| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Kwaidan by Lafcadio Hearn: After Hoichi had duly expressed his thanks, a woman's hand conducted him
to the entrance of the house, where the same retainer, who had before
guided him, was waiting to take him home. The retainer led him to the
verandah at the rear of the temple, and there bade him farewell.
It was almost dawn when Hoichi returned; but his absence from the temple
had not been observed,-- as the priest, coming back at a very late hour,
had supposed him asleep. During the day Hoichi was able to take some rest;
and he said nothing about his strange adventure. In the middle of the
following night the samurai again came for him, and led him to the august
assembly, where he gave another recitation with the same success that had
attended his previous performance. But during this second visit his absence
Kwaidan |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Black Beauty by Anna Sewell: willingly used the last of my strength in serving; poor and shabby,
but kind and human, with voices that I could trust.
There was one tottering old man who took a great fancy to me, and I to him,
but I was not strong enough -- it was an anxious time!
Coming from the better part of the fair, I noticed a man
who looked like a gentleman farmer, with a young boy by his side;
he had a broad back and round shoulders, a kind, ruddy face,
and he wore a broad-brimmed hat. When he came up to me and my companions
he stood still and gave a pitiful look round upon us. I saw his eye
rest on me; I had still a good mane and tail, which did something
for my appearance. I pricked my ears and looked at him.
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Camille by Alexandre Dumas: find a word to say."
"I should say, on the contrary, that he has only come with you
because it would have bored you to come here by yourself."
"If that were true," I said, "I should not have begged Ernest to
ask your permission to introduce me."
"Perhaps that was only in order to put off the fatal moment."
However little one may have known women like Marguerite, one can
not but know the delight they take in pretending to be witty and
in teasing the people whom they meet for the first time. It is no
doubt a return for the humiliations which they often have to
submit to on the part of those whom they see every day.
Camille |
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 Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad: inexplicable. As soon as he was left alone he looked for his hat
impulsively, and put it on his head. Having done that, he sat down
again to reconsider the whole matter. But as his mind was already
made up, this did not take long. And before Chief Inspector Heat
had gone very far on the way home, he also left the building.
CHAPTER VII
The Assistant Commissioner walked along a short and narrow street
like a wet, muddy trench, then crossing a very broad thoroughfare
entered a public edifice, and sought speech with a young private
secretary (unpaid) of a great personage.
This fair, smooth-faced young man, whose symmetrically arranged
The Secret Agent |
