Today's Stichomancy for Ben Affleck

The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Falk by Joseph Conrad:

evidently by the merest accident, complained mildly enough that they had not been favoured by a scratch of the pen for the last eighteen months. There were next to no stores on board, not an inch of spare rope or a yard of canvas. The ship had been run bare, and I foresaw no end of difficulties before I could get her ready for sea.

As I was young then--not thirty yet--I took myself and my troubles very seriously. The old mate, who had acted as chief mourner at the cap- tain's funeral, was not particularly pleased at my

Falk

The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Tanach:

Psalms 13: 3 (13:4) Behold Thou, and answer me, O LORD my God; lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;

Psalms 13: 4 (13:5) Lest mine enemy say: 'I have prevailed against him'; lest mine adversaries rejoice when I am moved.

Psalms 13: 5 (13:6) But as for me, in Thy mercy do I trust; my heart shall rejoice in Thy salvation.

Psalms 13: 6 (13:6) I will sing unto the LORD, because He hath dealt bountifully with me.

Psalms 14: 1 For the Leader. A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart: 'There is no God'; they have dealt corruptly, they have done abominably; there is none that doeth good.

Psalms 14: 2 The LORD looked forth from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any man of understanding, that did seek after God.

Psalms 14: 3 They are all corrupt, they are together become impure; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Psalms 14: 4 'Shall not all the workers of iniquity know it, who eat up My people as they eat bread, and call not upon the LORD?'

Psalms 14: 5 There are they in great fear; for God is with the righteous generation.

Psalms 14: 6 Ye would put to shame the counsel of the poor, but the LORD is his refuge.

Psalms 14: 7 Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When the LORD turneth the captivity of His people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.

The Tanach

The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Secret Places of the Heart by H. G. Wells:

hopeful news about his car, which was to arrive the next morning before ten--he'd just ring the fellow up presently to make sure--and Dr. Martineau retired early and went rather thoughtfully to bed. The spate of Sir Richmond's confidences, it was evident, was over.

Section 4

Sir Richmond's car arrived long before ten, brought down by a young man in a state of scared alacrity--Sir Richmond had done some vigorous telephoning before turning in,--the Charmeuse set off in a repaired and chastened condition to town, and after a leisurely breakfast our two investigators

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 Polly of the Circus by Margaret Mayo:

"I'm afraid I must also plead guilty to the charge of being a piker," Douglas admitted half-sheepishly, "for I did see the parade."

"Well, I was the one on the white horse right behind the lion cage," she began excitedly. "You remember?"

"It's a little confused in my mind--" he caught her look of amazement, "just AT PRESENT," he stammered, feeling her wrath again about to descend upon him.

"Well, I'm the twenty-four sheet stand," she explained.

"Sheet!" Mandy shrieked from her corner.

"Yes--the billboards--the pictures," Polly said, growing