| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Gobseck by Honore de Balzac: at me, coughed again, fidgeted about in his chair, and said, 'We will
try to arrange this bit of business.'
"I trembled.
" 'I make fifty per cent on my capital,' he continued, 'sometimes I
make a hundred, two hundred, five hundred per cent.'
"I turned pale at the words.
" 'But as we are acquaintances, I shall be satisfied to take twelve
and a half per cent per--(he hesitated)--'well, yes, from you I would
be content to take thirteen per cent per annum. Will that suit you?'
" 'Yes,' I answered.
" 'But if it is too much, stick up for yourself, Grotius!' (a name he
Gobseck |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Footnote to History by Robert Louis Stevenson: SEPTEMBER '87 TO AUGUST '88
SO Tamasese was on the throne, and Brandeis behind it; and I have
now to deal with their brief and luckless reign. That it was the
reign of Brandeis needs not to be argued: the policy is throughout
that of an able, over-hasty white, with eyes and ideas. But it
should be borne in mind that he had a double task, and must first
lead his sovereign, before he could begin to drive their common
subjects. Meanwhile, he himself was exposed (if all tales be true)
to much dictation and interference, and to some "cumbrous aid,"
from the consulate and the firm. And to one of these aids, the
suppression of the municipality, I am inclined to attribute his
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| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Breaking Point by Mary Roberts Rinehart: "I might, but I certainly don't intend to."
"You are as hard to isolate as a - as a germ," he complained. "I
gave up a perfectly good golf game to see you, and as your father
generally calls the dog the moment I appear and goes for a walk, I
thought I might see you alone."
"You're seeing me alone now, you know."
Suddenly he leaned over and catching up her hand, kissed it.
"You're so cool and sweet," he said. "I - I wish you liked me a
little." He smiled up at her, rather wistfully. "I never knew any
one quite like you."
She drew her hand away. Something Nina had said, that he knew his
The Breaking Point |
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 Records of a Family of Engineers by Robert Louis Stevenson: washed into the deep water.
The deceased had passed along this rope-ladder many
hundred times, both by day and night, and the operations in
which he was employed being nearly finished, he was about to
leave the rock when this melancholy catastrophe took place.
The unfortunate loss of Henderson cast a deep gloom upon the
minds of all who were at the rock, and it required some
management on the part of those who had charge to induce the
people to remain patiently at their work; as the weather now
became more boisterous, and the nights long, they found their
habitation extremely cheerless, while the winds were howling
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