| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Schoolmistress and Other Stories by Anton Chekhov: a heavy nightmare. There were several people living at the
station: my wife and I, a deaf and scrofulous telegraph clerk,
and three watchmen. My assistant, a young man who was in
consumption, used to go for treatment to the town, where he
stayed for months at a time, leaving his duties to me together
with the right of pocketing his salary. I had no children, no
cake would have tempted visitors to come and see me, and I could
only visit other officials on the line, and that no oftener than
once a month.
I remember my wife and I saw the New Year in. We sat at table,
chewed lazily, and heard the deaf telegraph clerk monotonously
The Schoolmistress and Other Stories |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Resurrection by Leo Tolstoy: "Tell him he should take the seal of Antichrist off himself," the
old man said, frowning severely; "then there will he no thieves
and murderers. Tell him so."
"He is crazy," said the Englishman, when Nekhludoff had
translated the old man's words, and, shrugging his shoulders, he
left the cell.
"Do thy business and leave them alone. Every one for himself. God
knows whom to execute, whom to forgive, and we do not know," said
the old man. "Every man be his own chief, then the chiefs will
not be wanted. Go, go!" he added, angrily frowning and looking
with glittering eyes at Nekhludoff, who lingered in the cell.
Resurrection |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie: "I know, but, still, who else is there?"
"Can't you guess?"
"No."
I looked cautiously round, and lowered my voice.
"Dr. Bauerstein!" I whispered.
"Impossible!"
"Not at all."
"But what earthly interest could he have in my mother's death?"
"That I don't see," I confessed, "but I'll tell you this: Poirot
thinks so."
"Poirot? Does he? How do you know?"
The Mysterious Affair at Styles |
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 Lone Star Ranger by Zane Grey: A lightning flash seemed to clear Duane's blurred sight. He saw
a pale, sad face and violet eyes fixed in gloom and horror upon
his. No terrible moment in Duane's life ever equaled this one
of silence--of suspense.
"It's ain't him!" cried the child.
Then Sibert was flinging the noose off Duane's neck and
unwinding the bonds round his arms. The spellbound crowd awoke
to hoarse exclamations.
"See there, my locoed gents, how easy you'd hang the wrong
man," burst out the cowboy, as he made the rope-end hiss.
"You-all are a lot of wise rangers. Haw! haw!"
The Lone Star Ranger |
