| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Coxon Fund by Henry James: who, with her niece likely to be detained some time in America, lay
seriously ill at Clockborough, much on his mind and on his hands.
"Ah Miss Anvoy's in America?"
"Her father has got into horrid straits--has lost no end of money."
I waited, after expressing due concern, but I eventually said: "I
hope that raises no objection to your marriage."
"None whatever; moreover it's my trade to meet objections. But it
may create tiresome delays, of which there have been too many, from
various causes, already. Lady Coxon got very bad, then she got
much better. Then Mr. Anvoy suddenly began to totter, and now he
seems quite on his back. I'm afraid he's really in for some big
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Virginian by Owen Wister: "He says with apparent pride," wrote Sarah, "that he has never
killed for pleasure or profit.' Those are his exact words, and
you may guess their dreadful effect upon mother. I congratulate
you, my dear, on having chosen a protector so scrupulous."
Thus her elder sister had seen fit to write; and letters from
less near relatives made hints at the same subject. So she was
compelled to accept this piece of knowledge thrust upon her. Yet
still, still, those events had been before she knew him. They
were remote, without detail or context. He had been little more
than a boy. No doubt it was to save his own life. And so she bore
the hurt of her discovery all the more easily because her
The Virginian |
