| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from A Hero of Our Time by M.Y. Lermontov: took thought -- and leaped. His hind hoofs
slipped back off the opposite bank, and he re-
mained hanging by his fore-feet. I dropped
the bridle and threw myself into the hollow,
thereby saving my horse, which jumped out.
The Cossacks saw the whole scene, only not one
of them got down to search for me, thinking
probably that I had mortally injured myself;
and I heard them rushing to catch my horse. My
heart bled within me. I crept along the hollow
through the thick grass -- then I looked around:
|
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 Nana, Miller's Daughter, Captain Burle, Death of Olivier Becaille by Emile Zola: she forgot that Steiner was at her side and that Georges was in
front of her. A vision had come up out of the twilight, and the
great lady seemed still to be sweeping by with all the majesty of a
potent queen, full of years and of honors.
That evening Georges re-entered Les Fondettes in time for dinner.
Nana, who had grown increasingly absent-minded and singular in point
of manner, had sent him to ask his mamma's forgiveness. It was his
plain duty, she remarked severely, growing suddenly solicitous for
the decencies of family life. She even made him swear not to return
for the night; she was tired, and in showing proper obedience he was
doing no more than his duty. Much bored by this moral discourse,
|
