| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Pierrette by Honore de Balzac: conversed in a manner that was agreeable to all. The Rogrons flattered
themselves that being received by Monsieur Garceland, the mayor, they
would soon be on good terms with all the best families in the town.
Sylvie applied herself to learn boston. Rogron, incapable of playing a
game, twirled his thumbs and had nothing to say except to discourse on
his new house. Words seemed to choke him; he would get up, try to
speak, become frightened, and sit down again, with comical distortion
of the lips. Sylvie naively betrayed her natural self at cards. Sharp,
irritable, whining when she lost, insolent when she won, nagging and
quarrelsome, she annoyed her partners as much as her adversaries, and
became the scourge of society. And yet, possessed by a silly,
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Contrast by Royall Tyler: man.
CHARLOTTE
Why, that was good-natured--he told you so, I sup-
pose, in mere charity, to prevent you falling in love
with him?
MARIA
He didn't tell me so; [peevishly] he looked as if he
was married.
CHARLOTTE
How, my dear; did he look sheepish?
MARIA
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Scenes from a Courtesan's Life by Honore de Balzac: "What did they say to each other?"
"Well--a pious person, with a prayer-book in her hand--what could she
say? She asked the Abbe's blessing and went on her knees."
"Did they talk together a long time?"
"Not five minutes; but we none of us understood what they said; they
spoke Spanish no doubt."
"Tell us everything, monsieur," the public prosecutor insisted. "I
repeat, the very smallest detail is to us of the first importance. Let
this be a caution to you."
"She was crying, monsieur."
"Really weeping?"
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