| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Lily of the Valley by Honore de Balzac: "I am wearied to death," she said, "of these turtle-dove sighings."
Without seeking to justify my crime, I ask you to observe, Natalie,
that a man has fewer means of resisting a woman than she has of
escaping him. Our code of manners forbids the brutality of repressing
a woman, whereas repression with your sex is not only allurement to
ours, but is imposed upon you by conventions. With us, on the
contrary, some unwritten law of masculine self-conceit ridicules a
man's modesty; we leave you the monopoly of that virtue, that you may
have the privilege of granting us favors; but reverse the case, and
man succumbs before sarcasm.
Though protected by my love, I was not of an age to be wholly
The Lily of the Valley |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Out of Time's Abyss by Edgar Rice Burroughs: your body feeds the reptiles at the mouth of the River of Death.
Even though you bring into the world a female Wieroo, your fate
will be the same if you do not escape him, while with me you shall
have life and food and none shall harm you."
He was quite close to the girl when she replied by striking him
in the face with all her strength. "Until I am slain," she cried,
"I shall fight against you all." From the throat of the Wieroo
issued that dismal wail that Bradley had heard so often in the
past--it was like a scream of pain smothered to a groan--and then
the thing leaped upon the girl, its face working in hideous
grimaces as it clawed and beat at her to force her to the floor.
Out of Time's Abyss |
