| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Elixir of Life by Honore de Balzac: and wide, and the whole vast crowd raised to God the first cry of
praise that begins the Te Deum. A sublime cry! High, pure notes,
the voices of women in ecstasy, mingled in it with the sterner
and deeper voices of men; thousands of voices sent up a volume of
sound so mighty, that the straining, groaning organ-pipes could
not dominate that harmony. But the shrill sound of children's
singing among the choristers, the reverberation of deep bass
notes, awakened gracious associations, visions of childhood, and
of man in his strength, and rose above that entrancing harmony of
human voices blended in one sentiment of love.
Te Deum laudamus!
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Maitre Cornelius by Honore de Balzac: The oath seemed to affect the old man singularly.
"Come, come, by Saint-Bavon indeed, you shall sleep here."
"But--" said his sister, alarmed.
"Silence," replied Cornelius. "In his letter Oosterlinck tells me he
will answer for this young man. You know," he whispered in his
sister's ear, "we have a hundred thousand francs belonging to
Oosterlinck? That's a hostage, hey!"
"And suppose he steals those Bavarian jewels? Tiens, he looks more
like a thief than a Fleming."
"Hush!" exclaimed the old man, listening attentively to some sound.
Both misers listened. A moment after the "Hush!" uttered by Cornelius,
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