| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Droll Stories, V. 1 by Honore de Balzac: I will stab you with this dagger."
And the clever hussy drew from her armoire a little dagger, which she
knew how to use with great skill when necessary.
"But my little paradise, my sweet one," said the other, laughing,
"don't you see the trick? Wasn't it necessary to be get rid of that
old bullock of Coire?"
"Well then, if you love me, show it" replied she. "I desire that you
leave me instantly. If you are touched with the disease my death will
not worry you. I know you well enough to know at what price you will
put a moment of pleasure at your last hour. You would drown the earth.
Ah, ah! you have boasted of it when drunk. I love only myself, my
 Droll Stories, V. 1 |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Travels of Sir John Mandeville by Sir John Mandeville: be idols as great as giants; and to these idols they give to eat at
great festival days in this manner. They bring before them meat
all sodden, as hot as they come from the fire, and they let the
smoke go up towards the idols; and then they say that the idols
have eaten; and then the religious men eat the meat afterwards.
In that country be white hens without feathers, but they bear white
wool as sheep do here. In that country women that be unmarried,
they have tokens on their heads like coronals to be known for
unmarried. Also in that country there be beasts taught of men to
go into waters, into rivers and into deep stanks for to take fish;
the which beast is but little, and men clepe them loirs. And when
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Secrets of the Princesse de Cadignan by Honore de Balzac: and God have understood me."
These words, breathed into the ear of the listener, in tones inaudible
to the other guests, and with accents worthy of the cleverest actress,
were calculated to reach the heart; and they did reach that of
d'Arthez. There was no question of himself in the matter; this woman
was seeking to rehabilitate herself in favor of the dead. She had been
calumniated; and she evidently wanted to know if anything had
tarnished her in the eyes of him who had loved her; had he died with
all his illusions?
"Michel," replied d'Arthez, "was one of those men who love absolutely,
and who, if they choose ill, can suffer without renouncing the woman
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