| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Elizabeth and her German Garden by Marie Annette Beauchamp: and after having been more or less unpleasant to everybody
for a whole year, it is a blessing to be forced on that one day
to be amiable, and it is certainly delightful to be able to give
presents without being haunted by the conviction that you
are spoiling the recipient, and will suffer for it afterward.
Servants are only big children, and are made just as happy
as children by little presents and nice things to eat, and,
for days beforehand, every time the three babies go into the garden
they expect to meet the Christ Child with His arms full of gifts.
They firmly believe that it is thus their presents are brought,
and it is such a charming idea that Christmas would be worth
Elizabeth and her German Garden |
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 Vendetta by Honore de Balzac: books; a piano filled an angle of the room. She sat down upon a divan,
drew Luigi to her side, and said, in a caressing voice, her hand in
his,--
"You have good taste."
"Those words make me happy," he replied.
"But let me see all," said Ginevra, to whom Luigi had made a mystery
of the adornment of the rooms.
They entered the nuptial chamber, fresh and white as a virgin.
"Oh! come away," said Luigi, smiling.
"But I wish to see all."
And the imperious Ginevra looked at each piece of furniture with the
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