| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Lady Baltimore by Owen Wister: to the ball-rooms of the young; and so we lose a particular graciousness
that Kings Port retains, a perspective of generations. We happen all at
once, with no background, in a swirl of haste and similarity.
One of the many things which came home to me during the conversation that
now began (so many more things came home than I can tell you!) was that
Mrs. Gregory St. Michael's tongue was assuredly "downright" for Kings
Port. This I had not at all taken in while she talked to me, and her
friend's reference to it had left me somewhat at a loss. That better
precision and choice of words which I have mentioned, and the manner in
which she announced her opinions, had put me in mind of several fine
ladles whom I had known in other parts of the world; but hers was an
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from When a Man Marries by Mary Roberts Rinehart: rings around them and Jim's voice came from away across the
river, somebody said, "There, he swallowed that," and soon after,
he opened his eyes. He muttered something that sounded like
"Andean pinnacle" and lapsed into unconsciousness again. But he
was not dead! He was not dead!
When the doctor came they made a stretcher out of one of Jim's
six-foot canvases--it had a picture on it, and Jim was angry
enough the next day--and took him down to the studio. We made it
as much like a sick-room as we could, and we tried to make him
comfortable. But he lay without opening his eyes, and at dawn the
doctor brought a consultant and a trained nurse.
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Lady Susan by Jane Austen: does not accompany her mother to Churchhill, as she has not even manners to
recommend her; and, according to Mr. Smith's account, is equally dull and
proud. Where pride and stupidity unite there can be no dissimulation worthy
notice, and Miss Vernon shall be consigned to unrelenting contempt; but by
all that I can gather Lady Susan possesses a degree of captivating deceit
which it must be pleasing to witness and detect. I shall be with you very
soon, and am ever,
Your affectionate brother,
R. DE COURCY.
V
LADY SUSAN VERNON TO MRS. JOHNSON
Lady Susan |
