| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg by Mark Twain: share shall be ten thousand dollars, and I will hand him the money
to-morrow. [Great applause from the house. But the "invulnerable
probity" made the Richardses blush prettily; however, it went for
modesty, and did no harm.] If you will pass my proposition by a
good majority--I would like a two-thirds vote--I will regard that as
the town's consent, and that is all I ask. Rarities are always
helped by any device which will rouse curiosity and compel remark.
Now if I may have your permission to stamp upon the faces of each of
these ostensible coins the names of the eighteen gentlemen who--"
Nine-tenths of the audience were on their feet in a moment--dog and
all--and the proposition was carried with a whirlwind of approving
The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad: mature age, but looking generally as if they were not in funds.
Some of that last kind had the collars of their overcoats turned
right up to their moustaches, and traces of mud on the bottom of
their nether garments, which had the appearance of being much worn
and not very valuable. And the legs inside them did not, as a
general rule, seem of much account either. With their hands
plunged deep in the side pockets of their coats, they dodged in
sideways, one shoulder first, as if afraid to start the bell going.
The bell, hung on the door by means of a curved ribbon of steel,
was difficult to circumvent. It was hopelessly cracked; but of an
evening, at the slightest provocation, it clattered behind the
The Secret Agent |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Lady Chatterley's Lover by D. H. Lawrence: electric torch. 'It's a bit lighter in the park,' he said; 'but take it
for fear you get off th' path.'
It was true, there seemed a ghost-glimmer of greyness in the open space
of the park. He suddenly drew her to him and whipped his hand under her
dress again, feeling her warm body with his wet, chill hand.
'I could die for the touch of a woman like thee,' he said in his
throat. 'If tha' would stop another minute.'
She felt the sudden force of his wanting her again.
'No, I must run,' she said, a little wildly.
'Ay,' he replied, suddenly changed, letting her go.
She turned away, and on the instant she turned back to him saying:
Lady Chatterley's Lover |
