| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Research Magnificent by H. G. Wells: "Nothing! And you are going to leave her in your house, with your
property and a lover. If that's it, Poff, why did you ever come
back? And why did you ever marry her? You might have known; her
father was a swindler. She's begotten of deceit. She'll tell her
own story while you are away, and a pretty story she'll make of it."
"Do you want me to divorce her and make a scandal?"
"I never wanted you to go away from her. If you'd stayed and
watched her as a man should, as I begged you and implored you to do.
Didn't I tell you, Poff? Didn't I warn you?"
"But now what am I to do?"
"There you are! That's just a man's way. You get yourself into
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Facino Cane by Honore de Balzac: bunches of flowers, all of them on pleasure bent, were dancing away
with heated visages as if the world were about to come to an end.
Bride and bridegroom exchanged salutes to the general satisfaction,
amid a chorus of facetious "Oh, ohs!" and "Ah, ahs!" less really
indecent than the furtive glances of young girls that have been well
brought up. There was something indescribably infectious about the
rough, homely enjoyment in all countenances.
But neither the faces, nor the wedding, nor the wedding-guests have
anything to do with my story. Simply bear them in mind as the odd
setting to it. Try to realize the scene, the shabby red-painted
wineshop, the smell of wine, the yells of merriment; try to feel that
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Jolly Corner by Henry James: addressed to those of so different an order that he scarce knew
what to make of this lively stir, in a compartment of his mind
never yet penetrated, of a capacity for business and a sense for
construction. These virtues, so common all round him now, had been
dormant in his own organism - where it might be said of them
perhaps that they had slept the sleep of the just. At present, in
the splendid autumn weather - the autumn at least was a pure boon
in the terrible place - he loafed about his "work" undeterred,
secretly agitated; not in the least "minding" that the whole
proposition, as they said, was vulgar and sordid, and ready to
climb ladders, to walk the plank, to handle materials and look wise
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