| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Duchesse de Langeais by Honore de Balzac: no one can deny, but--ill regulated to the last degree. Well,
and yet it is an extraordinary thing, he is very acute. He was
dining at the club the other day with that moneyed
Chaussee-d'Antin set. Your uncle (he always goes there for his
game of cards) found him there to his astonishment, and asked if
he was a member. `Yes,' said he, `I don't go into society now; I
am living among the bankers.'--You know why?" added the Marquis,
with a meaning smile.
"No," said the Duke.
"He is smitten with that little Mme Keller, Gondreville's
daughter; she is only lately married, and has a great vogue, they
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Adieu by Honore de Balzac: tongue, and cast anew His fires into that long-extinguished soul.
Human will came with its full electric torrent, and vivified the body
from which it had been driven.
"Stephanie!" cried the colonel.
"Oh! it is Philippe," said the poor countess.
She threw herself into the trembling arms that the colonel held out to
her, and the clasp of the lovers frightened the spectators. Stephanie
burst into tears. Suddenly her tears stopped, she stiffened as though
the lightning had touched her, and said in a feeble voice,--
"Adieu, Philippe; I love thee, adieu!"
"Oh! she is dead," cried the colonel, opening his arms.
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Barlaam and Ioasaph by St. John of Damascus: God-like and renewing that which was made after his own image and
likeness. And for the time to come we cast away all the old
works of wickedness, and we make covenant with God of a second
life and begin a purer conversation, that we may also become
fellow-heirs with them that are born again to incorruption and
lay hold of everlasting salvation. But without Baptism it is
impossible to attain to that good hope, even though a man be more
pious than piety itself. For thus spake God, the Word, who was
incarnate for the salvation of our race, `Verily I say unto you,
except ye be born of water and of the Spirit, ye shall in no wise
enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.' Wherefore before all things I
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