| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from End of the Tether by Joseph Conrad: a right to shut himself up in his cabin in his own time."
"Not to get drunk."
"I heard him swear that the worry with the boilers
was enough to drive any man to drink," Sterne said
maliciously.
Massy hissed out something about bursting the door
in. Mr. Van Wyk, to avoid them, crossed in the dark
to the other side of the deserted deck. The planking
of the little wharf rattled faintly under his hasty feet.
"Mr. Van Wyk! Mr. Van Wyk!"
He walked on: somebody was running on the path.
End of the Tether |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Early Short Fiction of Edith Wharton by Edith Wharton: the suit was withdrawn. Nothing I could have told you would have
helped you to find your husband."
Mary continued to scrutinize him. "Then why are you telling me
now?"
Still Parvis did not hesitate. "Well, to begin with, I supposed
you knew more than you appear to--I mean about the circumstances
of Elwell's death. And then people are talking of it now; the
whole matter's been raked up again. And I thought, if you didn't
know, you ought to."
She remained silent, and he continued: "You see, it's only come
out lately what a bad state Elwell's affairs were in. His wife's
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