| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Passion in the Desert by Honore de Balzac: feet; her sinuous tail was also white, ending with black rings; the
overpart of her dress, yellow like burnished gold, very lissome and
soft, had the characteristic blotches in the form of rosettes, which
distinguish the panther from every other feline species.
This tranquil and formidable hostess snored in an attitude as graceful
as that of a cat lying on a cushion. Her blood-stained paws, nervous
and well armed, were stretched out before her face, which rested upon
them, and from which radiated her straight slender whiskers, like
threads of silver.
If she had been like that in a cage, the Provencal would doubtless
have admired the grace of the animal, and the vigorous contrasts of
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Soul of a Bishop by H. G. Wells: time they realized the epic quality of history and their own
relationship to the destinies of the race. The flimsy roof under
which we had been living our lives of comedy fell and shattered
the floor under our feet; we saw the stars above and the abyss
below. We perceived that life was insecure and adventurous, part
of one vast adventure in space and time....
Presently the smoke and dust of battle hid the great distances
again, but they could not altogether destroy the memories of this
revelation.
For the first two months the bishop's attention was so detached
from his immediate surroundings and employments, so absorbed by
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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 The Breaking Point by Mary Roberts Rinehart: let you alone, if that's the way you feel."
"I'm sorry, Wallie. It - it makes me shiver."
In a way he was prepared for it but nevertheless he begged for
time, for a less unequivocal rejection. But he found her, for the
first time, impatient with his pleadings.
"I don't want to go over and over it, Wallie. I'll take the blame.
I should have done it long ago."
She was gentle, almost tender with him, but when he said she had
spoiled his life for him she smiled faintly.
"You think that now. And don't believe I'm not sorry. I am. I
hate not playing the game, as you say. But I don't think for a
The Breaking Point |
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 The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas: great palace, situated between the Via del Babuino and the
Monte Pincio. It consisted, as we have said, of a small
dressing-room, opening into a bedroom, and, when the door of
communication was shut, the inmates were quite alone. On
chairs were laid elegant masquerade costumes of blue and
white satin. "As you left the choice of your costumes to
me," said the count to the two friends, "I have had these
brought, as they will be the most worn this year; and they
are most suitable, on account of the confetti (sweetmeats),
as they do not show the flour."
Franz heard the words of the count but imperfectly, and he
The Count of Monte Cristo |
