| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Iron Puddler by James J. Davis: gladly give him back the timepiece that he prizes so." Let us
hope that the brakeman I gave the watch to down in Alabama was
Brakeman Joe.
There was much to think of in that auction incident. Experience
will often give the lie to theory. My theory of the game was good
enough for me. I acted on my theory, and they got my money.
Perhaps the theory of Bannerman was wrong. He claimed he knew
just how the capitalists were robbing labor. Suppose we backed
his theory with some money and got stung? I was now theory shy
and I have stayed away from theories ever since.
If you know the facts, no swindle can deceive you. I spend my
|
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 Gobseck by Honore de Balzac: in bills, thirty thousand francs' worth of paper as good as bullion.
This gentleman here has just said, "My bills will be met when they are
due," ' added he, producing certain drafts bearing the Count's
signature, all protested the day before at the request of some of the
confraternity, who had probably made them over to him (Gobseck) at a
considerably reduced figure.
"The young man growled out something, in which the words 'Old
scoundrel!' were audible. Daddy Gobseck did not move an eyebrow. He
drew a pair of pistols out of a pigeon-hole, remarking coolly:
" 'As the insulted man, I fire first.'
" 'Maxime, you owe this gentleman an explanation,' cried the trembling
Gobseck |
