| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from House of Mirth by Edith Wharton: for HER it would have never occurred to her to play you this
trick. Oh, Lily, you'll never do anything if you're not serious!"
Miss Bart accepted this exhortation in a spirit of the purest
impartiality. Why should she have been angry? It was the voice of
her own conscience which spoke to her through Mrs. Trenor's
reproachful accents. But even to her own conscience she must
trump up a semblance of defence. "I only took a day off--I
thought he meant to stay on all this week, and I knew Mr. Selden
was leaving this morning."
Mrs. Trenor brushed aside the plea with a gesture which laid bare
its weakness.
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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 Bride of Lammermoor by Walter Scott: through among the deer, and makes them drop their calves out of
season, you may tell her, with my compliments to command, that if
Norman has not got a silver bullet ready for her, I'll lend him
one of my doublet-buttons on purpose."
Alice made no answer till she was aware that the sister and
brother were out of hearing. She then said to Ravenswood: "And
you, too, are angry with me for my love? It is just that
strangers should be offended, but you, too, are angry!"
"I am not angry, Alice," said the Master, "only surprised that
you, whose good sense I have ehard so often praised, should give
way to offensive and unfounded suspicions."
The Bride of Lammermoor |
