| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Illustrious Gaudissart by Honore de Balzac: him an old journal called the "Indre-et-Loire," and for seven years he
had never yet perceived that he was reading the same number over and
over again. Perhaps a doctor would have observed with interest the
connection that evidently existed between the recurring and spasmodic
demands for the newspaper and the atmospheric variations of the
weather.
Usually when his wife had company, which happened nearly every
evening, for the neighbors, pitying her situation, would frequently
come to play at boston in her salon, Margaritis remained silent in a
corner and never stirred. But the moment ten o'clock began to strike
on a clock which he kept shut up in a large oblong closet, he rose at
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Virginian by Owen Wister: own. "If I ought to, I cannot. To shed blood in cold blood. When
I heard about that last fall,--about the killing of those cattle
thieves,--I kept saying to myself: 'He had to do it. It was a
public duty.' And lying sleepless I got used to Wyoming being
different from Vermont. But this--"she gave a shudder--" when I
think of to-morrow, of you and me, and of--If you do this, there
can be no to-morrow for you and me."
At these words he also turned white.
"Do you mean--" he asked, and could go no farther.
Nor could she answer him, but turned her head away.
"This would be the end?" he asked.
The Virginian |
