| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Hated Son by Honore de Balzac: shock.
"Bertrand," added the count laying his right hand on the servant's
arm, "take off your cuirass, and wear the uniform of a captain of
guerrillas."
"Heavens and earth, monseigneur! What? disguise myself as a Leaguer!
Excuse me, I will obey you; but I would rather be hanged."
The count smiled; then to efface that smile, which contrasted with the
expression of his face, he answered roughly:--
"Choose the strongest horse there is in the stable and follow me. We
shall ride like balls shot from an arquebuse. Be ready when I am
ready. I will ring to let you know."
|
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from On Revenues by Xenophon: hopes is to be found, not in peace but in war, I beg them to reflect
on some matters of history, and to begin at the beginning,[10] the
Median war. Was it by high-handed violence, or as benefactors of the
Hellenes, that we obtained the headship of the naval forces, and the
trusteeship of the treasury of Hellas?[11] Again, when through the too
cruel exercise of her presidency, as men thought, Athens was deprived
of her empire, is it not the case that even in those days,[12] as soon
as we held aloof from injustice we were once more reinstated by the
islanders, of their own free will, as presidents of the naval force?
Nay, did not the very Thebans, in return for certain benefits, grant
to us Athenians to exercise leadership over them?[13] And at another
|
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Albert Savarus by Honore de Balzac: bought such law-books as might prove useful, and I sent everything
off, furniture and all, by carrier to Besancon. I collected my
diplomas, and I went to bid you good-bye. The mail coach dropped
me at Besancon, where, in three days' time, I chose a little set
of rooms looking out over some gardens. I sumptuously arranged the
mysterious private room where I spend my nights and days, and
where the portrait of my divinity reigns--of her to whom my life
is dedicate, who fills it wholly, who is the mainspring of my
efforts, the secret of my courage, the cause of my talents. Then,
as soon as the furniture and books had come, I engaged an
intelligent man-servant, and there I sat for five months like a
Albert Savarus |
