| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Deserted Woman by Honore de Balzac: happiness above mine, your life before my own. Leave on one side,
if you can, the wealth of memories of our nine years' happiness,
that they may not influence your decision, but speak! I submit
myself to you as to God, the one Consoler who remains if you
forsake me."
When Mme. de Beauseant knew that her letter was in M. de Nueil's
hands, she sank in such utter prostration, the over-pressure of many
thoughts so numbed her faculties, that she seemed almost drowsy. At
any rate, she was suffering from a pain not always proportioned in its
intensity to a woman's strength; pain which women alone know. And
while the unhappy Marquise awaited her doom, M. de Nueil, reading her
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Sons of the Soil by Honore de Balzac: Soulanges--that little town which lies between Ville-aux-Fayes and
Blangy, the capital of the township--made an elaborate inventory, and
sought out the heirs of the singer, who never knew she had any. Eleven
families of poor laborers living near Amiens, and sleeping in cotton
sheets, awoke one fine morning in golden ones. The property was sold
at auction. Les Aigues was bought by Montcornet, who had laid by
enough during his campaigns in Spain and Pomerania to make the
purchase, which cost about eleven hundred thousand francs, including
the furniture. The general, no doubt, felt the influence of these
luxurious apartments; and I was arguing with the countess only
yesterday that her marriage was a direct result of the purchase of Les
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from In a German Pension by Katherine Mansfield: sounds too good to be true!"
"What's that?"--he craned forward. "What sounds too good to be true?"
Yes--there was no denying it--he looked silly.
"I suppose the searching after Fraulein Schafer doesn't occupy all your
days."
"Oh no"--he smiled broadly--"that's very good! By Jove! no. I drive a
good bit--are you keen on horses?"
She nodded. "Love them."
"You must come driving with me--I've got a fine pair of greys. Will you?"
"Pretty I'd look perched behind greys in my one and only hat," thought she.
Aloud: "I'd love to." Her easy acceptance pleased him.
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