| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie: Conqueror--one of our oldest families."
Mary had excused herself on the plea of an engagement with Dr.
Bauerstein.
We had a pleasant luncheon, and as we drove away Lawrence
suggested that we should return by Tadminster, which was barely a
mile out of our way, and pay a visit to Cynthia in her
dispensary. Mrs. Inglethorp replied that this was an excellent
idea, but as she had several letters to write she would drop us
there, and we could come back with Cynthia in the pony-trap.
We were detained under suspicion by the hospital porter, until
Cynthia appeared to vouch for us, looking very cool and sweet in
The Mysterious Affair at Styles |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Vendetta by Honore de Balzac: interlude in the drama thus played below the surface in these various
young hearts, the sentiments, ideas, and progress of which were
expressed by phrases that were almost allegorical, by mischievous
glances, by gestures, by silence even, more intelligible than words.
As soon as Madame Servin entered the studio, her eyes turned to the
door near which Ginevra was seated. Under present circumstances the
fact of this glance was not lost. Though at first none of the pupils
took notice of it, Mademoiselle Thirion recollected it later, and it
explained to her the doubt, fear, and mystery which now gave something
wild and frightened to Madame Servin's eyes.
"Mesdemoiselles," she said, "Monsieur Servin cannot come to-day."
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Second Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling: another, it was that the engine was everything in the wide world
except a bullock. The Jackal had watched it time and again from
the aloe hedges by the side of the line, and the Adjutant had
seen engines since the first locomotive ran in India. But the
Mugger had only looked up at the thing from below, where the
brass dome seemed rather like a bullock"s hump.
"M--yes, a new kind of bullock," the Mugger repeated
ponderously, to make himself quite sure in his own mind;
and "Certainly it is a bullock," said the Jackal.
"And again it might be----" began the Mugger pettishly.
"Certainly--most certainly," said the Jackal, without waiting
The Second Jungle Book |
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 Barlaam and Ioasaph by St. John of Damascus: the rather in virtuous deeds, and form the habit of practising
them. For if thou labour but a little therein, and have strength
to form the habit, at the last, God helping thee, thou shalt
advance without labour. For the habit of virtue, taking its
quality from the soul, seeing that it hath some natural kinship
therewith and claimeth God for an help-mate, becometh hard to
alter and exceeding strong; as thou seest, courage and prudence,
temperance and righteousness are hard to alter, being deeply
seated habits, qualities and activities of the soul. For if the
evil affections, not being natural to us, but attacking us from
without, be hard to alter when they become habits, how much
|
