The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Deputy of Arcis by Honore de Balzac: return," said Madame Octave; "for that Joseph Bricheteau, to whom you
gave his address, must have written to him."
"Oh!" cried the countess, "there's fatality in the whole thing.
To-morrow the question of confirming the election or not comes up in
the Chamber; and if Monsieur de Sallenauve is not here by that time,
the ministry expects to annul it."
"It is infamous," said Monsieur de Camps, "and I have a great mind to
go to the president of the Chamber, and tell him how matters are."
"I would have asked you to do so at the risk of my husband suspecting
my interference, but one thing restrained me. Monsieur de Sallenauve
particularly desires that Monsieur Gaston's mental condition be not
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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 Taras Bulba and Other Tales by Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol: like remorse. Suffering was unpleasant to him, for his heart was
accessible to many good impulses, in spite of the fact that his rank
often prevented his showing his true self. As soon as his friend had
left his cabinet, he began to think about poor Akakiy Akakievitch. And
from that day forth, poor Akakiy Akakievitch, who could not bear up
under an official reprimand, recurred to his mind almost every day.
The thought troubled him to such an extent that a week later he even
resolved to send an official to him, to learn whether he really could
assist him; and when it was reported to him that Akakiy Akakievitch
had died suddenly of fever, he was startled, hearkened to the
reproaches of his conscience, and was out of sorts for the whole day.
 Taras Bulba and Other Tales |