| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Euthydemus by Plato: I escaped making a laughing-stock of ourselves to the strangers.
Why do you say so?
Why, because we have already spoken of good-fortune, and are but repeating
ourselves.
What do you mean?
I mean that there is something ridiculous in again putting forward good-
fortune, which has a place in the list already, and saying the same thing
twice over.
He asked what was the meaning of this, and I replied: Surely wisdom is
good-fortune; even a child may know that.
The simple-minded youth was amazed; and, observing his surprise, I said to
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Madame Firmiani by Honore de Balzac: love you forever, without limit; yes, I desire to be forever proud
of you. A woman's glory is in the man she loves. Esteem,
consideration, honor, must they not be his who receives our all?
Well, my angel has fallen. Yes, dear, the tale you told me has
tarnished my past joys. Since then I have felt myself humiliated
in you,--you whom I thought the most honorable of men, as you are
the most loving, the most tender. I must indeed have deep
confidence in your heart, so young and pure, to make you this
avowal which costs me much. Ah! my dear love, how is it that you,
knowing your father had unjustly deprived others of their
property, that YOU can keep it?
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Vendetta by Honore de Balzac: She felt the impulse to rush home, to breathe the blessed air of her
father's house, to fling herself at his feet, to see her mother. She
was springing forward to accomplish this wish, when Luigi entered. At
the mere sight of him her filial emotion vanished; her tears were
stopped, and she no longer had the strength to abandon that loving and
unfortunate youth. To be the sole hope of a noble being, to love him
and then abandon him!--that sacrifice is the treachery of which young
hearts are incapable. Ginevra had the generosity to bury her own grief
and suffering silently in her soul.
The marriage day arrived. Ginevra had no friend with her. While she
was dressing, Luigi fetched the witnesses necessary to sign the
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