| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Juana by Honore de Balzac: of the care of our income by giving you an allowance, have you not,
like other women, laid something by?"
"No," replied Juana, "I have nothing. In making that allowance you did
not reckon the costs of the children's education. I don't say that to
reproach you, my friend, only to explain my want of money. All that
you gave me went to pay masters and--"
"Enough!" cried Diard, violently. "Thunder of heaven! every instant is
precious! Where are your jewels?"
"You know very well I have never worn any."
"Then there's not a sou to be had here!" cried Diard, frantically.
"Why do you shout in that way?" she asked.
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Voice of the City by O. Henry: polished; the tan of his cheeks had paled -- his hands
had been washed. The window was empty, and he
waited under it with his nose upward, like a hound
hoping for a bone.
Mademoiselle came, with Sidonie carrying her load
of hair. She looked at the candy man and smiled a
slow smile that faded away into ennui. Instantly she
knew that the game was bagged; and so quickly
she wearied of the chase. She began to talk to
Sidonie.
"Been a fine day," said the candy man, hollowly.
The Voice of the City |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Extracts From Adam's Diary by Mark Twain: desist, and they would even have eaten me if I had stayed--which
I didn't, but went away in much haste. ... I found this place,
outside the Park, and was fairly comfortable for a few days, but
she has found me out. Found me out, and has named the place
Tonawanda--says it looks like that. In fact, I was not sorry she
came, for there are but meagre pickings here, and she brought some
of those apples. I was obliged to eat them, I was so hungry. It
was against my principles, but I find that principles have no real
force except when one is well fed. ... She came curtained in
boughs and bunches of leaves, and when I asked her what she meant
by such nonsense, and snatched them away and threw them down, she
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