| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Two Poets by Honore de Balzac: undone, that the slightest word now might bring about a closer union
of soul and soul.
Eve opened the door, and Lucien sat down without a word at the little
table on an X-shaped trestle. There was no tablecloth; the poor little
household boasted but three silver spoons and forks, and Eve had laid
them all for the dearly loved brother.
"What have you there?" she asked, when she had set a dish on the
table, and put the extinguisher on the portable stove, where it had
been kept hot for him.
Lucien did not answer. Eve took up a little plate, daintily garnished
with vine-leaves, and set it on the table with a jug full of cream.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Shadow Line by Joseph Conrad: jaunty step, but reeled widely twice before getting
out of my sight.
And then I remained all alone aft, steering my
ship, which ran before the wind with a buoyant lift
now and then, and even rolling a little. Presently
Ransome appeared before me with a tray. The
sight of food made me ravenous all at once. He
took the wheel while I sat down of the after grating
to eat my breakfast.
"This breeze seems to have done for our crowd,"
he murmured. "It just laid them low--all hands."
The Shadow Line |
