| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Secret Places of the Heart by H. G. Wells: All sorts of people know about it. . . . We went very far."
She stopped short. "Well?" said Sir Richmond.
"He did die. . . ."
Another long pause. "They told me Caston had been killed. But
someone hinted--or I guessed--that there was more in it than
an ordinary casualty.
"Nobody, I think, realizes that I know. This is the first
time I have ever confessed that I do know. He was--shot. He
was shot for cowardice."
"That might happen to any man," said Sir Richmond presently.
"No man is a hero all round the twenty-four hours. Perhaps he
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Child of Storm by H. Rider Haggard: "What was she doing at your wagons?" he asked. "Oh, do not stop to tell
me; I know, I know. That is a very good Snake of yours, Macumazahn,
which always just lets you slip through her fingers, when, if she chose
to close her hand-- Well, well, I do not betray the secrets of my
clients; but I say this to you--go on to the kraal of the son of
Senzangakona, and you will see things happen that will make you laugh,
for Mameena will be there, and the mongrel Masapo, her husband. Truly
she hates him well, and, after all, I would rather be loved than hated
by Mameena, though both are dangerous. Poor Mongrel! Soon the jackals
will be chewing his bones."
"Why do you say that?" I asked.
Child of Storm |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Russia in 1919 by Arthur Ransome: that he might not be the only one without some one to talk
with outside. The noise was something prodigious, and the
head of the militia finally ran out into the street and arrested
one of the women, but was so discomfited when she
removed her shawl and he recognized her as his hostess at a
house where he had been billeted as a soldier that he
hurriedly let her go. The extraordinary parliament between
the rich men of the town and their wives and friends, like a
crowd of hoodie crows, chattering outside the window,
continued until dark.
Next day the workmen from the tannery came to the
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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 Resurrection by Leo Tolstoy: Two-thirds of the space were taken up by shelves used as beds.
The planks they were made of had warped and shrunk. Opposite the
door hung a dark-coloured icon with a wax candle sticking to it
and a bunch of everlastings hanging down from it. By the door to
the right there was a dark spot on the floor on which stood a
stinking tub. The inspection had taken place and the women were
locked up for the night.
The occupants of this room were 15 persons, including three
children. It was still quite light. Only two of the women were
lying down: a consumptive woman imprisoned for theft, and an
idiot who spent most of her time in sleep and who was arrested
Resurrection |
