| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Paz by Honore de Balzac: "If you think you are going to find out anything that way--" said
Comte Adam, laughing.
It is well to mention that Adam and Clementine, married in December,
1835, had gone soon after the wedding to Italy, Switzerland, and
Germany, where they spent the greater part of two years. Returning to
Paris in November, 1837, the countess entered society for the first
time as a married woman during the winter which had just ended, and
she then became aware of the existence, half-suppressed and wholly
dumb but very useful, of a species of factotum who was personally
invisible, named Paz,--spelt thus, but pronounced "Patz."
"Monsieur le capitaine Paz begs Madame la comtesse to excuse him,"
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Ferragus by Honore de Balzac: silly in fighting without a cause?"
Monsieur de Ronquerolles would not allow of this way of ending the
affair, and then the baron, his suspicions revived, walked up to him.
"Well, then! Monsieur le marquis," he said, "pledge me, in presence of
these gentlemen, your word as a gentleman that you have no other
reason for vengeance than that you have chosen to put forward."
"Monsieur, that is a question you have no right to ask."
So saying, Monsieur de Ronquerolles took his place. It was agreed, in
advance, that the adversaries were to be satisfied with one exchange
of shots. Monsieur de Ronquerolles, in spite of the great distance
determined by the seconds, which seemed to make the death of either
Ferragus |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Caesar's Commentaries in Latin by Julius Caesar: perturbabantur; hostes vero, notis omnibus vadii, ubi ex litore aliquos
singulares ex navi egredientes conspexerant, incitatis equis impeditos
adoriebantur, plures paucos circumsistebant, alii ab latere aperto in
universos tela coiciebant. Quod cum animadvertisset Caesar, scaphas
longarum navium, item speculatoria navigia militibus compleri iussit, et
quos laborantes conspexerat, his subsidia submittebat. Nostri, simul in
arido constiterunt, suis omnibus consecutis, in hostes impetum fecerunt
atque eos in fugam dederunt; neque longius prosequi potuerunt, quod
equites cursum tenere atque insulam capere non potuerant. Hoc unum ad
pristinam fortunam Caesari defuit.
Hostes proelio superati, simul atque se ex fuga: receperunt, statim
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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 Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Bronte Sisters: park, discoursing merrily all the way. Arrived at the hall-door, I
paused on the steps and looked round me, waiting to recover my
composure, if possible - or, at any rate, to remember my new-formed
resolutions and the principles on which they were founded; and it
was not till Arthur had been for some time gently pulling my coat,
and repeating his invitations to enter, that I at length consented
to accompany him into the apartment where the ladies awaited us.
Helen eyed me as I entered with a kind of gentle, serious scrutiny,
and politely asked after Mrs. Markham and Rose. I respectfully
answered her inquiries. Mrs. Maxwell begged me to be seated,
observing it was rather cold, but she supposed I had not travelled
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall |
