| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Deputy of Arcis by Honore de Balzac: Monsieur de Ronquerolles had no sooner said the words than he
perceived the horrible blunder he had committed in making such a
speech before Mademoiselle de Nucingen. He colored high,--a most
unusual sign in him,--and the solemn silence which seemed to wrap all
present completed his discomfiture.
"This clock must be slow," said the minister, catching at any words
that would make a sound and break up an evening that was ending
unfortunately.
"True," said de Ronquerolles, looking at his watch; "it is a quarter
to twelve."
He bowed to Madame de Rastignac ceremoniously, and went away, followed
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf: was rather unusual, he thought, in this; he never let himself get into
a groove. He had friends in all circles ... Mrs Ramsay had to break
off here to tell the maid something about keeping food hot. That was
why he preferred dining alone. All those interruptions annoyed him.
Well, thought William Bankes, preserving a demeanour of exquisite
courtesy and merely spreading the fingers of his left hand on the
table-cloth as a mechanic examines a tool beautifully polished and
ready for use in an interval of leisure, such are the sacrifices one's
friends ask of one. It would have hurt her if he had refused to come.
But it was not worth it for him. Looking at his hand he thought that
if he had been alone dinner would have been almost over now; he would
To the Lighthouse |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Little Women by Louisa May Alcott: Lying back on the sofa, she read the manuscript carefully
through, making dashes here and there, and putting in many
exclamation points, which looked like little balloons. Then she
tied it up with a smart red ribbon, and sat a minute looking at
it with a sober, wistful expression, which plainly showed how
ernest her work had been. Jo's desk up here was an old tin
kitchen which hung against the wall. It it she kept her papers,
and a few books, safely shut away from Scrabble, who, being
likewise of a literary turn, was fond of making a circulating
library of such books as were left in his way by eating the
leaves. From this tin receptacle Jo produced another manuscript,
Little Women |
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 Daisy Miller by Henry James: and he observed that Giovanelli was coming back to them.
Daisy, observing it too, addressed herself again to her countryman.
"Since you have mentioned it," she said, "I AM engaged."
* * * Winterbourne looked at her; he had stopped laughing.
"You don't believe!" she added.
He was silent a moment; and then, "Yes, I believe it," he said.
"Oh, no, you don't!" she answered. "Well, then--I am not!"
The young girl and her cicerone were on their way to the gate
of the enclosure, so that Winterbourne, who had but lately entered,
presently took leave of them. A week afterward he went to dine
at a beautiful villa on the Caelian Hill, and, on arriving,
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