| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Blue Flower by Henry van Dyke: tenderness in it that thrilled me. Keene's pace quickened.
And soon the singer came in sight, stepping lightly down the
road, a shape of slender whiteness on the background of
gathering night. She was beautiful even in that dim light,
with brown eyes and hair, and a face that seemed to breathe
purity and trust. Yet there was a trace of anxiety in it, or
so I fancied, that gave it an appealing charm.
"You have come at last, Edward," she cried, running
forward and putting her hand in his. "It is late. You have
been out all day; I began to be afraid."
"Not too late," he answered; "there was no need for fear,
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Rescue by Joseph Conrad: bearing on the situation, I would . . . suppress it."
D'Alcacer was looking up from the seat, full of wonder. Mrs.
Travers appealed to him in a calm voice through the folds of the
scarf:
"Tell me, Mr. d'Alcacer, you who can look on it calmly, wouldn't
I be right?"
"Why, has Jorgenson told you anything?"
"Directly--nothing, except a phrase or two which really I could
not understand. They seemed to have a hidden sense and he
appeared to attach some mysterious importance to them that he
dared not explain to me."
The Rescue |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Maitre Cornelius by Honore de Balzac: roof which was almost inaccessible. At last, after two hours of close
investigation, marked with that sagacity which distinguished the
suspicious mind of Louis XI., it was clear to him, beyond all doubt,
that no one had forced an entrance into the strong-room of his
silversmith. No marks of violence were on the locks, nor on the iron
coffers which contained the gold, silver, and jewels deposited as
securities by wealthy debtors.
"If the robber opened this box," said the king, why did he take
nothing out of it but the jewels of the Duke of Bavaria? What reason
had he for leaving that pearl necklace which lay beside them? A queer
robber!"
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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 Scenes from a Courtesan's Life by Honore de Balzac: standing with their horrible hats on their yet more horrible heads,
with mahogany-colored faces and bleared eyes, damaged noses, and
hideous mouths, Louchard now stepped forth, more decently dressed than
his men, but keeping his hat on, his expression at once smooth-faced
and smiling.
"Mademoiselle, I arrest you!" said he to Esther. "As for you, my
girl," he added to Europe, "any resistance will be punished, and
perfectly useless."
The noise of muskets, let down with a thud of their stocks on the
floor of the dining-room, showing that the invaders had soldiers to
bake them, gave emphasis to this speech.
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