the best-hearted people die
of their stomachs?"
"Don't laugh, Felix; nothing is more absolutely true. Too keen a
sensibility increases the play of the sympathetic nerve; these
excitements of feeling keep the mucous membrane of the stomach in a
state of constant irritation. If this state continues it deranges, at
first insensibly, the digestive functions; the secretions change, the
appetite is impaired, and the digestion becomes capricious; sharp
pains are felt; they grow worse day by day, and more frequent; then
the disorder comes to a crisis, as if a slow poison were passing the
The Lily of the Valley |
