| 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 Polly of the Circus by Margaret Mayo: little patient later. Jim shuffled awkwardly toward the pastor.
"It's mighty good of you to do this," he mumbled, "but she ain't
goin' to be no charity patient. Me and Toby is goin' to look
after her keep."
"Her wants will be very few," Douglas answered, kindly. "You
needn't trouble much about that."
"I mean it," said Jim, savagely. He met Douglas's glance of
surprise with a determined look, for he feared that his chance of
being useful to Polly might be slipping out of his life.
"You mustn't mind Jim," the clown pleaded at the pastor's elbow.
"You see pain gets some folks different from others; and it
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