| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Ferragus by Honore de Balzac: "I am thinking of my mother," she answered, in a grave voice. "You
will never know, Jules, what I suffer in remembering my mother's dying
farewell, said in a voice sweeter than all music, and in feeling the
solemn touch of her icy hand at a moment when you overwhelm me with
those assurances of your precious love."
She raised her husband, strained him to her with a nervous force
greater than that of men, and kissed his hair, covering it with tears.
"Ah! I would be hacked in pieces for you! Tell me that I make you
happy; that I am to you the most beautiful of women--a thousand women
to you. Oh! you are loved as no other man ever was or will be. I don't
know the meaning of those words 'duty,' 'virtue.' Jules, I love you
Ferragus |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Koran: do wrong, taste what ye have earned.
Those before them called the (prophets) liars, and the torment
came to them from whence they perceived it not; and God made them
taste disgrace in the life of this world. But surely the torment of
the hereafter is greater, if they did but know. We have struck out for
men in this Koran every sort of parable, haply they may be mindful. An
Arabic Koran with no crookedness therein; haply they may fear!
God has struck out a parable, a man who has partners who oppose each
other; and a man who is wholly given up to another; shall they be
deemed equal in similitude? praise be to God! nay, but most of them
know not!
The Koran |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Catriona by Robert Louis Stevenson: still trying to except you from a very dangerous place, it is in part
of course because I am not insensible to your honesty in coming here;
in part because of Pilrig's letter; but in part, and in chief part,
because I regard in this matter my political duty first and my judicial
duty only second. For the same reason - I repeat it to you in the same
frank words - I do not want your testimony."
"I desire not to be thought to make a repartee, when I express only the
plain sense of our position," said I. "But if your lordship has no
need of my testimony, I believe the other side would be extremely
blythe to get it."
Prestongrange arose and began to pace to and fro in the room. "You are
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