| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Forged Coupon by Leo Tolstoy: Stepan, who had listened silently, with his hairy
head bent low down.
"Wait a moment, and be silent," said Chouev
to Vassily, who went on talking about the rich
who had not given meat to the stranger, nor vis-
ited him in the prison.
"Wait, I say!" said Chouev, again turning
over the leaves of the Gospel. Having found
what he was looking for, Chouev smoothed the
page with his large and strong hand, which had
become exceedingly white in prison:
The Forged Coupon |
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: up which tore the delicate petals of the blossoms from the fruit
trees and strewed them like snow on the ground beneath. The Count,
who was the head of one of the richest and most aristocratic
families in Hungary, threw off his heavy fur coat and hastened up
the stairs at the top of which his old friend and confidant, the
venerable pastor, usually came to meet him. To-day it was only the
local magistrate who stood there, bowing deeply.
"This is incredible, incredible!" exclaimed the Count.
"It is, indeed, sir," said the man, leading the magnate through the
dining-room into the pastor's study, where, as far as could be seen,
the murder had been committed. They were joined by the district
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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 Amy Foster by Joseph Conrad: some children came dashing into school at Norton
in such a fright that the schoolmistress went out
and spoke indignantly to a 'horrid-looking man'
on the road. He edged away, hanging his head,
for a few steps, and then suddenly ran off with ex-
traordinary fleetness. The driver of Mr. Brad-
ley's milk-cart made no secret of it that he had
lashed with his whip at a hairy sort of gipsy fel-
low who, jumping up at a turn of the road by the
Vents, made a snatch at the pony's bridle. And
he caught him a good one too, right over the face,
Amy Foster |
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 War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy: joys and sorrows. You are fortunate, for the latter are generally
the stronger! I know very well that Count Nicholas is too young ever
to be more to me than a friend, but this sweet friendship, this poetic
and pure intimacy, were what my heart needed. But enough of this!
The chief news, about which all Moscow gossips, is the death of old
Count Bezukhov, and his inheritance. Fancy! The three princesses
have received very little, Prince Vasili nothing, and it is Monsieur
Pierre who has inherited all the property and has besides been
recognized as legitimate; so that he is now Count Bezukhov and
possessor of the finest fortune in Russia. It is rumored that Prince
Vasili played a very despicable part in this affair and that he
War and Peace |
