| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Father Goriot by Honore de Balzac: apart with Mlle. Taillefer; the conversation appeared to be of
such thrilling interest that the pair never noticed the two older
lodgers as they passed through the room. None of this was thrown
away on Mlle. Michonneau.
"I knew how it would end," remarked that lady, addressing Poiret.
"They have been making eyes at each other in a heartrending way
for a week past."
"Yes," he answered. "So she was found guilty."
"Who?"
"Mme. Morin."
"I am talking about Mlle. Victorine," said Mlle, Michonneau, as
Father Goriot |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Father Goriot by Honore de Balzac: but I am a poor student, and I have my way to make."
"Oh! you will succeed," she said laughing. "You will see. All
that you wish will come to pass. _I_ did not expect to be so
happy."
It is the wont of women to prove the impossible by the possible,
and to annihilate facts by presentiments. When Mme. de Nucingen
and Rastignac took their places in her box at the Bouffons, her
face wore a look of happiness that made her so lovely that every
one indulged in those small slanders against which women are
defenceless; for the scandal that is uttered lightly is often
seriously believed. Those who know Paris, believe nothing that is
Father Goriot |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad: I waited. For him evidently Mr. Kurtz was not in his grave;
I suspect that for him Mr. Kurtz was one of the immortals.
`Well!' said I at last, `speak out. As it happens, I am
Mr. Kurtz's friend--in a way.'
"He stated with a good deal of formality that had we not been `of
the same profession,' he would have kept the matter to himself
without regard to consequences. `He suspected there was an active
ill-will towards him on the part of these white men that--'
`You are right,' I said, remembering a certain conversation I
had overheard. `The manager thinks you ought to be hanged.'
He showed a concern at this intelligence which amused me at first.
Heart of Darkness |
