| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from An International Episode by Henry James: "But you must have known some, too," said Lord Lambeth.
"I don't think that I have ever spoken to one before.
You are the first Englishman that--to my knowledge--
I have ever talked with."
Bessie Alden made this statement with a certain gravity--
almost, as it seemed to Lord Lambeth, an impressiveness.
Attempts at impressiveness always made him feel awkward,
and he now began to laugh and swing his stick. "Ah, you
would have been sure to know!" he said. And then he added,
after an instant, "I'm sorry I am not a better specimen."
The young girl looked away; but she smiled, laying aside her impressiveness.
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Divine Comedy (translated by H.F. Cary) by Dante Alighieri: I did him reverence; and "What cause," said he,
"Hath bow'd thee thus!"--" Compunction," I rejoin'd.
"And inward awe of your high dignity."
"Up," he exclaim'd, "brother! upon thy feet
Arise: err not: thy fellow servant I,
(Thine and all others') of one Sovran Power.
If thou hast ever mark'd those holy sounds
Of gospel truth, 'nor shall be given ill marriage,'
Thou mayst discern the reasons of my speech.
Go thy ways now; and linger here no more.
Thy tarrying is a let unto the tears,
The Divine Comedy (translated by H.F. Cary) |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Rescue by Joseph Conrad: other's bright smile but otherwise looking grim enough with the
frown which had settled on his forehead at Daman's approach. He
glanced over his shoulder at a group of spearmen escorting the
two captives who had come down the steps from the hut. At the
sight of Daman barring as it were Lingard's way they had stopped
at some distance and had closed round the two white men. Daman
also glanced dispassionately that way.
"They were my guests," he murmured. "Please God I shall come soon
to ask you for them . . . as a friend," he added after a slight
pause.
"And please God you will not go away empty handed," said Lingard,
The Rescue |
