| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Virginian by Owen Wister: Walter Scott's Kenilworth. Shakespeare he had returned to her. He
had bought Shakespeare for himself. "As soon as I got used to
readin' it," he had told her, "I knowed for certain that I liked
readin' for enjoyment"
But it was not of books that he had spoken much to-day. He had
not spoken at all. He had bade her listen to the meadow-lark,
when its song fell upon the silence like beaded drops of music.
He had showed her where a covey of young willow-grouse were
hiding as their horses passed. And then, without warning, as they
sat by the spring, he had spoken potently of his love.
She did not interrupt him. She waited until he was wholly
The Virginian |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas: then he, like the first, saluted the nocturnal visitors,
making a sign that they might proceed.
Behind the sentinel was a staircase with twenty steps. Franz
and the count descended these, and found themselves in a
mortuary chamber. Five corridors diverged like the rays of a
star, and the walls, dug into niches, which were arranged
one above the other in the shape of coffins, showed that
they were at last in the catacombs. Down one of the
corridors, whose extent it was impossible to determine, rays
of light were visible. The count laid his hand on Franz's
shoulder. "Would you like to see a camp of bandits in
The Count of Monte Cristo |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Brother of Daphne by Dornford Yates: "You see if I had offered my services- such as they are- in his
presence, he would probably have challenged me, and stuck your
glove in his hat."
She laughed.
"He looked rather like it, didn't he?"
"And, of course, according to his lights, you should still be
endeavouring to pull the alarm cord."
"Instead of which- "
"You are going to put your feet up and smoke one of my
cigarettes. It's not a smoking carriage so you'll be able to
taste the tobacco."
The Brother of Daphne |
