| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Life of the Spider by J. Henri Fabre: eiderdown, like that of the Epeirae. The Lycosa, indeed, has no
need to guard her eggs against the inclemencies of the winter, for
the hatching will take place long before the cold weather comes.
Similarly, the Thomisus, with her early brood, takes good care not
to incur useless expenditure: she gives her eggs, for their
protection, a simple purse of satin.
The work of spinning, followed by that of tearing, is continued for
a whole morning, from five to nine o'clock. Worn out with fatigue,
the mother embraces her dear pill and remains motionless. I shall
see no more to-day. Next morning, I find the Spider carrying the
bag of eggs slung from her stern.
The Life of the Spider |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Chouans by Honore de Balzac: a blade that was stainless. Three days earlier she had deeply
regretted having put this dagger in a trunk, when to escape her
enemies at La Vivetiere she had thought for a moment of killing
herself. She now returned to the house, found the weapon, put it in
her belt, wrapped a large shawl round her shoulders and a black lace
scarf about her hair, and covered her head with one of those broad-
brimmed hats distinctive of Chouans which belonged to a servant of the
house. Then, with the presence of mind which excited passions often
give, she took the glove which Marche-a-Terre had given her as a
safeguard, and saying, in reply to Francine's terrible looks, "I would
seek him in hell," she returned to the Promenade.
The Chouans |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Ball at Sceaux by Honore de Balzac: drive like the princes down the broad walk of the Champs-Elysees on
the days of Longchamps in Holy Week. Besides, my father says that it
will someday be the highest dignity in France. He must be a soldier--
but I reserve the right of making him retire; and he must bear an
Order, that the sentries may present arms to us."
And these rare qualifications would count for nothing if this creature
of fancy had not the most amiable temper, a fine figure, intelligence,
and, above all, if he were not slender. To be lean, a personal grace
which is but fugitive, especially under a representative government,
was an indispensable condition. Mademoiselle de Fontaine had an ideal
standard which was to be the model. A young man who at the first
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