| 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: "I was thinking of the brig," he said, gently.
"Mrs. Travers would be on board," retorted Carter.
"What! on board. Ah yes; on board. Where else?" stammered
Lingard.
Carter looked at him in amazement. "Fight! You ask!" he said,
slowly. "You just try me."
"I shall," ejaculated Lingard. He left the cabin calling out
"serang!" A thin cracked voice was heard immediately answering,
"Tuan!" and the door slammed to.
"You trust him, Mrs. Travers?" asked Carter, rapidly.
"You do not--why?" she answered.
The Rescue |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Spirit of the Border by Zane Grey: long Indian pipe, and gazed out over the clearing that contained the Village
of Peace.
Still water has something in its placid surface significant of deep channels,
of hidden depths; the dim outline of the forest is dark with meaning,
suggestive of its wild internal character. So Simon Girty's hard, bronzed face
betrayed the man. His degenerate brother's features were revolting; but his
own were striking, and fell short of being handsome only because of their
craggy hardness. Years of revolt, of bitterness, of consciousness of wasted
life, had graven their stern lines on that copper, masklike face. Yet despite
the cruelty there, the forbidding shade on it, as if a reflection from a dark
soul, it was not wholly a bad countenance. Traces still lingered, faintly, of
The Spirit of the Border |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Droll Stories, V. 1 by Honore de Balzac: This is the joy to which I have bidden you."
"Ah!" Replied Boys-Bourredon, interring in the depths of his heart a
dark despair, "I am grateful to you for having made use of me as of
something which belonged to you. . . . Yes, I love you so much that
every day you I have dreamed of offering you in imitation of the
ladies, a thing that can be given but once. Take, then, my life!"
And the poor chevalier, in saying this, gave her one glance to suffice
for all the time he would have been able to look at her through the
long days. Hearing these brave and loving words, Bonne rose suddenly.
"Ah! were it not for Savoisy, how I would love thee!" said she.
"Alas! my fate is then accomplished," replied Boys-Bourredon. "My
Droll Stories, V. 1 |
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 The Red Seal by Natalie Sumner Lincoln: "She did, but father persuaded her to prolong her visit," Barbara
was guilty of a grimace, then hailing the descending elevator she
bolted into it and waved her good-by to Kent as the cage shot
downward.
When Kent reentered his office he found Sylvester hanging up the
telephone receiver.
"Mr. Clymer has telephoned to ask if you will come to the Metropolis
Trust Company at once," he said, and before Kent could frame a
reply he had darted into the coat closet and brought out his hat and
cane, and handed them to him.
"Don't wait for me, but go out for your luncheon," directed Kent,
The Red Seal |
