| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Reminiscences of Tolstoy by Leo Tolstoy: purpose which you set up for yourself; and I want to write to you
and to her--for no doubt you tell her everything--what I think
about it. Well, I think about it a great deal, with joy and with
fear mixed. This is what I think. If one marries in order to
enjoy oneself more, no good will ever come of it. To set up as
one's main object, ousting everything else, marriage, union with
the being you love, is a great mistake. And an obvious one, if you
think about it. Object, marriage. Well, you marry; and what then?
If you had no other object in life before your marriage, it will be
twice as hard to find one.
As a rule, people who are getting married completely forget
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Underground City by Jules Verne: "Ay, that I do, Simon," replied she.
"I can recollect all this," resumed Simon, "since I have seen the name
of Silfax on the door. But I tell you, I thought the man was dead,
and never imagined that the spiteful being we have so long sought
for could be the old fireman of the Dochart pit."
"Well, now, then," said Starr, "it is all quite plain.
Chance made known to Silfax the new vein of coal.
With the egotism of madness, he believed himself the owner
of a treasure he must conceal and defend. Living in the mine,
and wandering about day and night, he perceived that you had discovered
the secret, and had written in all haste to beg me to come.
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Secret Sharer by Joseph Conrad: I've had them both fastened up. Use a rope's end to lower
yourself into the water so as to avoid a splash--you know.
It could be heard and cause some beastly complication."
He kept silent for a while, then whispered, "I understand."
"I won't be there to see you go," I began with an effort.
"The rest . . . I only hope I have understood, too."
"You have. From first to last"--and for the first time there
seemed to be a faltering, something strained in his whisper.
He caught hold of my arm, but the ringing of the supper bell
made me start. He didn't though; he only released his grip.
After supper I didn't come below again till well past eight
The Secret Sharer |
