| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas: have heard the Comte de Morcerf's defence. Can you, sir,
produce any witnesses to the truth of what you have
asserted?' -- `Alas, no, monsieur,' replied the count; `all
those who surrounded the vizier, or who knew me at his
court, are either dead or gone away, I know not where. I
believe that I alone, of all my countrymen, survived that
dreadful war. I have only the letters of Ali Tepelini, which
I have placed before you; the ring, a token of his
good-will, which is here; and, lastly, the most convincing
proof I can offer, after an anonymous attack, and that is
the absence of any witness against my veracity and the
The Count of Monte Cristo |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Underdogs by Mariano Azuela: to them!"
"Why, Demetrio?"
"Hm, I don't know. . . . Because . . . because . . . do
you see? . . . What we've got to do is to make the men
toe the mark. I've got orders to stop a band of men
coming through Cuquio, see? In a few days we'll have
to fight the Carranzistas. It will be great to beat the hell
out of them."
Valderrama, the tramp, who had enlisted in Deme-
trio's army one day without anyone remembering the
time or the place, overheard some of Demetrio's words.
The Underdogs |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Vailima Letters by Robert Louis Stevenson: since the mail came, and going about as before his troubles
darkened. But what did he want with me? 'Tis thought he had
received a despatch - and that he misreads it (so we fully
believe) to the effect that they are to have war ships at
command and can make their little war after all. If it be
so, and they do it, it will be the meanest wanton slaughter
of poor men for the salaries of two white failures. But what
was his errand with me? Perhaps to warn me that unless I
behave he now hopes to be able to pack me off in the CURACOA
when she comes.
I have celebrated my holiday from SAMOA by a plunge at the
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