The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Turn of the Screw by Henry James: think you're coming in."
"I see--I see." I, too, on my side, had so much more than worked it out.
"Has she said to you since yesterday--except to repudiate her familiarity
with anything so dreadful--a single other word about Miss Jessel?"
"Not one, miss. And of course you know," my friend added,
"I took it from her, by the lake, that, just then and there
at least, there WAS nobody."
"Rather! and, naturally, you take it from her still."
"I don't contradict her. What else can I do?"
"Nothing in the world! You've the cleverest little person to deal with.
They've made them--their two friends, I mean--still cleverer
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Voyage to Arcturus by David Lindsay: against the rugged tree trunk, he kissed her.
A cold, knifelike shock passed down his frame. He thought that it
was death, and lost consciousness.
When his sense returned, Sullenbode was holding him by the shoulder
with one hand at arm's length, searching his face with gloomy eyes.
At first he failed to recognise her; it was not the woman he had
kissed, but another. Then he gradually realised that her face was
identical with that which Haunte's action had called into existence.
A great calmness came upon him; his bad sensations had disappeared.
Sullenbode was transformed into a living soul. Her skin was firm,
her features were strong, her eyes gleamed with the consciousness of
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The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Forged Coupon by Leo Tolstoy: Mihailovich forgot all about it; but his wife, Ma-
ria Vassilievna, could not forgive herself for hav-
ing been taken in, nor yet her husband for his cruel
words. And most of all she was furious against
the two boys who had so skilfully cheated her.
From the day she had accepted the forged coupon
as payment, she looked closely at all the school-
boys who came in her way in the streets. One
day she met Mahin, but did not recognise him,
for on seeing her he made a face which quite
changed his features. But when, a fortnight after
 The Forged Coupon |
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 Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy: "I have to say that I have been a bad, black-hearted
man." he answered.
less than she."
"Ah! don't taunt me, madam. This woman is more
to me, dead as she is, than ever you were, or are, or can
be. If Satan had not tempted me with that face of
yours, and those cursed coquetries, I should have
He turned to Fanny then. "But never mind, darling,
wife!"
At these words there arose from Bathsheba's lips a
long, low cry of measureless despair and indignation,
 Far From the Madding Crowd |