The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Montezuma's Daughter by H. Rider Haggard: there is no escape, but I shall not trouble you over much, and it
will soon be done with. Then you may seek your desire in the
Houses of the Stars whither you must wander, and it is my prayer
that you shall win it. All these months I have been planning to
find hope for you, and I thought that I had found it. But it was
built upon a false belief, and it is ended. Had you been able to
say from your heart that you loved me, it might have been well for
both of us; should you be able to say it before the end, it may
still be well. But I do not ask you to say it, and beware how you
tell me a lie. I leave you, Teule, but before I go I will say that
I honour you more in this hour than I have honoured you before,
Montezuma's Daughter |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from To-morrow by Joseph Conrad: last shillings on the railway fare and my last two-
pence on a shave--out of respect for the old man."
"Are you really Harry Hagberd?" she asked.
"Can you prove it?"
"Can I prove it? Can any one else prove it?"
he said jovially. "Prove with what? What do I
want to prove? There isn't a single corner in the
world, barring England, perhaps, where you could
not find some man, or more likely woman, that
would remember me for Harry Hagberd. I am
more like Harry Hagberd than any man alive; and
To-morrow |