| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Secrets of the Princesse de Cadignan by Honore de Balzac: marshal and a few legitimists were talking, in a low voice, in her
bedroom, about the recovery of power, which could be attained only by
a general co-operation of ideas,--the one element of success which all
conspirators overlook. It was the clever vengeance of the pretty
woman, who thus inveigled the prime minister, and made him act as
screen for a conspiracy against his own government.
This adventure, worthy of the finest days of the Fronde, was the text
of a very witty letter, in which the princess rendered to "Madame" an
account of the negotiations. The Duc de Maufrigneuse went to La
Vendee, and was able to return secretly without being compromised, but
not without taking part in "Madame's" perils; the latter, however,
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Rescue by Joseph Conrad: lying athwart the eastern semicircle; and such was the silence
within the horizon that one might have fancied oneself come to
the end of time. Black and toylike in the clear depths and the
final stillness of the evening the brig and the schooner lay
anchored in the middle of the main channel with their heads swung
the same way. Lingard, with his chin on his breast and his arms
folded, moved slowly here and there about the poop. Close and
mute like his shadow, Carter, at his elbow, followed his
movements. He felt an anxious solicitude. . . .
It was a sentiment perfectly new to him. He had never before felt
this sort of solicitude about himself or any other man. His
The Rescue |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Tales of Unrest by Joseph Conrad: hills, he would murmur gently, with a careless wave of the hand, "They
came over the hills once to fight us, but those who got away never
came again." He thought for a while, smiling to himself. "Very few got
away," he added, with proud serenity. He cherished the recollections
of his successes; he had an exulting eagerness for endeavour; when
he talked, his aspect was warlike, chivalrous, and uplifting. No
wonder his people admired him. We saw him once walking in daylight
amongst the houses of the settlement. At the doors of huts groups of
women turned to look after him, warbling softly, and with gleaming
eyes; armed men stood out of the way, submissive and erect; others
approached from the side, bending their backs to address him humbly;
Tales of Unrest |
