| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Resurrection by Leo Tolstoy: women here; it is the children's ward," he said.
"Yes, I know; but a prisoner has been removed here to be an
assistant nurse."
"Yes, there are two such here. Then whom do you want?"
"I am closely connected with one of them, named Maslova,"
Nekhludoff answered, "and should like to speak to her. I am going
to Petersburg to hand in an appeal to the Senate about her case
and should like to give her this. It is only a photo," Nekhludoff
said, taking an envelope out of his pocket.
"All right, you may do that," said the doctor, relenting, and
turning to an old woman with a white apron, he told her to call
Resurrection |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Tapestried Chamber by Walter Scott: the localities of the detail, but suffer them to rest under the
same general description in which they were first related to me;
and for the same reason I will not add to or diminish the
narrative by any circumstance, whether more or less material, but
simply rehearse, as I heard it, a story of supernatural terror.
About the end of the American war, when the officers of Lord
Cornwallis's army, which surrendered at Yorktown, and others, who
had been made prisoners during the impolitic and ill-fated
controversy, were returning to their own country, to relate their
adventures, and repose themselves after their fatigues, there was
amongst them a general officer, to whom Miss S. gave the name of
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Glinda of Oz by L. Frank Baum: their boat and waited as patiently as they could for
someone to come to their aid.
The Flatheads had refused to help them and had gone
back to their mountain. All the Skeezers were
imprisoned in the Great Dome and could not help even
themselves. When evening came, they saw the Diamond
Swan, still keeping to the opposite shore of the lake,
walk out of the water to the sands, shake her diamond-
sprinkled feathers, and then disappear among the bushes
to seek a resting place for the night.
"I'm hungry," said Ervic.
Glinda of Oz |
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 Study of a Woman by Honore de Balzac: your pen should, by accident, write my name. A name, written on a
letter, is not a friend's opera-hat, which you might have taken,
carelessly, on leaving a ball."
Eugene, discomfited, looked at the marquise with an air that was both
stupid and conceited. He felt that he was becoming ridiculous; and
after stammering a few juvenile phrases he left the room.
A few days later the marquise acquired undeniable proofs that Eugene
had told the truth. For the last fortnight she has not been seen in
society.
The marquis tells all those who ask him the reason of this
seclusion:--
|
