| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Dynamiter by Robert Louis Stevenson and Fanny Van De Grift Stevenson: imminent than mine; for he, too, lives apart; he leaves his
wives neglected and unwatched; he is openly cited for an
unbeliever; and unless he buys security at a more awful price
- but no; I will not believe it: I have no love for him, but
I will not believe it.'
'Believe what?' asked my mother; and then, with a change of
note, 'But oh, what matters it?' she cried. 'Abimelech,
there is but one way open: we must fly!'
'It is in vain,' returned my father. 'I should but involve
you in my fate. To leave this land is hopeless: we are
closed in it as men are closed in life; and there is no issue
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Cousin Betty by Honore de Balzac: honor, without courage, without a friend; and worse than all that,
liable to imprisonment for not meeting a bill."
"Poor old fellow! you are without most things.--Are you also /sans
culotte/?"
"You laugh at me! I am done for," cried the Baron. "And I counted on
you as Gourville did on Ninon."
"And it was a 'real lady,' I am told who brought you to this," said
Josepha. "Those precious sluts know how to pluck a goose even better
than we do!--Why, you are like a corpse that the crows have done with
--I can see daylight through!"
"Time is short, Josepha!"
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