| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Red Seal by Natalie Sumner Lincoln: further pursuit of the detective, he could find him later at
Headquarters. The steward looked among the dancers. "I don't
see him," he said, "But there is Mrs. Brewster dancing in the
front room; the Colonel must be somewhere around. If I meet him,
Mr. Kent, shall I tell him you are looking for him?"
"I will be greatly obliged if you will do so," replied Kent, and
straightening his tie, he went in quest of the pretty widow. He
had found her a merry chatter-box in the past, possibly he could
gain valuable information from her. He found Mrs. Brewster just
completing her dance with a fine looking Italian officer whose
broad breast bore many military decorations.
The Red Seal |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Selected Writings of Guy De Maupassant by Guy De Maupassant: him!'
" 'No, it is impossible.'
"He drew his chair close to mine, and as he knew my weak side,
the scamp continued: 'Just think what a swagger thing it will be
to do, and how amusing to tell about; the whole army will talk
about it, and it will give you a famous reputation.'
"I hesitated, for the adventure rather tempted me. He persisted:
'Come, my little Garens. You are in command of this detachment,
and you alone can go and call on the head of the church in this
neighborhood. I beg of you to go, and I promise you that after
the war, I will relate the whole affair in verse in the "Revue
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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 Brother of Daphne by Dornford Yates: I went to where she was standing. The housekeeper was twenty
paces away at the top of the stairs. I spoke as carelessly as I
could, and in an undertone.
"They will want to unpack your things. Also they will soon know
that there is no luggage. Ours, of course, went on to Whinnerley
proper. Say your maid is coming on with it by the next train,
and that she will unpack when she comes."
"All right."
I returned to the hall. Not to be outdone by the housekeeper,
the footman was most solicitous. He led me to an oak-panelled
lavatory, turned on the water, and held a towel ready while I
The Brother of Daphne |
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 The Mansion by Henry van Dyke: be sure.
So he rose from the stone where he was sitting, and came down
through
the short grass and the lavender flowers, toward a passing group
of people.
One of them turned to meet him, and held out his hand. It was an
old man,
under whose white beard and brows John Weightman thought he saw
a suggestion of the face of the village doctor who had cared for
him
years ago, when he was a boy in the country.
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