| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Princess of Parms by Edgar Rice Burroughs: had not arrived, nor could we receive any word from them.
Just at noon we heard heavy firing all along the line between
the Zodangans and the cities, and we knew then that
our much-needed reinforcements had come.
Again Tars Tarkas ordered the charge, and once more the
mighty thoats bore their terrible riders against the ramparts
of the enemy. At the same moment the battle line of Helium
surged over the opposite breastworks of the Zodangans and in
another moment they were being crushed as between two
millstones. Nobly they fought, but in vain.
The plain before the city became a veritable shambles ere
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Christ in Flanders by Honore de Balzac: nerves pleasurably in a manner of which it is impossible to give any
idea. Yet in the midst of this heated riot, the cathedral choir felt
cold as if it were a winter day, and I became aware of a multitude of
women, robed in white, silent, and impassive, sitting there. The sweet
incense smoke that arose from the censers was grateful to my soul. The
tall wax candles flickered. The lectern, gay as a chanter undone by
the treachery of wine, was skipping about like a peal of Chinese
bells.
Then I knew that the whole cathedral was whirling round so fast that
everything appeared to be undisturbed. The colossal Figure on the
crucifix above the altar smiled upon me with a mingled malice and
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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 Sons of the Soil by Honore de Balzac: Such, at forty years of age on the breaking out of the Revolution, was
this man, strong as iron, pure as gold. Advocate of the people, he
believed in a republic through the very roll of that name, more
formidable in sound perhaps than in reality. He believed in the
republic of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, in the brotherhood of man, in the
exchange of noble sentiments, in the proclamation of virtue, in the
choice of merit without intrigue,--in short, in all that the narrow
limits of one arrondissement like Sparta made possible, and which the
vast proportions of an empire make chimerical. He signed his beliefs
with his blood,--his only son went to war; he did more, he signed them
with the prosperity of his life,--last sacrifice of self. Nephew 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 The Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu by Sax Rohmer: and the special should get us to the docks inside of forty minutes."
Very vividly I can reconstruct in my mind that dash to the docks
through the early autumn morning. My friend being invested
with extraordinary powers from the highest authorities,
by Inspector Weymouth's instructions the line had been cleared
all the way.
Something of the tremendous importance of Nayland Smith's mission came home
to me as we hurried on to the platform, escorted by the station-master,
and the five of us--for Weymouth had two other C.I.D. men with him--
took our seats in the special.
Off we went on top speed, roaring through stations,
The Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu |
