| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from A Personal Record by Joseph Conrad: I suppose that after all I managed to stave off the smash with
sufficient approach to verisimilitude, and the ghastly business
went on. You must understand that the scheme of the test he was
applying to me was, I gathered, a homeward passage--the sort of
passage I would not wish to my bitterest enemy. That imaginary
ship seemed to labour under a most comprehensive curse. It's no
use enlarging on these never-ending misfortunes; suffice it to
say that long before the end I would have welcomed with gratitude
an opportunity to exchange into the Flying Dutchman. Finally he
shoved me into the North Sea (I suppose) and provided me with a
lee shore with outlying sand-banks--the Dutch coast, presumably.
A Personal Record |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Master of the World by Jules Verne: gun boat went out from Boston, if not to pursue the monster, at least
to send after it a few cannon shot. Almost instantly the animal
disappeared, and the attempt was vain. As yet, however, the monster
had shown no intention of attacking either boats or people.
At this moment Mr. Ward returned and I interrupted my reading to say,
"There seems as yet no reason to complain of this sea-serpent. It
flees before big ships. It does not pursue little ones. Feeling and
intelligence are not very strong in fishes."
"Yet their emotions exist, Strock, and if strongly aroused--"
"But, Mr. Ward, the beast seems not at all dangerous. One of two
things will happen. Either it will presently quit these coasts, or
|
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Bride of Lammermoor by Walter Scott: discussion with Ravenswood. But respecting this subject Bucklaw
imposed on him, at length, a peremptory command of silence.
"I think," he said, "the Master has treated me unlike a
gentleman, and I see no right he had to send me back a cavalier
answer when I demanded the satisfaction of one. But he gave me
my life once; and, in looking the matter over at present, I put
myself but on equal terms with him. Should he cross me again, I
shall consider the old accompt as balanced, and his Mastership
will do well to look to himself."
"That he should," re-echoed Craigengelt; "for when you are in
practice, Bucklaw, I would bet a magnum you are through him
The Bride of Lammermoor |
