| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Odyssey by Homer: he had not yet been laid beneath the earth. We had left his body
unwaked and unburied in Circe's house, for we had had too much
else to do. I was very sorry for him, and cried when I saw him:
'Elpenor,' said I, 'how did you come down here into this gloom
and darkness? You have got here on foot quicker than I have with
my ship.'
"'Sir,' he answered with a groan, 'it was all bad luck, and my
own unspeakable drunkenness. I was lying asleep on the top of
Circe's house, and never thought of coming down again by the
great staircase but fell right off the roof and broke my neck,
so my soul came down to the house of Hades. And now I beseech
The Odyssey |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Shadow Line by Joseph Conrad: of tea, and while waiting there, tray in hand, he re-
marked in the exactly right tone of sympathy:
"You are holding out well, sir."
"Yes," I said. "You and I seem to have been
forgotten."
"Forgotten, sir?"
"Yes, by the fever-devil who has got on board
this ship," I said.
Ransome gave me one of his attractive, intelli-
gent, quick glances and went away with the tray.
It occurred to me that I had been talking some-
The Shadow Line |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Shadow Line by Joseph Conrad: soon, as long as he lived and afterward, too, for ages
and ages. Acting the Flying Dutchman in the
China Sea! Ha! Ha!"
"But why should he replace the bottles like
this?" . . . I began.
"Why shouldn't he? Why should he want to
throw the bottles away? They fit the drawer.
They belong to the medicine chest."
"And they were wrapped up," I cried.
"Well, the wrappers were there. Did it from
habit, I suppose, and as to refilling, there is always
The Shadow Line |
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 Gobseck by Honore de Balzac: plainly that I cannot accept the trust with which you propose to honor
me unless their future is secured.'
"The Count trembled violently at the words, and tears came into his
eyes as he grasped my hand, saying, 'I did not know my man thoroughly.
You have made me both glad and sorry. We will make provision for the
children in the counter-deed.'
"I went with him to the door; it seemed to me that there was a glow of
satisfaction in his face at the thought of this act of justice.
"Now, Camille, this is how a young wife takes the first step to the
brink of a precipice. A quadrille, a ballad, a picnic party is
sometimes cause sufficient of frightful evils. You are hurried on by
Gobseck |
