| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Hated Son by Honore de Balzac: Affecting a calmness which the tones of his voice, his gestures, and
looks contradicted, he rose hastily, wrapped himself in a dressing-
gown which lay on a chair, and began by locking a door near the
chimney through which the state bedroom was entered from the reception
rooms which communicated with the great staircase.
Seeing her husband pocket that key, the countess had a presentiment of
danger. She next heard him open the door opposite to that which he had
just locked and enter a room where the counts of Herouville slept when
they did not honor their wives with their noble company. The countess
knew of that room only by hearsay. Jealousy kept her husband always
with her. If occasionally some military expedition forced him to leave
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde: Dorian looked at him for a moment. "I am not at home
to any one, Victor," he said with a sigh. The man bowed
and retired.
Then he rose from the table, lit a cigarette, and flung
THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY 109
himself down on a luxuriously cushioned couch that stood facing
the screen. The screen was an old one, of gilt Spanish leather,
stamped and wrought with a rather florid Louis-Quatorze pattern.
He scanned it curiously, wondering if ever before it had concealed
the secret of a man's life.
Should he move it aside, after all? Why not let it stay there?
The Picture of Dorian Gray |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte: hypocrisy to offer! I despise you, and will have nothing to say to
any of you! When I would have given my life for one kind word,
even to see one of your faces, you all kept off. But I won't
complain to you! I'm driven down here by the cold; not either to
amuse you or enjoy your society."
'"What could I ha' done?" began Earnshaw. "How was I to blame?"
'"Oh! you are an exception," answered Mrs. Heathcliff. "I never
missed such a concern as you."
'"But I offered more than once, and asked," he said, kindling up at
her pertness, "I asked Mr. Heathcliff to let me wake for you - "
'"Be silent! I'll go out of doors, or anywhere, rather than have
Wuthering Heights |
