| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Polly of the Circus by Margaret Mayo: for their misfortune. "Well, you just bet she will," he declared
menacingly.
"See here, Barker, don't you talk to him like that," said Jim,
facing the manager. "He's darned square even if he is a parson."
Barker turned away. He was not a bad-hearted man, but he was
irritated and upset at losing the star feature of his bill.
"Ain't this my dod-gasted luck?" he muttered to himself, as his
eye again travelled to the boss canvas-man. "You get out a'
here, Jim," he shouted, "an' start them wagons. The show's got
to go on, Poll or no Poll."
He turned with his hand on the door-knob and jerked out a
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Eugenie Grandet by Honore de Balzac: Besides, he will not notice it."
"Your father sees everything," said Madame Grandet, shaking her head.
Nanon hesitated; she knew her master.
"Come, Nanon, go,--because it is my birthday."
Nanon gave a loud laugh as she heard the first little jest her young
mistress had ever made, and then obeyed her.
While Eugenie and her mother were trying to embellish the bedroom
assigned by Monsieur Grandet for his nephew, Charles himself was the
object of Madame des Grassins' attentions; to all appearances she was
setting her cap at him.
"You are very courageous, monsieur," she said to the young dandy, "to
Eugenie Grandet |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Several Works by Edgar Allan Poe: perceive you have an engagement. Luchesi--"
"I have no engagement;--come."
"My friend, no. It is not the engagement, but the severe cold
with which I perceive you are afflicted. The vaults are
insufferably damp. They are encrusted with nitre."
"Let us go, nevertheless. The cold is merely nothing.
Amontillado! You have been imposed upon. And as for Luchesi, he
cannot distinguish Sherry from Amontillado."
Thus speaking, Fortunato possessed himself of my arm.
Putting on a mask of black silk, and drawing a roquelaire
closely about my person, I suffered him to hurry me to my palazzo.
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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 Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne: fair as a European. Her head and neck, shoulders, ears, arms,
hands, and toes were loaded down with jewels and gems with bracelets,
earrings, and rings; while a tunic bordered with gold, and covered
with a light muslin robe, betrayed the outline of her form.
The guards who followed the young woman presented a violent contrast
to her, armed as they were with naked sabres hung at their waists,
and long damascened pistols, and bearing a corpse on a palanquin.
It was the body of an old man, gorgeously arrayed in the habiliments
of a rajah, wearing, as in life, a turban embroidered with pearls,
a robe of tissue of silk and gold, a scarf of cashmere sewed with diamonds,
and the magnificent weapons of a Hindoo prince. Next came the musicians
Around the World in 80 Days |
