| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Foolish Virgin by Thomas Dixon: thee, James, to my wedded husband--TO HAVE AND TO HOLD
from this day forward, FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE,
for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to
love, cherish AND OBEY, TIL DEATH DO US PART, ACCORDING
TO GOD'S HOLY ORDINANCE; AND THEREUNTO I GIVE THEE MY
TROTH ----'"
He paused, lifted his head and smiled grimly:
"That's some promise, believe me, Kiddo! `AND OBEY'--you
meant it all, didn't you?"
She would have hedged lightly over that ugly old
word which still survived in the ceremony Craddock had
|
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 Gobseck by Honore de Balzac: pack of creditors are hard upon his track. The Countess lived in the
Rue du Helder, and my Fanny in the Rue Montmartre. How many
conjectures I made as I set out this morning! If these two women were
not able to pay, they would show me more respect than they would show
their own fathers. What tricks and grimaces would not the Countess try
for a thousand francs! She would be so nice to me, she would talk to
me in that ingratiating tone peculiar to endorsers of bills, she would
pour out a torrent of coaxing words, perhaps she would beg and pray,
and I . . .' (here the old man turned his pale eyes upon me)--'and I
not to be moved, inexorable!' he continued. 'I am there as the
avenger, the apparition of Remorse. So much for hypotheses. I reached
 Gobseck |