The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from A Passion in the Desert by Honore de Balzac: whether her feast might have been on human flesh. "She won't be hungry
when she gets up."
It was a female. The fur on her belly and flanks was glistening white;
many small marks like velvet formed beautiful bracelets round her
feet; her sinuous tail was also white, ending with black rings; the
overpart of her dress, yellow like burnished gold, very lissome and
soft, had the characteristic blotches in the form of rosettes, which
distinguish the panther from every other feline species.
This tranquil and formidable hostess snored in an attitude as graceful
as that of a cat lying on a cushion. Her blood-stained paws, nervous
and well armed, were stretched out before her face, which rested upon
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The fourth excerpt represents the element of Earth. It speaks of physical influences and the impact of the unseen on the visible world, and is drawn from Lay Morals by Robert Louis Stevenson: 'Ha!' said Jonathan. 'None reckons but the last. Now, see;
I tried to make this girl here understand me.'
'Uncle,' said Nance, 'what should Mr. Archer care for your
concerns? He hath troubles of his own, and came to be at
peace, I think.'
'I tried to make her understand me,' repeated Jonathan
doggedly; 'and now I'll try you. Do you think this world is
fair?'
'Fair and false!' quoth Mr. Archer.
The old man laughed immoderately. 'Good,' said he, 'very
good, but what I mean is this: do you know what it is to get
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