| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from A Man of Business by Honore de Balzac: briefly, they had bills for three thousand two hundred francs odd
centimes, for which they had given five hundred francs; the transfer
being made under private seal, with special power of attorney, to save
the expense of registration. Now it so happened at this juncture,
Maxime, being of ripe age, was seized with one of the fancies peculiar
to the man of fifty--"
"Antonia!" exclaimed La Palferine. "That Antonia whose fortune I made
by writing to ask for a toothbrush!"
"Her real name is Chocardelle," said Malaga, not over well pleased by
the fine-sounding pseudonym.
"The same," continued Desroches.
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from A Daughter of Eve by Honore de Balzac: the address, and go yourself."
"Thanks!" said the countess, pressing her sister's hand. "Ah! I'd give
ten years of life--"
"Out of your old age--"
"If I could put an end to these anxieties," said the countess, smiling
at the interruption.
The persons who were at that moment levelling their opera-glasses at
the two sisters might well have supposed them engaged in some light-
hearted talk; but any observer who had come to the Opera more for the
pleasure of watching faces than for mere idle amusement might have
guessed them in trouble, from the anxious look which followed the
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Edwin A. Abbot: by the wife of the progressive and aspiring Isosceles,
in the females of whose family no "back-motion" of any kind
has become as yet a necessity of life. Hence, in every family
of position and consideration, "back motion" is as prevalent
as time itself; and the husbands and sons in these households
enjoy immunity at least from invisible attacks.
Not that it must be for a moment supposed that our Women are
destitute of affection. But unfortunately the passion of the moment
predominates, in the Frail Sex, over every other consideration.
This is, of course, a necessity arising from their
unfortunate conformation. For as they have no pretensions
Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions |
