| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Herodias by Gustave Flaubert: up from cities accursed and buried deeper than the river-bed of the
slow-running Jordan.
These aspects of nature, which seemed to his troubled fancy signs of
the wrath of the gods, terrified him, and he leaned heavily against
the balcony railing, his eyes fixed, his head resting upon his hands.
Presently he felt a light touch upon his shoulder. He turned, and saw
Herodias standing beside him. A purple robe enveloped her, falling to
her sandaled feet. Having left her chamber hurriedly, she wore no
jewels nor other ornaments. A thick tress of rippling black hair hung
over her shoulder and hid itself in her bosom; her nostrils, a little
too large for beauty, quivered with triumph, and her face was alight
Herodias |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas: No one answered to his first knocking. A silence of death
reigned in the cabin as in the pavilion; but as the cabin was his
last resource, he knocked again.
It soon appeared to him that he heard a slight noise within--a
timid noise which seemed to tremble lest it should be heard.
Then D'Artagnan ceased knocking, and prayed with an accent so
full of anxiety and promises, terror and cajolery, that his voice
was of a nature to reassure the most fearful. At length an old,
worm-eaten shutter was opened, or rather pushed ajar, but closed
again as soon as the light from a miserable lamp which burned in
the corner had shone upon the baldric, sword belt, and pistol
The Three Musketeers |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Dynamiter by Robert Louis Stevenson and Fanny Van De Grift Stevenson: confused and ashamed because I have deceived you. Spanish,'
she began, and paused - 'Spanish is, of course, my native
tongue,' she resumed, as though suddenly taking courage; 'and
this should certainly put the highest value on your
thoughtful present; but alas, sir, of what use is it to me?
And how shall I confess to you the truth - the humiliating
truth - that I cannot read?'
As Harry's eyes met hers in undisguised amazement, the fair
Cuban seemed to shrink before his gaze. 'Read?' repeated
Harry. 'You!'
She pushed the window still more widely open with a large and
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