| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Nada the Lily by H. Rider Haggard: for sport alone, also he slew on this day all those whom he hated or
whom he feared.
At length the night came down, the sun sank red that day, all the sky
was like blood, and blood was all the earth beneath. Then the killing
ceased, because none had now the strength to kill, and the people lay
panting in heaps upon the ground, the living and the dead together. I
looked at them, and saw that if they were not allowed to eat and
drink, before day dawned again the most of them would be dead, and I
spoke to the king, for I cared little in that hour if I lived or died;
even my hope of vengeance was forgotten in the sickness of my heart.
"A mourning indeed, O King," I said, "a merry mourning for true-
Nada the Lily |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Lin McLean by Owen Wister: had reached the club and were lunching, and Jode realized that a letter
had actually been written telling Hilbrun to come and bring his showers
with him, the punctilious signal-service officer stated his position.
"Have your joke, sir," he said, waving a thin, clean hand, "but I decline
to meet him."
"Hilbrun?" said the Governor, staring.
"If that's his name--yes, sir. As a member of the Weather Bureau and the
Meteorological Society I can have nothing to do with the fellow."
"Glory!" said the Governor. "Well, I suppose not. I see your point, Jode.
I'll be careful to keep you apart. As a member of the College of
Physicians I've felt that way about homeopathy and the faith-cure. All
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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 Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell: worse if Mammy should overhear this discussion of drinking,
especially in light of the missing brandy bottle. She nodded and
Rhett drew the sliding doors together. When he came back and sat
down beside her, his dark eyes alertly searching her face, the pall
of death receded before the vitality he radiated and the room
seemed pleasant and homelike again, the lamps rosy and warm.
"What's the matter, honey?"
No one in the world could say that foolish word of endearment as
caressingly as Rhett, even when he was joking, but he did not look
as if he were joking now. She raised tormented eyes to his face
and somehow found comfort in the blank inscrutability she saw
Gone With the Wind |
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 Under the Andes by Rex Stout: farther end.
"No!" cried Desiree, shrinking back in terror. "Paul--" I
dragged her forward.
Then, as Harry's cry was repeated, she seemed to understand
and sprang forward beside me.
Another second wasted and we would have been too late. Just
as we reached Harry's side, at the end of the tunnel, the Incas,
warned by my appearance at the top of the column, appeared above on
the stairway, at the foot of which Harry had made his stand.
At the sight of Desiree Harry uttered a cry of joy, then gazed
in astonishment as I appeared behind her.
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