| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from When a Man Marries by Mary Roberts Rinehart: Well, I took Aunt Selina, and about two o'clock, while I was in
my first sleep, I woke to find her standing beside me, tugging at
my arm.
"There's somebody in the house," she whispered. "Thieves!"
"If they're in they'll not get out tonight," I said.
"I tell you, I saw a man skulking on the stairs," she insisted.
I got up ungraciously enough, and put on my dressing gown. Aunt
Selina, who had her hair in crimps, tied a veil over her head,
and together we went to the head of the stairs. Aunt Selina
leaned far over and peered down.
"He's in the library," she whispered. "I can see a light."
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Father Goriot by Honore de Balzac: "Thank you, thank you," he said, gratefully. "Then what did she
say about me?"
The student repeated the Baroness' remarks with some
embellishments of his own, the old man listening the while as
though he heard a voice from Heaven.
"Dear child!" he said. "Yes, yes, she is very fond of me. But you
must not believe all that she tells you about Anastasie. The two
sisters are jealous of each other, you see, another proof of
their affection. Mme. de Restaud is very fond of me too. I know
she is. A father sees his children as God sees all of us; he
looks into the very depths of their hearts; he knows their
Father Goriot |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Jolly Corner by Henry James: "And haven't I been unhappy? Am not I - you've only to look at me!
- ravaged?"
"Ah I don't say I like him BETTER," she granted after a thought.
"But he's grim, he's worn - and things have happened to him. He
doesn't make shift, for sight, with your charming monocle."
"No" - it struck Brydon; "I couldn't have sported mine 'down-town.'
They'd have guyed me there."
"His great convex pince-nez - I saw it, I recognised the kind - is
for his poor ruined sight. And his poor right hand - !"
"Ah!" Brydon winced - whether for his proved identity or for his
lost fingers. Then, "He has a million a year," he lucidly added.
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