| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Paz by Honore de Balzac: father. My fortune is his; and Thaddeus knows that if danger
threatened him I would fling myself into it and drag him out, as I
have done before."
"And that is saying a good deal, my dear friend," said the countess.
"Devotion is like a flash of lightning. Men devote themselves in
battle, but they no longer have the heart for it in Paris."
"Well," replied Adam, "I am always ready, as in battle, to devote
myself to Paz. Our two characters have kept their natural asperities
and defects, but the mutual comprehension of our souls has tightened
the bond already close between us. It is quite possible to save a
man's life and kill him afterwards if we find him a bad fellow; but
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from End of the Tether by Joseph Conrad: give her insured value for her. It isn't like selling
sailing-ships. Steamers DO get out of date, besides get-
ting old."
"He must have laid by a good bit of money though,"
observed Captain Whalley quietly.
The Harbor-master puffed out his purple cheeks to
an amazing size.
"Not a stiver, Harry. Not--a--single--sti-ver."
He waited; but as Captain Whalley, stroking his
beard slowly, looked down on the ground without a
word, he tapped him on the forearm, tiptoed, and said
End of the Tether |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad: "Fasten yourself upon the woman for all she's worth."
After uttering these words the Professor walked away from the
table. Ossipon, whom that piece of insight had taken unawares,
gave one ineffectual start, and remained still, with a helpless
gaze, as though nailed fast to the seat of his chair. The lonely
piano, without as much as a music stool to help it, struck a few
chords courageously, and beginning a selection of national airs,
played him out at last to the tune of "Blue Bells of Scotland."
The painfully detached notes grew faint behind his back while he
went slowly upstairs, across the hall, and into the street.
In front of the great doorway a dismal row of newspaper sellers
The Secret Agent |
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 A Book of Remarkable Criminals by H. B. Irving: life, a man buys poison, brings it to the bedside of his sick
friend, saying it is for experiments on cats and dogs, the friend
dies, the other, his sole heir, after foretelling his death,
takes possession of his keys, and proceeds to gather up the
spoils--are these ordinary incidents of every-day life?"
It was nine o'clock at night when the jury retired to consider
their verdict. They returned into court after two hours'
deliberation. They found the prisoner "Not Guilty" of the murder
of Hippolyte Ballet, "Guilty" of destroying his will, and
"Guilty" by seven votes to five of the murder of Auguste Ballet.
Asked if he had anything to say before judgment was given,
A Book of Remarkable Criminals |
