| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Cousin Betty by Honore de Balzac: settle with this old girl."
Stidmann bowed to the ladies and went away.
"It is settled," said Wenceslas, when he came in from taking leave of
Stidmann. "But there are six months' work to be done, and we must live
meanwhile."
"There are my diamonds," cried the young Countess, with the impetuous
heroism of a loving woman.
A tear rose in Wenceslas' eye.
"Oh, I am going to work," said he, sitting down by his wife and
drawing her on to his knee. "I will do odd jobs--a wedding chest,
bronze groups----"
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Lesson of the Master by Henry James: better there's no reason you shouldn't have as many good things as
I - as many human and material appendages, as many sons or
daughters, a wife with as many gowns, a house with as many
servants, a stable with as many horses, a heart with as many
aches." The Master got up when he had spoken thus - he stood a
moment - near the sofa looking down on his agitated pupil. "Are
you possessed of any property?" it occurred to him to ask.
"None to speak of."
"Oh well then there's no reason why you shouldn't make a goodish
income - if you set about it the right way. Study ME for that -
study me well. You may really have horses."
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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 The Forged Coupon by Leo Tolstoy: touching. Trying not to make a noise, I went to
my room on tiptoe and sat down on my bed. No,
I was too happy; I could not sleep. Besides, it
was too hot in the rooms. Without taking off my
uniform, I went quietly into the hall, put on my
overcoat, opened the front door and stepped out
into the street.
"It was after four when I had left the ball;
going home and stopping there a while had occu-
pied two hours, so by the time I went out it was
dawn. It was regular carnival weather--foggy,
The Forged Coupon |
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 Tattine by Ruth Ogden [Mrs. Charles W. Ide]: hands upon their knees, and gazing in through the weed-grown hole in
breathless, excited fashion.
"I believe I'll have to give it up," Rudolph called back; "the cries seem as
far off as ever and I'm all but scratched to pieces." "Oh, don't! don't!"
cried Tattine and Mabel, in one breath, and Mabel added, "We MUST know what
they are and where they are. I shall go in myself if you come out."
"Well, you wouldn't go more than three feet then, I can tell you," and Rudolph
was right about that. It was only because he hated to give the thing up, even
more than the girls hated to have him, that made him persevere. "Well, here
they are at last!" he cried exultingly, a few moments later; "one, two three,
four of them, perfect little beauties too. And they must belong to Betsy;
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