| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Rescue by Joseph Conrad: d'Alcacer.--"It may be a mask." --"Have you some evidence, Mrs.
Travers?"
"No," said Mrs. Travers without hesitation. "I have my instinct."
D'Alcacer remained silent for a while as though he were pursuing
another train of thought altogether, then in a gentle, almost
playful tone: "If I were a woman," he said, turning to Mrs.
Travers, "I would always trust my intuition."--"If you were a
woman, Mr. d'Alcacer, I would not be speaking to you in this way
because then I would be suspect to you."
The thought that before long perhaps he would be neither man nor
woman but a lump of cold clay, crossed d'Alcacer's mind, which
The Rescue |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Princess of Parms by Edgar Rice Burroughs: of love I held my peace when I might have plead ignorance
of the nature of my offense, or at least the gravity of it,
and so have effected, at worst, a half conciliation.
My duty dictated that I must see that she was comfortable,
and so I glanced into her chariot and rearranged her silks
and furs. In doing so I noted with horror that she was
heavily chained by one ankle to the side of the vehicle.
"What does this mean?" I cried, turning to Sola.
"Sarkoja thought it best," she answered, her face betokening
her disapproval of the procedure.
Examining the manacles I saw that they fastened with a
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| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Confessio Amantis by John Gower: Of Trace he hihte Teres;
The clerk Ovide telleth thus. 5570
This Teres his wif hom ladde,
A lusti lif with hire he hadde;
Til it befell upon a tyde,
This Progne, as sche lay him besyde,
Bethoughte hir hou it mihte be
That sche hir Soster myhte se,
And to hir lord hir will sche seide,
With goodly wordes and him preide
That sche to hire mihte go:
Confessio Amantis |
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 Nana, Miller's Daughter, Captain Burle, Death of Olivier Becaille by Emile Zola: He drew back, looked carefully at her headdress and then quietly
remarked:
"Five louis, that's according!"
"Ah, you know if you want securities. . ." she continued.
And without finishing her sentence, she indicated the adjoining
rooms with a sweeping gesture. Francis lent the five louis. Zoe,
during each momentary respite, kept coming in to get Madame's things
ready. Soon she came to dress her while the hairdresser lingered
with the intention of giving some finishing touches to the
headdress. But the bell kept continually disturbing the lady's
maid, who left Madame with her stays half laced and only one shoe
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