| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Out of Time's Abyss by Edgar Rice Burroughs: one end of a piece of rope fast about the pedestal and dropped
the other end to the ground outside the city. Then they waited.
It was an hour before the coast was entirely clear and then a
moment came when no Wieroo was in sight. "Now!" whispered
Bradley; and the girl grasped the rope and slid over the edge of
the roof into the darkness below. A moment later Bradley felt
two quick pulls upon the rope and immediately followed to the
girl's side.
Across a narrow clearing they made their way and into a wood beyond.
All night they walked, following the river upward toward its source,
and at dawn they took shelter in a thicket beside the stream. At no
Out of Time's Abyss |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Alkahest by Honore de Balzac: This mysterious explanation was too flattering to the ambition of a
town whose local patriotism and desire for glory exceed those of other
places, not to be readily accepted, and it produced on all minds a
reaction in favor of Balthazar.
The supposition of his wife was, to a certain extent, well-founded.
Several artificers of various trades had long been at work in the
garret of the front house, where Balthazar went early every morning.
After remaining, at first, for several hours, an absence to which his
wife and household grew gradually accustomed, he ended by being there
all day. But--unexpected shock!--Madame Claes learned through the
humiliating medium of some women friends, who showed surprise at her
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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 La Grenadiere by Honore de Balzac: From that day, when Mme. Willemsens, foreseeing the approach of death,
spoke to Louis of his future, he concentrated his attention on his
work, grew more industrious, and less inclined to play than
heretofore. When he had coaxed Marie to read a book and to give up
boisterous games, there was less noise in the hollow pathways and
gardens and terraced walks of La Grenadiere. They adapted their lives
to their mother's melancholy. Day by day her face was growing pale and
wan, there were hollows now in her temples, the lines in her forehead
grew deeper night after night.
August came. The little family had been five months at La Grenadiere,
and their whole life was changed. The old servant grew anxious and
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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 Ferragus by Honore de Balzac: attention to me! /Sac-a-papier/! suppose the relations should take it
into their heads to come here to-day because the weather is fine, what
would they say to me? They'd shriek as if they were burned; they'd say
horrid things of us, and calumniate us--"
"Monsieur," said Jacquet, "we want to know where Madame Jules is
buried."
"Madame Jules /who/?" he asked. "We've had three Madame Jules within
the last week. Ah," he said, interrupting himself, "here comes the
funeral of Monsieur le Baron de Maulincour! A fine procession, that!
He has soon followed his grandmother. Some families, when they begin
to go, rattle down like a wager. Lots of bad blood in Parisians."
Ferragus |
