| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson: but he looked flustered and put out.
"And now, sir," says I, "I must first acknowledge your
generosity."
"Nonsensical nonsense!" cries Cluny. "Where's the generosity?
This is just a most unfortunate affair; but what would ye have me
do -- boxed up in this bee-skep of a cage of mine -- but just set
my friends to the cartes, when I can get them? And if they lose,
of course, it's not to be supposed ----" And here he came to a
pause.
"Yes," said I, "if they lose, you give them back their money; and
if they win, they carry away yours in their pouches! I have said
Kidnapped |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Madame Firmiani by Honore de Balzac: arrearage of remorse in one day. I cannot describe to you the state I
was in. As I drove in the Bois a voice called to me, 'That horse is
not yours'; when I ate my dinner it was saying, 'You have stolen this
food.' I was ashamed. The fresher my honesty, the more intense it was.
I rushed to Madame Firmiani. Uncle! that day I had pleasures of the
heart, enjoyments of the soul, that were far beyond millions. Together
we made out the account of what was due to the Bourgneufs, and I
condemned myself, against Madame Firmiani's advice, to pay three per
cent interest. But all I had did not suffice to cover the full amount.
We were lovers enough for her to offer, and me to accept, her
savings--"
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Secret Places of the Heart by H. G. Wells: that what you and I have been calling the bright little
personal life had broken off short and was spoilt and over
and done with. I felt as though it was my body they had shot.
And there I was, with fifty years of life left in me and
nothing particular to do with them."
"That was just the prelude to life, said Sir Richmond.
"It didn't seem so at the time. I felt I had to got hold of
something or go to pieces. I couldn't turn to religion. I had
no religion. And Duty? What is Duty? I set myself to that. I
had a kind of revelation one night. 'Either I find out what
all this world is about, I said, or I perish.' I have lost
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