| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Bride of Lammermoor by Walter Scott: questions you thought fit. You see the total incapacity of my
daughter to answer you. But I will reply for her, and in a
manner which you cannot dispute. You desire to know whether Lucy
Ashton, of her own free will, desires to annual the engagement
into which she has been trepanned. You have her letter under her
own hand, demanding the surrender of it; and, in yet more full
evidence of her purpose, here is the contract which she has this
morning subscribed, in presence of this reverence gentleman, with
Mr. Hayston of Bucklaw."
Ravenswood gazed upon the deed as if petrified. "And it was
without fraud or compulsion," said he, looking towards the
The Bride of Lammermoor |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Letters of Two Brides by Honore de Balzac: bold sweep of your forehead, declare a spirit of no common
elevation, sound and trustworthy in every relation, and well
braced to meet the storms of life, should such arise. The keynote
of your character is its freedom from all pettiness. You do not
need to be told all this; but I write it because I would have you
know that I appreciate the treasure I possess. Your favors to me,
however slight, will always make my happiness in the far-distant
future as now; for I am sensible how much dignity there is in our
promise to respect each other's liberty. Our own impulse shall
with us alone dictate the expression of feeling. We shall be free
even in our fetters. I shall have the more pride in wooing you
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Cruise of the Jasper B. by Don Marquis: advantage in arms; here is a magazine rifle for each of you,
while they, if I am not mistaken, will attack with pistols. We
must keep them at a distance, if possible. If they should
attempt to rush us we will meet them with cutlasses and sabers."
"Mr. Cleggett," said Lady Agatha, rising when he had finished,
and speaking with animation, "will you permit me to make a
suggestion?"
She went on, without waiting for an answer: "It is this: Choose
your own ground for this battle! The Jasper B. is now a
full-rigged schooner. Very well, then, sail her! At the moment
you are attacked, weigh anchor, fight your way to the mouth of
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