The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Court Life in China by Isaac Taylor Headland: fuse is one which often burns very much longer than we expect--
was it not one of the English kings who said "I fear I am a very
long time a-dying, gentlemen" --and sometimes it burns out sooner
than is intended. There were two imperial death fuses burning at
the same time in that Forbidden City of Peking. The Empress
Dowager had "had a stroke." Hers was undoubtedly nature's own
work. But the enemies of Yuan Shih-kai tell us that the Emperor
had "had a Chinese doctor," to whom the great Viceroy paid
$33,000 for his services. We are told that the Empress Dowager in
reality died first and then the Emperor, though the Emperor's
death was first announced, and the next day that of the Dowager.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Marie by H. Rider Haggard: catch, for they choked in her throat. Then Hans took in the situation,
and wriggling his unpleasant self to my other side, lifted my hand and
kissed it. Next my father spoke, saying:
"Praise be to God, he lives! Allan, my son, I am proud of you; you have
done your duty as an Englishman should."
"Had to save my own skin if I could, thank you, father," I muttered.
"Why as an Englishman more than any other sort of man, Mynheer
Predicant?" asked the tall stranger, speaking in Dutch, although he
evidently understood our language.
"The point is one that I will not argue now, sir," answered my father,
drawing himself up. "But if what I hear is true, there was a Frenchman
Marie |