| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Man in Lower Ten by Mary Roberts Rinehart: occurred to me. "Oh, porter - what's the number of this berth?"
"Seven, sir. If you cain't wear those shoes - "
"Seven!" In my relief I almost shouted it. "Why, then, it's
simple enough. I'm in the wrong berth, that's all. My berth is
nine. Only - where the deuce is the man who belongs here?"
"Likely in nine, sir." The darky was enjoying himself. "You and
the other gentleman just got mixed in the night. That's all, sir."
It was clear that he thought I had been drinking.
I drew a long breath. Of course, that was the explanation. This
was number seven's berth, that was his soft hat, this his umbrella,
his coat, his bag. My rage turned to irritation at myself.
The Man in Lower Ten |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Scenes from a Courtesan's Life by Honore de Balzac: been confiscated to the nation, to the amount of about forty thousand
francs a year. Of all the great nobles of the Faubourg Saint-Germain
who allowed themselves to be won over by Napoleon, this Duke and
Duchess--she was an Ajuda of the senior branch, and connected with the
Braganzas--were the only family who afterwards never disowned him and
his liberality. When the Faubourg Saint-Germain remembered this as a
crime against the Grandlieus, Louis XVIII. respected them for it; but
perhaps his only object was to annoy MONSIEUR.
A marriage was considered likely between the young Vicomte de
Grandlieu and Marie-Athenais, the Duke's youngest daughter, now nine
years old. Sabine, the youngest but one, married the Baron du Guenic
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