| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Art of War by Sun Tzu: number of victories and defeats, Li Hsiung had recourse to the
services of a certain P`o-t`ai, a native of Wu-tu. He began to
have him whipped until the blood came, and then sent him off to
Lo Shang, whom he was to delude by offering to cooperate with him
from inside the city, and to give a fire signal at the right
moment for making a general assault. Lo Shang, confiding in
these promises, march out all his best troops, and placed Wei Po
and others at their head with orders to attack at P`o-t`ai's
bidding. Meanwhile, Li Hsiung's general, Li Hsiang, had prepared
an ambuscade on their line of march; and P`o-t`ai, having reared
long scaling-ladders against the city walls, now lighted the
The Art of War |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Fantastic Fables by Ambrose Bierce: passenger was about to complain of the accommodations.
In due time he was dragged across, half strangled, and dreadfully
beslubbered by the feculent waters. "There," said the Ferryman,
hauling him ashore and disengaging him, "you are now in the City of
Political Distinction. It has fifty millions of inhabitants, and
as the colour of the Filthy Pool does not wash off, they all look
exactly alike."
"Alas!" exclaimed Jamrach, weeping and bewailing the loss of all
his possessions, paid out in tips and tolls; "I will go back with
you."
"I don't think you will,", said the Ferryman, pushing off; "this
Fantastic Fables |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Secrets of the Princesse de Cadignan by Honore de Balzac: Chrestien, who was really killed at Saint-Merri, had no lack of
friends. I have heard it said that he was one of those born statesmen
to whom, like de Marsay, nothing is wanting but opportunity to become
all they might be."
"Then he had better be dead," said the princess, with a melancholy
air, under which she concealed her thoughts.
"Will you come to my house some evening and meet d'Arthez?" said the
marquise. "You can talk of your ghost."
"Yes, I will," replied the princess.
CHAPTER II
DANIEL D'ARTHEZ
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