| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Maitre Cornelius by Honore de Balzac: overheard,--all these voluptuous images and romantic dangers decided
the young man. However slight might be the guerdon of his enterprise,
could he only kiss once more the hand of his lady, he still resolved
to venture all, impelled by the chivalrous and passionate spirit of
those days. He never supposed for a moment that the countess would
refuse him the soft happiness of love in the midst of such mortal
danger. The adventure was too perilous, too impossible not to be
attempted and carried out.
Suddenly all the bells in the town rang out the curfew,--a custom
fallen elsewhere into desuetude, but still observed in the provinces,
where venerable habits are abolished slowly. Though the lights were
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Barnaby Rudge by Charles Dickens: 'Your uncle, dear Miss Haredale, happily--I say happily, because he
has succeeded where many of our creed have failed, and is safe--has
crossed the sea, and is out of Britain.'
'I thank God for it,' said Emma, faintly.
'You say well. You have reason to be thankful: greater reason
than it is possible for you, who have seen but one night of these
cruel outrages, to imagine.'
'Does he desire,' said Emma, 'that I should follow him?'
'Do you ask if he desires it?' cried the stranger in surprise. 'IF
he desires it! But you do not know the danger of remaining in
England, the difficulty of escape, or the price hundreds would pay
Barnaby Rudge |
