| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Kreutzer Sonata by Leo Tolstoy: upside down, from which the water does not run because it is too
full. I wanted to insult the man, and to drive him away, but I
could do nothing of the kind. On the contrary, I felt that I was
disturbing them, and that it was my fault. I made a presence of
approving everything, this time also, thanks to that strange
feeling that forced me to treat him the more amiably in
proportion as his presence was more painful to me. I said that I
trusted to his taste, and I advised my wife to do the same. He
remained just as long as it was necessary in order to efface the
unpleasant impression of my abrupt entrance with a frightened
face. He went away with an air of satisfaction at the
The Kreutzer Sonata |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Red Inn by Honore de Balzac: thirty years ago. He says it was caused by a splinter of wood entering
his head from a shot on board a boat. Brousson hopes to cure him. They
say the English have discovered a mode of treating the disease with
prussic acid--"
At that instant a still more piercing cry echoed through the house,
and froze us with horror.
"There! that is what I listened to all day long last year," said the
banker's wife. "It made me jump in my chair and rasped my nerves
dreadfully. But, strange to say, poor Taillefer, though he suffers
untold agony, is in no danger of dying. He eats and drinks as well as
ever during even short cessations of the pain--nature is so queer! A
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Lemorne Versus Huell by Elizabeth Drew Stoddard: finished with.
"I can not dance, you know."
"But you will be *there*."
I was sent to a dress-maker of Mrs. Bliss's recommending; but I
ordered the dress to be made after my own design, long plain
sleeves, and high plain corsage, and requested that it should not
be sent home till the evening of the ball. Before it came off Mr.
Uxbridge called, and was graciously received by Aunt Eliza, who
could be gracious to all except her relatives. I could not but
perceive, however, that they watched each other in spite of their
lively conversation. To me he was deferential, but went over the
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