| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad: "Yes. I had no idea myself that my work would be over so soon."
The Assistant Commissioner added in a low tone. "I am glad to tell
you that Michaelis is altogether clear of this - "
The patroness of the ex-convict received this assurance
indignantly.
"Why? Were your people stupid enough to connect him with - "
"Not stupid," interrupted the Assistant Commissioner, contradicting
deferentially. "Clever enough - quite clever enough for that."
A silence fell. The man at the foot of the couch had stopped
speaking to the lady, and looked on with a faint smile.
"I don't know whether you ever met before," said the great lady.
The Secret Agent |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Selected Writings of Guy De Maupassant by Guy De Maupassant: interrupting him. "It is all a romance."
"You are mistaken, my dear fellow," Jules de C----replied. "It is
like a romance, but with this confounded Nihilism, everything is
the same; it would be a mistake to trust to it. For instance, the
manner in which I made Bakounine's acquaintance--"
They knew that he was a good narrator, and it was no secret that
his life had been an adventurous one, so they drew closer to him,
and listened intently. This is what he told them:
II
"I met Countess Nioska W----, that strange woman who was usually
called Countess Satan, in Naples. I immediately attached myself
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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 Emma McChesney & Co. by Edna Ferber: A long wait.
"Can I help?"
"I've got it!" cried Emma, and emerged triumphant, flushed,
smiling, holding a garment at arm's length, aloft.
"What----"
Emma shook it smartly, turned it this way and that, held it up
under her chin by the sleeves.
"Why, girl!" exclaimed Buck, all a-grin, "it's the----"
"The blue serge," Emma finished for him, "with the white
collars and cuffs. And what's more, young man, it's the little
blue hat with the what-cha-ma-call-ems on it. And praise be!
Emma McChesney & Co. |
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 Master of the World by Jules Verne: My personal resources were wholly insufficient for the achievement.
Mr. Ward, who held the government's funds, was away. I even thought
of trying to interest some millionaire. Oh, if I could but have
promised one of them some gold or silver mines within the mountain!
But such an hypothesis was not admissible. The chain of the
Appalachians is not situated in a gold bearing region like that of
the Pacific mountains, the Transvaal, or Australia.
It was not until the fifteenth of June that Mr. Ward returned to
duty. Despite my lack of success he received me warmly. "Here is our
poor Strock!" cried he, at my entrance. "Our poor Strock, who has
failed!"
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