| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Octopus by Frank Norris: that light before."
"I want to help you," he answered, "as you have helped me. I
want to be your friend, and above all things I do not want to see
your life wasted. I am going away and it is quite possible I
shall never see you again, but you will always be a help to me."
"I do not understand," she answered, "but I know you mean to be
very, very kind to me. Yes, I hope when you come back--if you
ever do--you will still be that. I do not know why you should
want to be so kind, unless--yes, of course--you were my husband's
dearest friend."
They talked a little longer, and at length Presley rose.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Pool in the Desert by Sara Jeanette Duncan: exposed at Kauffer's; one had the feeling of coming unexpectedly on
treasure left upon the wayside and forgotten.
'Hullo!' I said, at a standstill, 'I see you've got some of Mr.
Armour's work there.'
Mr. Kauffer, with his hands behind him, made the sound which has its
counterpart in a shrug. 'Yass,' he said, 'I haf some of Mr.
Armour's work there. This one, that one, all those remaining
pictures--they are all the work of Mr. Armour.'
'I didn't know that any of his things were to be seen outside his
studio,' I observed.
'So? They are to be seen here. There is no objection.'
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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 Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson: went down its eastern shore to another hiding-place near the head
of Loch Rannoch, whither we were led by one of the gillies from
the Cage. This fellow carried all our luggage and Alan's
great-coat in the bargain, trotting along under the burthen, far
less than the half of which used to weigh me to the ground, like
a stout hill pony with a feather; yet he was a man that, in plain
contest, I could have broken on my knee.
Doubtless it was a great relief to walk disencumbered; and
perhaps without that relief, and the consequent sense of liberty
and lightness, I could not have walked at all. I was but new
risen from a bed of sickness; and there was nothing in the state
Kidnapped |
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 Black Tulip by Alexandre Dumas: "In truth," she said, with that coquetry which somehow or
other is in the heart of every young girl, "I have often
been sorry that I am not able to read, but never so much so
as when your housekeeper brought me your letter. I kept the
paper in my hands, which spoke to other people, and which
was dumb to poor stupid me."
"So you have often regretted not being able to read," said
Cornelius. "I should just like to know on what occasions."
"Troth," she said, laughing, "to read all the letters which
were written to me."
"Oh, you received letters, Rosa?"
The Black Tulip |
