| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Ten Years Later by Alexandre Dumas: glance he saw discouragement written in dark letters upon
his cousin's brow. Then, speaking first, as if to facilitate
the painful avowal that Louis had to make to him, --
"Whatever it may be," said he, "I shall never forget all the
kindness, all the friendship you have exhibited towards me."
"Alas!" replied Louis, in a melancholy tone, "only barren
good-will, my brother."
Charles II. became extremely pale; he passed his cold hand
over his brow, and struggled for a few instants against a
faintness that made him tremble. "I understand," said he at
last; "no more hope!"
Ten Years Later |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu by Sax Rohmer: a written order, sir."
"The proceeding savors of paganism. Such a course might be admissible
in China, in Burma--"
"Do you weigh a life against such quibbles? Do you suppose that,
granting MY irresponsibility, Dr. Petrie would countenance
such a thing if be doubted the necessity?"
Mr. Henderson looked at me with pathetic hesitance.
"There are guests in the house--mourners who attended
the ceremony to-day. They--"
"Will never know, if we are in error," interrupted Smith.
"Good God! why do you delay?"
The Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Beauty and The Beast by Bayard Taylor: little, in order to look out upon the life of another, but in doing
so a ghost had entered in, and was not to be dislodged until
I had done its service.
In the summer of 1867 I was in Germany, and during a brief journey
of idlesse and enjoyment came to the lovely little watering-place
of Liebenstein, on the southern slope of the Thuringian Forest. I
had no expectation or even desire of making new acquaintances among
the gay company who took their afternoon coffee under the noble
linden trees on the terrace; but, within the first hour of my
after-dinner leisure, I was greeted by an old friend, an author,
from Coburg, and carried away, in my own despite, to a group of his
|
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 Deputy of Arcis by Honore de Balzac: Nothing proves that the love I suspected plays any part in this
curious affair; and I will allow you to think that I and my terrors,
with which I tormented you, were terribly absurd,--in short, that I
have played the part of Belise in the /Femmes Savantes/, who fancies
that every man she sees is fatally in love with her.
I therefore cheerfully abandon that stupid conclusion. Lover or not,
Monsieur Dorlange is a man of high character, with rare distinction of
mind; and if, as I believe now, he has no misplaced pretensions, it is
an honor and pleasure to count him among our friends. Nais is
enchanted with her preserver. After he left us that evening, she said
to me, with an amusing little air of approbation,--
|
