| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Salome by Oscar Wilde: regarde comme cela. Je ne sais pas ce que cela veut dire . . . Au
fait, si, je le sais.
LE JEUNE SYRIEN. Vous venez de quitter le festin, princesse?
SALOME. Comme l'air est frais ici! Enfin, ici on respire! Le-
dedans il y a des Juifs de Jerusalem qui se dechirent e cause de
leurs ridicules ceremonies, et des barbares qui boivent toujours et
jettent leur vin sur les dalles, et des Grecs de Smyrne avec leurs
yeux peints et leurs joues fardees, et leurs cheveux frises en
spirales, et des Egyptiens, silencieux, subtils, avec leurs ongles
de jade et leurs manteaux bruns, et des Romains avec leur brutalite,
leur lourdeur, leurs gros mots. Ah! que je deteste les Romains! Ce
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from La Grande Breteche by Honore de Balzac: fetch him; tell him to come here with his trowel and tools. Contrive
to wake no one in his house but himself. His reward will be beyond
your wishes. Above all, go out without saying a word--or else!' and he
frowned.
"Rosalie was going, and he called her back. 'Here, take my latch-key,'
said he.
" 'Jean!' Monsieur de Merret called in a voice of thunder down the
passage. Jean, who was both coachman and confidential servant, left
his cards and came.
" 'Go to bed, all of you,' said his master, beckoning him to come
close; and the gentleman added in a whisper, 'When they are all asleep
La Grande Breteche |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Case of The Lamp That Went Out by Grace Isabel Colbron and Augusta Groner: would deceive the customer.
But the man had already turned towards the door, and called hack
over his shoulder: "You can keep the old things, I don't want them."
As he spoke he opened the door of the store and stood face to face
with a policeman holding a revolver. He turned, with a curse, back
into the room, but the dealer was nowhere to be seen. David
Goldstamm had done his duty to the public, in spite of his fear.
Now, seeing that the police had arrived, he could think of his duty
to his family. This duty was plainly to save his own life, and
when the tramp turned again to look for him, he had disappeared out
of the back door.
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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 Patchwork Girl of Oz by L. Frank Baum: the second, and the third was neatly made up and
smoothed for the day. On the other side of the
room was a round table on which breakfast was
already placed, smoking hot. Only one chair was
drawn up to the table, where a place was set for
one person. No one seemed to be in the room except
the boy and Bungle.
Ojo got up and put on his shoes. Finding a
toilet stand at the head of his bed he washed his
face and hands and brushed his hair. Then he
went to the table and said:
The Patchwork Girl of Oz |
