| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe: appearance of, or the least room to hope for, my own deliverance,
any more than I had twenty years before - much less had I any
foreknowledge of what afterwards happened, I mean, of an English
ship coming on shore there to fetch me off; and it could not be but
a very great surprise to them, when they came back, not only to
find that I was gone, but to find three strangers left on the spot,
possessed of all that I had left behind me, which would otherwise
have been their own.
The first thing, however, which I inquired into, that I might begin
where I left off, was of their own part; and I desired the Spaniard
would give me a particular account of his voyage back to his
Robinson Crusoe |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Kwaidan by Lafcadio Hearn: simple lad, called Riki-Baka, living in the Ushigome quarter, and that he
had died during the last autumn; and they sent two men-servants to look for
the mother of Riki.
"Those servants found the mother of Riki, and told her what had happened;
and she was glad exceedingly -- for that Nanigashi house is a very rich and
famous house. But the servants said that the family of Nanigashi-Sama were
very angry about the word 'Baka' on the child's hand. 'And where is your
Riki buried?' the servants asked. 'He is buried in the cemetery of
Zendoji,' she told them. 'Please to give us some of the clay of his grave,'
they requested.
"So she went with them to the temple Zendoji, and showed them Riki's
Kwaidan |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Awakening & Selected Short Stories by Kate Chopin: told her the end, to save her the trouble of wading through it, he
said.
Again he accompanied her back to her home; and it was after
dusk when they reached the little "pigeon-house." She did not ask
him to remain, which he was grateful for, as it permitted him to
stay without the discomfort of blundering through an excuse which
he had no intention of considering. He helped her to light the
lamp; then she went into her room to take off her hat and to bathe
her face and hands.
When she came back Robert was not examining the pictures and
magazines as before; he sat off in the shadow, leaning his head
Awakening & Selected Short Stories |
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 Lily of the Valley by Honore de Balzac: who will listen to you and who will love you. Felix, we will talk of
these things later. If you have still any tenderness for me let me
grow accustomed to seeing you. Whenever words will not rend my heart,
if the day should ever come when I recover courage, I will speak to
you, but not till then. Look at the valley," she said, pointing to the
Indre, "it hurts me, I love it still."
"Ah, perish England and all her women! I will send my resignation to
the king; I will live and die here, pardoned."
"No, love her; love that woman! Henriette is not. This is no play, and
you should know it."
She left the room, betraying by the tone of her last words the extent
The Lily of the Valley |
