| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Firm of Nucingen by Honore de Balzac: circulating against him. He scorned to reply through the press; he
simply bought a splendid estate just outside Paris for two millions of
francs. Six weeks afterwards, the Bordeaux shipping intelligence
announced that two vessels with cargoes of bullion to the amount of
seven millions, consigned to the firm of Nucingen, were lying in the
river.
"Then it was plain to Palma, Werbrust, and du Tillet that the trick
had been played. Nobody else was any the wiser. The three scholars
studied the means by which the great bubble had been created, saw that
it had been preparing for eleven months, and pronounced Nucingen the
greatest financier in Europe.
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Adieu by Honore de Balzac: approach her."
The major then snatched up the countess's diamonds, held them in one
hand, drew his sabre with the other, and began to strike with the flat
of its blade such of the sleepers as he thought the most intrepid. He
succeeded in awaking the colossal grenadier, and two other men whose
rank it was impossible to tell.
"We are done for!" he said.
"I know it," said the grenadier, "but I don't care."
"Well, death for death, wouldn't you rather sell your life for a
pretty woman, and take your chances of seeing France?"
"I'd rather sleep," said a man, rolling over on the snow, "and if you
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Ebb-Tide by Stevenson & Osbourne: He stood, in the strong glow of the sunset, with bowed head;
his voice sounded now sweet and now bitter with the varying
sense.
'You loved these people?' cried Herrick, strangely touched.
'I?' said Attwater. 'Dear no! Don't think me a philanthropist.
I dislike men, and hate women. If I like the islands at all, it
is because you see them here plucked of their lendings, their
dead birds and cocked hats, their petticoats and coloured hose.
Here was one I liked though,' and he set his foot upon a mound.
'He was a fine savage fellow; he had a dark soul; yes, I liked
this one. I am fanciful,' he added, looking hard at Herrick, 'and
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