| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Riverman by Stewart Edward White: as we're making twelve or fifteen thousand a year out of our
freighting, it seems to me too good a business to let slip into
other hands."
"I suppose so," agreed Orde, a trifle helplessly.
"Therefore I had to act without you," Newmark finished. "I knew
you'd agree. That's right: isn't it?" he insisted.
"Yes, that's right," agreed Orde drearily.
"You'll find copies of the contract on your desk," Newmark closed
the matter. "And there's the tax lists. I wish you'd run them
over."
"Joe," replied Orde, "I--I don't think I'll stay down town this
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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: that hour you are dead. Do you understand?"
"I understand that I am one slandered," replied Pereira. "Still, it is
Christian to submit to injuries, and therefore I will do as you wish.
As to these bearers of false witness, I leave them to God."
"And I leave you to the devil," shouted Vrouw Prinsloo, "who will
certainly have you soon or late. Get out of my sight, stinkcat, or I
will pull your hair off." And she rushed at him, flapping her dreadful
vatdoek--which she produced from some recess in her raiment--in his
face, driving him away as though he were a noxious insect.
Well, he went I know not where, and so strong was public opinion against
him that I do not think that even his uncle, Henri Marais, sought him
 Marie |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Alcibiades I by Plato: teacher?
ALCIBIADES: Certainly.
SOCRATES: And if they know, they must agree together and not differ?
ALCIBIADES: Yes.
SOCRATES: And would you say that they knew the things about which they
differ?
ALCIBIADES: No.
SOCRATES: Then how can they teach them?
ALCIBIADES: They cannot.
SOCRATES: Well, but do you imagine that the many would differ about the
nature of wood and stone? are they not agreed if you ask them what they
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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 A Prince of Bohemia by Honore de Balzac: good and charming wife.' And somehow Tullia managed to induce the most
Puritanical members of du Bruel's family to accept her. From the very
first, before any one suspected her motives, she assiduously visited
old Mme. de Bonfalot, who bored her horribly; she made handsome
presents to mean old Mme. de Chisse, du Bruel's great-aunt; she spent
a summer with the latter lady, and never missed a single mass. She
even went to confession, received absolution, and took the sacrament;
but this, you must remember, was in the country, and under the aunt's
eyes.
" 'I shall have real aunts now, do you understand?' she said to us
when she came back in the winter.
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