| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia by Samuel Johnson: innumerable schemes of reformation, and dictated many useful
regulations and salutary effects. This has been the sport and
sometimes the labour of my solitude, and I start when I think with
how little anguish I once supposed the death of my father and my
brothers."
"Such," said Imlac, "are the effects of visionary schemes. When we
first form them, we know them to be absurd, but familiarise them by
degrees, and in time lose sight of their folly."
CHAPTER XLV - THEY DISCOURSE WITH AN OLD MAN.
THE evening was now far past, and they rose to return home. As
they walked along the banks of the Nile, delighted with the beams
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Pool of Blood in the Pastor's Study by Grace Isabel Colbron and Augusta Groner: the madman uneasy. "You needn't worry about that. Old Betty died
a quiet death. But tell me, how did Gyuri know that she had money?"
"The whole village knew it. She laid cards for people and earned
a lot of money that way. She was very stingy and saved every bit.
Somebody saw her counting out her money once, she had it in a big
stocking under her bed. People in the village talked about it.
That's how Gyuri heard of it."
"And so he commanded you to kill Betty and steal her money?"
"Yes. He knew that I loved to give them riddles to guess, just as
I did in Paris so long ago."
"Oh, yes, you're Cardillac, aren't you? And now tell us about the
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| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from In a German Pension by Katherine Mansfield: so, in accordance with strict pension custom, we asked each other how long
we had slept during the night, had we dreamed agreeably, what time we had
got up, was the coffee fresh when we had appeared at breakfast, and how had
we passed the morning. Having toiled up these stairs of almost national
politeness we landed, triumphant and smiling, and paused to recover breath.
"And now," said Herr Erchardt, "I have a pleasure in store for you. The
Frau Professor is going to be one of us for the afternoon. Yes," nodding
graciously to the Advanced Lady. "Allow me to introduce you to each
other."
We bowed very formally, and looked each other over with that eye which is
known as "eagle" but is far more the property of the female than that most
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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 The Village Rector by Honore de Balzac: with a speech that said so much. The rector clasped his hands with a
fervent gesture that was natural to him as he looked with deep emotion
at the members of this family whose secrets had passed into his heart.
Gerard, to whom the words "peace and pardon" must have seemed strange,
was bewildered. Monsieur Ruffin, with his eyes fixed on Veronique, was
stupefied. At this instant the carriage came rapidly up the avenue.
"There are five of them!" cried the rector, who could see and count
the travellers.
"Five!" exclaimed Gerard. "Can five know more than two?"
"Ah," cried Madame Graslin suddenly, grasping the rector's arm, "the
/procureur-general/ is among them! What is he doing here?"
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