| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Maria, or the Wrongs of Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft: letters was the business of the day, and to receive them the moment
of sunshine. By some means, Darnford having discovered Maria's
window, when she next appeared at it, he made her, behind his
keepers, a profound bow of respect and recognition.
Two or three weeks glided away in this kind of intercourse,
during which period Jemima, to whom Maria had given the necessary
information respecting her family, had evidently gained some
intelligence, which increased her desire of pleasing her charge,
though she could not yet determine to liberate her. Maria took
advantage of this favourable charge, without too minutely enquiring
into the cause; and such was her eagerness to hold human converse,
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Hated Son by Honore de Balzac: the mother hid her son beside her and the threatening glance she cast
upon the count through the eye-holes of her mask, made Beauvouloir
shudder.
"She will die if she loses that child too soon," he said to the count.
During the latter part of this scene the lord of Herouville seemed to
hear and see nothing. Rigid, and as if absorbed in meditation, he
stood by the window drumming on its panes. But he turned at the last
words uttered by the bonesetter, with an almost frenzied motion, and
came to him with uplifted dagger.
"Miserable clown!" he cried, giving him the opprobrious name by which
the Royalists insulted the Leaguers. "Impudent scoundrel! your science
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from In a German Pension by Katherine Mansfield: the poultices--"
She dipped a piece of sugar in her coffee and watched it dissolve.
"Yet a young friend of mine who travelled to England for the funeral of his
brother told me that women wore bodices in public restaurants no waiter
could help looking into as he handed the soup."
"But only German waiters," I said. "English ones look over the top of your
head."
"There," she cried, "now you see your dependence on Germany. Not even an
efficient waiter can you have by yourselves."
"But I prefer them to look over your head."
"And that proves that you must be ashamed of your bodice."
|
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 Voice of the City by O. Henry: honor and orthodoxy were narrow and bigoted. You
proved that when you put your murderous mark upon
my friend Kerner -- the wisest chap I ever knew in
my life."
The Fool-Killer looked at me grimly and closely.
"You've a queer jag," said he, curiously. "Oh,
yes; I see who you are now. You were sitting with
him at the table. Well, if I'm not mistaken, I heard
you call him a fool, too."
"I did," said I. "I delight in doing so. It is
from envy. By all the standards that you know he is
The Voice of the City |
