| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Ten Years Later by Alexandre Dumas: D'Artagnan seated himself on the shaft of the box and opened
his ears. "Monsieur," said Mousqueton, "monseigneur, then,
received a letter from M. le Vicaire-General d'Herblay,
eight or nine days ago; it was the day of the rustic
pleasures, yes, it must have been Wednesday."
"What do you mean?" said D'Artagnan. "The day of rustic
pleasures?"
"Yes, monsieur; we have so many pleasures to take in this
delightful country, that we were encumbered by them; so much
so, that we have been forced to regulate the distribution of
them."
Ten Years Later |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Almayer's Folly by Joseph Conrad: locked, and he stood biting his lower lip, trying to think of the
place where the key could be. Suddenly he remembered: in the
women's room hung upon a nail. He went over to the doorway where
the red curtain hung down in motionless folds, and hesitated for
a moment before pushing it aside with his shoulder as if breaking
down some solid obstacle. A great square of sunshine entering
through the window lay on the floor. On the left he saw Mrs.
Almayer's big wooden chest, the lid thrown back, empty; near it
the brass nails of Nina's European trunk shone in the large
initials N. A. on the cover. A few of Nina's dresses hung on
wooden pegs, stiffened in a look of offended dignity at their
Almayer's Folly |
