| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Madam How and Lady Why by Charles Kingsley: these glens are. How the flat moor ends suddenly in a steep
rounded bank, almost like the crest of a wave--ready like a wave-
crest to fall over, and as you know, falling over sometimes, bit
by bit, where the soil is bare.
Oh, yes; you are very fond of those banks. It is "awfully jolly,"
as you say, scrambling up and down them, in the deep heath and
fern; besides, there are plenty of rabbit-holes there, because
they are all sand; while there are no rabbit-holes on the flat
above, because it is all gravel.
Yes; you know all about it: but you know, too, that you must not
go too far down these banks, much less roll down them, because
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Commission in Lunacy by Honore de Balzac: boudoir where we have spent this evening, in spite of the magnificence
of the house, it is quite possible that Madame la Marquise is in
debt."
"What makes you think so?"
"I do not assert it; I am supposing. She talked of her soul as Louis
XVIII. used to talk of his heart. I tell you this: That fragile, fair
woman, with her chestnut hair, who pities herself that she may be
pitied, enjoys an iron constitution, an appetite like a wolf's, and
the strength and cowardice of a tiger. Gauze, and silk, and muslin
were never more cleverly twisted round a lie! Ecco."
"Bianchon, you frighten me! You have learned a good many things, then,
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Muse of the Department by Honore de Balzac: believed in the murmured, "Do not cry, Didine!"
Lousteau, who was not lacking in the sort of decision which grows out
of the vicissitudes of a storm-tossed life, reflected thus:
"Didine is high-minded; when once she knows of my proposed marriage,
she will sacrifice herself for my future prospects, and I know how I
can manage to let her know." Delighted at having hit on a trick of
which the success seemed certain, he danced round to a familiar tune:
"/Larifla, fla, fla!/--And Didine once out of the way," he went on,
talking to himself, "I will treat Maman Cardot to a call and a
novelette: I have seduced her Felicie at Saint-Eustache--Felicie,
guilty through passion, bears in her bosom the pledge of our affection
The Muse of the Department |
