| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Underground City by Jules Verne: certain that the atmosphere of the gallery was quite free from it.
However, Harry prudently carried only the safety lamp, which would
insure light for twelve hours.
James Starr and his companions now felt perfectly happy.
All their wishes were satisfied. There was nothing but coal around them.
A sort of emotion kept them silent; even Simon Ford restrained himself.
His joy overflowed, not in long phrases, but in short ejaculations.
It was perhaps imprudent to venture so far into the crypt.
Pooh! they never thought of how they were to get back.
The gallery was practicable, not very winding. They met
with no noxious exhalations, nor did any chasm bar the path.
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Red Inn by Honore de Balzac: to come from a neighboring apartment and to be echoed faintly back
through the garden.
"Isn't that the voice of Monsieur Taillefer?" I said.
We gave our full attention to the noise; a frightful moaning reached
our ears. The wife of the banker came hurriedly towards us and closed
the window.
"Let us avoid a scene," she said. "If Mademoiselle Taillefer hears her
father, she might be thrown into hysterics."
The banker now re-entered the salon, looked round for Victorine, and
said a few words in her ear. Instantly the young girl uttered a cry,
ran to the door, and disappeared. This event produced a great
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Prince by Nicolo Machiavelli: innovations; thus they did not perceive that by these means he was
acquiring power and authority over them. He was able with the money of
the Church and of the people to sustain his armies, and by that long
war to lay the foundation for the military skill which has since
distinguished him. Further, always using religion as a plea, so as to
undertake greater schemes, he devoted himself with pious cruelty to
driving out and clearing his kingdom of the Moors; nor could there be
a more admirable example, nor one more rare. Under this same cloak he
assailed Africa, he came down on Italy, he has finally attacked
France; and thus his achievements and designs have always been great,
and have kept the minds of his people in suspense and admiration and
The Prince |
