| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Shadow Line by Joseph Conrad: discharge I shall expect you to attend to your duty
and give me the benefit of your experience to the
best of your ability."
Stony incredulity lingered in his eyes: but it
broke down before my friendly attitude. With a
slight upward toss of his arms (I got to know that
gesture well afterward) he bolted out of the
cabin.
We might have saved ourselves that little pas-
sage of harmless sparring. Before many days had
elapsed it was Mr. Burns who was pleading with
The Shadow Line |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Melmoth Reconciled by Honore de Balzac: Jenny appeared.
"Tell the porter to hail a cab for them.--Here Naqui," said Castanier,
drawing a bundle of bank-notes from his pocket; "you shall not go away
like a pauper from a man who loves you still."
He held out three hundred thousand francs. Aquilina took the notes,
flung them on the floor, spat on them, and trampled upon them in a
frenzy of despair.
"We will leave this house on foot," she cried, "without a farthing of
your money.--Jenny, stay where you are."
"Good-evening!" answered the cashier, as he gathered up the notes
again. "I have come back from my journey.--Jenny," he added, looking
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