| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Vendetta by Honore de Balzac: glances, by gestures, by silence even, more intelligible than words.
As soon as Madame Servin entered the studio, her eyes turned to the
door near which Ginevra was seated. Under present circumstances the
fact of this glance was not lost. Though at first none of the pupils
took notice of it, Mademoiselle Thirion recollected it later, and it
explained to her the doubt, fear, and mystery which now gave something
wild and frightened to Madame Servin's eyes.
"Mesdemoiselles," she said, "Monsieur Servin cannot come to-day."
Then she went round complimenting each young girl, receiving in return
a volume of those feminine caresses which are given as much by the
tones of the voice and by looks as by gestures. She presently reached
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Salammbo by Gustave Flaubert: it. As he was now unable to sit he remained lying down near the door,
half hidden among the fringes of the lofty tapestry; and when the
pontiff of Moloch asked them whether they would consent to surrender
their children, his voice suddenly broke forth from the shadow like
the roaring of a genius in the depths of a cavern. He regretted, he
said, that he had none of his own blood to give; and he gazed at
Hamilcar, who faced him at the other end of the hall. The Suffet was
so much disconcerted by this look that it made him lower his eyes. All
successively bent their heads in approval; and in accordance with the
rites he had to reply to the high priest: "Yes; be it so." Then the
Ancients decreed the sacrifice in traditional circumlocution,--because
Salammbo |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from A Legend of Montrose by Walter Scott: will not forget them in a hurry. Sir, I have been made to stand
guard eight hours, being from twelve at noon to eight o'clock of
the night, at the palace, armed with back and breast, head-piece
and bracelets, being iron to the teeth, in a bitter frost, and
the ice was as hard as ever was flint; and all for stopping an
instant to speak to my landlady, when I should have gone to roll-
call."
"And, doubtless, sir," replied Lord Menteith, "you have gone
through some hot service, as well as this same cold duty you talk
of?"
"Surely, my lord, it doth not become me to speak; but he that
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