| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Ferragus by Honore de Balzac: notes and dashes by which modern authors have endeavored to depict the
great disasters of all the passions:--
Henry,--Among the manny sacrifisis I imposed upon myself for your
sake was that of not giving you anny news of me; but an
iresistible voise now compells me to let you know the wrong you
have done me. I know beforehand that your soul hardened in vise
will not pitty me. Your heart is deaf to feeling. Is it deaf to
the cries of nature? But what matter? I must tell you to what a
dredful point you are gilty, and the horror of the position to
which you have brought me. Henry, you knew what I sufered from my
first wrong-doing, and yet you plunged me into the same misery,
Ferragus |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Kwaidan by Lafcadio Hearn: Tomotada accepted this humble proposal, -- secretly glad of the chance
thus afforded him to see more of the young girl. Presently a coarse but
ample meal was set before him; and the girl came from behind the screen, to
serve the wine. She was now reclad, in a rough but cleanly robe of
homespun; and her long, loose hair had been neatly combed and smoothed. As
she bent forward to fill his cup, Tomotada was amazed to perceive that she
was incomparably more beautiful than any woman whom he had ever before
seen; and there was a grace about her every motion that astonished him. But
the elders began to apologize for her, saying: "Sir, our daughter, Aoyagi,
[1] has been brought up here in the mountains, almost alone; and she knows
nothing of gentle service. We pray that you will pardon her stupidity and
Kwaidan |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Father Damien by Robert Louis Stevenson: regarded by its own officials: "We went round all the dormitories,
refectories, etc. - dark and dingy enough, with a superficial
cleanliness, which he" [Mr. Dutton, the lay-brother] "did not seek
to defend. 'It is almost decent,' said he; 'the sisters will make
that all right when we get them here.' " And yet I gathered it was
already better since Damien was dead, and far better than when he
was there alone and had his own (not always excellent) way. I have
now come far enough to meet you on a common ground of fact; and I
tell you that, to a mind not prejudiced by jealousy, all the
reforms of the lazaretto, and even those which he most vigorously
opposed, are properly the work of Damien. They are the evidence of
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