| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Troll Garden and Selected Stories by Willa Cather: of that common uncertain shade of gray, and was closely shaven
except for the incipient muttonchops on his ruddy cheeks. He
bore himself in a manner strikingly capable, and there was a sort
of trimness and alertness about him, despite the too-generous
shoulders of his coat. In one hand he held a bulldog pipe, and
in the other a copy of Sporting Life. While MacMaster was
explaining the purpose of his call he noticed that the man surveyed
him critically, though not impertinently. He was admitted into a
little tank of a lodge made of whitewashed stone, the back door
and windows opening upon a garden. A visitor's book and a pile
of catalogues lay on a deal table, together with a bottle of ink
The Troll Garden and Selected Stories |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Albert Savarus by Honore de Balzac: would often scotch the wheels of the Government and upset Ministries!"
--"The Duc de Fitz-James is to be nominated at Toulouse."--"You will
enable Monsieur de Watteville to win his lawsuit."--"If you vote for
Monsieur Savarus, the Republicans will vote with you rather than with
the Moderates!" etc., etc.
At nine o'clock Albert had not arrived. Madame de Watteville was
disposed to regard such delay as an impertinence.
"My dear Baroness," said Madame de Chavoncourt, "do not let such
serious issues turn on such a trifle. The varnish on his boots is not
dry--or a consultation, perhaps, detains Monsieur de Savarus."
Rosalie shot a side glance at Madame de Chavoncourt.
Albert Savarus |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Odyssey by Homer: lay within the cave, stretched out among his sheep.
'So I took counsel in my great heart, whether I should draw
near, and pluck my sharp sword from my thigh, and stab him
in the breast, where the midriff holds the liver, feeling
for the place with my hand. But my second thought withheld
me, for so should we too have perished even there with
utter doom. For we should not have prevailed to roll away
with our hands from the lofty door the heavy stone which he
set there. So for that time we made moan, awaiting the
bright Dawn.
'Now when early Dawn shone forth, the rosy-fingered, again
The Odyssey |
