| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Firm of Nucingen by Honore de Balzac: problematical, since they were not known to possess either stock or
landed estates, yet they lived, and lived well. These ingenious
condottieri of a modern industrialism, that has come to be the most
ruthless of all warfares, leave anxieties to their creditors, and keep
the pleasures for themselves. They are careful for nothing, save
dress. Still with the courage of the Jean Bart order, that will smoke
cigars on a barrel of powder (perhaps by way of keeping up their
character), with a quizzing humor that outdoes the minor newspapers,
sparing no one, not even themselves; clear-sighted, wary, keen after
business, grasping yet open handed, envious yet self-complacent,
profound politicians by fits and starts, analyzing everything,
|
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Confidence by Henry James: him stroll beside her in the Lichtenthal Alley; she read,
or appeared to read, the books he lent her, and she decorated
herself with the flowers he offered. She seemed neither
bored nor embarrassed, neither irritated nor oppressed.
But it was Bernard's belief that she took no more pleasure
in his attentions than a pretty girl must always take in any
recognition of her charms. "If she 's not indifferent,"
he said to himself, "she is, at any rate, impartial--profoundly
impartial."
It was not till the end of a week that Gordon Wright told him exactly
how his business stood with Miss Vivian and what he had reason
|
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Purse by Honore de Balzac: "The sincerity and strength of friendship are not to be measured
by time. I have seen old friends who had not a tear to bestow on
misfortune," said the Baroness, nodding sadly.
"But you--what ails you?" the young man asked Adelaide.
"Oh, nothing," replied the Baroness. "Adelaide has sat up late
for some nights to finish some little piece of woman's work, and
would not listen to me when I told her that a day more or less
did not matter----"
Hippolyte was not listening. As he looked at these two noble,
calm faces, he blushed for his suspicions, and ascribed the loss
of his purse to some unknown accident.
|
