| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Catherine de Medici by Honore de Balzac: if necessary, opprobrium and infamy upon you. We shall say that you
are a creature of the Guises, made to play this part to ruin us. You
see therefore that we ask of you a total sacrifice."
"If you perish," said the Prince de Conde, "I pledge my honor as a
noble that your family shall be sacred for the house of Navarre; I
will bear it on my heart and serve it in all things."
"Those words, my prince, suffice," replied Christophe, without
reflecting that the conspirator was a Gascon. "We live in times when
each man, prince or burgher, must do his duty."
"There speaks the true Huguenot. If all our men were like that," said
La Renaudie, laying his hand on Christophe's shoulder, "we should be
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Frances Waldeaux by Rebecca Davis: seats at the long table, while Clara stood waiting.
Jean's eyes still drooped meekly, but even her lips were
pale.
"How can you look so placid?" she whispered. "It is a
deliberate insult to your gray hairs."
"No. It is the custom of the country. It does not hurt
me."
They were led at the moment to the lowest seats. Jean
shot one vindictive glance around the table.
"You have more wit and breeding than any of them!" she
said. "And as for me, this lace I wear would buy any of
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy: making plans about the christening.
Carefully set to rights, with hair well-brushed, in a smart
little cap with some blue in it, her arms out on the quilt, she
was Iying on her back. Meeting his eyes, her eyes drew him to
her. Her face, bright before, brightened still more as he drew
near her. There was the same change in it from earthly to
unearthly that is seen in the face of the dead. But then it means
farewell, here it meant welcome. Again a rush of emotion, such as
he had felt at the moment of the child's birth, flooded his
heart. She took his hand and asked him if he had slept. He could
not answer, and turned away, struggling with his weakness.
Anna Karenina |
