| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Commission in Lunacy by Honore de Balzac: The window-curtains were black with smoke, and the hangings absolutely
colorless. Between the fireplace and the large square table at which
the magistrate worked, the cook had set two cups of coffee on a small
table, and two armchairs, in mahogany and horsehair, awaited the uncle
and nephew. As daylight, darkened by the windows, could not penetrate
to this corner, the cook had left two dips burning, whose unsnuffed
wicks showed a sort of mushroom growth, giving the red light which
promises length of life to the candle from slowness of combustion--a
discovery due to some miser.
"My dear uncle, you ought to wrap yourself more warmly when you go
down to that parlor."
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Albert Savarus by Honore de Balzac: curiosity. And Albert Savaron, who was really very striking, made all
the more impression on Rosalie because his mien, his walk, his
carriage, everything down to his clothing, had the indescribable stamp
which can only be expressed by the word Mystery.
He came in. The church, till now gloomy, seemed to Rosalie to be
illuminated. The girl was fascinated by his slow and solemn demeanor,
as of a man who bears a world on his shoulders and whose deep gaze,
whose very gestures, combine to express a devastating or absorbing
thought. Rosalie now understood the Vicar-General's words in their
fullest extent. Yes, those eyes of tawny brown, shot with golden
lights, covered ardor which revealed itself in sudden flashes.
Albert Savarus |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Child of Storm by H. Rider Haggard: this, my own royal regiment, under the command of Maputa the skilled in
war to spy out the battle, and I pray that you will go with it, that you
may give to the General Maputa and to the captains the help of your
wisdom. Now these are my orders to you, Maputa, and to you, O
captains--that you take no part in the fight unless you should see that
the Elephant, my son Umbelazi, is fallen into a pit, and that then you
shall drag him out if you can and save him alive. Now repeat my words
to me."
So they repeated the words, speaking with one voice.
"Your answer, O Macumazana," he said when they had spoken.
"O King, I have told you that I will go--though I do not like war--and I
Child of Storm |
