| 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: very particular; I was brought up to have opinions, and my
husband has always respected them. He says himself that he
wouldn't for the world miss hearing my opinion on any subject;
you may have noticed that he often refers to my tastes. He has
always respected my preference for living in England; he likes to
hear me give my reasons for it. He is so much interested in my
ideas that he often says he knows just what I am going to say
before I speak. But Sybilla does not care for what I think--"
At this point Doctor Lombard entered. He glanced sharply at
Wyant. "The servant is a fool; she didn't tell me you were
here." His eye turned to his wife. "Well, my dear, what have
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from An Old Maid by Honore de Balzac: eve of a battle? The poor woman was now between her Austerlitz and her
Waterloo.
"Madame la Vicomtesse de Troisville," she said to herself; "a noble
name! Our property will go to a good family, at any rate."
She fell a prey to an irritation which made every fibre of her nerves
quiver to all their papillae, long sunk in flesh. Her blood, lashed by
this new hope, was in motion. She felt the strength to converse, if
necessary, with Monsieur de Troisville.
It is useless to relate the activity with which Josette, Jacquelin,
Mariette, Moreau, and his agents went about their functions. It was
like the busyness of ants about their eggs. All that daily care had
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