| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The King of the Golden River by John Ruskin: filled with the red glory of the sunset; they shook their crests
like tongues of fire, and flashes of bloody light gleamed along
their foam. Their sound came mightier and mightier on his senses;
his brain grew giddy with the prolonged thunder. Shuddering he
drew the flask from his girdle and hurled it into the center of
the torrent. As he did so, an icy chill shot through his limbs;
he staggered, shrieked, and fell. The waters closed over his cry,
and the moaning of the river rose wildly into the night as it
gushed over
THE BLACK STONE
CHAPTER IV
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Juana by Honore de Balzac: desire to marry your daughter."
"My noble Montefiore!" said Juana, drawing a deep breath.
"Then why did you attempt to fly and cry for help?" asked Perez.
Terrible, revealing light!
Juana said nothing, but she wrung her hands and went to her arm-chair
and sat down.
At that moment a tumult rose in the street which was plainly heard in
the silence of the room. A soldier of the 6th, hearing Montefiore's
cry for help, had summoned Diard. The quartermaster, who was
fortunately in his bivouac, came, accompanied by friends.
"Why did I fly?" said Montefiore, hearing the voice of his friend.
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