| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Long Odds by H. Rider Haggard: not thicker than a piece of writing-paper. This done, I loaded the gun,
bound a handkerchief round my wrist and hand to staunch the flowing of
the blood, and started on again.
"I had noticed that the lioness went into a thick green bush, or rather
cluster of bushes, growing near the water, about fifty yards higher up,
for there was a little stream running down the kloof, and I walked
towards this bush. When I got there, however, I could see nothing, so I
took up a big stone and threw it into the bushes. I believe that it hit
the other cub, for out it came with a rush, giving me a broadside shot,
of which I promptly availed myself, knocking it over dead. Out, too,
came the lioness like a flash of light, but quick as she went I managed
Long Odds |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Red Inn by Honore de Balzac: with that power of tact and will which is never lacking to prisoners
or to criminals in whatever they undertake, he unscrewed the iron
bars, slipped them from their places without the slightest noise,
placed them against the wall, and opened the shutters, leaning heavily
upon their hinges to keep them from creaking. The moon was shedding
its pale pure light upon the scene, and he was thus enabled to faintly
see into the room where Wilhelm and Wahlenfer were sleeping. There, he
told me, he stood still for a moment. The throbbing of his heart was
so strong, so deep, so sonorous, that he was terrified; he feared he
could not act with coolness; his hands trembled; the soles of his feet
seem planted on red-hot coal; but the execution of his plan was
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Hiero by Xenophon: tyrant's remedy: there's none better suited[22] to his case, since he
alone of all men is in this dilemma, that neither to keep nor lay
aside his troubles profits him.
[22] Or, "nought more profitable to meet the case." The author plays
on {lusitelei} according to his wont.
VIII
Here Simonides took up the thread of the discourse[1] as follows: That
for the moment, Hiero, you should be out of heart regarding tyranny[2]
I do not wonder, since you have a strong desire to be loved by human
beings, and you are persuaded that it is your office which balks the
realisation of your dream.
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