| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Bureaucracy by Honore de Balzac: "Right," said Gobseck.
"What is it?" asked Gigonnet.
"The cross of the Legion of honor for your imbecile of a nephew."
"Good," said Gigonnet, "I see you know him well."
The pair took leave of des Lupeaulx, who conducted them to the
staircase.
"They must be secret envoys from foreign powers," whispered the
footmen to each other.
Once in the street, the two usurers looked at each other under a
street lamp and laughed.
"He will owe us nine thousand francs interest a year," said Gigonnet;
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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 The Hated Son by Honore de Balzac: obligation of paying you like a lord. I shall not ask you to be
discreet. This man here," (pointing to Bertrand) "will explain to you
that there are rivers and trees everywhere for miserable wretches who
chatter of me."
So saying the count advanced slowly to the bonesetter, pushed a chair
noisily toward him, as if to invite him to sit down, as he did himself
by the bedside; then he said to his wife in a specious voice:--
"Well, my pretty one, so we have a son; this is a joyful thing for us.
Do you suffer much?"
"No," murmured the countess.
The evident surprise of the mother, and the tardy demonstrations of
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