| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Eugenie Grandet by Honore de Balzac: The words sent a chill of horror through Maitre Cruchot, who,
notwithstanding his impassibility as a notary, felt the cold running
down his spine as he thought that Grandet of Paris had possibly
implored in vain the millions of Grandet of Saumur.
"And his son, so joyous yesterday--"
"He knows nothing as yet," answered Grandet, with the same composure.
"Adieu! Monsieur Grandet," said Cruchot, who now understood the state
of the case, and went off to reassure Monsieur de Bonfons.
On entering, Grandet found breakfast ready. Madame Grandet, round
whose neck Eugenie had flung her arms, kissing her with the quick
effusion of feeling often caused by secret grief, was already seated
Eugenie Grandet |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Door in the Wall, et. al. by H. G. Wells: I almost laughed outright. Either he was mad or playing a sorry
jest on his own poverty.
"If high aims and high positions," said I, "have their
drawbacks of hard work and anxiety, they have their compensations.
Influence, the power of doing good, of assisting those weaker and
poorer than ourselves; and there is even a certain gratification in
display . . . . . "
My banter under the circumstances was in very vile taste. I
spoke on the spur of the contrast of his appearance and speech. I
was sorry even while I was speaking.
He turned a haggard but very composed face upon me. Said he:
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Lay Morals by Robert Louis Stevenson: of needs and duties. Society was scarce put together, and
defended with so much eloquence and blood, for the
convenience of two or three millionaires and a few hundred
other persons of wealth and position. It is plain that if
mankind thus acted and suffered during all these generations,
they hoped some benefit, some ease, some wellbeing, for
themselves and their descendants; that if they supported law
and order, it was to secure fair-play for all; that if they
denied themselves in the present, they must have had some
designs upon the future. Now, a great hereditary fortune is
a miracle of man's wisdom and mankind's forbearance; it has
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