| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Secret Sharer by Joseph Conrad: The question for me now is whether I am to let go this ladder
and go on swimming till I sink from exhaustion, or--to come
on board here."
I felt this was no mere formula of desperate speech,
but a real alternative in the view of a strong soul.
I should have gathered from this that he was young; indeed, it is
only the young who are ever confronted by such clear issues.
But at the time it was pure intuition on my part.
A mysterious communication was established already between
us two--in the face of that silent, darkened tropical sea.
I was young, too; young enough to make no comment.
 The Secret Sharer |
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 Silas Marner by George Eliot: to do it. You never knew me do a dishonest trick, sir."
"Where's Dunsey, then? What do you stand talking there for? Go
and fetch Dunsey, as I tell you, and let him give account of what he
wanted the money for, and what he's done with it. He shall repent
it. I'll turn him out. I said I would, and I'll do it. He shan't
brave me. Go and fetch him."
"Dunsey isn't come back, sir."
"What! did he break his own neck, then?" said the Squire, with
some disgust at the idea that, in that case, he could not fulfil his
threat.
"No, he wasn't hurt, I believe, for the horse was found dead, and
 Silas Marner |