| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The First Men In The Moon by H. G. Wells: and as impossible for any one to steal as a house or a piece of land. As I
looked at their curious faces over my coffee-cup, I realised something of
the enormous wilderness of explanations into which I should have to wander
to render myself comprehensible again.
"You don't really mean -" began the youngest young man, in the tone of one
who speaks to an obstinate child.
"Just pass me that toast-rack," I said, and shut him up completely.
"But look here, I say," began one of the others. "We're not going to
believe that, you know."
"Ah, well," said I, and shrugged my shoulders.
"He doesn't want to tell us," said the youngest young man in a stage
 The First Men In The Moon |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from In a German Pension by Katherine Mansfield: every pocket just the same--I knowing too--I keeping up the farce--do you
suppose that now you have finally lighted your bonfire you are going to
find it a peaceful and pleasant thing--you are going to prevent the whole
house from burning?"
She suddenly turned white and drew in her breath sharply.
"Don't talk to me like that. You have no right to talk to me like that. I
am another man's wife."
"Hum," he sneered, throwing back his head, "that's rather late in the game,
and that's been your trump card all along. You only love Victor on the
cat-and-cream principle--you a poor little starved kitten that he's given
everything to, that he's carried in his breast, never dreaming that those
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