| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Marie by H. Rider Haggard: the rocking door.
It was falling outward, it fell, and on the top of it appeared two great
savages waving broad spears. I lifted the pistol, and the bullet that
had been meant for Marie's brain scattered that of the first of them,
and the bullet which had been meant for my heart pierced that of the
second. They both went down dead, there in the doorway.
I snatched up one of their spears and glanced behind me. Marie was
climbing on to the chest; I could just see her through the thickening
smoke. Another Quabie rushed on. Hans and I received him on the points
of our assegais, but so fierce was his charge that they went through him
as though he were nothing, and being but light, both of us were thrown
Marie |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Lock and Key Library by Julian Hawthorne, Ed.: abstractions and public affairs."
"But why banished, unless self-banished?"
"Woman's love is impossible. You look incredulous. I do not
allude to this," he said, taking up the empty sleeve, and by so
doing sending a shiver through me.
"The loss of your arm," I said--and my voice trembled slightly, for
I felt that a crisis was at hand--"although a misfortune to you,
would really be an advantage in gaining a woman's affections.
Women are so romantic, and their imaginations are so easily
touched!"
"Yes," he replied bitterly; "but the trouble is that I have not
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