| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Early Short Fiction of Edith Wharton by Edith Wharton: inquisitive Parisian face: "Did you REALLY see a lot of dogs?
There isn't one at Kerfol," she said.
II
Lanrivain, the next day, hunted out a shabby calf volume from the
back of an upper shelf of his library.
"Yes--here it is. What does it call itself? A History of the
Assizes of the Duchy of Brittany. Quimper, 1702. The book was
written about a hundred years later than the Kerfol affair; but I
believe the account is transcribed pretty literally from the
judicial records. Anyhow, it's queer reading. And there's a
Herve de Lanrivain mixed up in it--not exactly MY style, as
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Glimpses of the Moon by Edith Wharton: tempered--older, even--with sharper shadows under the cheek-
bones, the brows drawn, the joint of the slim wrist more
prominent. It was not thus that his memory had evoked her, and
he recalled, with a remorseful pang, the fact that something in
her look, her dress, her tired and drooping attitude, suggested
poverty, dependence, seemed to make her after all a part of the
shabby house in which, at first sight, her presence had seemed
so incongruous.
"But she looks poor!" he thought, his heart tightening. And
instantly it occurred to him that these must be the Fulmer
children whom she was living with while their parents travelled
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| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Lesson of the Master by Henry James: "No, no - aren't we to meet at dinner on the twenty-fifth?" she
panted with an eagerness as happy as his own.
"That's almost next year. Is there no means of seeing you before?"
She stared with all her brightness. "Do you mean you'd COME?"
"Like a shot, if you'll be so good as to ask me!"
"On Sunday then - this next Sunday?"
"What have I done that you should doubt it?" the young man asked
with delight.
Miss Fancourt turned instantly to St. George, who had now joined
them, and announced triumphantly: "He's coming on Sunday - this
next Sunday!"
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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 Lady Susan by Jane Austen: have been from home! I thought myself sure of you at seven! I am undismayed
however. Do not torment yourself with fears on my account; depend on it, I
can make my story good with Reginald. Mainwaring is just gone; he brought
me the news of his wife's arrival. Silly woman, what does she expect by
such manoeuvres.? Yet I wish she had stayed quietly at Langford. Reginald
will be a little enraged at first, but by to-morrow's dinner, everything
will be well again.
Adieu!
S. V.
XXXIV
MR. DE COURCY TO LADY SUSAN
Lady Susan |
