| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The American by Henry James: and with a gravity tempered by a decent deference to the best
breakfast that the Croix Helvetique had ever set forth.
Valentin's servant, who was allowed only in scanty measure
the honor of watching with his master, had been lending a light
Parisian hand in the kitchen. The two Frenchmen did their best
to prove that if circumstances might overshadow, they could
not really obscure, the national talent for conversation,
and M. Ledoux delivered a neat little eulogy on poor Bellegarde,
whom he pronounced the most charming Englishman he had ever known.
"Do you call him an Englishman?" Newman asked.
M. Ledoux smiled a moment and then made an epigram. "C'est plus
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Vailima Prayers & Sabbath Morn by Robert Louis Stevenson: patient still; suffer us yet awhile longer; - with our broken
purposes of good, with our idle endeavours against evil, suffer us
awhile longer to endure, and (if it may be) help us to do better.
Bless to us our extraordinary mercies; if the day come when these
must be taken, brace us to play the man under affliction. Be with
our friends, be with ourselves. Go with each of us to rest; if any
awake, temper to them the dark hours of watching; and when the day
returns, return to us, our sun and comforter, and call us up with
morning faces and with morning hearts - eager to labour - eager to
be happy, if happiness shall be our portion - and if the day be
marked for sorrow, strong to endure it.
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Lesser Bourgeoisie by Honore de Balzac: without beating round the bush:--
"Dear, good friend, find means to get ten thousand francs from your
sister, and be sure not to let her suspect that you pay them to me;
tell her that sum is required in the government office to facilitate
your appointment as chevalier of the Legion of honor; tell her, too,
that you know the persons among whom that sum should be distributed."
"That's a good idea," said Thuillier; "besides, I'll pay it back to
her when I get my rents."
"Have the money ready this evening, dear friend. Now I am going out on
business about your cross; to-morrow we shall know something
definitely about it."
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