| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Seraphita by Honore de Balzac: probe the things of earth,--they see the Dawn. Hear this truth: Your
science, let it be never so exact, your meditations, however bold,
your noblest lights are Clouds. Above, above is the Sanctuary whence
the true Light flows."
She sat down and remained silent; her calm face bore no sign of the
agitation which orators betray after their least fervid
improvisations.
Wilfrid bent toward Monsieur Becker and said in a low voice, "Who
taught her that?"
"I do not know," he answered.
"He was gentler on the Falberg," Minna whispered to herself.
Seraphita |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Hellenica by Xenophon: of wise men to raise the standard of war for the sake of petty
differences; but where there is nothing but unanimity they must be
marvellous folk who refuse the bond of peace. But I go further. It
were just and right on our parts even to refuse to bear arms against
each other; since, as the story runs, the first strangers to whom our
forefather Triptolemus showed the unspeakable mystic rites of Demeter
and Core, the mother and the maiden, were your ancestors;--I speak of
Heracles, the first founder of your state, and of your two citizens,
the great twin sons of Zeus--and to Peloponnesus first he gave as a
gift the seed of Demeter's corn-fruits. How, then, can it be just or
right either that you should come and ravage the corn crops of those
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Recruit by Honore de Balzac: slippers, in short, everything the tired man would need,--all were
there that nothing might be lacking; the comforts of his home should
reveal to him without words the tenderness of his mother!
"Brigitte!" said the countess, in a heart-rending tone, placing a
chair before the table, as if to give a semblance of reality to her
hopes, and so increase the strength of her illusions.
"Ah! madame, he will come. He is not far off. I haven't a doubt he is
living, and on his way," replied Brigitte. "I put a key in the Bible,
and I held it on my fingers while Cottin read a chapter in the gospel
of Saint John; and, madame, the key never turned at all!"
"Is that a good sign?" asked the countess.
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