| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Kenilworth by Walter Scott: Tressilian, meanwhile, with hasty steps, pursued the first path
which promised to conduct him through the wild and overgrown park
in which the mansion of Foster was situated. Haste and distress
of mind led his steps astray, and instead of taking the avenue
which led towards the village, he chose another, which, after he
had pursued it for some time with a hasty and reckless step,
conducted him to the other side of the demesne, where a postern
door opened through the wall, and led into the open country.
Tressilian paused an instant. It was indifferent to him by what
road he left a spot now so odious to his recollections; but it
was probable that the postern door was locked, and his retreat by
Kenilworth |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Figure in the Carpet by Henry James: It was extravagant, I admit, the way she lived for the art of the
pen. Her passion visibly preyed on her, and in her presence I felt
almost tepid. I got hold of "Deep Down" again: it was a desert in
which she had lost herself, but in which too she had dug a
wonderful hole in the sand - a cavity out of which Corvick had
still more remarkably pulled her.
Early in March I had a telegram from her, in consequence of which I
repaired immediately to Chelsea, where the first thing she said to
me was: "He has got it, he has got it!"
She was moved, as I could see, to such depths that she must mean
the great thing. "Vereker's idea?"
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Bureaucracy by Honore de Balzac: Dutocq. "I must first see how the land lays in the bureau; we will
talk about it later" [goes off].
Bixiou [alone in the corridor]. "That fish, for he's more a fish than
a bird, that Dutocq has a good idea in his head--I'm sure I don't know
where he stole it. If Baudoyer should succeed La Billardiere it would
be fun, more than fun--profit!" [Returns to the office.] "Gentlemen, I
announce glorious changes; papa La Billardiere is dead, really dead,--
no nonsense, word of honor! Godard is off on business for our
excellent chief Baudoyer, successor presumptive to the deceased."
[Minard, Desroys, and Colleville raise their heads in amazement; they
all lay down their pens, and Colleville blows his nose.] "Every one of
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