The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Child of Storm by H. Rider Haggard: over the corpses of these fallen royalties, cut in the Zulu fashion to
free their spirits, which otherwise, as they believed, would haunt the
slayers, and stood in front of Cetewayo.
"Siyakubona, Macumazahn," he said, stretching out his hand to me, which
I took, though I could not find it in my heart to wish _him_ "good day."
"I hear that you were leading the Amawombe, whom my father, the King,
sent down to help Umbelazi, and I am very glad that you have escaped
alive. Also my heart is proud of the fight that they made, for you
know, Macumazahn, once, next to the King, I was general of that
regiment, though afterwards we quarrelled. Still, I am pleased that
they did so well, and I have given orders that every one of them who
Child of Storm |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Prince of Bohemia by Honore de Balzac: satisfied though she made the arrangement herself.--But she will have
gone off somewhere or other. I wonder whether there is something at
the bottom of all this, an assignation with some goat? No. In the
bottom of her heart she loves me!' "
The Marquise could not help smiling.
"Ah, madame," said Nathan, looking keenly at her, "only women and
prophets know how to turn faith to account.--Du Bruel would have me go
home with him," he continued, "and we went slowly back. It was three
o'clock. Before he appeared, he heard a stir in the kitchen, saw
preparations going forward, and glanced at me as he asked the cook the
reason of this.
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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 Purse by Honore de Balzac: about seven o'clock, he went down to call on his neighbors.
No painter of manners has ventured to initiate us--perhaps out of
modesty--into the really curious privacy of certain Parisian
existences, into the secret of the dwellings whence emerge such
fresh and elegant toilets, such brilliant women, who rich on the
surface, allow the signs of very doubtful comfort to peep out in
every part of their home. If, here, the picture is too boldly
drawn, if you find it tedious in places, do not blame the
description, which is, indeed, part and parcel of my story; for
the appearance of the rooms inhabited by his two neighbors had a
great influence on the feelings and hopes of Hippolyte Schinner.
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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 Kwaidan by Lafcadio Hearn: or homyo ("Law-name") given after death,-- religious posthumous
appellations inscribed upon the tomb, and upon the mortuary tablet in the
parish-temple. -- For some account of these, see my paper entitled, "The
Literature of the Dead," in Exotics and Retrospectives.
[2] Buddhist household shrine.
(3) Direct translation of a Japanese form of address used toward young,
unmarried women.
DIPLOMACY
(1) The spacious house and grounds of a wealthy person is thus called.
(2) A Buddhist service for the dead.
OF A MIRROR AND A BELL
Kwaidan |