| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Gobseck by Honore de Balzac: "I turned pale at the words.
" 'But as we are acquaintances, I shall be satisfied to take twelve
and a half per cent per--(he hesitated)--'well, yes, from you I would
be content to take thirteen per cent per annum. Will that suit you?'
" 'Yes,' I answered.
" 'But if it is too much, stick up for yourself, Grotius!' (a name he
jokingly gave me). 'When I ask you for thirteen per cent, it is all in
the way of business; look into it, see if you can pay it; I don't like
a man to agree too easily. Is it too much?'
" 'No,' said I, 'I will make up for it by working a little harder.'
" 'Gad! your clients will pay for it!' said he, looking at me wickedly
Gobseck |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Facino Cane by Honore de Balzac: have found my way back to the Treasury and returned to Venice when
Napoleon crushed the Republic--
"Still, blind as I am, let us go back to Venice! I shall find the door
of my prison, I shall see the gold through the prison walls, I shall
hear it where it lies under the water; for the events which brought
about the fall of Venice befell in such a way that the secret of the
hoard must have perished with Bianca's brother, Vendramin, a doge to
whom I looked to make my peace with the Ten. I sent memorials to the
First Consul; I proposed an agreement with the Emperor of Austria;
every one sent me about my business for a lunatic. Come! we will go to
Venice; let us set out as beggars, we shall come back millionaires. We
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