| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Scenes from a Courtesan's Life by Honore de Balzac: anything at any time, but for a weakness of Dutch courage Paccard
would have been perfect, Jacques Collin used to say, so completely was
he endowed with the talents indispensable to a man at war with
society; but the master had succeeded in persuading his slave to drink
only in the evening. On going home at night, Paccard tippled the
liquid gold poured into small glasses out of a pot-bellied stone jar
from Danzig.
"We will make them open their eyes," said Paccard, putting on his
grand hat and feathers after bowing to Carlos, whom he called his
Confessor.
These were the events which had led three men, so clever, each in his
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Maggie: A Girl of the Streets by Stephen Crane: absorbing anxiety to see.
Jimmie caught first sight of the on-coming interruption. On his feet
he had the same regard for a policeman that, when on his truck,
he had for a fire engine. He howled and ran for the side door.
The officer made a terrific advance, club in hand. One comprehensive
sweep of the long night stick threw the ally to the floor and forced
Pete to a corner. With his disengaged hand he made a furious effort
at Jimmie's coat-tails. Then he regained his balance and paused.
"Well, well, you are a pair of pictures. What in hell yeh
been up to?"
Jimmie, with his face drenched in blood, escaped up a side street,
Maggie: A Girl of the Streets |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from A Horse's Tale by Mark Twain: difference, that boy is in there, and you can see him look out of
her eyes when her temper is up."
Then Dorcas went on, in her simple and earnest way, to furnish
illustrations.
"Look at that raven, Marse Tom. Would anybody befriend a raven but
that child? Of course they wouldn't; it ain't natural. Well, the
Injun boy had the raven tied up, and was all the time plaguing it
and starving it, and she pitied the po' thing, and tried to buy it
from the boy, and the tears was in her eyes. That was the girl-
twin, you see. She offered him her thimble, and he flung it down;
she offered him all the doughnuts she had, which was two, and he
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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 The Girl with the Golden Eyes by Honore de Balzac: "He says, as well," replied the interpreter, "that the person from
whom he is sent implores you, for your sake and for hers, to act with
the greatest prudence, because the daggers which are raised above your
head would strike your heart before any human power could save you
from them."
"He said that? So much the better, it will be more amusing. You can
come in now, Paul," he cried to his friend.
The mulatto, who had not ceased to gaze at the lover of Paquita Valdes
with magnetic attention, went away, followed by the interpreter.
"Well, at last I have an adventure which is entirely romantic," said
Henri, when Paul returned. "After having shared in a certain number I
The Girl with the Golden Eyes |
