| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Almayer's Folly by Joseph Conrad: grey-headed and foolish dreamer invited his guests to visit his
new house. They went there through the long grass in a
straggling procession while their boats were got ready for the
return down the river in the cool of the evening. And in the
great empty rooms where the tepid wind entering through the
sashless windows whirled gently the dried leaves and the dust of
many days of neglect, Almayer in his white jacket and flowered
sarong, surrounded by a circle of glittering uniforms, stamped
his foot to show the solidity of the neatly-fitting floors and
expatiated upon the beauties and convenience of the building.
They listened and assented, amazed by the wonderful simplicity
Almayer's Folly |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from A House of Pomegranates by Oscar Wilde: at sunset he returned to it again in a robe of gold. The people
flung themselves on the ground and hid their faces, but I would not
do so. I stood by the stall of a seller of dates and waited. When
the Emperor saw me, he raised his painted eyebrows and stopped. I
stood quite still, and made him no obeisance. The people marvelled
at my boldness, and counselled me to flee from the city. I paid no
heed to them, but went and sat with the sellers of strange gods,
who by reason of their craft are abominated. When I told them what
I had done, each of them gave me a god and prayed me to leave them.
'That night, as I lay on a cushion in the tea-house that is in the
Street of Pomegranates, the guards of the Emperor entered and led
|
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Spirit of the Border by Zane Grey: rising sun, where dwell your people. She will love, and be constant, as the
northern star. Her love will be an eternal spring where blossoms bloom ever
anew, and fresh, and sweet. She will love your people, and raise Christian
children, and sit ever in the door of your home praying for the west wind to
blow. Or, if my chief wills, we shall live the Indian life, free as two eagles
on their lonely crag."
Although Joe gave himself up completely to his love for his bride, he did not
forget that Kate was in the power of the renegade, and that he must rescue
her. Knowing Girty had the unfortunate girls somewhere near the Delaware
encampment, he resolved to find the place. Plans of all kinds he resolved in
his mind. The best one he believed lay through Whispering Winds. First to find
The Spirit of the Border |
