| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Melmoth Reconciled by Honore de Balzac: easy-chair. Castanier seated himself on a sofa by the fire, and left
Aquilina's lover in a standing position.
"You have been in the army," said Leon; "I am ready to give you
satisfaction."
"You are a fool," said Castanier drily. "I have no occasion to fight.
I could kill you by a look if I had any mind to do it. I will tell you
what it is, youngster; why should I kill you? I can see a red line
round your neck--the guillotine is waiting for you. Yes, you will end
in the Place de Greve. You are the headsman's property! there is no
escape for you. You belong to a vendita, of the Carbonari. You are
plotting against the Government."
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie: me of it, it wouldn't matter.
"What to do with the real thing worried me no end. Finally I
opened it out flat--there were only two sheets--and laid it
between two of the advertisement pages of a magazine. I stuck the
two pages together round the edge with some gum off an envelope.
I carried the magazine carelessly stuffed into the pocket of my
ulster.
"At Holyhead I tried to get into a carriage with people that
looked all right, but in a queer way there seemed always to be a
crowd round me shoving and pushing me just the way I didn't want
to go. There was something uncanny and frightening about it. In
Secret Adversary |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from A Distinguished Provincial at Paris by Honore de Balzac: threaten their self-love. If it is in your power to spread a report
that the jeune premier has the asthma, the leading lady a fistula
where you please, and the soubrette has foul breath, then your piece
would be played to-morrow. I do not know whether in two years' time, I
who speak to you now, shall be in a position to exercise such power.
You need so many to back you. And where and how am I to gain my bread
meanwhile?
"I tried lots of things; I wrote a novel, anonymously; old Doguereau
gave me two hundred francs for it, and he did not make very much out
of it himself. Then it grew plain to me that journalism alone could
give me a living. The next thing was to find my way into those shops.
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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 Tom Sawyer, Detective by Mark Twain: be long till the whole thing would blow over and be forgot.
We all said there wouldn't anybody ever suspect Uncle Silas,
nor ever dream of such a thing, he being so good and kind,
and having such a good character; and Tom says,
cordial and hearty, he says:
"Why, just look at it a minute; just consider. Here is
Uncle Silas, all these years a preacher--at his own expense;
all these years doing good with all his might and every
way he can think of--at his own expense, all the time;
always been loved by everybody, and respected; always been
peaceable and minding his own business, the very last man
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