The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Forged Coupon by Leo Tolstoy: apply to an old man, known to be a saint by his
life, and to give him her money to dispose of in
the way he thought best. Her father got angry
with her when he heard about it. During a vio-
lent altercation he called her mad, a raving luna-
tic, and said he would take measures to prevent
her from doing injury to herself.
Her father's irritation proved contagious.
Losing all control over herself, and sobbing with
rage, she behaved with the greatest impertinence
to her father, calling him a tyrant and a miser.
 The Forged Coupon |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Eve and David by Honore de Balzac: very simple way of finding out everything. Pay David's debts; he will
come home, and you can settle it between you."
"Ha! that is what you want to get out of me, is it?" he cried. "It is
as well to know!"
But if Sechard had no belief in his son, he had plenty of faith in the
Cointets. He went to consult them, and the Cointets dazzled him of set
purpose, telling him that his son's experiments might mean millions of
francs.
"If David can prove that he has succeeded, I shall not hesitate to go
into partnership with him, and reckon his discovery as half the
capital," the tall Cointet told him.
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