| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Trooper Peter Halket of Mashonaland by Olive Schreiner: It's for him she's taken that ammunition!"
Peter looked across the fire at the stranger, to see what impression his
story was making.
"I tell you what," said Peter, "if I'd had any idea that day who that
bloody nigger was, the day I saw him standing at my door, I'd have given
him one cartridge in the back of his head more than ever he reckoned for!"
Peter looked triumphantly at the stranger. This was his only story; and he
had told it a score of times round the camp fire for the benefit of some
new-comer. When this point was reached, a low murmur of applause and
sympathy always ran round the group: tonight there was quiet; the
stranger's large dark eyes watched the fire almost as though he heard
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Chouans by Honore de Balzac: is the one thing talked of, the commandant at Alencon said enough to
show his danger."
"Then let me ask you how you expect to save him from it."
"Suppose I do not choose to answer," she replied, with the haughty air
that women often assume to hide an emotion. "What right have you to
know my secrets?"
"The right of a man who loves you."
"Already?" she said. "No, you do not love me. I am only an object of
passing gallantry to you,--that is all. I am clear-sighted; did I not
penetrate your disguise at once? A woman who knows anything of good
society could not be misled, in these days, by a pupil of the
The Chouans |
