| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from An Historical Mystery by Honore de Balzac: have a black mark at their foot close to the earth. Each of these
trees is a sign-post. At the foot of the third old oak which stands to
the left of each sign-post, two feet in front of it and buried seven
feet in the ground, you will find a large metal tube; in each tube are
one hundred thousand francs in gold. These eleven trees--there are
only eleven--contain the whole fortune of the Simeuse brothers, now
that Gondreville has been taken from them."
"It will take a hundred years for the nobility to recover from such
blows," said Mademoiselle de Cinq-Cygne, slowly.
"Is there a pass-word?" asked Michu.
"'France and Charles' for the soldiers, 'Laurence and Louis' for the
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Another Study of Woman by Honore de Balzac: reflections to which his narrative gave rise, as to the changes that
have taken place in the French woman since the fateful revolution of
July.
On that evening chance had brought together several persons, whose
indisputable merits have won them European reputations. This is not a
piece of flattery addressed to France, for there were a good many
foreigners present. And, indeed, the men who most shone were not the
most famous. Ingenious repartee, acute remarks, admirable banter,
pictures sketched with brilliant precision, all sparkled and flowed
without elaboration, were poured out without disdain, but without
effort, and were exquisitely expressed and delicately appreciated. The
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Lady Susan by Jane Austen: sure, has had a wretched education, and a dreadful example of levity in her
mother; but yet I can pronounce her disposition to be excellent, and her
natural abilities very good. Though totally without accomplishments, she is
by no means so ignorant as one might expect to find her, being fond of
books and spending the chief of her time in reading. Her mother leaves her
more to herself than she did, and I have her with me as much as possible,
and have taken great pains to overcome her timidity. We are very good
friends, and though she never opens her lips before her mother, she talks
enough when alone with me to make it clear that, if properly treated by
Lady Susan, she would always appear to much greater advantage. There cannot
be a more gentle, affectionate heart; or more obliging manners, when acting
Lady Susan |
